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(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Junior forward Kirk Haston said roommate and sophomore guard Kyle Hornsby has some of the ugliest feet he's ever seen. But how far the Hoosiers advance in the Big Ten tournament could depend on how Hornsby's right foot feels after spraining his ankle Saturday against Purdue.\n"Have you see those things? The other day he had his air cast on, and you could see his toes," Haston said. "I said, 'Kyle, you've got to put a sock over that thing. I mean, someday you may not have a girlfriend, and you won't be able to get a date.'"\nIU faces Wisconsin at 12:30 p.m. today at the United Center in Chicago in the first round of the Big Ten men's basketball tournament. Interim head coach Mike Davis said he expects Hornsby to start.\nThe sophomore guard has started in IU's last three games, which the Hoosiers have won by a total of 79 points. The first of those games was an 85-55 pounding of Wisconsin Feb. 24.\n"I don't really have an answer for what happened at Indiana," said Wisconsin interim head coach Brad Soderberg. "They were phenomenal. We have to find a way to negate their explosiveness on offense. And what scares me even more is after our game, they beat Minnesota by 30 and handily beat Purdue in West Lafayette. They're playing extremely well right now."\nWisconsin hasn't forgotten about the 30-point loss in Bloomington, but IU remembers a 49-46 loss to the Badgers in Madison to open the Big Ten season.\nToday's game between the Hoosiers and the Badgers is more than a rubber match. It's a fight to see who advances in the tournament and improves its seed in the NCAA tourney. \n"At this stage, it's one loss and out," Davis said. "I feel a lot better about this team than the first time we played Wisconsin."\nThe Hoosiers (19-11, 10-6 Big Ten) are a different team than they were in early January. They're confident, mature and experienced. Assistant head coach Julius Smith has watched the team grow, and during that growth, he said his job has become easier and easier.\n"It's like night and day," Smith said. "They're mature. They have unbelievable confidence. (Freshman forward) Jared Jeffries has grown up. Kirk Haston has grown up. We're maturing as a (coaching) staff ourselves. It took a long time to get this thing together, and I think we can play even better."\nDavis added sophomore guard Tom Coverdale to Smith's list of players who have greatly improved. Coverdale played 48 minutes last year, but as IU's point guard, he averages nearly 36 minutes and 10 points per game in conference play.\n"He's passing better, he's shooting the ball a lot better than he was. He's doing everything better," Davis said. "He's the coach on the floor and kind of has to settle things down. He has established himself as our point guard. He's playing just great right now."\nBadger senior guard Roy Boone averages 13.5 points per game for Wisconsin and sophomore guard Kirk Penney adds 11.6 points. But the Badger offense (18-9, 9-7) usually revolves around defensive leader and senior Mike Kelley, who had 56 steals during the Big Ten season. \n"He's always playing one step ahead of the play, while most guys play two steps behind," Davis said before the last match-up between the two schools. "He's definitely the best defensive player in this league"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
CHICAGO -- Bring it on.\nThat was the message interim head coach Mike Davis sent to Illinois after IU beat Wisconsin 64-52 in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament.\n"I want to play the best team in the tournament," Davis said. "I want to play Illinois, because I feel we're playing the best basketball we've played all season."\nHis players are ready for the challenge as well.\n"We respect Illinois, but we're in the United Center. If the 1996 Bulls walked out with Jordan, Rodman and Pippen we'd go at them," freshman guard A.J. Moye said. "As long as your jersey doesn't say 'Indiana' we're coming at you hard."\nThe Hoosiers will face Illinois at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the United Center in Chicago.\nWisconsin is known for its tenacious defense, but IU's defense stole the show. Wisconsin made only 37 percent of its shots and didn't score a field goal in the first nine minutes of the second half.\n"At the half, Coach Davis stressed defense to us," junior Kirk Haston said. "He wanted us to take Wisconsin out of their offense. And once we started to click offensively, they were forced to take quick shots."\nOn the strength of their defense, the Hoosiers opened up the second half with a 17-2 run that built IU's lead to 11 points and lasted nearly ten minutes. Sophomore forward Jeffrey Newton played a critical role during the run, scoring six points, grabbing three rebounds and blocking two shots in 10 minutes. Newton finished with 11 points, nine rebounds and two blocks.\nSophomore guard Kyle Hornsby did not play against Wisconsin. He sprained his right ankle one week ago. Earlier in the week Davis said Hornsby would start, but his condition has been downgraded to day-to-day.\n"Newton really stepped up in Hornsby's absence," Haston said. "He made some huge blocks and played well."\nHaston led all scorers with 19 points. Three other Hoosiers reached double-figures, including Newton, freshman forward Jared Jeffries with 14 points and sophomore guard Tom Coverdale with 10 points.\n"We just want to earn some respect," Haston said. "A lot of people had us as underdogs even though we beat this team by 30 just (10 days) ago. Hopefully we'll get at least one vote in the Top 25 coach's poll"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
