Soccer Shoes Outlet Mike and Antoine, still call Bloomington their first home.

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Davis’ return a family affair
Alex McCarthy
13 minutes ago

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Mike Davis couldn’t stop smiling during his return to Assembly Hall. (Photo: 247Sports)
Mike Davis doesn’t like flying in planes. At least, not usually.

When the current Texas Southern coach, who coached at Indiana from 2000-2006, was flying with his current team from a game in Eastern Washington, he had something to look Mercurial Vapor X FG forward to. He was returning back to Bloomington, back to Assembly Hall.

“I couldn’t wait,” Davis said of his feelings during the flight.

Davis won 115 games for Indiana and led the Hoosiers to a National Championship game appearance in 2002. Indiana public address announcer Chuck Crabb made sure to remind the 17,243 fans in attendance of Davis’ accomplishments in Bloomington.

After introducing the starting lineup for the Tigers, Crabb gave Davis what is likely one of the longer and more detailed introductions he has ever given an opposing coach. The cheers of those on hand drowned out the latter half of his introduction, which included the fact that Davis had been IU’s head coach for Mercurial Superful IV FG Black Red six years and had led IU to the 2002 National Championship game.

Davis, clad in a maroon tie instead of the Crimson so many fans were used to during his tenure at Indiana, raised a hand to the crowd as the majority of the Hoosier fans stood and applauded.

“I really owe them a standing ovation for what they’ve done for me and my family,” Davis said.

Davis made his rounds like a politician prior to the 6 p.m. tipoff, shaking hands with longtime employees, cordially talking with media members who have been around since his tenure and more. He did it all with a smile, one that never seemed to fade throughout the night.
Though his team suffered a defeat, Davis said Monday Nike Magista Obra FG night wasn’t about winning or losing. (Photo: 247Sports)
One of his stops was to longtime play-by-play man Don Fischer, and Davis said seeing Fischer was an odd mix of familiar and odd.

“I talked with Fischer before the game, and it was like old times,” Davis said. “I was more loose than before we played a game. For us, just to come here and play, it’s not about winning or losing the game, it was about being back here with my family.”

Even as his team fell behind and stayed behind in its 83-64 loss to Indiana, Davis said he was able to take in the sights and sounds around him, the atmosphere that he used to see every home game for six years. Even as his team, limited by injuries, struggled to stop the surging James Blackmon Jr. and Robert Johnson, Davis remained seated like he used to do on the Branch McCracken Court sideline. Davis stayed seated almost every moment, even remaining in his chair as a referee impeded his vision at times.

He said the experience in Assembly Hall was a meaningful one for him, but it was also a fun experience for his young players. Though they understood that Assembly Hall is one of the most storied venues in the game, some of them didn’t understand the personal significance for Davis.

“I had one player ask me last week, ‘Coach, I didn’t know you used to coach at Indiana,’” Davis said, spawning laughter from the IU press corps. “I’m like, ‘Where’ve you been for the past 20 years?’ I can’t say it enough, I wanted to come back and when this opportunity presented itself, it was a no-brainer.”

Both of his sons, Soccer Shoes Outlet Mike and Antoine, still call Bloomington their first home. Mike is an assistant to his father for Texas Southern, and Antoine, a ninth-grader, is an aspiring point guard.

Davis said he hopes not only to schedule another meeting with Indiana at Assembly Hall, but would also like to carry on the tradition of a member of the Davis family spending a prolonged amount of time in Bloomington.

“Hopefully my son will play here someday,” Davis said, still smiling as widely as he had all night.

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