Hysteria replaces Madness due to new NCAA rules

Last season, a first-game exit from the Big Ten tournament sucked the madness out of the Hoosiers' March, and hysteria ensued.\nBracey Wright, leading scorer for the team and the Big Ten, left for the NBA draft and IU head coach Mike Davis again faced criticism for failing to make the NCAA tournament. \nIt's only fitting that the Hoosiers' third quest for madness begins with a little bit of hysteria.\nTonight at Hoosier Hysteria, formerly Midnight Madness, the Hoosiers will take to Branch McCracken Court at 9 p.m. in Assembly Hall to start the 2005-06 season and begin a campaign for their first NCAA tournament appearance in three seasons.\nThe Hoosier players are just as excited as the Hoosier faithful.\n"I may not even sleep that night," senior forward Marco Killingsworth said. "I haven't ever seen anything like (last year's Midnight Madness). Ever. Ever in my life ... I mean, that thing was more packed than an Auburn-Alabama basketball game."\nDoors will open at 8:15 p.m. and players will be announced at 9 p.m. Fans can either pay $2 or donate two canned food items for admittance. \nMidnight Madness became Hoosier Hysteria this year because of a new decision by the NCAA.\nNCAA rules now allow for teams to begin practice before midnight, and Davis said that he can hold two practices Saturday instead of one. \n"(Last year), we practiced one time on Saturday 'cause the guys were so tired and excited," he said.\nIn the nine weeks leading up to tonight, he has only been able to practice his squad two hours a week due to NCAA regulations.\nHe said he's seen hard work so far and figures he has "nine or 10, maybe 11 guys that can play."\n"You really should get excited once you see the team on the floor," he said. "I think we have a chance to get better day by day, so this team's going to be good."\nThe sixth-year coach will welcome a slew of new faces to the first official practice, including junior guard Earl Calloway, the first junior college recruit of the Davis era, and a freshmen class consisting of guard Joey Shaw and two international players, forwards Cem Dinc from Turkey and Ben Allen from Australia.\n"I'm really looking forward to (Hoosier Hysteria)," Allen said. "You have people stop you on the way to class now and it's just going to absolutely multiply."\nFor the familiar faces the excitement remains, but the reality is all too clear.\n"Being an upperclassman and a guy that's been to (Midnight Madness) a lot, it's easy to downplay it," senior guard Marshall Strickland said. "We know that the next morning we have practice and that's no joke."\nFestivities will include a slam dunk contest, an event wide open to a winner because of the transfer of two-year champion Patrick Ewing Jr., who awed spectators with a 540-degree throw down last year.\nJunior Errek Suhr and senior Angela Hawkins might be hoping for a repeat in the spot shot competition, as the duo was victorious last year with a score of 61.\nNon-team competition will conclude with a three-point shooting contest, an event also prime for the taking because of the departure of recent graduate Ryan Tapak, who won last year with a ledger of 15 for 25. The men's winner will then be pitted against the women's winner, where, last year, Tapak triumphed over senior Cyndi Valentin 13-10.\nTo culminate the evening, fans will be treated to a 15-minute scrimmage from the men's and the women's teams.\nLast year, Killingsworth was the Crimson squad's leading scorer with 12 points and three rebounds.\n"It's my last run, so I might get in every event just to have fun," Killingsworth said. "I would have won the (three-point competition) last year, but Bracey ended up making a couple more than me"