CHICAGO -- Mike Davis claims he isn't a fortune-teller.\nBut IU's interim head coach winked at IU fans sitting two rows behind him with 90 seconds remaining as if he knew something good was about to happen.\nHe was right.\nJunior forward Kirk Haston blocked a potential game-tying layup by Frank Williams with .9 seconds remaining, to seal IU's 58-56 victory against Illinois Saturday in the semi-finals of the Big Ten championships.\nThe Hoosiers will face Iowa at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the United Center in Chicago.\nSophomore guard Tom Coverdale had an opportunity to make a win certain when he stepped to the free-throw line with 8.9 seconds left.\nHe missed the first. The second bounced out and into Williams' hands.\n"There were two guys there, but it was a clear lane," Williams said. "Then Haston came over and made a great play."\nHaston finished with 16 points, two rebounds, and one game-winning block. Sophomore guard Tom Coverdale led all scorers with 17 points, and freshman forward Jared Jeffries added 10.\nWilliams was the only Illinois player in double figures. He scored 14 points, 11 in the first half with Coverdale guarding him.\nDavis assigned Williams to junior guard Dane Fife in the second half.\nFife held Williams to three points - all from the free throw line and zero assists.\nIllinois coach Bill Self blamed his team for Williams' troubles in the second half.\n"When we don't execute, Frank has to go make plays and we end up watching Frank play," Self said. "In the first half, Frank scored points, but we ran bad offense. I think he tried to get more people involved in the second half."\nWilliams led Illinois (24-7, 13-3) to a 29-26 lead at halftime. Brian Cook gave Illinois a seven-point lead on a three pointer with 16:37 remaining in the game. Haston tied the game two minutes later on the first of two free throws. He missed the second, but Jeffries grabbed the rebound and put it back to give IU its first lead of the game. After Cook's shot, IU went on an 18-6 run giving IU a 48-43 lead midway through the second half.\nJunior forward Jarrad Odle extended IU's lead to eight with six minutes left. Odle played 29 minutes because starting forward Jeffrey Newton was in foul trouble and sophomore Kyle Hornsby was on the bench with a sprained ankle. Odle scored five points and grabbed seven rebounds.\n"Jarrad came in and showed that he wanted to play physical with those guys," Coverdale said. "He did a great job inside against their big guys."\nIllinois' starting front line scored 15 points, and the team shot 32.7 percent from the field for the game\n"I told our players that if we could hold Illinois to under 35 percent shooting, then we could win the game," Davis said.\nAgain, he was right.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
CHICAGO -- Even the announcement that IU is seeded No. 4 in the NCAA men's basketball tournament couldn't cheer up the Hoosiers after they lost 63-61 to Iowa in the Big Ten championship game.\n"Some of the coaches had a sigh of relief," junior center Kirk Haston said. "And the players are pleased that we finally got the respect we deserve."\nThe Hoosiers haven't been ranked in either the AP or Coach's Top 25 polls all season. But the NCAA tournament selection committee ranked IU in the top 16 teams in the country by making it a fourth seed.\n"I think we're happy with the seed because it shows that this weeekend wasn't all for nothing," sophomore guard Tom Coverdale said. "The win over Illinois showed people we're good."\nThe Hoosiers received the No. 4 seed in the West region and will play No. 13 seed Kent State Thursday in San Diego, Calif. Should the Hoosiers advance, they will play either No. 5 Cincinnati or No. 12 Brigham Young.\nKent State (23-9, 16-5) earned its bid to the Big Dance by winning the Mid-American Conference championship.\nCoverdale couldn't name his opponent's mascot -- or anything else about the Golden Flashes.\n"We'll go back and look at tape," Davis said. "We'll get them ready (Monday) morning. I know their coach (Gary Watters) very well.\n"We don't have long to pout."\nOne day after blocking a last-second, potential game-tying shot, Haston had his own last-second, potential game-tying shot blocked by forward Reggie Evans. With 9.4 seconds remaining and Iowa leading by two, Iowa forward Duez Henderson missed two free throws.\nJunior guard Dane Fife received the outlet pass, dribbled up the right side of the court and passed to Haston between the right wing and the top of the key. Haston took the three-point shot, which came up several feet short of the basket.\nReplays showed that Henderson grazed Haston's hand, preventing him from following through. Davis acted as though he thought Haston was fouled. He later said the replay stands for itself and wouldn't comment further. Haston said he couldn't feel anything under such pressure and circumstances.\n"I had two clear looks at the basket," said Haston, who missed a three pointer with 10.9 seconds remaining. "I just didn't hit them."\nFreshman forward Jared Jeffries and Haston carried the Hoosiers in the first half. Haston scored 10 points just 12 minutes into the game. IU built a nine-point lead with 8:29 remaining in the first half. Iowa cut it to 32-26 at halftime.\nIU's offense disappeared in the final four minutes of the first half and the first five minutes of the second half. IU scored just four points during that nine-minute stretch.\nFreshman guard Brody Boyd, a native of Dugger, Ind., tied the game with a three-pointer with 12 minutes left. Dean Oliver gave Iowa the lead on a free throw one minute later. Boyd led Iowa with 22 points, including 12 from behind the arc.\n"Boyd hit some shots that were just daggers," Haston said.\nDavis later said Boyd won the game for Iowa. But he was left off the all-tournament team. It included Haston, Coverdale, Jeffries, Evans, and Joe Crispin of Penn State.\n"This should have been our championship," Davis said.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
