The coach grabbed Ferrell’s left hand and raised it directly in the air as if Ferrell was just named the heavyweight champion of the world. Assembly Hall erupted.
He did this was because Ferrell broke Michael Lewis’ all-time IU assist record in IU’s 103-69 win against Illinois at Assembly Hall.
“I didn’t know he was going to do that,” Ferrell said. “I thought he was just trying to give me a handshake. That’s pretty cool, man, with all the fans cheering for me. It just shows how special Hoosier nation is.”
Crean said he lifted Ferrell’s hand into the air because he broke the record.
He’s done the same when players like Jordan Hulls, Christian Watford, Cody Zeller and Victor Oladipo have surpassed 1,000 career points.
He said he raised Ferrell’s hand because he deserved it.
“It’s my chance to show them we wouldn’t be here without him,” Crean said. “It’s a spur of the moment thing.”
Not only did he break the record, but he extended it throughout the night.
He finished with nine assists to bring his assist total to 553 for his career, eight ahead Lewis’ 545. He only needed one to tie the record Tuesday.
Ferrell also scored 16 points thanks to 5-of-7 shooting from behind the arc.
The tying assist, No. 545 for his career, came on a simple pass to the top of the key to freshman center Thomas Bryant.
Bryant then, instead of swinging the ball around the perimeter, decided to make his second 3-pointer of the season.
Four of Ferrell’s nine assists came on 3-pointers on a night when the Hoosiers made 19, a program record for most 3-pointers in a single game.
“I basically know where they’re going to be on the court and I know they like to hit threes,” Ferrell said. “All I have to do is get the ball to them and they make the magic happen.”
Record-breaking assist No. 546 came on a bounce pass that somehow split two defenders and led senior forward Max Bielfeldt to the basket for an easy layup.
The record-setting assist came nine minutes into the game.
He said he wasn’t trying to force anything or change how he was going to play.
The next possession featured Ferrell lobbing a pass from the top of the key to Williams cutting toward the basket from the corner.
After Williams finished the alley-oop from Ferrell like he has so many times in the three years they’ve played together, Ferrell couldn’t help but smile.
As he hopped backwards toward the defensive end, he raised his right arm toward Williams while sporting a massive grin.
Maybe Ferrell thought that was the assist that broke the record.
He said after the game he didn’t know when he passed Lewis on the all-time list. He also said he didn’t know too much about Lewis.
It’s not a matter of disrespect. Not at all, he said. Ferrell just said he doesn’t concern himself with records or where he stands among the IU legends.
He said these legends aren’t remembered for their records. They’re remembered for their wins.
“I like to focus on the game and I like to focus on my film and my extra work,” Ferrell said. “At the end of the day people aren’t going to remember the assist record. They’re going to remember if you won games or not.”
