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(06/08/06 12:21am)
It's almost an understatement to say racism has grown taboo in the United States. In fact, one might even venture to say that our nation is making significant strides to move beyond it. Our sports leagues are no different. Making even the slightest insinuation about a black athlete's natural abilities usually results in instant career suicide for a coach or announcer.\nBut across the Atlantic Ocean an entirely different world exists, and as the World Cup draws nearer, our nation might be in for a culture shock -- or world shock, I guess. But the situation is more familiar to us than we think.\nInternational soccer is no stranger to incident, but racial discrimination is much more prevalent than it has ever been. This past April, U.S. defender Oguchi Onyewu -- who is black -- was throwing the ball in for his Belgium club team when an opposing fan punched him in the face. Onlookers had been making racial gestures toward him all game.\nPlayers of color are often even pelted with bananas and subjected to monkey noises, gestures and other racial slurs. The most famous instance came last November in Italy when Ivory Coast defender Marc Zoro picked up the ball and threatened to leave the field after racist jeers from opposing fans brought him to tears. The scene sparked a debate about racism in soccer, which didn't solve much, as Zoro heard the same chants when his Messina club squad returned to Milan the following spring.\nAnd the World Cup looks to be no different as German anti-racism groups are warning non-white visitors against venturing out of Berlin to rural areas. Reports of muggings and thefts are already making the news.\nTo ward off this racist sentiment, FIFA is instituting regulations that will deduct game points from teams exhibiting on-field racist behavior. The rules, however, won't accomplish anything because they do not apply to fans in the stands, where most of the incidents occur.\nFIFA officials needn't worry, though, because this racism will work itself out. Now, I'm not saying racism should ever be ignored, endorsed or upheld in any way, but this dark era will become just that -- a time period the sport moves beyond. For proof, just look in our own backyard.\nThis recent racist influx is the result of traditionally all-white club teams containing non-white players, who aren't just bench warmers but are often marquee players, as in Zoro's case. This is very similar to what happened with our own national pastime about a half-century ago, when Branch Rickey began signing black players into Dodger uniforms. And now, about sixty years later, baseball is one of the most diverse sports, heavily featuring players who are black, Hispanic and even Japanese. \nInternational soccer is currently in the same state as baseball in the mid-20th century. Coaches, players and, most notably, fans are having to cope with the fact that their sport is changing. And much like baseball, soccer is a sport of near-sacredness to which countries often attach pride, which makes watching its complexion change a tough task for them. \nAgain, I'm not saying racism is at all justified or excusable, but the sport will mature beyond this period and some good will come out of it all. Somewhere in Europe, a 12-year-old black kid is aspiring to be the next Zoro, who will -- along with his counterparts -- be viewed in the same heroic light as Jackie Robinson. The sport will mature from being their sport to being everyone's sport. And who knows? Maybe even Americans will start caring.
(05/25/06 1:57am)
Tuesday night, the Toronto Raptors landed the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA draft after having only an 8.8 percent chance of doing so. With the shallowest draft pool since I can remember, Toronto's beating of the odds will likely go down as the biggest story of the 2006 NBA Draft.\nBesides giving Canadians the obvious water cooler joke of the day: "The Raptors actually beat something?", the top pick in this year's draft won't be good for too much. Just think back to about this time last year.\nAndrew Bogut was such a consensus that he was answering questions about obscure eyesight problems he had as a kid -- which is really almost laughable now. And Marvin Williams was made out to be such an obvious second pick that the Hawks drafted him to become more a part of a collection of out-of-place swingmen than a member of a professional basketball team.\nKing James was ordained 2003's top pick probably in May 2002. And in May 2003, SportsCenter viewers had long been subjected to clips of Dwight Howard humiliating high-school kids.\nMy point is, by this time of year, the draft results are usually so obvious that Around the Horn panelists and overly-analytical analysts have long stopped predicting the likely top picks. They have instead already turned their attention to fringe issues -- like Bogut's left eye -- somehow ignoring problems that even casual hoops fans can pick up on -- like Williams not even being a starter on his college team.\nBut May 2006 is about to come to a close and what do we have? An awkward pool of potential No. 1 picks. I don't really see how any GM could be comfortable wasting a No. 1 pick on any of them.\nLaMarcus Aldridge of Texas is on top of some boards, and UConn's Rudy Gay was the favorite at the start of the college season. Tyrus Thomas' play throughout LSU's tournament run put him into consideration, and Adam Morrison plays a little like Larry Bird. The flavor of the moment is the 7-foot Italian Andrea Bargnani, whose 47 percent from 3-point range is making scouts see Nowitzki all over again.\nBut the blatant underlying fact is none of these guys, with the exception of Morrison, averaged more than 15 points per game in their respective leagues last year. The majority of them are only receiving attention because of strong play late in the season. This is indicative of one thing: that GM's are drafting solely on the basis of potential. And the whole potential thing really just makes me uncomfortable -- especially with a draft this shallow.\nBargnani's percentages do make him look like Dirk, until you look a little further in the stat columns to realize he only averaged 11 points per game in the Euroleague and the Italian league. He quickly looks less like Nowitzki and more like the big, awkward foreign guy who is allergic to the paint.\nBest case scenario with Gay: the Raptors end up with a more athletic version of Scottie Pippen. And he definitely has the build to play like Pippen, but he certainly didn't look much like Pippen in college, so why would he against better competition?\nNone of it makes any sense to me.\nIf I was Raptors' GM Jerry Colangelo -- and this would take some serious stones -- I would draft Marcus Williams from UConn. You know what you're getting with Williams: a proven point guard who runs the team and distributes the ball. And with Mike James' likely departure into free agency, Toronto will be hard-pressed for a floor general.\nJ.J. Redick is like Williams. You know exactly what Redick brings to the table: the ability to knock down open shots and provide a viable kick out option if a more dominant player is being doubled. In fact, if Cleveland somehow ends up with him, LeBron needs to pick him up at the airport and immediately make best friends with him.\nNow I realize such ideas are somewhat unrealistic, so the true No. 1 pick should be Morrison. He's a proven energy guy who can knock down 3-pointers, probably somewhere in between Larry Legend and Brian Cardinal.\nThe reason for taking proven, solid guys, instead of sifting for the potential stud? \nIt's pretty tough to play the potential game in a draft that really lacks potential.