SAN DIEGO -- Junior forward Kirk Haston was named to the third team All-American squad Tuesday by the Associated Press.\nThe first-team All-Big Ten player averaged 18.7 points and 8.7 rebounds in all games. During the Big Ten season he led the league in scoring (20.3 points per game), and finished second in rebounding (9.4 rebounds per game).\nFirst team All-Americans include Shane Battier (Duke), Jason Williams (Duke) Joseph Forte (North Carolina) Troy Murphy (Notre Dame) Casey Jacobsen (Stanford).\nWar of words\nFormer assistant basketball coach Pat Knight made antagonistic remarks about former colleague Mike Davis on a radio show Tuesday night.\n"Mike Davis backstabbed my father and I," Knight said. "(Davis) never came and talked to my dad about taking the job. Since he took the job, he won't speak to me or my father."\nDavis responded Wednesday, "I try to stay above that. The timing is ... I just try to stay above it. I can't control what people say. If that's the way he feels ... I know the truth.\n"I've been called a lot worse things than that. I know who I am, and being head basketball coach does not define Mike Davis. I'm not going to be distracted by anything people say because this is America and you can say anything you want to say."\nBut while discussing his team's toughness, Davis might have fueled the fire with comment that could be a reference to Bob Knight.\n"You don't have to go around hitting people or doing things to show that you're tough," Davis said. "You don't have to speak loud. Toughness can mean refusing to lose and playing relentless. That's what I want our guys to do."\nAching ankle\nSophomore guard Kyle Hornsby sat out the entire Big Ten tournament with a sprained ankle he suffered March 3 at Purdue. Davis said Hornsby would start in IU's first tournament game against Wisconsin, but Hornsby never removed his warmups.\nHornsby's status was listed as day-to-day during the tournament. Davis said Hornsby will play against Kent State.\nOpen mouth, insert...\nCBS analyst Billy Packer has taken heat for comments he made during the Big Ten championship game between IU and Iowa.\n"In the history of Indiana basketball, the next 3:50 will be the most significant thing in the next 30 years of Indiana basketball," Packer said to play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz.\nWhen Nantz asked for an explanation, Packer said, "Take it any way you want to, but there will be a lot of pressure if Iowa were to win this game."\nPacker said a few days later that his words were taken out of context and that he was not suggesting that Alford should be IU's next coach.\n"I heard what Billy Packer said today, and I'm just happy he's not on the board of trustees," Davis said. "I know Billy Packer is not a Mike Davis fan."\nTournament tidbit\nThe St. Joseph's mascot might be the only mascot in the NCAA that works up more of a sweat than starters for the basketball team. St. Joseph's Hawk is required to flap its wings continuously while in uniform and perform figure eights during timeouts.\nFor the first time in history, a female flaps the hawk's wings.\nSenior Sarah Brennan was a manager for the basketball team for three years before donning the mascot uniform. She has been the subject of jokes and posters in opposing stadiums\nYet Brennan keeps flapping.\n"I look at the Hawk as the biggest fan," Brennan said. "It's unconditional support for the team."\nQuote of the day:\n"My mama wouldn't let me." Answer given by Georgia Tech's Alvin Jones when asked why he didn't play football in high school. He's 6-foot-11 and weighs 265 pounds
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
SAN DIEGO -- Kent State is right where they want to be: in San Diego, as the underdog.\n"We really thrive in this role," guard Trevor Huffman said. "You can't be in a better spot than being the underdog because there's no pressure on you, it's all on the other team. We just go out there and play free."\nThe Hoosiers, seeded No. 4, face Kent State, seeded No. 13, in the first round of the NCAA championships at 8 p.m. today in Cox Arena.\nAll the pressure and the distractions are on IU. The Hoosiers are 2-6 in their last eight tournament games, and interim head coach Mike Davis wants to further prove he deserves the job full-time.\nBut Davis said the Hoosiers are ready for the Golden Flashes.\n"We've been through a lot," Davis said. "I don't think anything can rock the boat right now. Our guys are in the right frame of mind. The look in their eyes says they're ready to play."\nDavis compared Kent State to Iowa without Reggie Evans. He said Kent State's guards are good off the dribble and can penetrate.\n"We have to contain them and hold them to one shot," Davis said.