Hoosiers Now

Hoosier Favorite No. 54? Picking Favorite Indiana Basketball Players, One Number At a Time

There are no names on the Indiana basketball jerseys, just a number, and those digits mean a lot to all Hoosiers fans. We want to know who your favorites are, resuming with the No. 54 in Indiana basketball history that's meant the most to you. Pick your favorite, and we'll do this every day for the rest of the summer.

Haley Jordan

© Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
In this story:

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Welcome back to our summer series where Hoosier basketball fans can vote on their favorite Indiana players to ever wear each number. Today, we resume with all the best to wear No. 54.

Hoosier favorite?

Every day we're going to give you four choices along with a short player bio to pick your favorite Hoosier who wore a certain number.

Here are your four No. 54 jersey choices in alphabetical order so that we're not showing bias. Be sure to take the poll below via Twitter.

(Editor's Note: We'll take results for 24 hours on the poll and then share results on this story the next day, so keep coming back to see the results.)

Kent Benson (1973-77)

Center Kent Benson out of New Castle, Ind. ranks ninth on Indiana's all-time leading scorers list with 1,740 points in four seasons with the Hoosiers.

Benson shot 53.6 percent from the field and 71.5 percent from the free throw line. He also ranked third in all-time rebounds with 1,031 behind Walt Bellamy and Alan Henderson.

Benson is a member of the 1975 Elite Eight team and also the 1976 national championship team when Indiana defeated Michigan 86-68 for Coach Bob Knight's first NCAA title after a perfect 32-0 season.

He was named the 1976 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player. Following his final season at Indiana in 1977, Benson was the No. 1 overall pick by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1977 NBA draft. 

The former Indiana Mr. Basketball played 11 years in the NBA with three different teams before heading overseas to play for one season.

Kent Benson
Kent Benson / © Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Steve Bouchie (1979-83)

Forward Steve Bouchie was named Indiana's Mr. Basketball at Washington High School in 1979 before coming to Indiana for his 1979-80 freshman season. 

Under Coach Knight, Bouchie helped lead the team to two Big Ten regular season titles in 1981 and 1983 plus four NCAA Tournament appearances.

Bouchie and the Hoosiers were on fire for his collegiate career as Indiana advanced to the Sweet 16, won the 1981 title game against North Carolina, played in a second round appearance and finally had a Sweet 16 run Bouchie's senior year.

Following his stellar run with Indiana, he was drafted by the Detroit Pistons in 1983. Bouchie also played professionally in Italy before a hand injury ended his career.

In 2020, the decorated player died of a sudden heart attack over Fourth of July weekend.

Steve Bouchie
Steve Bouchie / © Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Lawson (1989-91)

Bloomington, Ind. native Chris Lawson only played at Indiana for two seasons primarily off the bench.

The center/forward totaled 195 points, 129 rebounds and was a part of the Hoosiers' 1990 first round NCAA tournament appearance and a Sweet 16 run the following year where Indiana also claimed the Big Ten regular season title posting a 29-5 record.

Lawson transferred to Vanderbilt for his final two years of eligibility where the Commodores made the Sweet 16 his junior year and the NIT finals his senior year.

Chris Lawson
Chris Lawson / IU Athletics

Jon McGlocklin (1962-65)

Franklin, Ind. native Jon McGlocklin is like a Swiss army knife listed as a forward, center and guard on the roster.

In three seasons, he racked up 873 career points and 343 rebounds for Indiana. He shot an impressive 79.6 percent from the charity stripe and then 48.5 percent from the field.

While McGlocklin was a Hoosier under coach Branch McCracken, Indiana didn't advance to any NCAA tournaments or win any conference titles but still had some great winning seasons.

Jon McGlocklin
Jon McGlocklin / @IndianaMBB on Twitter

All-time No. 51's at Indiana

Here are all of the players who have worn No. 51 at Indiana:

  • Logan Duncomb — (2021-current)
  • Earl Calloway — (2005-07)
  • Marty Simmons — (1983-85)

All-time No. 52's at Indiana

Here are all of the players who have worn No. 52 at Indiana:

  • Courtney Witte — (1983-84, 1985-86)

All-time No. 53's at Indiana

Here are all of the players who have worn No. 53 at Indiana:

  • Tamar Bates — (2021-current)
  • Tom Geyer — (1997-00)
  • Ross Hales — (1993-94)

All-time No. 54's at Indiana

Here are all of the players who have worn No. 54 at Indiana:

  • Chris Lawson — (1989-91)
  • Steve Bouchie — (1979-83)
  • Kent Benson — (1973-77)
  • Kim Pemberton — (1970-72)
  • Mike Szymanczyk — (1968-70)
  • Jon McGlocklin — (1962-65)

All-time No. 55's at Indiana

Here are all of the players who have worn No. 55 at Indiana:

  • Evan Fitzner — (2018-19)
  • Haris Mujezinovic — (1995-97)
  • Tom Abernethy — (1972-76)
  • Ed Daniels — (1970-71)

Vote for your favorite No. 54 on Twitter

You'll be able to vote on Twitter for your favorite player with each number. Here's the link to today's poll for No. 54.

'Hoosier' Favorite Results

Check this story every day to see which players won the vote for each respective number.

'Hoosier' Favorite Results Story CLICK HERE

Related stories on Indiana Basketball:

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Haley Jordan
HALEY JORDAN

Haley Jordan is a Sports Illustrated/FanNation video director, staff writer, host and reporter for Hoosiers Now, Fastball and Fastbreak sites. She is a graduate from Indiana University with degrees in Sports Broadcast Journalism and Spanish.

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