(05/18/06 12:22am)
I can remember when I was about 11 or 12 years old. I used to spend the post-Church portions of my Sunday mornings with a glazed donut and a South Bend Tribune sports section spread out in front of me.\nI'd plot out all the potential postseason scenarios -- the likely wins and losses as the NBA's playoff picture fermented.\nI would even get to the point where I could rattle off all the league's statistical leaders and I had a closet full of jerseys to mirror them.\nBut a whole lot has changed since then, and it's not just a deeper voice and about 14 inches of height.\nIn that near-decade, Michael Jordan retired -- twice -- and the NBA's star quality gradually faded out completely. Casual sports fans lost almost all interest.\nBut after the league's darkest couple of seasons -- this year's Nielsen television ratings ranked professional basketball seventh -- the stars aren't exactly shining again, but they're glimmering. A little bit, at least.\nSo how did the NBA fall to such depths?\nWell, Steve Nash not only won two MVP's, but he dominated this season's voting -- and he did deserve to win. The problem is, an MVP should be Jordan-esque -- he needs to be worth watching every night and highly marketable, a figurehead for the league. You never want your league MVP to be a soft-spoken non-scorer who spends less than a college sophomore on his wardrobe.\nThankfully, there's absolutely no way Nash three-peats.\nThe playoffs have proven LeBron's legitimacy. They should save us all some time and award him the 2007 MVP award before the Cavs get eliminated. He'll be in his final contract year next season, and Danny Ferry will likely surround him with all the missing pieces to entice him to re-sign.\nPlus, this summer's blockbuster should look something like: Garnett to Chicago for a mid-level exception, two first-round picks and Chris Duhon. KG's long-rumored return to his hometown should vault him back into MVP contention. \nBut the league is also still trying to recover from the nastiness that was the Detroit and San Antonio championship series -- the first seven-game finals in 12 years. And yet ABC still netted record low ratings for the 2005 finals because the only star featured -- Tim Duncan -- doesn't even want to be a star. The 75-74 defensive slugfests belong in March, not May. \nNow, the Spurs look eliminated and the horizon is brightening as Dwyane Wade and his Heat are hot. Clueless analysts are finally realizing that even the Pistons need a playoff-tested coach for the postseason.\nAs Nowitzki vs Wade looks eminent, the NBA rests in good hands and the 2002 draft class should provide the same star quality as the 1984 draft, which yielded Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon, John Stockton, Sam Perkins and Jordan, whose battles with Larry Bird resurrected the then-dwindling NBA.\nI heard Wade say something a few weeks ago that I -- a Chicago-land native -- really related to. Something about how he always felt like Jordan was a member of the family, and that's the kind of superstar he wanted to become. Wade has also said he's been working on his perimeter shooting lately and that he wants to train with Gary Payton and Kobe all summer to work on his defensive game.\nIt looks like the stars are coming out to shine bright again.\nBut what I'm really unsure about is, how will this dark period of professional basketball be remembered?\nI saw a 10-year-old looking kid wearing a Ginobili jersey yesterday when I was doing some grocery shopping. I was in disbelief.\nYou could tell this kid only rooted for San Antonio because of last year's championship, and his mom got him a Ginobili jersey because it was the only Spurs jersey she could find at a Northern Indiana Footlocker.\nBut imagine the story this kid will tell at high-school lunch in about seven years, when Wade and LeBron jerseys become a fashion trend. Something like: "I remember I wore Ginobili jersey in elementary school." His entourage will probably erupt in laughter.\nAt least my grade-school jersey collection doesn't embarrass me.
(04/13/06 7:30am)
IU men's basketball coach Kelvin Sampson's million-dollar salary could be reduced if the NCAA files sanctions against him for recruiting violations incurred at the University of Oklahoma. \nThe agreement between Sampson and IU, obtained by the Indiana Daily Student, states the University might adjust the newly ordained coach's salary to reflect any sanctions that follow him. IU will also impose whatever sanctions the NCAA deems \nnecessary, which could be Oklahoma's \nformer self-imposed sanctions or new \nrestrictions the NCAA sets forth. \nSampson will earn $10.8 million in seven years of employment. In his first year, he will make $1.1 million, but after July 1, 2007, his salary will rise to $1.61 million per year. In his final year of employment under this agreement -- the 2012-2013 season -- the figure will increase to $1.65 million. \nThe agreement also states that Sampson must pay the University $500,000 if he leaves before June 30, 2013. \nHis former self-imposed sanctions reduced his number of recruiting phone calls and possible days away from campus for recruiting visits. \nThe NCAA will hold a hearing April 21 in Park City, Utah, to \nevaluate possible charges for Sampson and his Oklahoma staff regarding 550 illegal phone calls to recruits. The sanctions could be continued, strengthened or ended.\nThe agreement, titled "Memorandum of Understanding," is a brief layout of employment terms. The University is currently ironing out the provisions of a more extensive contract. \nAlso laid out in the agreement is a budget of $375,000 for three assistant coaches, two vehicles for Sampson to use at his own discretion, a base salary of $500,000 -- twice the amount of Mike Davis, his predecessor -- and a $50,000 stipend for making the Final Four or $100,000 for winning a national championship.
