The Indiana basketball team — fresh off their 63-61 win over VCU to advance to the Sweet Sixteen — arrived back in Bloomington on Sunday afternoon and were greeted by fans both at the Monroe County Airport and Cook Hall.
There were about 50 fans on hand at the airport to welcome the team back to town. Once off of the plane, the players and coaching staff came over the fence to thank the faithful fans and sign a few autographs.
After loading into three buses, the team then headed to Cook Hall (led by a police escort). Outside, hundreds of fans were buzzing with excitement. With pep band music playing on loud speakers, they were smiling and cheering while eagerly awaiting their team.
On a picture perfect day — sunny and 82 degrees — both the team and fans enjoyed the celebration.
[Click here for a photo gallery of the team’s arrival.]
After all this program has had to overcome, this moment was very special. At 27-8, they are now just one win away from matching their win total from the last three years combined.
Video of Indiana’s arrival at the airport:
Video of Indiana’s arrival and celebration at Cook Hall:
Head Coach Tom Crean and the players address the crowd: