New Showtime Documentary Chronicles '76 Indiana Hoosiers, College Basketball's Last Perfect Team
Legendary college basketball coach Bob Knight has made headlines through the years, but none more lasting than the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers' perfect season. In Showtime's documentary, 'Perfect In '76,' which will air on Showtime on March 10 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, Hoosiers superfan and music icon John Mellencamp takes us through their historic season. including all of the highs and lows that came with it.
Produced by acclaimed sports storyteller Ross Greenburg, the documentary gets into the heads of players for the Hoosiers' '76 squad with exclusive interviews while also keying in on tough-as-nails coach Knight.
While Knight may not have been the most fun coach to play for, he left a legacy on the court as one of the greatest coaches in college basketball history by accumulating 11 Big-Ten Conference Championships, five NCAA Regional Championships and three NCAA Championships.
The '76 team began the season looking to avenge a disappointing loss in the 1975 Elite Eight, ending their season with only one defeat. This sparked Knight's determination to do the unthinkable and be one loss better than his previous team.
One of the shining moments of the 1976 NCAA tournament came when Indiana faced the rival Michigan Wolverines. In the championship game and rallied from a six-point halftime deficit to score an NCAA record 57 points in the second half and complete what is often referred to as "the perfect half."
The documentary will also feature exclusive practice footage, pictures and audio recordings from Knight's coaching mentors, Red Auerbach and Pete Newell. The team was led by future first round picks Scott May, Quinn Buckner, Bob Wilkerson and Kent Benson. En-route to a perfect 32-0 season, the Hoosiers destroyed opponents and had an average win margin of 23 points per game in their 18 conference games. Their dominance has been unrivaled in college hoops since and is evidenced by the fact that they are the last team to go undefeated -- a feat that has lasted over 40 years.
'Perfect in '76' is the latest in an expansive lineup of Showtime's documentary programming and will premier on Friday, March 10 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime. As March Madness creeps closer, be sure to check out one of the greatest teams to ever play the game deep into March.