(04/13/06 6:21am)
At least one White knows what he's doing next year.\nJunior college standout Mike White signed with IU Wednesday to become coach Kelvin Sampson's first recruit.\nThe 6-foot-6, 245-pound forward comes to Bloomington from Lee College in Baytown, Texas, where last season he averaged 7.4 rebounds, two blocks and 19.4 points per game with a 59 percent shooting average.\nWhite will add size to a front court that lost All-American honorable mention Marco Killingsworth, Sean Kline and Robert Vaden, who will reportedly follow former IU coach Mike Davis to the University of Alabama-Birmingham. Sampson is also faced with the potential departure of sophomore D.J. White, who has yet to make a decision on his status for next year.\nSampson said he thinks his first recruit, Mike White, will make an immediate impact. \n"Our immediate need is sure up areas of concern, and one of our biggest concerns is the front line," Sampson said in a statement. "Mike is a little undersized as a power forward, but he is a strong, physical, hard-nosed and aggressive player who is going to fit in real well at Indiana."\nWhite finished last season ranked as the ninth-best junior college player in the nation, according to www.jucojunction.com. He was selected as a Region XIV co-MVP and a National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) third team All-American. As a 61-game starter at Lee, White averaged 17.4 points and 8.9 rebounds per game as a freshman to earn second-team all-conference honors.\nLee College coach Roy Champagne said he thinks White still has potential yet to be unearthed. \n"Mike is someone who really understands the game and is very humble," Champagne said in a release. "Mike will truly do whatever is asked of him to help his team win games. He is the type of guy who makes plays when those plays need to be made. I don't think Mike is finished expanding and exploring his total game. The best is yet to come."\nThe signing isn't unusual, as Sampson is a reputed junior college recruiter. But White's recruitment comes after Sampson made comments at his press conference about not needing to recruit junior college players at IU. With the late signing period beginning though, only 15 of top 150 high school recruits on www.rivals.com remain unsigned.\n"I want the best student-athletes for Indiana," Sampson said during his March 29 press conference. "Fortunately, we have some of the best high school coaches in America right here in our state, Indiana. The first thing I am going to try to do is to get the best players in Indiana to come to Indiana University"
(03/30/06 6:19pm)
Kelvin Sampson decided to come to IU less than 24 hours after being contacted, but he has long given the job thought.\nIn theory, at least.\nThe newly appointed IU coach was guided by the advice of an old Civil War hero -- General William "Tecumseh" Sherman, whom he often references.\n"He's always talking about, it's from war general Sherman: 'Life's not about security. It's about opportunity,'" said Kellen Sampson, his 20-year-old son. "He could have stayed at Oklahoma and finished a very nice career, but this is an opportunity to live every dream imaginable for him."\nKelvin Sampson left the University of Oklahoma looking fairly secure. The winningest coach in Big 12 and school history, his 72 percent winning average took a backseat to OU's championship-caliber football teams. His Sooner squads made the NCAA Tournament in 11 of his 12 seasons with the team -- but that for him was part of the problem.\nAt OU, he only advanced past the tournament's second round three times. But at IU, he says he has a great opportunity to accomplish much more, which might be why his son saw "his eyes kind of light up for one of the first times" when the family entered Assembly Hall Wednesday.\n"I came to Indiana for one reason: I think we can win championships at Indiana," coach Sampson said. "I think back to being an outsider looking in and when you think about Indiana -- you think about a place that has not just won championships, but has a championship tradition. Tradition is important. You can't create it. It just can't happen."\nAs a Hoosier, Sampson says he will have a different type of talent to help him reach this goal.\nThe former two-time National Coach of the Year frequently relied on junior college recruiting to push him to his success. But he doesn't think fans will see these transfer players take to Branch McCracken Court.\n"I don't think you have to (recruit junior college players) at Indiana," he said. "The first thing I am going to try to do is to get the best players in Indiana to come to Indiana University."\nThe motto of "Heart, Hustle and Hardwood" characterized his OU teams of the past and will still be visible. He echoed similar sentiments during Wednesday's press conference, saying attitude and effort will fuel his bunch of Hoosiers.\n"There are two things that you can control in your life -- that is your attitude and your effort," he said. "The ball isn't always going to go in."\nSampson's attitude and effort will cost the University an average of $1.5 million a year for seven seasons. IU Director of Athletics Rick Greenspan said he thinks the number is similar to what Sampson would have received at OU and schools similar to IU. He is looking for non-University funding for assistance.\n"You raise it," Greenspan said of a salary solution. "We've already raised a pretty good chunk of it from external, private sources."\nKellen Sampson -- a sophomore on OU's basketball \nteam -- will finish his career in Norman, Okla. and graduate a Sooner. But he still expects the IU teams of the future to be family-like, pointing out that his father has always hosted film sessions at the family's home to create a family atmosphere and keep the team close with the Sampson household.\n"To the best of my knowledge I think that's what IU's had in the past with coach (Mike) Davis," Kellen Sampson said. "That's something that every program needs because some of these kids come from a long distance away and they need to know that coach Sampson is first and foremost going to have their back. As you walk through the fire he's going to be there holding your hand, making sure you get to the other side"
(03/20/06 1:25pm)
SALT LAKE CITY -- After IU's 90-80 loss Saturday night, the walk through the long-winding tunnel beneath the stands of the Jon Huntsman Center felt like a funeral procession.\nThe awkward silences and the irrelevant small talk couldn't conceal the fact that IU coach Mike Davis was making his final trek to the IU locker room.\nThe fallout of his departure couldn't be concealed, either.\n"I'm sure he knows this, but my father passed away this summer, and he's like a father figure to me," sophomore forward Robert Vaden said. "I love him with all my heart and I'm sure he loves me as well."\nThe NCAA's open locker room policy forced a tear-stricken A.J. Ratliff to explain his feelings about the possibility of his teammates' transfer.\n"It's kind of clear where Robert and D.J. (White) stand, but I think we'll have a team meeting to see where everybody stands," the sophomore guard said. \n"That would be huge (if White) stayed," he continued. "I love him. That's like my brother. Him and Robert came in the same class with me. That's like my brother."\nHe addressed the possibility of his own transfer as if it wasn't even an option.\n"I'm coming back," he said. "I'm definitely coming back to Indiana. I love the school. I love the people. I'm a Hoosier."\nDavis told the media at the post-game press conference even though he would be absent, his "guys" are still his top priority. He voiced his concern about them attending class during the turmoil, and he immediately ducked his face under the table and out of the media's view when Vaden talked about his coach's father-like status.