Indiana Legend Kent Benson Doing Well After Major Heart Surgery

Indiana hero Kent Benson, the starting center on college basketball's last undefeated team in 1976, is doing well after major heart surgery on Monday.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Kent Benson, one of the key players on Indiana's perfect 1976 national championship team, had major heart surgery on Monday in Indianapolis. He is doing well post-surgery, according to friend Steven Stremming, and his prognosis is good.

The 6-foot-10 Benson, who turned 65 in November, "had four bypasses, meshed his afib and repaired a heart valve" at St. Vincent's Hospital in Indianapolis, Stremming said. He will be hospitalized for about 10 days, and it expected to make a full recovery.

Benson, a New Castle, Ind., native who was the starting center at Indiana in the glory years from 1974 to 1977, was named the Most Outstanding Player in 1976 when the Hoosiers went 32-0 and won the national title.

He was the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft in 1977. He's been a fan favorite around Indiana for years. He was inducted into IU's Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999. He was Indiana's Mr. Basketball in 1973 at New Castle High School.

He's had a difficult past year. Besides dealing with his own serious health issues, his brother Kim died suddenly last November and his longtime girlfriend Ann — whom Benson referred to as his wife — lost her lengthy battle with cancer.

Benson's health was so poor that he could not attend the Feb. 8 reunion with many of his teammates and his Indiana coach, Bob Knight. Several of his teammates were at Simon Skojdt Assembly Hall that day to welcome Knight back to the arena for the first time in 20 years.

Benson has four daughters. His daughter Ashley played and coached volleyball at Indiana.

Related Indiana basketball history

• STREAK REACHES 44 YEARS: San Diego State became the last team to lose this season, so now Indiana's unbeaten season in 1976 is still the last one! CLICK HERE
• BREAKING NEWS: Indiana coaching legend Bob Knight is coming home to Assembly Hall on Saturday. CLICK HERE
• LOVEFEST 20 YEARS IN THE MAKING: Bob Knight's return to the Assembly Hall floor brought tears to players and fans alike. CLICK HERE
• FINALLY, CLOSURE FOR PLAYERS: Now that Bob Knight's 20-year feud with Indiana is over, former players can get back to normal. CLICK HERE
• REUNION OF 1980 TEAM: Forty years later, a great reminder of how this is one of Indiana's forgotten great teams. CLICK HERE
• BEST INDIANA TEAMS TO NOT WIN TITLES: Bob Knight's return has rekindled interest in the best-selling book, "Missing Banners,'' that looks at five seasons where Indiana could have won a title but didn't. CLICK HERE