The following is a transcript of an Indiana University Senior Night speech given by point guard Carter Makice ’22 on March 1, 2022.
“How ’bout that win, huh? [cheers from a standing ovation crowd] That was a hell of a shot by Brady [Knight]. His grampa would be proud.
“It seems like I’ve been preparing for this night my whole life. Right before I was born, Indiana University hadn’t had a basketball championship in 13 years. That all changed just nine weeks into my life with that first classic NCAA title of the new millennium, the first of eight such victories since I’ve been alive. I grew up listening to names like Jeffries, Leach, May, Permiac, Smith and Jones. Great players who helped the legendary Bobby Knight exit a champion and make him the greatest coach who ever lived. [raucous cheers]
“I am honored to be able to have my name added to the long list of Hoosier graduates. We still have one more title to claim before I’m through [more cheers], but it’s already been a great four-year run here in Bloomington. From the moment I stepped foot on campus and came inside this great old Knight Fieldhouse to practice for the first time, well … I felt like a destiny was being fulfilled. Three, now four Big Ten titles. [cheers and applause] The victories over Duke, DePaul, UCLA and Oral Roberts University. [louder cheers] Kicking Purdue’s butt ten straight times! [incredibly loud cheers] And, oh yeah, … BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPIONSHIPS! [ears begin to bleed from the din from the audience]
“Coach [Mikey] Lewis told me this wasn’t going to be an easy row to hoe. That’s for sure. People are always telling me to count my blessings after one of our little ‘talks’ on the bench in between plays. [knowing laughter] They say Coach Knight commanded with an iron fist, whipping and kicking his own players, and making them walk 40 miles from the airport after road losses. Sometimes, he even threw furniture at them to get them to practice harder. Just remember, though, … [former IU point guard] Coach Lewis once yelled back at The General. According to team therapist Kris Worthington, he’s got a lot of aggression about his playing days to work out. They call this ‘tough love.’
“I can’t say enough for Coach and his fine staff for giving me a chance to live out a dream here at IU. I’m just a townie here in Bloomington, and a short one at that. It wasn’t like the world was itching to have another 5′-10” basketball player. He gave me that chance to learn to lead this great program. Brady keeps telling me he’s glad I was so bad in high school so no one recruited me [laughter ensues], but I tell him that as long as that school was Indiana, I only needed to be recruited once.
“My family made the long trip from 10th Street to be here tonight. I’d like them to stand up … [applause grows as Kevin, Amy, Cheaney and Buckaroo Makice stand] I love you guys. You’re my inspiration. Thanks for sticking with me, even after that hip-click scare as an infant. And thanks for giving me the gritty Hoosier upbringing. Through regression hypnosis, I can remember Dad holding me up to the old television set as a baby, cheering the great win over Illinois in my first Big Ten Tournament. After that, the rough days were all behind us. And to you, Mom, thanks for yelling loud enough for me to hear you from the court down here, even in a loud place like this [the crowd goes wild]
“Get a good look at my sisters, too, everyone. Thanks to the Co-Ed Act of 2016, they’ll be playing for the Unified Gender Hoosiers basketball team next year. I’ll tell Coach to go easy on you, Twins. I also want all of my extended family to stand up and be recognized … [grandparents, aunts and cousins are scattered around the stadium; some of the people flicker as they move] Thanks for coming to all the games. If not in person, then as a holographic projection.
“I also want to acknowledge my dear girlfriend, Rian … [a gorgeous redhead with green eyes stands up from behind the Indiana bench] I count my blessings every day that I decided to go to that Supermodel Symposium on Quantum Astrophysics to hear that lecture you were giving. I have been astounded by your insights and radiance ever since. You’ve inspired me to do something I’ve never done before. [Carter lowers a knee to the big Indiana State logo at center court] Will you marry me? [a collective sigh is followed by a distant ‘Yes!’ and raucous applause] Whew. I love you, honey.
“I’ll cut this short because I’ve got some ring shopping to do. [laughter from the fans] But I want to close by saying something that should be obvious to the whole world by now: Indiana University fans are the greatest in the history of sports. [self-congratulatory cheers propagate through the Fieldhouse] You’ve helped us out in so many countless ways these past few years, I can’t tell you how much you mean to me and my teammates. You are most definitely the Sixth Man — no offense, Brady — even more so since the NCAA implemented the interactive virtual power forward that you can collectively control from your seat. Whenever we’ve needed that key rebound, you’ve been there for us.
“We’ve still got a job to do these next few weeks, beginning with win #11 over Purdue this Friday in Indianapolis. Bring your voices and bring your joysticks. LET’S GO GET ANOTHER TITLE!”
[wild cheers are drowned out by the Makice family yelling for Carter]