Two nights later, the Terrors met undefeated Holy Cross as part of a college basketball doubleheader in Indianapolis, matching Case against Julian in a battle of first-year coaches who would go on to earn enshrinement in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

The Terrors built a surprising 30-22 lead in the first half, but Holy Cross forced turnovers in the second half that made the game close. The Crusaders trailed by just two points with five minutes to play. But Case, who wanted to make a statement in front of the hometown crowd, poured on the fast break he made famous at Frankfort High School and the Terrors outscored the stunned Crusaders 18-4 in the final five minutes for a 58-42 victory.

Indiana natives Dick Dickey –NC State's only four-time all-conference performer – and Pete Negley led the Terrors offensively. Dickey scored a game-high 17 points and Negley added 14.

The Crusaders, who lost three of their first seven games that season, went on to win 23 in a row after that to claim its only NCAA Basketball championship.