1981 IU vs Maryland

[ufo33]

The 1981 Maryland Massacre
IU crushed a Maryland team that many experts had predicted would be in the Final Four.
IU went on a serious roll through the 1981 NCAA Tournament.
Enjoy one of the All-Time Classic IU NCAA Tournament games!

 

[ufo33]

https://www.thedailyhoosier.com/thi...ls-maryland-in-1981-ncaa-first-round-contest/

 

[Harry Hondo]

I was in high school and I had a track meet that day. I remember being worried about this game since I heard Maryland was really good. Near the end of the meet someone said IU rolled over the Terps by 20. I was surprised and relieved and knew Knight was gonna go on another tourney run.

 

[history Bill]

I was in high school and I had a track meet that day. I remember being worried about this game since I heard Maryland was really good. Near the end of the meet someone said IU rolled over the Terps by 20. I was surprised and relieved and knew Knight was gonna go on another tourney run.

It was by 35. (99-64)

 

[history Bill]

I was in high school and I had a track meet that day. I remember being worried about this game since I heard Maryland was really good. Near the end of the meet someone said IU rolled over the Terps by 20. I was surprised and relieved and knew Knight was gonna go on another tourney run.

I remember that it was not televised in southern Indiana or Louisville. Maybe because it was nearby in Dayton? I didn't see it until last fall when I found it on You Tube. By the way, I was a junior at IU at the time.

 

[MG80]

Given the level of competition IU faced that day, it was probably the best performance I’ve ever seen by a college basketball team.

 

[Aloha Hoosier]

I remember that it was not televised in southern Indiana or Louisville. Maybe because it was nearby in Dayton? I didn't see it until last fall when I found it on You Tube. By the way, I was a junior at IU at the time.

I was a Sophomore. Great game and a great tournament.

 

[wi_hoosier]

The Maryland Massacre
IU crushed a Maryland team that many experts had predicted would be in the Final Four.
IU wentbon a serious roll through thec1981 NCAA Tournament.
Enjoy one of the All-Time Classic IU NCAA Tournament games!

View embedded media

Man, that game was all Maryland...


then the other 37:21happened.

 

[4IUSox2]

ND was playing at the same time at another site so IU was not on NBC TV in Chicago or South Bend, where our antenna reached. But riding to the rescue was the region's PBS station, broadcasting from the back of Lake Central HS, that was able to somehow purchase rights to show the game. We only lived about 10 miles away from the transmitter and still didn't see it very well...but at least we kind of saw it!!

 

[kkott]

The 1981 Maryland Massacre
IU crushed a Maryland team that many experts had predicted would be in the Final Four.
IU went on a serious roll through the 1981 NCAA Tournament.
Enjoy one of the All-Time Classic IU NCAA Tournament games!

View embedded media

I used to play pickup games at the Y with a guy who was a backup on that team. Amazingly he said Lefty told them IU was not a good shooting team and to pack it in to stop Tolbert and Turner (and presumably Isiah's drives). He said he must have found video of their worst shooting performance of the season because all the video he showed them was from 1 game. He said he started to think they may be in trouble watching IU warmup.

 

[ufo33]

I used to play pickup games at the Y with a guy who was a backup on that team. Amazingly he said Lefty told them IU was not a good shooting team and to pack it in to stop Tolbert and Turner (and presumably Isiah's drives). He said he must have found video of their worst shooting performance of the season because all the video he showed them was from 1 game. He said he started to think they may be in trouble watching IU warmup.

By then it was too late. Kind of like watching a F22 fly overhead.

 

[VanPastorMan]

The 1981 Maryland Massacre
IU crushed a Maryland team that many experts had predicted would be in the Final Four.
IU went on a serious roll through the 1981 NCAA Tournament.
Enjoy one of the All-Time Classic IU NCAA Tournament games!

View embedded media

I had forgotten a bit how good Ray Tolbert was. In this game he was the key, along with IU's defense.

 

[kkott]

I had forgotten a bit how good Ray Tolbert was. In this game he was the key, along with IU's defense.

Great team. Pick your poison: all 5 starters were capable scorers once Turner came on.

 

[Aloha Hoosier]

By then it was too late. Kind of like watching a F22 fly overhead.

If this board existed back then some poster would have been bitching about the pending loss after Maryland went up 8-0!

 

[13thman]

I used to play pickup games at the Y with a guy who was a backup on that team. Amazingly he said Lefty told them IU was not a good shooting team and to pack it in to stop Tolbert and Turner (and presumably Isiah's drives). He said he must have found video of their worst shooting performance of the season because all the video he showed them was from 1 game. He said he started to think they may be in trouble watching IU warmup.

