Top 10 Upsets in Indiana Hoosiers Basketball History

The history of Indiana basketball isn’t just built on banners—it’s built on nights when the Hoosiers had no business winning and did it anyway.

These aren’t the obvious ones. These are the games that get overlooked, misremembered, or flat-out ignored by lazy lists. No fluff. No fake upsets. Just real moments where Indiana knocked off teams they weren’t supposed to beat.

10. Indiana 81, #1 Michigan 73 — February 2, 2013

Top-5 matchup or not, this was still the No. 1 team in the country coming into Assembly Hall—and Indiana took it from them.

Michigan was undefeated, explosive, and led by Trey Burke. Many believed they were the best team in the nation.

Indiana had something to prove.

Victor Oladipo set the tone defensively, Cody Zeller controlled the interior, and the Hoosiers fed off a relentless home crowd.

This wasn’t a buzzer-beater. This was control.

Indiana didn’t sneak past Michigan—they beat them.

That matters.

IU vs Michigan 02 02 13

9. Indiana 53, Purdue 52 — 1979 NIT Championship

Rivalry. Madison Square Garden. Championship on the line.

And Indiana wasn’t supposed to win.

Purdue came into this game as a Big Ten tri-champion with one of the best rosters in the country, led by All-American Joe Barry Carroll. Indiana was playing in the NIT—not even in the NCAA Tournament—and was seen as the lesser team. Purdue was left out of the NCAA Tournament because only two teams could go from each conference back then.

Indiana slowed the pace, defended relentlessly, and turned it into a possession-by-possession fight. Purdue never got comfortable.

Then came the moment—Butch Carter’s game-winning shot.

Indiana didn’t just win a title—they beat a better team on a national stage and took down their biggest rival in the process.

That’s what makes this one hit different.

8. Indiana 67, #2 Notre Dame 66 — December 14, 1977

An unranked Indiana team hosting the No. 2 team in the country should have been a mismatch.

It wasn’t.

This was a young Hoosier team still trying to establish itself after the glory years of the mid-70s. Notre Dame brought experience, confidence, and national respect. Indiana brought grit.

Led by emerging players like Mike Woodson and Ray Tolbert, the Hoosiers turned the game into a physical battle. They refused to be pushed around and stayed within striking distance the entire night.

With seconds left, Wayne Radford stepped to the line and calmly knocked down the free throw that sealed the 67–66 upset.

This was more than a win—it was proof that Indiana wasn’t going away.

In a bizarre twist of fate, the Notre Dame team was supposed to fly on the same plane that crashed with the Evansville team aboard it later that same day.  The Irish instead chose to travel by bus due to poor conditions.  Radford was best friends with one of the passengers that perished on that flight.

50 Years of Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall Celebration: Game #15 – December 14th, 1977

7. Indiana 88, Michigan 79 — February 23, 1971

This game gets buried in the archives, but it shouldn’t. Indiana took down a strong Michigan team behind one of the most dominant individual performances in program history.

Steve Downing delivered Indiana’s first recorded triple-double with 28 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 blocked shots. Let that sink in—10 blocks in an era where stats weren’t always even tracked cleanly.

Michigan had the size and physical presence to control the paint. Instead, Downing flipped the matchup entirely. He altered shots defensively and anchored the offense on the other end.

This wasn’t a lucky win. It was dominance disguised as a routine result. Indiana didn’t just beat Michigan—they controlled the game physically and mentally.

6. Indiana 106, #6 Notre Dame 103 — December 15, 1970

Most teams lose when a player drops 54 points on them.

Indiana didn’t.

Notre Dame’s Austin Carr delivered one of the greatest individual scoring performances in college basketball history, lighting up the Hoosiers for 54. It didn’t matter.

Indiana trailed by 10 at halftime but came storming back behind George McGinnis and Joby Wright, who each poured in 29 points. Instead of trying to slow the game down, Indiana leaned into the chaos and matched Notre Dame shot for shot.

This wasn’t just a comeback—it was a statement about toughness and resilience. Indiana absorbed a historic performance and still walked away with the win.

That’s an upset most people forget—but it shouldn’t be.

5. Indiana 73, #1 Kentucky 72 — December 10, 2011

This is the moment modern Indiana basketball came back to life. For a little bit.

Kentucky came in as the No. 1 team in the country, loaded with future NBA players and expected to roll. Indiana was still rebuilding under Tom Crean.

But for 40 minutes, Indiana didn’t play like an underdog.

They matched Kentucky possession for possession, never backed down, and earned the right to win the game.

Then came the shot.

Christian Watford’s buzzer-beater didn’t just win a game—it changed a program. Assembly Hall erupted, and Indiana basketball was relevant again.

This wasn’t luck. It was earned.

IU Buzzer Beater vs. Kentucky (HD)

4. Indiana 59, #1 Michigan State 58 — January 7, 2001

Unranked Indiana. No. 1 Michigan State. Defending national champions. Undefeated. 23-game winning streak.

And Indiana wins.

Kirk Haston’s buzzer-beater is the moment everyone remembers—but the full 40 minutes matter just as much. Indiana controlled tempo, executed under pressure, and never let the moment get too big.

This is what a true upset looks like.

Not hype. Not narrative.

Just a team that wasn’t supposed to win—beating the best team in the country anyway.

Indiana Haston Drains 3 to Beat #1 MSU

3. Indiana 72, Kentucky 65 — 1973 NCAA Tournament

Before Indiana became Indiana, they had to prove they could beat the blue bloods.

This was that moment.

Kentucky was the established power in the region, and Indiana was still building under Bob Knight. The expectation was clear—Kentucky moves on.

Indiana had other ideas.

The Hoosiers controlled the game with discipline, defense, and execution. They jumped out early and never let Kentucky dictate the pace.

This wasn’t just a win—it was a turning point.

Indiana proved it could compete—and win—on the national stage.

2. Indiana 74, Duke 73 — 2002 NCAA Sweet 16

This is the one Duke game that belongs here. Duke was the defending national champion, a No. 1 seed, and entered the Sweet 16 at 31–3. Indiana was a No. 5 seed and looked dead when Duke built a 17-point lead. Then the Hoosiers started punching back. Jared Jeffries, Dane Fife, Tom Coverdale, and company refused to fold, and Mike Davis’ team delivered one of the great NCAA Tournament shockers in IU history. Jay Williams missed the free throw that could have tied it late, and Indiana escaped 74–73. It was grit, belief, and survival against a national powerhouse.

Indiana vs. Duke: 2002 Sweet 16 | FULL GAME

1. Indiana 72, #1 North Carolina 68 — 1984 NCAA Sweet 16

This is one of the smartest upsets Indiana has ever pulled.

North Carolina was loaded—Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins, Brad Daugherty. On paper, Indiana didn’t match up.

So Bob Knight changed the terms.

Indiana slowed the game, forced a half-court battle, and relied on discipline. Dan Dakich delivered one of the most famous defensive performances in program history, frustrating Jordan and limiting his impact.

Indiana didn’t try to out-talent North Carolina.

They out-executed them.

And they sent one of the most talented teams in the country home early.

Full Game: A Clash of Collegiate Giants | North Carolina vs Indiana (March 22, 1984)