Lou Watson

{{Short description|American basketball player and coach}}

Louis C. Watson (August 31, 1924 – May 24, 2012) was an American basketball player and coach for Indiana University. The 6'-5" Watson played for Jeffersonville High School in Jeffersonville, Indiana, graduating in 1943. He was a four-year letterman, starting every game of his career.{{cite web

|url=https://indianahq.com/lou-watson/

|title=Lou Watson

|website=IndianaHQ

|publisher=IndianaHQ

|access-date=December 12, 2021}}{{cite web

|url=https://www.insidethehall.com/2012/05/25/former-indiana-coach-lou-watson-passes-away/

|title=Former Indiana coach Lou Watson passes away

|date=May 25, 2012

|website=Inside the Hall

|access-date=December 12, 2021}}{{cite web

|url=https://hoopshall.com/inductees/lou-watson/

|title=Lou Watson

|website=Hall of Fame

|publisher=Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame

|access-date=December 12, 2021}} He competed for the Hoosiers from 1947 to 1950, and was their leading scorer and a first-team All-Big Ten honoree in 1950. After serving as freshman and assistant varsity basketball coach at Indiana, Watson was Indiana's head coach from 1965 to 1971.{{cite web

|url=https://honorsandawards.iu.edu/awards/honoree/4688.html

|title=Louis C. Watson

|website=University Honors & Awards

|publisher=Indiana University

|access-date=March 28, 2022}} He led the Hoosiers to a Big Ten co-championship in 1967, finishing with a 62–60 record. In 1971, he stepped down from head coaching to become a special assistant to the athletic director. He retired from that position in 1987. On May 25, 2012, Watson died at the age of 88 in Fairfax, Virginia.{{cite news|agency=Associated Press|work=ESPN|publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures|date=May 26, 2012|access-date=June 27, 2012|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/7975186/former-indiana-hoosiers-player-coach-lou-watson-88-dies|title=Former Hoosier Lou Watson dies}}