Indiana Pacers Punch Thier Ticket to the NBA Finals The Indiana Pacers are heading to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000 after a decisive victory over the New York Knicks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, 125-108. The Pacers carried a one-point lead into halftime and returned to the court after the break with renewed determination. Indiana outscored New York 34-23 in the third quarter, pushing the lead out to as many as 19. “This group has been special, pulling off some very special things,” head coach Rick Carlisle said postgame. “We don’t take it for granted at all. To be able to win the series the way we did today at home the way we did in front of our fans is huge. You never want to have to go back on the road in Game 7 and so we’re grateful. We’re grateful for a lot of things.”
Forward Pascal Siakam paced the Blue and Gold with 31 points as point guard Tyrese Haliburton’s 21 points and 13 assists helped hand New York the end of its postseason run. Siakam was awarded the Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Siakam averaged 24.8 points a game during the series, hitting the 30-mark three times in games 2, 4 and 6. “It’s a special feeling, a special feeling to be able to do it with this group,” Haliburton said. “We got to the same spot last year and fell short, and man, we just worked our tails off as a group to get back here. It’s been a bumpy road with our start. Man, just really proud of the resilience of this group. We had so many different guys chip in. We’ve been through so many different things this year and we just kept pushing and like I said, I’m just really proud of this group.” The Pacers now prepare to face the Western Conference’s top team, the Oklahoma City Thunder. The first game of the NBA Finals is scheduled for Thursday at 8:30 p.m. Eastern in Oklahoma City. The Pacers first home game will be Wednesday, June 11 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Former Indiana University Women’s Swimmer Lilly King Announces her Retirement at the end of the Season Former Indiana swimming and diving star and Hoosier State native Lilly King on Saturday announced her intentions to retire from her sport at the end of the 2025 season. “Well folks, my time has come,” King wrote in an Instagram post. “This will be my final season competing. I’m fortunate heading into retirement being able to say I have accomplished everything I have ever wanted in this sport. I feel fulfilled.” King will swim at USA Swimming’s Toyota National Championships at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis next week, June 3-7. “[…] It has always been important to me that my last meet in the (United States) be at the pool that started it all,” King said.” I have been racing in the IU Natatorium since I was 10 years old. From state meets, to (NCAA Championships), Nationals, and anything in between, this pool has been my home. I didn’t quite make it 20 years (only 18) of racing in Indy, but this is as close as I’m gonna get! I look forward to racing in front of a home crowd one last time. “See you in Indy!” Next week’s meet is also USA Swimming’s trials for the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, giving King one more opportunity to race internationally. King is an 18-time world champion and 27-time world medalist.
Bloomington South wins its first Unified Track and Field Regional Title The Bloomington South Panthers scored 115 points on Saturday Morning to take home the IHSAA Unified Track and Field Regional Championship at Franklin High School. The Panthers win their first Regional Title in Program History and will compete at the IHSAA State Finals this Saturday Morning at North Central High School in Indianapolis beginning at 11 AM. Bedford North Lawrence finished second with 110 points and Whiteland finished third with 99 points and will advance to the State Finals as the top three in each Regional will compete in the State Finals. Bloomington North who won the Sectional Title at Jasper finished sixth with 94 points and will not advance to state. Avon and Center Grove tied for fourth with 96 points. Columbus North finished 7th with 90 points, Evansville North finished 8th with 85 points and Perry Meridian finished 9th with 78 points.
Elkhart scored 143 Points to win the Northwood Regional as Penn finished second with 123 points and Homestead finished third with 105 points. Fishers scored 130 points to win the Kokomo Regional as Westfield finished second with 108.5 Points and Warren Central finished third with 97 points as they will join the Panthers, Stars and Warriors in the State Finals.
