IU featured in 10 of 36 Big Ten Network's Classic Big Ten Basketball Games

Friday's email brought interesting marketing news from the Big Ten Network about their since- initiated schedule of 36 Big Ten basketball games they're labeling "THE BIG TEN'S GREATEST GAMES."
Having gone thru the list of ballgames from their press release, http://www.bigtennetwork.com/corporate/PR110607.asp a few things stood out immediately to me, and perhaps you'll agree.
Not so surprisingly, ten of the 36 featured ballgames involve IU basketball teams from 1985-2003, including the famous 1985 game against Purdue that featured the chair Coach Knight threw across the court -and around the world according to some websites I've seen over the years, which showed it as a satellite orbitting the earth.
Some of the games make sense but there are plenty that I'd have preferred seeing and can't help but wonder why they're not here, given the caliber of players involved.

For instance, there are none of the 1980's classics against Michigan featuring Steve Alford and or Glenn Rice that made CBS-TV so gleeful for the compelling nature of the games.
If ESPN Classic had existed back then, they'd have been in heavy rotation.
And what about the great game where Georgetown came into Assembly Hall in 1980 or '82 and shot crazy, crazy 'lights out' basketball in the first half to the astonishment of the packed arena, something like 66%, but IU still found a way to crawl out of a hole and come back to win? That's one I'd like to see.

(A propos of nothing, I can't help but wonder once the NCAA football season is over, will ESPN Classic re-air the best of the ABC/ESPN Saturday basketball games on Sunday mornings at 9 a.m. like they do for their football broadcasts, which have featured some great games, including that great UK vs. Louisville match that I watched from beginning to end when it was LIVE, as well as the encore broadcast. For my money, that's the best college football game of the year, though I hold out hopes that the U-M will surprise me and do something noteworthy in their last three games of the year:
tonight against UVA in their last game at the Orange Bowl -where my nephew Mario, a U-M junior will be tonight, and where in 1971, I saw my very first U-M game, the famous "Fifth Down" game against Tulane when I was ten years old-
next week against Virginia Tech in the land of the rabid Hokie fans, Blacksburg,
and then up in Chestnut Hill to close the year out against Boston College and Matt Ryan as they seek to go to a BCS Bowl game on a Saturday night game.
SouthBeachHoosier trivia: Boston College was my #3 college choice, after U.S.C., ie. Southern Cal and IU. )

I'll have to write the folks at ESPN a note about this good idea and if I hear back, I'll post it here.

Below are the ten IU ballgames to be broadcast.
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excerpted from
http://www.bigtennetwork.com/corporate/PR110607.asp
November 6, 2007
Network to Televise 36 Classic Big Ten Basketball Contests
Fans can re-live some of the 'Greatest Games' in college basketball history

CHICAGO - Intense rivalries, improbable buzzer-beaters and impossible comebacks. These are the ingredients of some of the most exciting moments in Big Ten history.Throughout the winter, basketball fans will have the opportunity to re-live 36 epic match-ups on the Big Ten Network series, "THE BIG TEN'S GREATEST GAMES."
The series will highlight some of the best moments in the rich histories of all 11 Big Ten basketball programs.
Series producers have interviewed many legendary players and coaches from those games along with those who were on hand to cover the event. Their insight and memories will be integrated into each episode.
Big Ten Network President Mark Silverman said the "Greatest Games" series honors the legacy of the conference's past, and will be a consistent presence year-round.
"As a fan, you never forget your team's most emotional wins or heartbreaking losses. We know fans will enjoy watching these games," Silverman said.

Tuesday, December 4th Kentucky at Indiana - 12/18/1990
Indiana coach Bob Knight used a little tough love to motivate Calbert Cheaney, who scored a dismal four points in the first half, and apparently the tactic worked. Cheaney scored 19 in the second half as the Hoosiers rallied from a halftime deficit. A three-pointer by Kentucky's Jamal Mashburn tied the game at 82 with 55 seconds to go, but foul trouble plagued Kentucky and gave Indiana the edge, as 10 of the Hoosier's final 18 points came from the foul line. Indiana eventually hung on to defeat the Wildcats 87-84.

