Today in Sports History: March 30th

Keith Smart, a transfer student from a Kansas community college, drains a 17-foot jump shot to give the Indiana Hoosiers a 74-73 win over the Syracuse Orangemen in the NCAA Championship Game. The Hoosiers benefited from a pair of late missed free throws from Syracuse forward Derrick Coleman, who opened the door for them to take the lead. With only one second left after Smart’s leaning jumper, Coleman threw it the length of the court in a desperate attempt to find a teammate. Smart, who also made Indiana’s final four field goals, intercepted the pass and threw the basketball into the air in celebration.
“I really can’t believe it right now,” Smart said afterward. “It’ll sink in next week. I couldn’t really go berserk at the time because there was still time on the clock and a lot of games have been lost with one second on the clock.”
“I hope that shows you that when things aren’t going well, and you’re having some problems, just tighten your belts, and pass the ball to Keith Smart and everything will be all right,” joked head coach Bobby Knight. “Seriously, each one of you can find a Keith Smart. Somebody who can help.”
It was the third and final national championship Bobby Knight would win at Indiana. In 1988, Smart played a grand total of two games in the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs, then took off and played six years in the Continental Basketball Association.