How many basketball players does it take to retrieve a ball?
Clearly more than the Indiana and St. Mary's basketball teams could come up with.
During Thursday night's Hoosiers' game against the Gaels, a basketball was wedged between the backboard and the shot clock early in the second half, and an Indiana cheerleader was needed to rescue the ball.
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The ball was stuck so high that it was too far for anyone to reach. St. Mary's Matthias Tass tried poke the ball with a stick but couldn't reach it, even at 6-foot-10. An official attempted to knock it down while standing on top of a chair, which also proved unsuccessful.
So, who reaches higher heights in arenas than cheerleaders themselves? The Indiana cheer squad realized they'd be perfect for the job by lifting another up to the top of the backboard. And it worked!
While the wholesome moment did put a smile on everyone's face momentarily, it wouldn't be enough to get over the sting of the Hoosiers' loss. They fell to St. Mary 83-52, which is the worst NCAA Tournament loss in program history.
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They finish the season 21-14.