\nOn offense, Davis said the Hoosiers will pound the ball inside because IU has a distinct size advantage with freshman forward Jared Jeffries and junior center Kirk Haston. Kent State's tallest starter is Mike Perry, 6-foot-9 and 230 pounds. He averages 5.3 points, and 3.5 rebounds per game.\n"We have what I think is the best front line in the country in JJ and Kirk Haston," Davis said. "I think our guards are the toughest guards in the country because they play so hard and they'll challenge you every possession."\nKent State coach Gary Waters wouldn't give IU's front line such high praise, but he said Jeffries and Haston will cause his team problems.\n"Their size is the dominant factor," Waters said. "Not only do they have size, they're athletic. Usually you'll find some plotters in the bunch. But they get up and down the court and can shoot the ball.\n"I think their size helps in their defense. When I look at their defense, it's strong and they keep you down percentage wise," Waters said.\nThe Hoosiers played their last three games without sophomore guard Kyle Hornsby, who sat out the Big Ten tournament with a sprained ankle. He said he's ready to play.\nHornsby's effectiveness is important because Davis isn't sure which Jeffrey Newton will show up -- the Jeffrey Newton who scored only one point in the last two games, or the Jeffrey Newton who scored 11 points and grabbed nine rebounds against Wisconsin.\n"Newton has to play. He has to get out of his casual approach to things," Davis said. "He should be out of it because it's the end of season, but he goes back and forth
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
SAN DIEGO -- Emotions ran high in IU's locker room after its first round game against Kent State Thursday.\n But they weren't positive emotions. IU lost 77-73 to a team almost everyone thought they would beat.\n Kyle Hornsby almost cried. Jeffrey Newton sat in silence. Dane Fife vented to the media.\n "Some guys just quit," Fife said. "You could tell they didn't want to be out there."\n Assistant coach Julius Smith and Hornsby dismissed Fife's remarks as frustration and anger. \n No. 13 Kent State came back from a 12-point deficit in the second half to upset No. 4 IU. Guard Trevor Huffman guided the comeback with a combination of cross-overs, jumpers and pinpoint passes. He finished with 24 points, 20 of which came in the second half. Most of that was while Fife was guarding him.\n "Huffman is tough off the dribble," Hornsby said. "I don't know how fast he is in the 100-yard dash, but he gets from zero to 100 faster than anybody I've seen."\n Junior forward Kirk Haston led all scorers with 29 points and nine rebounds. Freshman guard A.J. Moye scored a career-high 12 points as the only other Hoosier in double-figures. Kyrem Massey scored 15 for Kent State and Mike Perry added 10 points.\n Sophomore guard Tom Coverdale hit a three pointer just before halftime to give IU an eight-point lead. It swelled to 12 after a free throw by Haston with 13:41 left in the game.\n Then within three minutes Kent State was only down by two. During that stretch Huffman scored five points. But the emotional lift came from Massey who made a steal then raced down the court for a layup.\n After that layup, the non-IU crowd started pulling for the underdogs. More importantly though for IU, Coverdale received his fourth foul with 12:04 to go and sat down. He returned with 6:48 to go and IU up by two.\n Massey made another steal and Rashaun Warren tipped in the miss to tie the game with 6:03 to go. On Kent State's next possession Huffman drove past Fife and layed in a shot off the glass to give the Flashes their first lead since early in the first half.\n "Huffman kicked me all over the court," Fife said.\n The game turned decidedly in Kent State's favor with 4:34 left when Coverdale fouled out reaching for a loose ball. He was called for a technical foul. After the free throws, Kent State held a two-point lead.\n "When IU lost (Coverdale) I felt that was the key because he was controlling the game," Kent State coach Gary Waters said.\n Freshman guard A.J. Moye tied the game with a putback with 4:18 to go.\n That was the last time IU held a share of the lead.\n "If Coverdale was in, we may not have won the game, but we would have played better down the stretch, and it would have been a better game," interim head coach Mike Davis said.\n Andrew Mitchell, who made a short jumper with 21 seconds left to give Kent State a four-point lead, threw the final dagger. On IU's next possession, Jeffries drove the lane but missed the layup. Haston grabbed the rebound and dribbled out to the three-point line. His shot wasn't even close.\n Huffman grabbed the rebound and made two free throws with eight seconds to seal Kent State's upset victory against IU.\n But Kent State didn't see it as an upset. Massey added salt to IU's wounds after the game.\n "I thought I would feel better than this after the game, but it feels just like a regular win," Massey said. "Once you get used to winning, a win is a win. It's something you get accustomed to"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