\nDavis spoke about the possibility of his former players' transferring, stressing heavily that family and friends were going to be consulted before any sort of decision was made. \n"It's an emotional time for them," Davis said. "We'll sit down with them and their families, and talk it over and do what's best for them. But right now, it's too emotional. They feel like they are sticking up for me by saying those things." \nThe usual smile was missing from the face of senior guard Marshall Strickland -- Davis' first signee as a head coach. He was uncharacteristically short in conversation and unreceptive to questions being asked to him. \n"I've been with coach Davis for four years," he said. "I feel like he really helped me grow up. I came here young, fresh out of high school. He tested me and really brought out great things in me."\nAs for who gets to inherit all of this, Ratliff offered his opinion.\n"Everybody's talking about Steve Alford," he said. "He recruited me hard in high school. I like him. Randy Wittman is a good guy. And Tom Crean, he recruited me hard out of high school. I love all the candidates that they're talking about."\n"It would be great for it to be an IU guy," he responded to a follow-up question. "A lot of people don't want Steve Alford because of what he's doing at Iowa, or that he can't recruit Indiana players. But I think it would be great if he came to Indiana because he could get that many more Indiana players, I think"
(03/18/06 5:16am)
SALT LAKE CITY -- The Hoosiers' top three have looked, as of late, a little bit like "the walking wounded", as a reporter referred to them in a question during Friday's press conference. \nSophomore forward Robert Vaden sprained his ankle against Ohio State and had an ice bag taped around it after Thursday night's game. He wore a different sized shoe on that foot to account for the swelling, but he seemed unaffected as he played a team-high 36 minutes and hit the game-winning shot. \n"(The ankle) feels good," IU's second-leading scorer said. "It feels better than it did yesterday before the game so I should be ready tomorrow. It's actually smaller than it was yesterday." \nThe Hoosiers' third-leading scorer, senior guard Marshall Strickland, sprained a ligament in the AC joint of his shoulder during the second half of Thursday's game. Strickland was in the middle of receiving a handoff when he collided with 6-foot-10, 245-pound Mohamed Camara of San Diego State. Strickland iced the injury and then returned to put up an uncharacteristic air ball from the corner. \nHe had an ice bag taped around his left pectoral muscle after the game. \n"I hurt my shoulder pretty good," said Strickland, who scored two points in the second half and missed all three of his final 3-pointers. "I'm still questionable right now. I got a couple of more hours of rest, but we'll see how it feels." \nSenior forward Marco Killingsworth struggled at first Thursday night, playing only nine of the first 20 minutes, but he regrouped to put together an 18-point outing, despite the concerns raised about how the 270-pounder might respond to the Utah altitude. After the game, the familiar ice bag was wrapped around his shins. \n"I'm cool," he said with a smile. \nCalloway turning heads \nJunior guard Earl Calloway's recent play has led IU coach Mike Davis to forecast him as a future second or first all-conference team member. \nCalloway has strung together a slew of good performances, scoring 18 against SDSU and notching a season-high six steals. The Juco transfer flirted with a triple-double the game prior against OSU, scoring seven points, grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out six assists while committing only a single turnover. After that game, Davis said if Calloway stuck to his training regimen over the summer, he could be potentially be a first or second teamer. \nHis performance Thursday night warranted questions from the press when Gonzaga coach Mark Few spoke at Friday's press conference. \n"That was scary to watch," Few said of Calloway's performance. "Their perimeter quickness, those guys' ability to spread you out so much… there so quick to drive and get to the basket. That's a big concern for us and you can't just let Killingsworth go one-on-one in there -- you have to pick your poison a little bit." \nKillingsworth called his teammate a "problem" for opposing teams. \n"He was going so fast," Killingsworth said. "Man I said, 'I knew Earl was fast but I didn't know he was that fast.' He was pushing us to another gear." \nMorrison, Few expect no vacancy in Gonzaga head coaching \nGonzaga coach Mark Few's name has found itself in the discussion of potential IU coaches -- as it typically does when a top head coaching job opens somewhere. \nTop Bulldog Adam Morrison addressed the constant speculation surrounding his coach's job during Friday's press conference. \n"The only time I think the program's ever felt that he was going to leave was when the Washington job opened," Morrison said. "I don't think there's any job out there that can be better than the situation he has now. He has a 10-year contract. He likes Spokane. He just built a house -- what else could you want? Gonzaga's a great place. There's always rumors about all of our coaches." \nFew shared Morrison's sentiments. \n"First of all it's not my doing ... talk is cheap," Few said. "I'm in a great place and I enjoy where I'm at, and we've got a great thing going right now, so I just kind of let that creep through the cracks"
(03/17/06 8:32pm)
SALT LAKE CITY -- San Diego State fans might still be blinking. \nIn the closing seconds, junior guard Rod Wilmont attempted to throw the ball in the post to senior forward Marco Killingsworth for a game-stealing post up with IU down 83-82. But SDSU forward Marcus Slaughter knocked the pass loose for what looked to be a game-ending turnover. The ball flew in the air and sophomore guard Robert Vaden skied over an Aztec defender to come down with it around the three-point line. \nVaden squared up and connected on a 3-pointer with 3.3 seconds remaining -- this from a guy whose playing status was in question after an ankle injury last week. \n"He has no nerves. I mean, he fears nothing," IU coach Mike Davis said. \nThe opportunity was created solely by the previous SDSU possession, in which senior guard Marshall Strickland knocked the ball from the grasps of Aztec point guard Brandon Heath. The ball bounced past the half-court line and Heath, in fear of a backcourt violation, boxed Strickland out to keep the clock winding down. Strickland dove for it and wrestled with Heath, forcing a jump ball in IU's favor. \nHeath committed only two turnovers on the evening. \n"I knew that the guy had touched it, and I think he knew that too," junior guard Errek Suhr said. "I don't know why he was doing that because the best thing that could happen for him was just a turnover." \nThe game culminated with an errant inbounds pass from SDSU's Mohamed Abukar, who threw the ball out of bounds on a baseline-to-baseline toss with the clock reading 3.3. IU in bounded and the Aztecs put Wilmont on the free-throw line for two successful foul shots. \nAll this came after the Aztecs shot 56 percent from the field and from three-point range, compared to IU's 50 percent from the floor and 31 percent from behind the arc. In the first half, SDSU shot 62 percent on field goals and 78 percent from the outside. IU finished the first half with a 46 field-goal percentage and a 43 percent three-point percentage. \nSDSU only lost the lead two times in the second half -- once in the final seconds and once at the 8:01 mark when Calloway intercepted an overthrown inbounds pass, then kicked the ball to the left corner for a 3-pointer from Vaden making the score 67-66. \nSDSU's last field goal came when Heath threw in a 3-pointer at the 3:22 mark, moving the Aztec lead to 79-76. The Hoosiers then rung up an 11-4 run to glide them to their four-point victory. \n"You can see it -- our will to win -- no matter how far we get down we're going to keep fighting," junior guard Earl Calloway said.
