Though it was the beginning of the season, they had just lost two of three games that had people questioning IU’s high preseason expectations.
That’s when IU Coach Tom Crean asked his players a question.
“He said, ‘Do you guys play at Indiana or for Indiana?’” senior guard Nick Zeisloft said. “He goes, ‘We got a bunch of guys in here that play at Indiana, not for Indiana.’”
That was a Big Ten title ago. It was before IU went a perfect 19-0 in Assembly Hall.
Things are a little different now.
“Now, after all these months since Maui, I can honestly say that all my teammates, coaches, staff, everybody, plays for Indiana,” he said.
Zeisloft was one of five seniors to bid farewell to Assembly Hall on Sunday afternoon with an 80-62 win against Maryland.
It was IU’s first Senior Day win in four years.
The Hoosiers took their first lead of the game, 23-22, at the 9:30 mark of the first half and never let it go. Whether it was one of eight made 3-pointers or a defensive stop, the Hoosiers stayed in control of the No. 14 team in the country until the final buzzer.
Junior forward Troy Williams led all scorers with 23 points, while Ferrell added 17 points and four assists.
After the game, Ferrell and Zeisloft walked out of the tunnel carrying the Big Ten title trophy.
The senior class of Ferrell, Zeisloft, Max Bielfeldt, Ryan Burton and Jackson Tharp was honored before each of the Big Ten Champions cut down part of the net.
Ferrell, whose IU career lasted almost as long as all four of his fellow seniors combined, took the microphone last. As Crean introduced his point guard, he began to choke up.
“He is one of the great competitors I have ever been around,” Crean said. “He’s as headstrong as anyone I’ve ever been around, but he’s also hands down one of the smartest basketball players I’ve ever had the privilege of coaching.”
Those are some of the reasons Ferrell has made a name for himself as one of the best players to ever play at IU.
In his final season, Ferrell set the record for career starts and became IU’s all-time assists leader.
He is seventh all-time in scoring at IU.
He’s just the second player in history to tally 1,800 points, 600 assists and 400 rebounds.
“I wouldn’t trade him for anyone in the country,” Crean said. “Not anyone.”
Every one of the seniors ended their speech with one thought: they’re not done.
Along with earning the No. 1 seed and a double-bye in this weekend’s Big Ten Tournament, the Hoosiers should have a top-4 seed in the NCAA Tournament, beginning at the end of next week.
Since the season’s start —which included those Maui losses and a 20-point loss to Duke — IU has beaten four top-20 opponents.
What Crean said to his team in Maui hit them hard, Zeisloft said. But it was what they needed.
“We’re going to stick with each other for the next month,” Zeisloft said, “And April 4, we’ll see what happens.”