CHICAGO -- The men's basketball team faced a bittersweet disappointment in the Big Ten tournament March 11. \nAfter having won one game in three years at the tournament, the Hoosiers advanced to the championship game. \nBut they lost to Iowa in that game. Barely.\nOne day after blocking a last-second, potential game-tying shot, junior center Kirk Haston had his own last-second, potential game-winning shot blocked by Iowa forward Reggie Evans as the Hoosiers fell to the Hawkeyes 63-61 in the championship game of the Big Ten Tournament.\nWith 9.4 seconds remaining and Iowa leading by two, Iowa forward Duez Henderson missed two free throws.\nJunior guard Dane Fife received the outlet pass, dribbled up the right side of the court and passed to Haston between the right wing and the top of the key. Haston took the three-point shot, which came up several feet short of the basket.\n"I had two clear looks at the basket," said Haston, who missed a three-pointer with 10.9 seconds remaining. "I just didn't hit them."\nIU 58, Illinois 56\nHaston blocked a potential game-tying layup by Frank Williams with .9 seconds remaining to seal IU's 58-56 victory against Illinois Saturday in the semi-finals of the Big Ten championships.\nSophomore guard Tom Coverdale had an opportunity to make the win certain when he stepped to the free-throw line with 8.9 seconds left.\nHe missed the first shot. The second bounced out and into Williams' hands.\n"There were two guys there, but it was a clear lane," Williams said. "Then Haston came over and made a great play."\nHaston finished with 16 points, two rebounds and one game-winning block. Coverdale led all scorers with 17 points, and freshman forward Jared Jeffries added 10.\nIU 64, Wisconsin 52\nInterim head coach Mike Davis wanted to play Illinois and got his wish, thanks to a 64-54 win in the Hoosiers' first game of the Big Ten Tournament. \nWisconsin is known for its tenacious defense, but IU's defense stole the show. Wisconsin made 37 percent of its shots and didn't score a field goal in the first nine minutes of the second half.\n"At the half, Coach Davis stressed defense to us," Haston said. "He wanted us to take Wisconsin out of their offense. And once we started to click offensively, they were forced to take quick shots."\nOn the strength of their defense, the Hoosiers opened up the second half with a 17-2 run that built IU's lead to 11 points and lasted nearly 10 minutes. Sophomore forward Jeffrey Newton played a critical role during the run, scoring six points, grabbing three rebounds and blocking two shots in 10 minutes. Newton finished with 11 points, nine rebounds and two blocks.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
SAN DIEGO -- Freshman guard A.J. Moye tried to fight back tears when he walked off the court after IU's 77-73 loss to Kent State Thursday in the first round of the NCAA tournament.\nMoye had just finished playing the best game of his career. He scored a career-high 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds, including two on offense in the final four minutes that delayed the inevitable -- the upset loss to the 13th-seeded Golden Flashes.\nJunior guard Dane Fife said the rest of the team didn't give the same effort as Moye.\n"Some guys just quit," Fife said. "You could tell they didn't want to be out there."\nAssistant coach Julius Smith and sophomore guard Kyle Hornsby dismissed Fife's remarks as frustration and anger. But sophomore guard Tom Coverdale echoed Fife's sentiments.\n"I think some of us quit," Coverdale said. "There was also some of us out there playing as hard as we could. I don't know what to say. I don't understand what was going through some people's heads, and I'm one of them. I didn't move as quick as I could have and we all made mistakes we usually don't."\nCoverdale had an excuse for his lack of speed. Late in the first half, he injured his hip while diving for a ball and making a steal. He said it tightened as the game went on.\nBut Coverdale gave the Hoosiers an eight-point lead heading into halftime by making a three-pointer seven seconds before the buzzer sounded. The Hoosiers controlled the game and had momentum on their side heading into the locker room.\nIU extended its lead to 12 points with 13:41 remaining. Then things began to fall apart. Kent State went on a 12-2 run during the next three minutes. The Golden Flashes took their first lead with 5:38 remaining when guard Trevor Huffman layed in a shot high off the backboard.\n"There was a five-minute stretch where we looked line a seventh-grade team," interim head coach Mike Davis said. "We weren't composed at all, and we started panicking."\nOne instance typifies IU's effort. Kent State was up by one and had to inbound the ball with 2:35 remaining on the clock and one second on the shot clock. Huffman received the pass and buried a three-pointer, breaking IU's spirit and converting the crowd into Kent State fans.\n"Our effort was poor," Moye said. "It was there in bits and pieces, but it has to be continuous. You can't push for five minutes, then take two minutes off. You'll get beat like that."\nMoye made one of his tip-ins with 49 seconds remaining to bring the Hoosiers within 70-72. But Huffman made three of four free throws and Andrew Mitchell added a short jumper after Moye's offensive effort to finish the game.\n"We're real embarrassed," Coverdale said. "I hope everybody remembers this feeling and that it will give us something to motivate ourselves over the summer"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Mike Davis wondered if he was walking out of Assembly Hall for the last time as IU's men's basketball coach following IU's victory over Minnesota Feb. 28.\nBut he was there again Wednesday when IU President Myles Brand removed the interim label from Davis' title and announced Davis' four-year contract worth at least $400,000 per year. \n"For the next four years, I plan on taking this basketball program to the next level," Davis said. "I look forward to bringing a lot of great players here and having a lot of great memories."