(03/16/06 5:49am)
SALT LAKE CITY -- The San Diego State Aztecs hail from the Mountain West Conference, but they look familiar to the Hoosiers of the Midwest. \nAnd even 1,500 miles away from Bloomington, the IU players see themselves fighting a familiar battle Thursday night, despite being emerged in the Rocky Mountains surrounding the Jon Huntsman Center. \nWinning the often-fought battle on the boards will again be essential. \nJunior guard Rod Wilmont sees the Michigan State teams of the present in SDSU, citing the necessity to box out on every possession -- similar to what the Hoosiers had to do to earn a victory from MSU. Senior guard Marshall Strickland sees the rebounding habits of the Spartan teams of the past and agrees with Wilmont's assessment. And senior forward Marco Killingsworth -- IU's sole post player -- will have to deal with it all. \n"They go to that offensive glass every time," Killingsworth said. \nLeading that SDSU charge is Marcus Slaughter, a 6-foot-9, 220-pounder capable of getting a double-double on any evening. Slaughter, the MWC Tournament MVP, averages 16.6 points and 11 rebounds per game. Slaughter has grabbed 319 total rebounds on the season, with 120 coming on offense, compared to Killingsworth's 73 total offensive boards. \nMohamed Abukar is his frontcourt mate and isn't as much of a presence on the glass. He is a similar scoring threat, though, averaging 13.8 points to accompany his 4.5 rebounds per outing. \nTo compliment their presence, the Aztecs have guard Brandon Heath on the perimeter who, playing off of Abukar and Slaughter, has shot 41 percent from three-point range on the season. Heath, the MWC Player of the Year, leads the squad in scoring with 18.5 points per contest. \n"They have enough to be better than us because Slaughter and Heath are very good basketball players," IU coach Mike Davis said. "It is going to be a tough basketball game for us." \nMaking it tougher will be the question mark surrounding sophomore guard Robert Vaden. Vaden is still day-to-day and hasn't been participating in practice after tweaking his ankle last week against Ohio State. In the team's open practice on Wednesday afternoon he participated in preliminary drills but sat toward the end. \n"I want to play, and hopefully the doctors and trainers will let me play," said Vaden whom Davis called a game-time decision. \nDuring Wednesday's press conference, Davis answered a question about the similarities between this year's squad and the 2001 team that made the much-storied run to the championship round. \nHe compared the way his squad lost that year in the conference tournament to this year's tourney defeat. In 2001, the Hoosiers suffered a close loss to Iowa in the final game after having multiple opportunities to steal the victory. Last week, IU fell in the closing seconds to OSU after two failed attempts from Wilmont and Killingsworth during the final possession. \nDavis then drew on the similarities between Killingsworth and former Hoosier Jared Jeffries. \n"We had a lot of guys around (Jeffries) who could really shoot the basketball," Davis said. "And these guys we have on our team now, we have Marco Killingsworth, when he's going he's one of the best. And we have guys who can really shoot the basketball"
(03/13/06 8:26pm)
IU drew the No. 6 seed of the Oakland Bracket and will take on No. 11-seeded San Diego State in Salt Lake City on Thursday afternoon, as selected on Sunday night by the NCAA Tournament selection committee. \n"It is good to get a six seed," IU coach Mike Davis said in a press release. "I really thought anywhere from a No. 7 seed to a No. 9 seed, but a six seed is definitely good." \nThe Aztecs (24-8, 13-3 MWC) were on the bubble with an RPI in the 60s, but they clinched a tournament berth after an overtime defeat of Wyoming (14-18, 5-11) for the Mountain West Conference Tournament championship. After a disappointing non-conference stretch that saw them go 7-5 with losses to Illinois-Chicago, Providence and San Diego, SDSU won 16 of 18 to garner the conference title outright. \nThe 13 conference victories tied last season's Utah team for an MWC record. \n"I saw San Diego State play a little bit last night against Wyoming," sophomore guard Robert Vaden said in a statement. "They have the player of the year in their conference (Brandon) Heath, and they have a big man down low in (Marcus) Slaughter that is pretty good. I think we have a good matchup with them, and we can make some things happen." \nMWC Tournament MVP Marcus Slaughter averaged 16.6 points and 11 rebounds per game this season. MWC Player of the Year, Brandon Heath, averaged 18.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per outing from his guard spot. \nThe Aztecs also have another able big man in Mohamed Abukar, who scores 13.8 points per contest. They are an experienced team with seniors being their first three reserves, but two true freshmen -- point guard Richie Williams and small forward Kyle Spain -- are in the starting lineup. \n"Slaughter I know is a very good player for them," Davis said. \nShould the Hoosiers (18-11, 9-7 Big Ten) advance, they would play the winner of No. 3 Gonzaga and No. 14 Xavier.
(03/12/06 2:03am)
INDIANAPOLIS -- Junior guard Rod Wilmont laid stomach-down on the Conseco Fieldhouse floor with his hands covering his eyes, as he cried after a failed attempt to win the game. \nWilmont's 16 points led IU in its 52-51 loss to Ohio State Saturday afternoon. The redshirt junior failed to connect on a short jump shot in the lane after rebounding a missed baseline jumper from senior forward Marco Killingsworth, who shot a season-worst 27 percent in a 10-point, 10-rebound outing. Wilmont's shot missed off the back of the rim with three seconds remaining, and Killingsworth's clanged out at the 14-second mark. \nThe Hoosiers (18-11) almost extended their five-game win streak to the championship round, but were halted by Matt Sylvester. The OSU forward found himself open near the baseline after two IU defenders helped on Terence Dials. Dials dished the ball left to Sylvester, who then made good on a drive bringing the score to 52-51 with 33 seconds remaining. \nSylvester would have normally been guarded by sophomore forward Robert Vaden, but Vaden went down with a tweaked ankle a few possessions earlier. IU coach Mike Davis called him day-to-day after the game. \n"As you get into these types of tournaments, it's about surviving and fortunately for us that's exactly what we did today," OSU coach Thad Matta said. \nJ.J. Sullinger led the Buckeyes (25-4) with 19 points and 13 rebounds. The senior scored 13 of the Bucks' initial second-half points to push them up 38-30 after a 26-25 halftime deficit. \n"He was the player of the game in my mind today," Sylvester said. \nOSU broke out to an 8-0 lead in the opening minutes, but IU countered with a 10-0 run fueled by two 3-pointers and a lay-up from Wilmont. \nThe Buckeyes started the second period in similar fashion. After a Killingsworth lay-up, they fired off nine unanswered points to put them up 34-28. The lead grew as big as nine, but IU countered with a 9-0 run to knot things up at 47-47. \n"We made a run and got every look we wanted down the stretch," Davis said. "This is definitely something for us to take with us into next week in the tournament." \nDials, the Big Ten Player of the Year, was held to 13 points and six rebounds. \nSenior guard Marshall Strickland put up his season average of 12, and junior guard Earl Calloway flirted with a triple-double on seven points, eight rebounds and six assists, committing only a single turnover. \n"(Calloway's) getting better game by game," Davis said. "I think next year he is going to be either a first-team or second-team all-league player." \nAfter the game, Davis spoke favorably about Wilmont. \n"He plays with his heart," Davis said. "There's no reason for him to feel bad about missing a shot. It's part of the game"
(03/12/06 1:51am)
INDIANAPOLIS -- IU added another key victory to its NCAA Tournament resume Friday with a 61-56 defeat of Wisconsin. \nThe Hoosiers (18-10, 10-7 Big Ten) won the contest in the second half, scoring 46 of their 61 points on 64 percent shooting. Senior guard Marshall Strickland and senior forward Marco Killingsworth each put up 14 points in the final 20 minutes to help give IU its fifth straight win. Killingsworth finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds, and Strickland had 16 points, five rebounds and four assists. \nAll this after a first period that saw IU score a season-low 15 points on 7-of-22 from the field and 1-of-10 from behind the arc. \n"We just talked about what we didn't do in the first half (at half time)," IU coach Mike Davis said. "Offensively we didn't make plays the way we were supposed to. It had nothing to do them, it was us." \nThe Badgers (19-11, 9-8) led 19-15 but put up an equally dismal performance in the first 20 minutes, despite leading 19-15 at half. Wisconsin missed all nine of its three-point attempts and shot 25 percent from the field. \nIn the first half, the Badgers were mostly without All-Big Ten first teamer Alando Tucker, who scored only four of his 20 points in the first period. Tucker up his second foul at the 11:22 mark and played only nine of the first 20 minutes. \nThe Wisconsin backcourt scored only one point in his absence and accounted for 12 on the night. \n"I think their guards were kind of passive and wanted Tucker to take over the game," Strickland said. \nThe Hoosiers started off on a 10-2, but the Badgers responded with a 15-0 to take the score 17-10. A Brian Butch lay-up and a 3-pointer from junior Rod Wilmont made for 19-15 halftime ledger. \nTo start the second half, IU built up to a 30-24 lead and extended the advantage to nine twice. But Wisconsin countered with a 9-1 run to put itself on top 49-48. \nWith 6:48 remaining, a Michael Flowers layup gave The Badgers the lead at 49-48, but the Hoosiers responded with seven unanswered points to make for a 55-49 ledger. \nStrickland drew a charge from Flowers with 32 seconds remaining to seal the victory. \nAfter the game Davis said his players weren't rallying around his resignation. \n"These guys are emotional, they love me of course and I love them," Davis said. "The day I stepped down I said we'd do something special and I think we will. We have some good basketball ahead of us." \nThe Hoosiers play Ohio State at 4:05 p.m. Saturday in the semifinals.
