The 1975 Incident That Set College Hoops on Fire – Shock and Slap: Bobby Knight Strikes Kentucky’s Joe B. Hall on the Head, Igniting One of College Basketball’s Fiercest Rivalries in 1975 On March 22, 1975, the UK and IU rivalry was ramping up to an epic showdown. The unbeaten Indiana University Hoosiers were facing off against the University of Kentucky Wildcats in Dayton, Ohio. It was more than just a game

The UK, Indiana rivalry heats up in 1975 after Knight, Hall slap

On March 22, 1975, the UK and IU rivalry was ramping up to an epic showdown.

The unbeaten Indiana University Hoosiers were facing off against the University of Kentucky Wildcats in Dayton, Ohio. It was more than just a game — it was personal.

Months before, IU men’s basketball coach Bobby Knight had slapped Kentucky coach Joe B. Hall on the back of the head after the Hoosiers beat the Wildcats by more than 20 points, in a moment that’s still talked about in college basketball history.

Hall was in his second year of coaching at UK after Adolph Rupp’s retirement. His team included Jack Givens, Bob Guyette, James Lee, Rick Robey, Mike Phillips, Jimmy Dan Conner and Mike Flynn.

On Dec. 7, 1974, the Cats played the Hoosiers in Bloomington where Indiana defeated them 98-74.

Before that season, Hall and Knight had been hunting and fishing buddies. With Indiana up more than 20 points, Hall said he was tired of Knight constantly complaining to officials about calls.

“Joe politely said, ‘Come on, Bobby, you’re up by 25’ and ‘Give us a break,’” Conner told the Herald-Leader’s John Clay earlier this year when the 1974-1975 team reunited in Rupp Arena. “Bobby’s response started with an ‘f’ and ended with a ‘u.’

“And Joe took a little offense to that. I actually could hear the conversation,” Conner said. “And so, Joe pointed. He made a mistake. He turned his head and he pointed over to the exit sign. He said, ‘I would like to take you over to that exit sign and kick your (butt).’”

It was then that Knight hit Hall.

Hall’s glasses flew off his head and assistant coach Lynn Nance, a retired FBI agent, jumped up to go after Knight. Another Kentucky coach, Leonard Hamilton draped himself over Nance to keep him from attacking Knight. Givens later said it was the only time in his career he came close to being in a brawl.

After the incident, IU officials asked Hall to make peace with Knight and walk off the court together.

Hall said he’d rather fight Knight. Knight, ever the gentleman, flipped him the bird and repeated his previous epithet.

The incident ended the friendship and deepened the already intense rivalry at the time between UK and IU.

When it came to tournament time, IU had an unbeaten record. And the Hoosiers were on UK’s side of the bracket. Hall later said he knew for them to win, they and their 31-0 record had to go through UK first.On December 7, 1974, the Indiana Hoosiers, led by Coach Bob Knight, faced the Kentucky Wildcats in Bloomington. Indiana dominated the game, winning 98–74, but it was an incident involving Knight and Kentucky’s Coach Joe B. Hall that would ignite one of college basketball’s most intense rivalries. As Hall turned to walk away from a conversation with Knight, the Indiana coach reached up and slapped him on the back of the head. Knight later claimed the slap was an affectionate gesture, something he had done with his own players. However, Hall felt publicly humiliated by the act, and the incident marked a turning point in their relationship. Hall later stated, “I had no respect for the guy” after the incident, a sentiment Knight echoed in his autobiography, saying, “From that moment on, I had no respect for the guy” .

The rivalry reached its peak on March 22, 1975, in Dayton, Ohio, during the NCAA Mideast Regional Final. Indiana entered the game undefeated at 31–0, while Kentucky had something to prove. Kentucky’s strategy was to exploit a flaw in Indiana’s defense, and guards Mike Flynn and Jimmy Dan Conner led the charge, combining for 39 points. Despite Indiana’s Kent Benson scoring 33 points, Kentucky emerged victorious with a 92–90 win, ending Indiana’s perfect season and advancing to the Final Four .

This game is remembered not only for its thrilling finish but also for the pregame speech by Coach Hall. He wrote four words on the chalkboard: “Net, Bus, Police, Coliseum.” These words outlined the team’s plan: to cut down the net after the victory, return home together on the bus, be escorted by the Kentucky State Police across the Ohio River, and proceed to the Coliseum. The Wildcats followed this plan to the letter, symbolizing their unity and determination .

The 1975 incident and subsequent game between Indiana and Kentucky remain a defining moment in college basketball history, highlighting the intense rivalry and the passion that both teams brought to the court.