\nBrand called Wednesday a "very important day in the history of IU basketball."\nA seven-member selection committee met Monday to determine whether Davis should be hired full-time, or if the committee should start a national search, said IU Vice President for Administration Terry Clapacs. \n"This is not your ordinary basketball program," Clapacs said. "The decision that had to be made was who could keep the program at that level. The decision ended up being an easy one."\nClapacs and incoming athletics director Michael McNeely said nobody else was considered for the position, including Iowa coach Steve Alford, who started for IU from 1984-87. \n"We did not do a full search," Clapacs said. "We spent the year looking at the program. Early on they struggled, but as the season moved on, they started playing better and we realized that we have somebody who can coach at this level."\nThe committee also talked informally Tuesday, and again Wednesday morning to hammer out the details of Davis' contract. Davis can also receive income for speaking engagements, endorsements and other private sources. \n"If the team GPA is higher than the all-campus average, he's paid a bonus," Clapacs said. "If the team gets to the Sweet 16, Elite 8, Final Four, Championship, he gets bonuses. It's not an accident he doesn't get a bonus for getting into the tourney, or winning the first and second games, because that's what we expect at IU."\nThe announcement ended four days of waiting for Davis, his family and assistant coaches.\n"I'm very relieved with this announcement," said Mike Davis Jr., a sophomore at Perry Meridian High School. "I was uncertain when people kept saying Alford."\nAssistant coach Dan Panaggio said he felt the pressure to succeed at IU during the past season.\n"It's been an interesting ride because of the magnitude of concern for IU basketball throughout the state," Panaggio said. "It's the only place that I know of where truck drivers talk basketball. Usually they talk NASCAR or whatever, but these guys talk about basketball."\nDavis took over the program when Brand fired Bob Knight Sept. 10 for violating a zero-tolerance policy. Knight was scheduled to earn $139,072 for the 2000-2001 fiscal year.\nDavis, the first black head coach of any sport in IU's history, then guided the Hoosiers to a 21-13 record this season, good enough for fourth place in the Big Ten. The Hoosiers reached the finals of the Big Ten tournament and earned a No. 4 seed in the NCAA tournament. But Davis said that's not good enough.\n"We got a No. 4 seed this year and everybody was excited," Davis said. "But that's not Indiana basketball. IU basketball should be a No. 1 or 2 seed every year.\n"I want to take this program to highest level. Our guys proved we can win games. We have to get stronger as a team. They have a commitment to the weight room starting after the Final Four"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
With the announcement of Mike Davis as IU's next head basketball coach, attention turned to next season.\nDavis said he expects all 11 players to return and for the two incoming freshmen, especially Donald Perry, to contribute. \n"If somebody leaves, it will be hard to replace them," Davis said. "I'm prepared to beg them to stay. Hopefully they understand we can win a Big Ten title and a national championship."\nFreshman forward Jared Jeffries, who earlier in the year said he would consider entering the NBA draft, made sure the spotlight stayed on Davis, and not him.\nJeffries said Wednesday should be a day to celebrate Davis and not worry about his own future. When asked directly, he did not state his plans for next season.\n"It's Coach Davis' day," Jeffries said. "He's done a great year coaching. Nobody needs to focus on me -- they just need to be glad for him."\nJeffries said he realizes that no matter what he decision will be, Davis has influenced his career.\n"Coach Davis has helped my career immensely," Jeffries said. "He put the ball in my hands in a lot of situations to do what I thought was best, and that was big for my confidence."\nJeffries said he has high expectations for next season's team.\n"We're a top-5 team if everybody comes back ready," Jeffries said. "It shouldn't be if everybody comes back, it's if everybody comes in ready to play. If everybody comes back but doesn't get any better, we'll be the same team."\nJunior center Kirk Haston left after the announcement and headed for his home in Tennessee to visit his family.\n"I'm going home to spend time with my family and talk with my grandfather and other people who have valuable opinions," said Haston, who added that his grades are good enough for him to miss the rest of the week. "Hiring Coach Davis is a step in the right direction for keeping everyone together."\nFreshman guard Andre Owens wouldn't discuss his future with IU. But he didn't appear as happy as other players at the announcement, though he gave Davis a hug.\nFreshman center George Leach, who saw his playing time increase throughout the year, said he has no plans to leave.\n"Hopefully everybody stays," Leach said. "But we can win without them"
(03/16/01 2:03pm)