(03/10/06 5:02am)
IU travels to Indianapolis today for the second time this season. And IU coach Mike Davis realized he has felt this way before.\nDavis described his team's current mindset as "perfect," saying this team right now compares to the IU that defeated Kentucky 79-53 in the RCA Dome in Indianapolis early in the season.\n"You've seen us play the last four games," Davis said. "It's a different basketball team. It's the team that you saw against Kentucky and all those teams. Their minds are free."\nThe Hoosiers take on Wisconsin in Conseco Fieldhouse Friday for the four vs. five matchup of the second round.\nThe two teams come in dealing with opposite circumstances.\nFourth-seeded Wisconsin (19-10, 9-7 Big Ten) enters the contest having lost three of its last four games. After defeating top-seed Ohio State in Madison, Wis., the Badgers suffered three road losses to Northwestern, Michigan State and Iowa.\nBut the fifth-seeded Hoosiers (17-10, 9-7 Big Ten) are on a tear as of late. After announcing his resignation last month, Davis said a weight has been lifted off his squad's shoulders and his players have since played without pressure.\nIU is 4-1 since the resignation announcement and is currently riding a four-game win streak, having gotten its first two conference road wins in back-to-back games against Purdue and Michigan. \n"Without any injuries, I feel like our mindset, our attitude, everything is perfect right now," Davis said. "What we have to do is come out and just play the games."\nThe two teams met last month in Madison, where the Badgers handled the Hoosiers 72-54. Recent first team All-Big Ten honoree Alando Tucker torched IU for 29 points.\nDavis called Tucker one of the conference's best players.\n"You are not going to stop him so you have to try to contain him," Davis said.\nBut the Hoosiers have some All-Big Ten accolades of their own.\nSophomore guard Robert Vaden was designated an All-Big Ten honorable mention by both the conference coaches and the conference media. Senior forward Marco Killingsworth garnered a third team All-Big Ten selection by coaches and a second team selection by the media. He had what Davis called one of his best performances of the year last Saturday against Michigan.\n"(Killingsworth) plays an important role in our offense," senior guard Marshall Strickland said. "We are always looking for him, but Vaden and myself making shots opens up things for him inside. He does the same thing for us by making shots inside."\nThe Hoosiers have improved defensively as well, having held opposing teams to 43 percent shooting during their four-game win streak. \n"We have to play the defense we know we can play," Davis said. "Our defense over the last four games has improved and that's the way we have to play."\nThe winner will face the victor of Saturday's matchup between Ohio State and No. 8-seeded Penn State.\nBoth Wisconsin and IU were two of the four teams to deal OSU a loss this season.\n"We've got some areas we're trying to shore up," OSU coach Thad Matta said during a teleconference Wednesday. "We're looking at a two-week period rather than just this weekend"
(03/06/06 9:26pm)
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- With tournament hopes on the line, IU played the role of Senior Day spoiler for the second game in row. \nThe Hoosiers upended Michigan 69-67 on the Wolverines' Senior Day just three days after IU traveled to West Lafayette to taint Purdue's senior festivities. \nAfter firing off a four-game winning streak, IU is now 4-1 since IU coach Mike Davis announced his resignation Feb. 16. \n"I probably should have stepped down a little earlier," Davis said. "Our guys' minds were just gone because what you have to understand is they care about me ... Sometimes when you're playing to try and keep someone's job, you have a tendency not to do anything." \nThe win gave the Hoosiers a 9-7 finish in the conference and marked their 10th straight victory over Michigan. As the fifth seed, IU will play fourth-seeded Wisconsin Friday in the Big Ten Tournament after a first-round bye. \nSince the Big Ten adopted the 16-game schedule, 41 teams have finished 9-7. Thirty-six of those squads have gone on to the NCAA Tournament. \nThe Hoosiers (17-10) also finished with the same conference record and a similar overall record to the 19-10 (9-7) Badgers -- a team most analysts considered tournament-worthy for most of the season. Both teams hammered out their finishes in one of the highest rated conferences in the nation. \nDavis said he thought the NCAA Tournament selection committee would recognize IU's recent efforts as worthy of a quality postseason seed.\n"They've got a lot of people on the committee that understand that right now we are playing good basketball," Davis said. \nClutch possessions in the closing minutes from senior \nforward Marco Killingsworth and sophomore guard Robert Vaden capped off the IU victory. And junior guard Rod Wilmont -- a 64 percent free-throw shooter -- hit all four of his foul shots down the stretch to secure the Hoosiers' second conference road win.\nVaden finished a 13-point performance with a 3-pointer from the corner, tying the game at 62 with a little less than two minutes remaining.\nKillingsworth then hit a baseline jump shot just inside the arc to tie the game at 64-64 with a minute remaining. The Auburn transfer squared up, dribbled through his legs and nailed the delivery over Michigan forward Graham Brown. \n"I got a whole lot of stuff to my game, man -- I just don't use it," Killingsworth joked. \nHe led IU in three categories with 19 points, 13 rebounds and three assists. \nWilmont and senior guard Marshall Strickland added 13 and 12 points, respectively. Wilmont's final two points came after Brown launched his inbounds pass off Crisler Arena's scoreboard and out of bounds with 2.1 seconds remaining and the Wolverines down by three. \n"We just played with energy, leaving everything that happened before in the past," Wilmont said. "Our minds are just all clear, and we're just playing basketball now."\nAn all-senior Wolverine starting lineup walked on the floor, and the group immediately pushed off to a 10-0 lead. IU answered by outscoring Michigan 27-20 to make for a 30-27 \nhalftime deficit. \nMichigan began the second period with a 9-2 run, going up 39-29, but the Hoosiers responded with a 14-3 run to take their first lead at 43-42. The lead swelled to as large as six points, but Dion Harris retook the Michigan advantage with a 3-pointer at the 7:30 mark. Junior guard Earl Calloway put IU up at 65-64, connecting on one of two free throws. \nThe Hoosiers overcame 20 team turnovers and 34 points from Michigan guard Daniel Horton to give the Wolverines their sixth loss in their last eight games. Michigan finished 18-9 overall and 8-8 in the conference. \n"The Big Ten is a great conference," Davis said. "If you go 8-8 in the best conference, you should be in (the tournament)"
