BLOOMINGTON, IN — Welcome to a summer series where Hoosier basketball fans can vote for their favorite Indiana player and wear their number. I’m wearing the 54th issue again today.
Favorite Hoosier?
Each day we give you 4 choices along with a short player bio to choose your favorite Hoosier wearing a specific number.
To avoid bias, here are the four jersey choices for the number 54 in alphabetical order. Please answer the survey below on Twitter.
(Editor’s Note: We’ll get the results for 24 hours on the poll and will share the results in this article the next day, so stay tuned.)
Kent Benson (1973-77)
Center Kent Benson from Newcastle, Indiana ranks ninth on Indiana’s all-time scorers list with 1,740 points in four seasons with the Hoosiers.
Benson shot 53.6 percent from the field and 71.5 percent from the free throw line. He also ranked third all-time with 1,031 rebounds behind Walt Bellamy and Alan Henderson.
Benson was a member of the 1975 Elite Eight Team and a member of the 1976 National Championship Team. That’s when Indiana defeated Michigan State 86-68 in his 86-68 victory, earning Bob his Knight his coach’s first NCAA title in his 32-0 perfect season.
He was named the 1976 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player. Following his last season in Indiana in 1977, Benson was drafted 1st overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in his 1977 NBA Draft.
Mr. Basketball, formerly of Indiana, spent 11 years playing for three different teams in the NBA before playing one season abroad.
Kent Benson
© Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Steve Boochie (1979-83)
Forward Steve Boochie was named Indiana’s Mr. Basketball in 1979 at Washington High School before coming to Indiana for the 1979-1980 freshman season.
Under Coach Knight, Boochie led the team to two Big Ten regular season titles in 1981 and 1983, and contributed to four more NCAA Tournament appearances.
Boochie and the Hoosiers continued his college career as Indiana progressed to the Sweet 16, won the title game against North Carolina in 1981, made it to the second round, and finally entered Boochie’s senior year in the Sweet 16. I ignited my career.
After a stellar run in Indiana, he was drafted by the Detroit Pistons in 1983. Bussey also played professionally in Italy before a hand injury ended his career.
In 2020, the decorated player died of a sudden heart attack over the weekend of 4th of July.
Steve Bushey
© Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Chris Lawson (1989-91)
A native of Bloomington, Indiana, Chris Lawson played only two seasons for Indiana, mostly off the bench.
The center/forward totaled 195 points and 129 rebounds and was part of the Hoosiers’ first-round NCAA Tournament appearance in 1990, which helped Indiana win the Big Ten regular season title the following year with a 29–5 record. It was part of the Sweet 16 Run.
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Lawson moved to Vanderbilt for the last two years of his eligibility, when the Commodores made their Sweet 16s their junior year and made the NIT Finals their senior year.
Chris Lawson
IU Athletics
John McGlocklin (1962-65)
Hailing from Franklin, Indiana, John McGlocklin is something of a Swiss Army knife, being listed as a forward, center and guard on the roster.
In three seasons, he tallied 873 career points and 343 rebounds for Indiana. He had a staggering 79.6% success rate in his stripes for charity and a 48.5% in field goals.
While McGlocklin was a Hoosier under coach Branch McCracken, Indiana didn’t advance to the NCAA Tournament or win a conference title, but still had some great winning seasons. .
John McGlocklin
@IndianaMBB on Twitter
51st all-time in Indiana
Here are the players who wore number 51 for Indiana:
- Logan Duncombe — (2021-Present)
- Earl Callaway — (2005-07)
- Marty Simmons — (1983-85)
52nd all-time in Indiana
Here are the players who wore number 52 for Indiana:
- Courtney Witte — (1983-84, 1985-86)
53rd all-time in Indiana
Here are the players who wore number 53 for Indiana:
- Tamar Bates — (2021-Present)
- Tom Guyer — (1997-00)
- Ross Hales — (1993-94)
54th all-time in Indiana
Here are the players who wore number 54 for Indiana:
- Chris Lawson — (1989-91)
- Steve Boochie — (1979-83)
- Kent Benson — (1973-77)
- Kim Pemberton — (1970-72)
- Mike Symantic — (1968-70)
- John McGlocklin — (1962-65)
55th all-time in Indiana
Here are the players who wore number 55 for Indiana:
- Evan Fitzner — (2018-19)
- Harris Mjezinovic — (1995-97)
- Tom Abernethy — (1972-76)
- Ed Daniels — (1970-71)
Vote for your 54th favorite on Twitter
You can vote for your favorite player on Twitter for each number. Here’s the link to today’s poll for #54:
‘Hoosier’ Favorite Results
Check this story daily to see who won the vote for each number.
Hoosier Favorite Result Stories click here
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