SAN DIEGO -- Emotions ran high in IU\'s locker room after its first round game against Kent State Thursday.\nBut they weren\'t positive emotions. IU lost 77-73 to a team almost everyone thought they would beat.\nKyle Hornsby almost cried. Jeffrey Newton sat in silence. Dane Fife vented to the media.\n\"Some guys just quit,\" Fife said. \"You could tell they didn\'t want to be out there.\"\nAssistant coach Julius Smith and Hornsby dismissed Fife\'s remarks as frustration and anger.\nNo. 13 Kent State came back from a 12-point deficit in the second half to upset No. 4 IU. Guard Trevor Huffman guided the comeback with a combination of cross-overs, jumpers and pinpoint passes. He finished with 24 points, 20 of which came in the second half. Most of that was while Fife was guarding him.\n\"Huffman is tough off the dribble,\" Hornsby said. \"I don\'t know how fast he is in the 100-yard dash, but he gets from zero to 100 faster than anybody I\'ve seen.\"\nJunior forward Kirk Haston led all scorers with 29 points and nine rebounds. Freshman guard A.J. Moye scored a career-high 12 points as the only other Hoosier in double-figures. Kyrem Massey scored 15 for Kent State and Mike Perry added 10 points.\nSophomore guard Tom Coverdale hit a three pointer just before halftime to give IU an eight-point lead. It swelled to 12 after a free throw by Haston with 13:41 left in the game.\nThen within three minutes Kent State was only down by two. During that stretch Huffman scored five points. But the emotional lift came from Massey who made a steal then raced down the court for a layup.\nAfter that layup, the non-IU crowd started pulling for the underdogs. More importantly though for IU, Coverdale received his fourth foul with 12:04 to go and sat down. He returned with 6:48 to go and IU up by two.\nMassey made another steal and Rashaun Warren tipped in the miss to tie the game with 6:03 to go. On Kent State\'s next possession Huffman drove past Fife and layed in a shot off the glass to give the Flashes their first lead since early in the first half.\n\"Huffman kicked me all over the court,\" Fife said.\nThe game turned decidedly in Kent State\'s favor with 4:34 left when Coverdale fouled out reaching for a loose ball. He was called for a technical foul. After the free throws, Kent State held a two-point lead.\n\"When IU lost (Coverdale) I felt that was the key because he was controlling the game,\" Kent State coach Gary Waters said.\nFreshman guard A.J. Moye tied the game with a putback with 4:18 to go.\nThat was the last time IU held a share of the lead.\n\"If Coverdale was in, we may not have won the game, but we would have played better down the stretch, and it would have been a better game,\" interim head coach Mike Davis said.\nAndrew Mitchell, who made a short jumper with 21 seconds left to give Kent State a four-point lead, threw the final dagger. On IU\'s next possession, Jeffries drove the lane but missed the layup. Haston grabbed the rebound and dribbled out to the three-point line. His shot wasn\'t even close.\nHuffman grabbed the rebound and made two free throws with eight seconds to seal Kent State\'s upset victory against IU.\nBut Kent State didn\'t see it as an upset. Massey added salt to IU\'s wounds after the game.\n\"I thought I would feel better than this after the game, but it feels just like a regular win,\" Massey said. \"Once you get used to winning, a win is a win. It\'s something you get accustomed to."
(03/08/01 10:33pm)
Interim head coach Mike Davis said the Hoosiers could earn a No. 6 seed in the NCAA tournament.\nNot long ago, he worried about just getting into the tournament. A few weeks before that, he questioned whether he was cut out to coach the Hoosiers. And before that, IU made six field goals in 20 minutes of play.\nTo Davis and the Hoosiers, those events might seem as if they happened centuries ago. The "new" Hoosiers are a confident bunch peaking at just the right time.\n"They feel they can beat anybody right now," Davis said. "And I feel that way, too."\nHeading into the Big Ten Tournament, the Hoosiers have won their last three games by a combined 79 points. Previously, they faced Illinois and Michigan State in back-to-back games, losing by a total of 15 points. No. 2 Michigan State and No. 4 Illinois could both earn No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tournament.\nAlthough IU lost those games, Davis said he thinks the schedule-makers did him a favor.\n"It was great that we played those teams back-to-back," Davis said. "That really helped us concentrate more, because we played two really good teams in a row who got into you defensively." \nMidway through the Big Ten season, the Hoosiers lost a pair of road games they said they shouldn't have. The Hoosiers blew a 13-point lead in the final three minutes at Minnesota. One week later, they blew a 17-point halftime lead at Iowa. Davis spent a few minutes by himself after the buzzer sounded.\n"After the Iowa game, everybody was starting to file off the Hoosier bandwagon, and we were at a point where people were starting to talk about what teams we would have here for NIT games," junior forward Kirk Haston said. "Thankfully, we came back and starting playing real basketball after that."\nIU's record stood at 3-4 heading into a critical road game in Columbus, Ohio. The Hoosiers had lost 11 consecutive games outside the state of Indiana and another loss could have crippled IU's NCAA chances. It ended the streak with a 70-67 win against the Buckeyes.\nWith the victory, the Hoosiers started a three-game winning streak. They've won seven of their last nine games.\n"The Iowa game … the Minnesota game … the Kentucky game … we didn't really compete," Davis said. "All of that emotion has helped us get to where we are."