(03/01/06 4:43am)
IU will continue its fight for a spot in the NCAA Tournament tonight in West Lafayette armed with a few weapons that have gone missing for a while now. \nThe first of which, surprisingly, can't be seen between the baselines. IU coach Mike Davis calls it attitude. \nHe spoke heavily about a positive change in his team's attitude both after Sunday's win over Michigan State and during the Big Ten coaches' teleconference Monday morning. \n"Our guys have had a different attitude over the last week -- even in practice you can just feel the team getting back to where we were earlier," Davis said. "Right now I just feel us playing pretty good." \nThe second involves reemergence too -- but it can actually be seen on the court. \nOn Sunday afternoon, sophomore guard Robert Vaden played his best game since last month's outing at Iowa, flirting with a triple-double on 21 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. \nSince his 26-point stint in Iowa City, the sophomore has averaged nine points per game on just 33 percent shooting. Senior guard Marshall Strickland said Vaden is crucial to the entire team. \n"You throw Vaden in the mix, it's really hard to match up," Strickland said after Sunday's game. "We stretch teams out and we get other guys like (Errek) Suhr and (A.J.) Ratliff and (Rod) Wilmont open." \nStrickland said his teammate is more of a rhythm shooter, which was evidenced by the game-sealing 3-pointer Vaden hit Sunday to put his team up firmly at 75-69 in the closing minutes. \n"He's a guy who just needs to get in his rhythm," Strickland said. "He's a rhythm player, and once he gets in his rhythm he starts making really great plays." \nTrying to keep Vaden out of his rhythm will be conference-worst Purdue (9-16, 3-11 Big Ten). \nThe Boilermakers have beaten or contained several of the better teams in the conference at home this year. Earlier this month, they topped Michigan by 14 and Wisconsin by eight. \nBut senior forward Marco Killingsworth said records don't matter right now. \n"We beat them here, so they're going to come in all hungry ready to play," he said after the MSU game. \nLeading that effort against the Hoosiers (15-10, 7-7) in last month's contest was Purdue forward Marcus White, who scored a career-high 19 points, and center Matt Kiefer, who contributed seven points and 10 rebounds. \nDespite stellar play from a few reserves, the Boilers have been hampered all season by the absence of four probable starters, losing three to season-ending injuries and one to a season-long suspension. \nDavis still raved about the job done by Purdue coach Matt Painter. \n"I think Matt Painter has done probably the best job of any coach in our league," he said. "They still are able to come out and play -- that's a phenomenal job. I take my hat off to him, because that's just an amazing feat"
(02/27/06 5:33am)
On Sunday afternoon, the emotion in Assembly Hall was thick enough to hold off even a late Spartan surge.\nIU fought out a 78-71 victory against Michigan State to make its coach's final stint on Branch McCracken Court a memorable one. The No. 16 Spartans contended with an inspired Hoosier team that was battling for its place in the NCAA Tournament, honoring its four departing seniors and recognizing the achievements of its 1981 \nnational championship team.\n"There was a lot of emotion," senior guard Marshall Strickland said. "It was my last home game, coach Davis' and let alone the game that we need for our NCAA Tournament hopes."\nIU (15-10, 7-7 Big Ten) maintained firm control until early in the second half, when senior forward Marco Killingsworth got into foul trouble. The Spartans (19-9, 7-7) outscored the Hoosiers 25-8 in the time period between the 17:27 and 7:06 marks, pushing them to their first lead of the game at 62-61.\n"They're Michigan State ... They're going to make that run," Killingsworth said. "We just have to weather the storm."\nAfter that storm, neither team led by more than three until 6:20 remained on the clock. Down 67-69, IU broke the stalemate, going on an 11-2 run that would propel the Hoosiers to victory.\nStrickland and junior guard Errek Suhr fueled the surge, with Suhr handling the intangibles -- fouling out MSU center Paul Davis during an IU offensive possession. \nWhen Davis was chasing his man along the baseline, he laid out Suhr, whose two free throws tied things up at 69-69.\n"The turning point of the basketball game was fouling him out of the game," IU coach Mike Davis said.\nWith about a minute and a half remaining, MSU guard Travis Walton walked the ball up the floor, his team down 75-71. Suhr pressured him and came up with the steal, then drove to the basket and missed a layup. He was then fouled amid snagging his own rebound, going on to sink both free throws.\n"Man, you've got to watch for that Suhr," Killingsworth said. "He's real tricky."\nStrickland pushed IU to a 72-69 ledger off a hard drive to the basket. The senior caught the ball off a kickout pass and drove the lane hard to draw the foul from MSU forward Delco Rowley. The right-handed guard flung the ball off the backboard and through the net with his left hand, putting him on the foul line for a successful three-point play.\n"I felt like I was in high school again -- just going through the lane, being athletic and finishing," Strickland said with a smile.\nStrickland finished with 16 points on 5-of-11 shooting. Killingsworth contributed 18, and sophomore guard Robert Vaden led all Hoosiers with 21, also adding 10 rebounds and five assists. The Spartans' Maurice Ager tallied 30 points in the losing effort.\nAfter the game, Vaden made it clear his time at IU is up.\n"I'm almost positive that I won't be back," he said.\nAt the press conference after the game, much lighter sentiments arose, as most of the Hoosiers expressed the general feeling of rejuvenation.\n"It felt like we were the team from back in the beginning of the year," Vaden said.
