Cruz Calls Hoop 'Basketball Ring' in Hoosiers Gym

Ted Cruz tried to portray himself as a man who knows his hoops on Tuesday night, but he instead made himself look like a man who literally does not know what a basketball hoop is called. With no victory speeches to make elsewhere, he spent the evening in Indiana, where he tried to recreate a scene from Hoosiers during a rally in the gymnasium where much of the movie was shot, USA Today reports. After the height from the basket to the floor was measured, as in the film, Cruz said: "You know, the amazing thing is, that basketball ring here in Indiana is the same height as it is in New York City and every other place in this country," reports the Indianapolis Star, which notes that "traditionally, we call that a 'hoop' here in Indiana."

Cruz was swiftly and mercilessly mocked on Twitter. "Is he going to say he's looking forward to seeing the NASCARs run the Indy 500 next," tweeted a "Will McAvoy" account. Some commentators even predicted that he had just handed the race to Donald Trump. That may be an exaggeration, but basketball is definitely a very big deal in Indiana, which explains why Cruz and Trump have been "going all-in on basketball-related pandering," the Washington Post notes. On Wednesday, famed former Indiana University basketball coach Bob Knight will join Trump for a rally at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. (More Ted Cruz stories.)