NCAA Basketball: Top 10 teams Bob Knight has ever coached

By Joey Loose | Nov 3, 2023

BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA, UNITED STATES - 2020/02/08: Welcome remarks from fans as NCAA basketball coach Bob Knight, who took the Indiana Hoosiers to three NCAA national titles, returns to Assembly Hall, Saturday, February 8, 2020 in Bloomington. Bob Knight coached the Hoosiers to NCAA basketball championships in 1976, 1981, and 1987. (Photo by Jeremy Hogan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) /

4 of 11

Eric Anderson (32) and Calbert Cheaney high-five during IU’s 1991 game against Purdue. Ericanderson2 /

8. 1991 Indiana (29-5)

Calbert Cheaney was one of the best players that Knight coached during his time in Bloomington and he had quite the sophomore year in 1991. Cheaney averaged 21.6 points and 5.6 rebounds per game and was already a leader as an underclassman. He led a backcourt that also got solid production out of Damon Bailey and Greg Graham and also boasted future NBA piece Eric Anderson (13.7 ppg, 7.1 rpg) in the frontcourt.

These Hoosiers spent the entire season in the Top 10 of the AP Poll, only suffering one true upset loss all season long. They narrowly lost to Syracuse as part of the Maui Invitational before running off 14 consecutive wins over the next month and a half. Though they were swept by Ohio State, one of the top teams in the nation, they made quick work of some of their other Big Ten rivals, blowing ranked Iowa and Michigan State squads and securing a 15-3 mark in the conference, tying them atop the standings with those Buckeyes.

Their hard work earned them a 2-seed in the 1991 NCAA Tournament and they made quick work of their first two opponents. These Hoosiers defeated 15-seed Coastal Carolina by ten and 7-seed Florida State by 22 points, getting them to another Sweet Sixteen. Unfortunately, their journey would be ended somewhat prematurely by Roy Williams and 3-seed Kansas.

Home/NCAA Basketball News