I'm down in Atlanta, but there's still news from Bloomington. Numerous outlets are reporting that coveted 2010 guard Kyrie Irving made an unofficial visit with Tom Crean and crew.
Junior Matt Bashore pitched eight near-flawless innings Friday against Michigan State. The Hoosiers, 28-24 (16-6 Big Ten), increased their win streak to seven after Bashore's 6-1 performance. Matching his season high, Bashore hurled for 10 strikeouts.
Five straight games describes two parts of Hoosier baseball: their win streak and sophomore Jerrud Sabourin's hit streak.
Despite winning just six games last season, IU ranked No. 16 among all NCAA teams in home attendance last season.
Making their way into the Big Ten tournament last year, the Hoosiers hope for a repeat, only Michigan State stands in their path. Hot with a four-game win streak, Smith & Co. welcomes a cold three-loss Spartans team. Michigan State on paper have a disadvantage with a 22-27 record, compared to IU's 26-24 slate. With the weekend games deciding whether the Hoosiers will be tied for first or not, IU coach Tracy Smith said success this weekend will be the first step to a trip to the College World Series. "It's a chance to play in the college world series," Smith said.
IU basketball coach Tom Crean spoke to the media today regarding recruitment, off-season training and what the program is doing to prepare for next year Thursday. Crean said training this year is far better than last year and that their preparation last year is "not even in the same stratosphere" this year's is. "We have a very good off-season program," Crean said. He said points he hopes to emphasize this off season are strength and conditioning, shooting and defense when the players take to the gym on their own time. Crean is not allowed to be involved in the players' workouts, but the strength and conditioning coach and trainer are allowed to provide advice and insight.
Thirty-four road games came to an end with an extra-inning win Wednesday evening against Evansville.
Know the Knoblauch name? You will soon. Before becoming one of Bellaire High School's (Houston, Texas) greatest baseball coaches, Ray Knoblauch was a professional pitcher for 10 years, going 84-81. His brother, Eddie, spent 16 years in professional baseball, as well. And Ray's son Chuck appeared in the World Series five times. So it comes as no surprise that Ray's grandson, Trace, lives and breathes baseball. Trace Knoblauch, in his third year on varsity as a senior at Bellaire High School in Houston, Tex., signed his National Letter of Intent to join the IU family this fall. The only player from his district to be selected for the Texas High School Baseball Coaches association All-Star team, Knoblauch moves between first base and the outfield.
First off, sorry for the lack of posts this past week. Zach and I have been making the transition to baseball beat writers.
by Brian Smith Special to Under The Rock Regardless of conference, the biggest predictor for a team's success is quarterback experience.
I know there haven't been any updates for a while on here, so here's what you might have missed from recent days: The Third Annual O'Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off field is set.
by Brian Smith Special to Under The Rock Dear IU students, fans, and residents of Bloomington: Few fan bases resemble the one that will march into Bloomington during the first weekend of October.
I like to welcome our new beat writers for our 2009 coverage of the IU football team. Beat Writers: Nate Hart and Greg Rosenstein Columnist: Dave Leno Hart comes from the Little 500 Beat.
By Brian Smith Special to Under The Rock Headlines across the country read, "Hoosiers knock off Michigan at the Big House." Let's get right to how IU can slay the Wolverines. First, just like with any other game, turnovers change momentum and often lead to great field position.
by Brian Smith Special to Under The Rock Anyone that handed a ticket to an usher and walked into the so-called Big House to watch Michigan play football knows tradition echoes out of the stadium, not noise.
The NCAA's Academic Progress Rate found the IU men's basketball program well below the national average, ranked 325 out of 341 Division I schools.
Because you like studying for finals just as much as I do, you are invited to join in the second installment of our live chat with friends Chris Korman of the Hoosier Scoop and Alex of Inside The Hall.
Before we know it, fall's beauty will grace the IU campus and the student scene will return. Amid the multicolored leaves, the clear, blue sky and the first week of pointless classes, rests the IU football team attempting to quiet its skeptics without stud athlete Kellen Lewis. Under The Rock will detail IU's 2009 12-game schedule in sections.
The Hoosiers lost their first Big Ten series of the season at Purdue this weekend, losing two of three in West Lafayette. In the first game, IU fell by a score of 15-8, with sophomore Joey O'Gara earning the loss.
Attention Hoosier Nation- Please welcome Brian Smith to our Under The Rock coverage. Smith will serve as a guest columnist for all things IU football on this blog.