I don't remember us shooting great that day. I remember it being a dunk fest. vbg

 

[kkott]

I don't remember us shooting great that day. I remember it being a dunk fest. vbg

Man, I don't remember breakfast yesterday, let alone a game from '81, but I found a link to the box score. 65% from the field, and 85% from the line. Kitchell and Wittman both had good days and Isiah was spectacular at 9-11. One would think there were a fair amount of jumpers going down among those 3.

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/boxscores/1981-03-14-indiana.html

 

[abraxis]

I had forgotten a bit how good Ray Tolbert was. In this game he was the key, along with IU's defense.

Rat Tolbert was quite the physical specimen, with great first step quickness. Add in his infectious smile on a great big head and it made him one of the crowd pleasing favorites. BTW, it’s now Reverand Tolbert, spiritual healer that he be. TJD flashed one windmill dunk this season that was a Ray Tolbert career standard. Ray’s were known as “thunder dunks”. He must have been blessed with huge hands, too, that made a basketball feel like a softball cradled in his palm when he wound it up.

 

[VanPastorMan]

Rat Tolbert was quite the physical specimen, with great first step quickness. Add in his infectious smile on a great big head and it made him one of the crowd pleasing favorites. BTW, it’s now Reverand Tolbert, spiritual healer that he be. TJD flashed one windmill dunk this season that was a Ray Tolbert career standard. Ray’s were known as “thunder dunks”. He must have been blessed with huge hands, too, that made a basketball feel like a softball cradled in his palm when he wound it up.

He probably carries one of those big print Bibles.

 

[oldcougar77]

Rat Tolbert was quite the physical specimen, with great first step quickness. Add in his infectious smile on a great big head and it made him one of the crowd pleasing favorites. BTW, it’s now Reverand Tolbert, spiritual healer that he be. TJD flashed one windmill dunk this season that was a Ray Tolbert career standard. Ray’s were known as “thunder dunks”. He must have been blessed with huge hands, too, that made a basketball feel like a softball cradled in his palm when he wound it up.

I was a senior at IU when we won the NCAA championship - same class as Ray T. It was a great four years to be a student and fan of IU sports - NCAA title, NIT title (over PUke), Holiday Bowl win.

On campus, Ray was like Norm at Cheers. He was beloved and deservedly so - humble, genuine and nice to everyone. That smile was infectious.

 

[abraxis]

I was a senior at IU when we won the NCAA championship - same class as Ray T. It was a great four years to be a student and fan of IU sports - NCAA title, NIT title (over PUke), Holiday Bowl win.

On campus, Ray was like Norm at Cheers. He was beloved and deservedly so - humble, genuine and nice to everyone. That smile was infectious.

Ray represents our university well, as a true gentleman. He never...well, I shouldn't say it because I said it earlier...Ray never had the big head like so many other stars. Yes, and then his big sheepish grin sets in!

 

[i'vegotwinners]

Rat Tolbert was quite the physical specimen, with great first step quickness. Add in his infectious smile on a great big head and it made him one of the crowd pleasing favorites. BTW, it’s now Reverand Tolbert, spiritual healer that he be. TJD flashed one windmill dunk this season that was a Ray Tolbert career standard. Ray’s were known as “thunder dunks”. He must have been blessed with huge hands, too, that made a basketball feel like a softball cradled in his palm when he wound it up.

iirc, Ray won the McD's all star game dunk contest.

 

[13thman]

iirc, Ray won the McD's all star game dunk contest.

Early in his career, I remember RMK saying that Ray thought the game revolved around how to get dunks.

 

[hickorytree1]

I was a senior at IU when we won the NCAA championship - same class as Ray T. It was a great four years to be a student and fan of IU sports - NCAA title, NIT title (over PUke), Holiday Bowl win.

On campus, Ray was like Norm at Cheers. He was beloved and deservedly so - humble, genuine and nice to everyone. That smile was infectious.

I was a senior that year also. Your description of Ray is spot on. Players back then lived in dorms like most of us and attended related dorm parties. Ray was always the party favorite - big smile and always laughing.

 

[MG80]

Early in his career, I remember RMK saying that Ray thought the game revolved around how to get dunks.

Knight also said, and I forgot who it was against, that Ray had the single greatest offensive rebound and dunk he’d ever seen.

 

[Falky22]

The 1981 Maryland Massacre
IU crushed a Maryland team that many experts had predicted would be in the Final Four.
IU went on a serious roll through the 1981 NCAA Tournament.
Enjoy one of the All-Time Classic IU NCAA Tournament games!

View embedded media

Thanks for sharing. I had never seen that game before. IU looked amazing. Isiah was tremendous. Tolbert was dominating. Turner showed so much promise. Kitchel and Wittman played great. Tolbert and Turner were relentless contesting at the rim.