December 18th Indiana at Northwestern - 1/11/1988
Playing without three of its starters, Northwestern ended a six-game losing streak with an upset of defending national champion Indiana, 66-64. The Wildcats shot a perfect 21-for-21 from the free-throw line. Shon Morris led the Wildcats, scoring 10 points, grabbing seven rebounds, dishing out four assists and making many other key plays that didn't show up in the boxscore. Morris and his teammates seemingly dove after every loose ball, leading Bobby Knight to comment, "they just completely outplayed us."

Wednesday, January 2nd Iowa at Indiana - 3/1/2003
Playing through injury and sickness, Iowa took Indiana into overtime before eventually falling 91-88. Bracey Wright scored 21 points and sank the game-winning 3-pointer for IU. Jared Reiner had a career-high 25 points and 17 rebounds for Iowa.

Tuesday, January 8th Indiana at Purdue - 1/18/1994
Having been swept the previous year by their intrastate rival, Purdue looked to make a statement, and did just that. Down the stretch the lead changed hands several times, and when regulation came to an end, the game was all knotted up. In the end, the Boilermakers hung on to defeat eighth-ranked Indiana 83-76 and move into a four-way tie for first in the Big Ten.

Indiana at Illinois - 3/1/1987
On Senior Night, Illinois led by as many as 10 in the second before Indiana rallied and had an opportunity to win on the final possession. Following a timeout, the Hoosiers worked the clock down to seven seconds when Steve Alford missed what would have been a game-winning three-pointer. After a missed free throw by the Illini's Steve Bardo, Alford heaved a desperation shot from mid-court that just missed, giving Illinois the 69-67 victory.

Indiana at Ohio State - 2/17/1991
In a game that saw the lead change hands 16 times in the second half, neither team could manage a lead of more than six points. Indiana freshman phenom Damon Bailey scored 32 points without committing a single turnover while Ohio State forward and current Big Ten Network analyst Jim Jackson racked up 30 points, 11 rebounds and a game-winning assist. However, it was Treg Lee who sank the winning shot for the Buckeyes, lifting them to a 97-95 victory.

Indiana at Wisconsin - 2/16/1987
The Badgers took the second-ranked Hoosiers to triple-overtime before finally falling 86-85. Although Indiana's Steve Alford broke the school's all-time scoring record (2,192 points), he missed some opportunities to win the game in the first two overtimes. Instead, it was the Hoosiers' Dean Garrett who scored the game-winning basket with just four seconds left.

Purdue at Indiana - 2/23/1985
In what some believed to be an attempt to energize his struggling team, Indiana coach Bob Knight received three technical fouls, including one for throwing a chair across the court. Knight's frustration was sparked by consecutive foul calls against his players just five minutes into the game with Indiana trailing 11-6. Despite Knight and the Hoosiers' efforts, however, they still fell to the Boilermakers, 72-63.

Indiana at Minnesota - 2/9/2000
When Minnesota star John-Blair Bickerstaff was carried from the court on a stretcher after a foul by Indiana's A.J. Guyton, sophomore Joe Przybilla stepped in and scored a career-high 33 points, including the game-winner with only four seconds left, leading Minnesota to a 77-75 victory.

Tuesday, March 11th Illinois at Indiana - 3/5/1989
The two Big Ten powerhouses went back and forth for most of the game before some last-second heroics turned this game into one for the ages. Indiana's Jay Edwards hit an unthinkable shot tying the game at 67 with two seconds left. Illinois quickly called a time out to set up the final play. Nick Anderson came off a pair of screens, caught a perfect pass and drilled a 30-footer as the buzzer sounded, giving the Illini a 70-67 victory.

For more information regarding the Big Ten Network, visit www.BigTenNetwork.com.