Team bested Big Ten rival

IU's 86-68 victory against Michigan in the NCAA championship game was the third time the Hoosiers bested the Wolverines that season. The teams first met in Ann Arbor January 10 where IU pulled out an 80-74 win. \nThe second meeting in Assembly Hall Feb. 7 was a bit closer. Trailing by two with just seconds to go, center Kent Benson tipped-in an IU miss to send the game into overtime. The controversial play was disputed by the Michigan bench, as coach John Orr said he felt the tip occurred after the buzzer had sounded. IU ran ahead in the extra period, and won the game 72-67.\nIn 1974, a third meeting with the Wolverines would have been unheard of, but a NCAA rule change allowed conferences to be represented by more than one team. \nIU also won two games against the defending champion UCLA Bruins. They opened the season in St. Louis, dominating John Wooden's team in a 20 point victory. The second meeting was in the national semifinal at the Final Four in Philadelphia. IU won 65-51. The Bruins had won the national championship 10 of the previous 12 seasons.