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Hoop, There It Is! The Small Town Bracket Challenge 🗳
Plus - Remembering the "Milan Miracle" 🏀
Austin Sellers & Nate Spangle
March 20, 2025
Thursday, March 20th
🔥 Big-Time Hoops. Big-Time Moments.
The WBIT is where rising stars make their mark. 32 teams. One shot at glory. The early rounds heat up on campuses nationwide, but the real showdown happens in Indiana, where the best of the best battle for the title at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse.
This is high-energy, win-or-go-home basketball at its finest. Get ready for buzzer-beaters, fierce competition, and unforgettable moments. Indiana, it’s time to bring the hype!
📜 This Week in Indiana History 📜
The Milan Miracle (1954)
It is March Madness time. Not only does that involve college basketball but high school basketball as well. On this week in Indiana History, we revisit the “Milan Miracle.”
In 1954, Milan High School had a total enrollment of just 161 students. Also, in this time period (and until the year 1997), the IHSAA basketball tournament was not classed. Therefore, only one team was crowned state champion, which is different than today where four teams win state. Despite its small size, Milan was a VERY GOOD basketball team going into the tournament, boasting a record of 19-2, with its only losses coming to Frankfort and Aurora.
The Indians made their way to the state championship game against the much larger Muncie Central High School and shockingly upset them 32-30, with Bobby Plump hitting a last-second shot to seal the win (watch video below). The team gained even more fame when the movie Hoosiers was released 33 years later, which was loosely based off of the Milan team that won the championship. To this day, Milan is the smallest school to ever win the state basketball tournament in Indiana, a record that may never be broken.
⚡ Hoosier Headlines ⚡
Last Thursday, TED — a nonprofit dedicated to discovering, debating and spreading ideas that spark conversation, deepen understanding and drive meaningful change — announced it would host Game Changers, its first TEDSports event in Indianapolis at the Old National Centre on Sept. 9, 10 and 11. It will include main stage TED Talks, interactive workshops, panels and more, bringing the world’s boldest thinkers and attendees together to talk about the past, present and future of sports. This is another big win for Indianapolis and Indiana Sports Corp. Event registration begins April 1 here.
The Old National Centre in Indianapolis will be packed with fun this September. First, the aforementioned TEDSports Indianapolis event, followed by the Murat Shrine Circus on Sept. 26, 27 and 28. This is the 70th edition of the show, which will feature exotic animals, clowns and a special pet adoption event via the Hendricks Animal Shelter. Tickets went on sale Tuesday and can be purchased here. 🎪🐘🤡
On Selection Sunday, the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournament brackets were revealed with 136 teams hoping to cut down the nets. Purdue University (4 seed) is Indiana’s lone representative in the men’s tournament while the University of Notre Dame (3 seed), Indiana University (9 seed) and Ball State University (12 seed) are all in the women’s field.
Separately, we here at Get Indiana put together a 64-town Small Town Showdown Bracket Challenge, with the entire bracket consisting of small towns across Indiana. First-round action is underway and included a monster upset in the South Region, where 16th-seeded Nashville took down No. 1 seed Jasper. So, who decides the winners? You! Follow @natespangle on Instagram and vote daily. Yes, bragging rights are on the line, and Get Indiana will run up a $1,000 bar tab at the winning town’s local dive bar. 🍻🏀
This Isn't Just Pizza. It's Greek's.
Here's what makes Greek's different: They've been serving Indiana since before most chain pizzerias even existed. Their dough is made fresh daily (not shipped frozen), their sauce is a closely guarded secret, and every pizza is handcrafted like they're making it for family.
From their classic Deluxe to the legendary Gourmet House pizza, it's the taste that's kept Hoosiers coming back since '69.
Order online today at greekspizzeria.com
💎 Hidden Gems 💎
There is no shortage of wedding venues in the Hoosier State, with historic estates, charming barns, modern industrial spaces and more on the table. We dove into 15 unique options that will make your big day unforgettable, highlighted by The Barn at Bay Horse Inn in Greenwood. Learn more about it and the other venues here! 💒
Spring will be here before you know it, and there are three gardens worth exploring, starting with Avon Gardens. This garden oasis covers more than five acres and features hundreds of species to admire. Wellfield Botanic Gardens in Elkhart is next on the list and is open year-round with Winter Wonderland, Spring Splendor, Sensational Summer and Fabulous Fall among its plant-life seasons. Lastly, Potawatomi Conservatory in South Bend was built in the 1960s. The tropical oasis includes the Arizona Desert Dome filled with cacti, agave and other arid plant species not normally found in Indiana. 🌷
What’s your Hidden Gem? Reply to this email to get it featured!
👏 1 Big wIN 👏
After being one of the first four teams left out of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, Indiana University found Mike Woodson’s replacement in a hurry and hired former West Virginia and Drake head coach Darian DeVries officially on Wednesday. DeVries has 24 years of Division I coaching experience and turned around the Mountaineers quickly in his one season there, posting a 19-13 record after the team went 9-23 a year ago. He also led mid-major Drake to three NCAA tournament appearances in his six seasons there. Good on IU for claiming the hottest coaching commodity in college hoops.
🎧 Meet Indiana’s Most Followed Food Influencer 🎧
🎙 In this episode I met with Justin Holmes, founder of Holmes Cooking, a digital chef with nearly 5 million followers combined between TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
We explored Justin's journey, from his roots in Indiana to his transition from factory worker to full-time content creator, and what fuels his passion for cooking and content creation.
You are going to learn:
Advice to young creators just getting started
How to turn passion into profit when it comes to content
Delicious recipes for all stages of life