NCAA Basketball: 10 best players from state of Alabama of last decade
By Joey Loose
4. Christian Watford – Indiana
No discussion of Watford is complete without mentioning his starring moment, hitting the buzzer-beating three-pointer as Indiana knocked off unbeaten Kentucky in December 2011. The talented forward from Birmingham won an ESPY for his heroics as the Hoosiers knocked off the eventual national champions at Assembly Hall. One of Tom Crean’s most prized early recruits, Watford did a lot more than just hit one shot for the Hoosiers.
Watford averaged at least 12 points per game in each of his four seasons with the Hoosiers and started all but two of the 130 games he played at Indiana. He had 17 double-doubles across his career, including in his first two collegiate games. He helped lead the Hoosiers to the Sweet Sixteen in 2012, putting up 27 points in a Sweet Sixteen loss to future champion Kentucky in an impressive effort.
When you look at the raw stats, you won’t find Watford ranking high in Indiana history or in the Big Ten in any specific category, but he averaged 13.1 points and 5.9 rebounds across a four-year career, helping bring Indiana from the gutter of the Big Ten to the Sweet Sixteen. He was an important cog in this Indiana machine, even if he took a backseat to players like Victor Oladipo at times, but he’ll always be remembered for that mind-blowing shot against Kentucky.