BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The last time Mike Woodson stood on the floor for a Big Ten game at Indiana University, confetti rained down from the stands and fans stormed the court after the final buzzer to celebrate a conference championship.
It was March 2, 1980. The Hoosiers knocked of the No. 9 Ohio State Buckeyes in overtime 76-73 to win the Big Ten in what amounted to a one-game playoff for the league crown. Woodson played every minute of the game, scoring a game-high 21 points (an honor he shared with freshman Isiah Thomas) on 9-of-20 shooting to go with two rebounds, four assists, and three blocks, all despite playing through the pain in his back that cost him all but six games of his final Big Ten campaign.