Indiana men’s basketball has spent over two decades now longing to return to the stage it once frequently occupied: the Final Four. The Hoosiers last reached the sport’s grandest stage in 2002, falling to Maryland in the national championship.
What stings even more for Hoosier fans? The Final Four is a mainstay in Indianapolis, a short drive north from Bloomington. This year’s event will see the fifth champion crowned in the circle city since the last time Indiana made it to the NCAA Tournament’s
final weekend.
There’s other factors to consider yet for this one too. Could Kelvin Sampson, the long since fired former Indiana and current Houston head coach, finally win his long awaited championship just over an hour away? Could Purdue, the in-state rival, cut down the nets? Or even Dusty May, a former student manager for the Hoosiers who some view as the one who got away? FanDuel Sportsbook likes the Cougars to win the title at +650 while the Boilermakers sit at +1400 with the Wolverines all the way up at +310.
Here’s who college basketball fans think will be heading to Indy:
East Region Champs – Duke
South Region Champs – Houston
Midwest Region Champs – Michigan
West Region Champs – Arizona
