Part Two: The 1953 NCAA Championship Team
Written by: Bill Murphy (@Williamindiana2)
This is the continuation of a five-part series covering Indiana Men’s Basketball’s five national championship teams.
Part 1: The 1940 Indiana Hoosiers
The 1953 Indiana Hoosiers
The calendar had turned over to the 52-53 season, and what a wonderful year it would prove to be for both Branch McCracken and Indiana. Indiana would start the season with the loss of three of its outstanding guards. Sam Miranda and Bob Masters had graduated, while five foot nine spark plug Sam Esposito had left school to pursue his dream of playing Major League Baseball, which he would play for the next 10 years.
However, for both Branch and the Hoosiers, the cupboard was far from bare. In fact juniors Bob Leonard, team captain Charlie Kraak, Dick Farley, Jack Wright, Ron Taylor, Lou Scott, and Jim Deakyne would join a sophomore group headed by Don Schlundt, Phil Byers, Dick White, Burke Scott, Paul Poff, Don Henry, James Field, William Ditius, and Goethe Chambers. The lone senior on the team would be scholar and leader Jim Schooley, who would watch over the group.
The first move McCracken made would prove to be most instrumental in this champion season. McCracken moved Leonard to being a full-time guard. Schlundt who averaged 17.1 points his freshman year, and Leonard who had averaged 14.5 the year before, would jump their averages to 25.4 for Schlundt and 16.3 for Leonard, earning for themselves the nicknames of Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside, respectively.
Schooley would recall McCracken 's warning to the team to "be sure you win at home because on the road it is very difficult. " For this season however, McCracken's Hoosiers could do little wrong and they would win 8 out of 9 on the road in the Big Ten. However, Branch would prove to be prophetic as the Hoosiers only three losses of the season would come on the road away from Bloomington.
Indiana would open the season before 8,300 screaming fans in Bloomington against Valparaiso winning 95 to 56. Indiana next traveled to South Bend. The Hoosiers lead by one with 12 seconds to go. Jim Deakyne missed two free throws and Notre Dame guard Jack Stephen's grabbed the rebound and went the length of the court for a layup with two seconds left to give the Irish a one point victory. A trip to Kansas City would produce the same results as the Wildcats scored with 35 seconds left to defeat the Hoosiers 82 to 80.
The Big Ten had decided to try a complete round robin schedule so each school would play one another twice once at home and once on the road. Indiana would open Big Ten play against Michigan. The Hoosiers would defeat the Wolverines by 28, 88 to 60. Going to Iowa City, Mr Inside and Mr Outside would score 27 and 24 points, respectively, pushing the Hoosiers to 2 and 0. A trip to the state of Michigan giving the Hoosiers two more victories over Michigan and Michigan State. Victories over Ohio State and Illinois sent Indiana to Purdue with a 6 and 0 record. Indiana behind 47 points by Schlundt and Leonard combined won 88 and 75.
Indiana would reel off victories over Wisconsin, Ohio State, Purdue. Illinois, and Northwestern before going to Minneapolis suffering their first defeat in the Big Ten and 3rd overall for the year 65 to 63. Indiana would finish at home with a victory over Iowa 68 to 61 behind Don Schlundt's 22 points.
One highlight during the season took place when Jack Wright hit a free throw against Butler to give Indiana its first ever 100 point game.
Indiana would now head into its second NCAA tournament. They would take on the DePaul Blue Demons at the Chicago Stadium. Both teams had won 19 games during the regular season while Indiana had lost just 3 compared to DePaul’s 7. Indiana led from the beginning and behind Schlundt’s 23 and Leonard's 22 won 82 to 80. Next up for the Hoosiers was Notre Dame. Behind Don Schlundt’s 41 points, the Hoosiers cruised past the Irish 79 to 66.
The Hoosiers now in Kansas City for the semifinal game against LSU and All-American Bob Pettit. The Hoosiers emerged victorious 80 to 67 behind Schlundt’s 29 and Leonard's 22. LSU would be led by future Hall of Famer Bob Pettit’s 29.
Now Indiana was to meet Kansas again in a rematch of the 1940 championship game. Don Schlundt would lead the way with 30 points, but it was Bobby “Slick” Leonard who would hit one of two free throws with 27 seconds left to give the Hoosiers a 69 to 68 victory and a second NCAA title. After the game, McCracken said Leonard had ice water in his veins and when Leonard was told of this, his response was, “It sure felt warm running down my leg.”