Former Indiana University Women’s Volleyball Player Paula Cerame makes the Puerto Rico National Team Preliminary Roster Former Indiana libero Paula Cerame was named among the initial 19-player preliminary Puerto Rican women’s national team roster, as announced by the organization on Saturday evening. Team Puerto Rico is set to compete in four major events this summer on the women’s side – including the 2025 FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Championships in Thailand in August. Cerame has spent most of her collegiate and professional tenure training with her native country. Cerame, who racked up over 990 digs in two seasons with the Hoosiers, is coming off her second season in the Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF). She played in the inaugural campaign with Orlando and spent this last year with Columbus – primarily as the team’s starting libero.
Head coach Steve Aird, a native Canadian, has brought a ton of international flare to Bloomington during his tenure as head coach. There will be two foreign players on this year’s roster – veteran outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles (Spain) and highly-regarded youth setter Teodora Krickovic (Serbia). On top of the World Championships, Puerto Rico will also compete in the NORCECA Final Six and the Pan American Cup. Cerame’s former teammate, Mady Saris, will play with Team Canada’s roster in the Volleyball Nations League this summer. Krickovic and incoming outside hitter Charlotte Vinson (USA) will train with their respective youth national teams before joining the team this summer.
Indiana’s Veroncia Hargrave Punches her Ticket to the NCAA Track and Field Championships Indiana track and field completed the final day of the NCAA East Regional Meet from Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida on Saturday. The Hoosier’s closed the meet with their final qualifier coming in the women’s 800. Veronica Hargrave set a new personal best to earn her spot in the national meet. Her time of 2:00.51 moves her to second all-time on the program list for the 800. She sits behind Molly Beckwith (1:59.83), who set her record in 2010. “Veronica ran fearlessly all weekend and truly earned her spot at the national championship,” said assistant coach Andrew Poore. “She has been an incredibly consistent competitor throughout the season, giving her best effort every time she steps on the track, so there was no doubt she would do the same today.”
“Her performance in the quarterfinals places her on our all-time list, alongside Molly Beckwith-Ludlow (an NCAA runner-up) and Tina Parrott (an NCAA champion) which really highlights how remarkable her performance was today.” Following the East Regional meet, Hargrave will join Sean Mockler (Hammer), Martin Segurola (1,500m), and Makayla Hunter (Shot Put) as the national qualifiers. Competition from Eugene, Ore. Will begin on Wednesday (June 11).
Indiana University Rowing Sets itself up for the Final Day of the NCAA Championships No. 16-ranked Indiana rowing set itself up for the final day of the 2025 NCAA Rowing Championships, reaching one petite final and two ‘C’ finals from Saturday racing on Mercer Lake in West Windsor, New Jersey. The Hoosiers fought through adverse weather conditions Saturday as inclement weather rolled through the area, pushing back its Second Varsity Eight and Varsity Four C/D semifinals to the evening. Both boats gave themselves great opportunities going into Sunday, each finishing top three in their semifinals to advance to C finals. This guarantees both crews will finish between Nos. 13-18 nationally depending on Sunday’s results. Those two races all featured tight three-crew battles as, in both contests, the top three boats all finished within four seconds of each other. After reaching the A/B semifinal Friday, Indiana’s Varsity Eight advanced to the B final with a sixth-place finish in Saturday’s race. IU’s top boat can place between seventh and twelfth nationally on Sunday – an IU boat has never placed better than ninth at an NCAA Championships.
RESULTS
| Heats |
| V8 1. Yale – 6:04.490 2. Tennessee – 6:07.532 3. Brown – 6:09.822 4. Virginia – 6:12.258 5. Cal – 6:15.062 6. Indiana – 6:27.172 |
| 2V8 1. UCF – 6:30.536 2. Penn – 6:32.818 3. Indiana – 6:34.212 4. Boston – 6:40.716 5. Fairfield – 7:12.150 |
| V4 1. UCF – 7:11.995 2. Oregon State – 7:13.757 3. Indiana – 7:14.753 4. Northeastern – 7:21.813 5. Fairfield – 8:01.825 |