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IU Installing Five Granite Monuments Commemorating IU Men's Basketball's Five National Champion Teams

Last updated on Thursday, October 19, 2017

(BLOOMINGTON) - Five granite monuments and five statues commemorating IU men’s basketball’s five national champion teams will be installed outside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall this week, IU Athletics announced Tuesday.

Mike Miller of Hoosiers Sports Report says the five granite monuments commemorating those teams will be installed in the Ken Nunn Champions Plaza outside the South entryway to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

The name of every player and coach from each team will be included on their respective monument. Images from each season will be included on one side of the monuments, while the other side will feature the team's story and their unique journeys to the national title.

The monuments will be installed in time for Saturday's Hoosier Hysteria.

"There could be no better addition to Ken Nunn Champions Plaza than these inspiring tributes to our five national champion men's basketball teams - with room for more," IU athletic director Fred Glass said in a statement. "I'm particularly pleased that the name of every player and coach from every championship team is immortalized on these granite monuments, as Indiana Basketball always wins as a team."

Former coach Bob Knight requested not to be depicted in any monument. IU will honor his decision.

The 1940 monument features depictions of standout players Curly Armstrong, Bill Menke, Jay McCreary, Bob Menke, Bob Dro, Marv Huffman and Bill Torphy along with head coach Branch McCracken.

For the 1953 monument, images of Dick Farley, Burke Scott, Charley Kraak, Bobby Leonard and Don Schlundt with Branch McCracken are featured in addition to a team image with each player holding their national championship plaque.

Kent Benson, Scott May, Bobby Wilkerson, Quinn Buckner and Tom Abernethy, along with the five seniors, are featured on the 1976 monument, along with the numerous trophies they won during their careers.

The 1981 monument features Isiah Thomas, Ted Kitchel, Ray Tolbert, Randy Wittman and Landon Turner. It also includes a depiction of the team photo and a ticket stub from the championship game at the Spectrum in Philadelphia.

On the 1987 monument, Dean Garrett, Todd Meier, Daryl Thomas, Steve Alford, Keith Smart, Daryl Thomas and Rick Calloway are all featured. Thomas, Meier and Alford are also shown holding up the championship trophy after winning the title game.

The monuments are made possible thanks to a donation from Bill and Juanita Beach.

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