Former Indiana University basketball player and coach Lou Watson has passed away. Watson served as men's head coach from 1966-71. He was 88.

Here is the complete press release from Indiana including quotes from current coach Tom Crean and Director of Athletics Fred Glass.

BLOOMINGTON, IND. - Former

Indiana University player and coach Lou Watson passed away, May 24 in Fairfax,

Virginia.  He was 88.

The Jeffersonville, Indiana native won basketball letters in 1947, 1948, 1949

and 1950 and won baseball letters in 1949 and 1950. He played on IU's only

regular season Big Ten Championship baseball team in 1948. He was IU's Most

Valuable Player in basketball in 1949 and 1950 and was named first team All-Big

Ten in 1950 and All-American in 1950. He was Indiana's all-time scoring leader

at end of career.

Watson later coached freshmen at Indiana in 1951, 1952, 1956 and 1957 and moved

to varsity in 1958. Watson became head coach from 1966-71, guiding the Hoosiers

to a Big Ten co-championship in 1967. He became special assistant to the

Athletic Director in 1971 and Associate Director of Athletics in 1976 before

retiring in 1987.

He was inducted into the IU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1989.

 

"Lou Watson was a part of so many of the historic moments of Indiana

basketball and accomplished so many great things during his Hall of Fame career.

 My first meeting with him came at his home in Ellettsville and it was a great

afternoon.   It was a tremendous honor to have him visit our Elite Camp in 2009

with so many of the other former greats in attendance that afternoon.   To see

him return later that year with his family to serve as an honorary captain and

to hear that ovation he received when he was introduced, I know it made his

heart proud. Those were moments that I will never forget and his picture

receiving the game ball with his grandsons has been displayed proudly in our

locker room since that day."

 

"Lou Watson was a true Hall of Fame Hoosier in every sense of the word.  His

association to the University and the athletic program spanned over five decades

first as a standout baseball and basketball player in the late 1940's and early

1950's, second as a coach for the men's basketball program from the 1950's until

the early 1970's and finally as an administrator for the program until 1987.  It

was great to see him back in 2009 as an honorary coach.  Our thoughts and

prayers go out to his family. "