(02/27/06 5:29am)
A team reminiscent of the one from the season's beginning reappeared during Sunday's win over No. 16 Michigan State. And with it IU re-entered the NCAA Tournament conversation. \n"The last couple days in practice we've looked like we looked when we were ranked No. 8 in the country, 11th in the country," sophomore guard Robert Vaden said. "If we can keep this up and beat Michigan and Purdue, we can get to the tournament and make some noise ... That's our whole goal." \nIU coach Mike Davis sees an improvement in himself, too. \n"I've definitely been a better basketball coach over the past couple games and weeks in practice," he said. \nDavis called senior forward Marco Killingsworth a "presence" that IU felt down the stretch Sunday, and the Auburn transfer said he has felt the effects of Davis' practices. \n"Coach is on us more than he ever really was," Killingsworth said. "Now he'll be on us for like every little thing." \nPrior to the Hoosiers' 71-68 loss at Penn State earlier this month, Davis said he thought 17 wins would earn a tournament bid, but the general sentiment of taking one game at a time remains. \n"You just keep winning, man," Killingsworth said. "You don't control who is going to put you in or take you out." \nOn Sunday afternoon, the Hoosiers finished with a total of 14 assists and 10 turnovers -- committing only a single turnover in the second half. Vaden said he felt like his team was again making the extra pass. \nDavis said he saw a team that resembled the one he watched at the start of the season. \n"Our attitude is getting back to where it needs to be," he said. \nFor junior guard Errek Suhr, the hanging thoughts of getting to the tournament are nothing new. \n"We've been thinking about getting to the NCAA Tournament all season," he said. "We never stopped. It's just a matter of getting the wins that we need. This certainly looks good on our résumé"
(02/22/06 4:32am)
Sophomore forward D.J. White could return to action this season, IU coach Mike Davis said on his radio show Monday night. \nDavis said White is healing at a faster pace than expected and is currently out of his boot, which protected the injury and kept him from running or playing. \n"There may be a chance, we are not sure," Davis said. "I would say a 50-50 chance that he may have a n opportunity to come back." \nDavis cited White's current physical condition as the main factor keeping the sophomore from returning. White, the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year, has been confined to riding exercise bikes and shooting free throws during practice. \nDavis said recently White's presence has been most missed on the defensive end because without him, the Hoosiers lack a shot blocker capable of playing above the rim. \nSince White's injury early last month against Ohio State, the Hoosiers have given up 29.2 points in the paint per game. In that time period, IU has only outscored Michigan State in the lane, despite getting 18 points per game from senior forward Marco Killingsworth. \nDavis told the press after last week's loss to Penn State that he thought IU needed 17 wins to make the NCAA Tournament. \n"If we could get D.J. White back, that would be a big-time boost," Davis said. "That would be like Willis Reed coming back for the Knicks. We'll see where he is next week." \nDavis said the decision to return is ultimately up to White and his family. \n"(White's) father called me at my home tonight while I was up here and I am going to call him when I get home tonight," Davis said. "I guess we ought to sit down and talk and see where he is." \nDavis also told listeners in a serious tone that he had a surprise planned for Sunday's game against Michigan State, but the remark was not made during the discussion of White's potential return. Davis offered no hint as to what might be in store. \n"On senior day, I am going to have a special surprise for everyone," he said. \nDavis addresses player transfers during radio show\nAt Davis' resignation press conference Thursday, White and IU forward Robert Vaden made it obvious they didn't intend to return to a Davis-less Hoosier basketball program. \nDuring his weekly radio show Monday night, Davis addressed his players' emotional claims that they would find it difficult to play for a different coach at IU.\n"Those guys, they came here to play for me, but Indiana to me is the most important thing," Davis said. "I think it was a poor thing to ask 19- and 20-year-old players during an emotional time. What you have to understand is they feel very strongly about me and I think the way that I have handled things shows them that sometimes you have to do the right thing and what is best for you. To ask them those kind of questions was really unfair to them. They both have parents and I think it is important for them to sit down with their parents and talk about it and see who the next head coach is here at Indiana. That is why I stayed six years ago here. If I would have left six years ago, none of those guys were going to stay. \n"I think the program is headed in the right direction," Davis added. "We have enough talent here to get it done but to ask those guys that question was definitely unfair. Who would have stood there and not said that? Hopefully they can make the right decision about what they want to do. I'll support them in their decision but I think Indiana is definitely a great basketball school. What they need to feel is the love and support of the people. I can say this as an older person but I have never been around a program that loved a school as much as Indiana fans love their school. It is not just basketball." \nAlford stays on message\nDuring a Friday teleconference, Iowa coach Steve Alford was asked a total of seven times about filling the soon-to-be vacant IU coaching job. \nHe responded the same each time: \n"My entire focus and energy is helping my team win a Big Ten championship and get ready for the NCAA Tournament," he said. "This is my only concern, and you can underline entire and only." \nAlford eventually grew tired of answering the same question in different forms. \n"You really don't want me to repeat the thing again, do you?" he said. "I've had to repeat it seven times"
(02/20/06 4:38am)
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- With Sunday's loss at Illinois, the Hoosiers are just two road games away from a feat that hasn't been accomplished since 1970. \nIf IU loses in the remaining two road contests, it would be the first time since the 1969-70 season the Hoosiers have gone winless on the road in conference play. \nAgainst Illinois, the story of missed layups, lack of presence on the boards and poor shot selection was a familiar one as the Hoosiers dropped another game, 70-58. \n"They made theirs, we missed ours," IU coach Mike Davis said. \nThe boards haven't been kind to the Hoosiers outside IU's Assembly Hall, as they have been out-rebounded in every conference road game except against Wisconsin. Illinois held a 37-25 rebounding advantage Sunday. \n"Illinois definitely had control of the basketball game, but I thought we fought hard," Davis said. \nIn the first seven minutes of play, IU missed five open layups and went on to shoot 33 percent in the first half. \nWith the exception of last month's game against Michigan State, IU has never shot better than 41 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes of play. \n"I just felt like we missed a lot of easy opportunities," Davis said. "We missed some layups." \nOn the perimeter, Davis' concern after the game was with the type of shots his players were \nfiring up. \nHe said he was upset with the amount of contested shots he saw -- a complaint he has aired fairly consistently. "I thought we took maybe five or six shots we shouldn't had taken," Davis said. \nBut unlike many other stints on the road, the six-year coach found something to take out of the loss. \n"I thought they fought hard ... From an effort standpoint, it could have easily been a 25-point loss," he said. "I thought we took a step in the right direction because I saw some guys fighting more than they usually fight." \nOn top of the usual qualms, IU dealt with a strong Illini attack to start the game. \nIllinois fired off a 22-4 run beginning at the 18:03 mark. The skid lasted about 10 minutes, building a deficit from which IU could never recover. \nIllinois forward Brian Randle capped it off with an authoritative dunk over senior forward Marco Killingsworth. Randle waved off a screen from swingman Warren Carter, drove toward the baseline, elevated and sent Killingsworth tumbling to the floor. \n"I did watch the dunk contest," Randle said modestly. "Andre Iguadola is just something else. It just comes when it comes for me." \nAfter a week with two road games, the Hoosiers will make a much-desired return home Wednesday night when they face off against Penn State at 7 p.m. in Assembly Hall.\n"We're expecting a support group," junior guard Earl Calloway said. "We need the support. We don't need any negativity"