Lou Watson
Lou Watson (1924-2012)
Teams coached: Indiana Hoosiers
Indiana record: 62-60 (.508)
Overall record: 62-60 (.508)
Career Accomplishments:
- NCAA National Championships: 0
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1 (1967)
- NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen: 1 (1967)
- NCAA Tournament Final Four: 0
- NIT Championships: 0
- NIT Appearances: 0
- Big Ten Regular Season Champion: 1 (1967)
Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):
| 1970-1971 | Indiana |
| 1965-1969 | Indiana |
| 1958-1965 | Indiana (asst) |
| 1956-1958 | Indiana (frosh) |
| 1950-1952 | Indiana (frosh) |
Lou Watson Facts
- Louis C. Watson
- Born August 31, 1924
- Died May 24, 2012
- Hometown: Jeffersonville, Indiana
- Alma Mater: Indiana University (BA, 1950)
- After graduating from Jeffersonville HS (IN), Watson served the United States in WWII
- Upon returning from the War, played for HOF coach Branch McCracken at Indiana
- Was a four-year starter and earned All-Big Ten honors as a junior and senior
- Later inducted into the Indiana Basketball HOF (c/o 1983) and IU Athletics HOF (c/o 1990)
- Spent four years (1951, 1952, 1957, 1958) as the freshman coach at Indiana
- Became a full varsity assistant coach under McCracken in 1958
- Took over as the Hoosiers’ head coach six years years later
- Went 62-60 in five seasons at the helm, with his best season being his second (1966-67)
- That year, the Hoosiers won the Big Ten title and reached the NCAA Sweet Sixteen
- Did not coach during the 1969-70 as he was recovering from a surgery
- Stepped away from coaching in 1971 to begin an administrative career at the University
- Was special assistant to the Athletic Director from 1971-76
- From 1976 until his retirement in 1987, Watson was Associate Director of Athletics
- Passed away in Fairfax, VA in 2012 at the age of 88
Lou Watson Coaching Tree
- Jerry Oliver (Indiana)
- Joby Wright (Wyoming, Miami OH)