\nDavis and Haston credit IU's recent success to better execution on the offensive side, and more intensity and toughness on the defensive side.\n"They understand what's going on right now," Davis said. "I put in a new system, and I believed in it. I knew it would work. But they probably didn't because they were so young. They believe in it now."\nWhen the Hoosiers took the court Nov. 14 against Pepperdine, the starting lineup included two players who saw significant action last season. The team didn't know Davis' system, and it was under intense scrutiny by the fans, the media and the administration.\nIU defeated Pepperdine and South Alabama, earning a trip to New York for the pre-season NIT. The Hoosiers didn't play well in the first game and played even worse in the second, leaving Davis upset with his team.\nHaston notices a big difference between the November Hoosiers and the March Hoosiers.\n"We weren't a team then," Haston said. "We're definitely a team now, and people know their roles. I think we're playing some of the best basketball in the country."\nHaston isn't the only player who said he knows things have improved.\n"I think we're playing our best basketball of the season and that's due to us settling down and being more experienced than we were early in the season," sophomore guard Tom Coverdale said. "We've learned Coach Davis' system. We know what he wants and we're going out and executing it. It's like the season is just beginning"
(03/05/01 7:01am)
WEST LAFAYETTE -- The Purdue media guide claims its fans are the best in the country. \nBut many of them headed for the exits with seven minutes remaining Saturday with IU on its way to a 74-58 victory against Purdue.\nFor the first time since the 1992-93 season, the Hoosiers (19-11, 10-6 Big Ten) swept the two-game series with its arch-nemesis. Junior center Kirk Haston relished the moment.\n"It's something that I haven't been a part of since I've been here," Haston said. "It was definitely something I wanted. Any time you play against Purdue, it is never easy."\nBut he made it look easy. Haston led all players with 22 points and 15 rebounds. With the Boilermaker starting front line depleted because of injuries, Haston scored almost at will. He made eight of 14 shots in another strong showing that could tip the scale in voting for Big Ten players of the year.\n"I think Haston is the player of the year without a doubt," interim head coach Mike Davis said. "He's carried us. He's brought Jared Jeffries along -- who I also think is the freshman of the year. Kirk is playing great." \nFreshman forward Jared Jeffries added 15 points, sophomore guard Tom Coverdale scored 13 and sophomore forward Jeff Newton dropped in 11. IU dominated Purdue on the glass, outrebounding them 47-33 in the game, 24-12 in the first half.\n"They did a good job rebounding," Purdue coach Gene Keady said. "They did a good job taking our offense away from us. They have better rebounders than we do."\nThe Purdue fans were cheering when their team was up 14-9 early on. A 13-3 run by IU silenced them. Purdue pulled up to 25-26 on a three-pointer by Carson Cunningham with 3:50 remaining. Then the Boilermakers (14-13, 6-10) missed their final eight shots of the half, enabling IU to gain a 38-26 halftime lead.\nWhile IU made 46 percent of its shots, Purdue made 30 percent. Its starters made only 11-of-42 attempts. Willie Deane made 2-of-12, Kenneth Lowe made 2-of-10 and Cunningham hit only 4-of-14.\n"You've got to be smart and put them on defense and take good open shots," Keady said. "They did a good job taking us out of our game."\nPurdue stayed in the game by making four three-pointers in the first nine minutes of the second half. With 11 minutes remaining, Davis was called for a technical foul. He stepped out of the coaching box and admitted he said a few things he shouldn't have. The ensuing free throws by Cunningham cut IU's lead to 10 points.\n"Instead of dropping leads, we're building on them," Haston said. "We came into the season as a young team, learning a new system, and now we're starting to feel like we're getting it going."\nJeffries made a pair of free throws to extend IU's lead to 20 with seven minutes remaining and sent many Purdue fans to the exits.\n"There's no better feeling than coming into Mackey Arena, (looking) up at the scoreboard, seeing us up 20, and knowing we're going to sweep Purdue, and listen to the silent crowd," Coverdale said.\nBut the win didn't come without a price. Sophomore guard Kyle Hornsby sprained his right ankle in the final minutes. \n"Its really frustrating," Hornsby said. "There's nothing that could have stopped this. It's nobody's fault. I just wish I'm healthy for the tournament."\nIU faces Wisconsin at 12:30 p.m. Friday in the Big Ten tournament in Chicago.
(03/05/01 5:37am)
A five-month-old lawsuit against the IU board of trustees saw a courtroom for the first time Friday.\nThe lawsuit claims IU President Myles Brand and the board of trustees deliberately skirted open door laws in September by meeting in two separate groups of four before Brand fired then-men's basketball coach Bob Knight the next day. It asks the court to void Brand's decision and to prevent the trustees from violating the law again.\nLawyers for the University argued for a protective order that would prevent the plaintiffs from deposing Brand or any trustee and limit the plaintiff's discovery process.\nEllen Boshkoff, representing the University, said the trustees have answered and replied to many of the plaintiffs' requests and questions.\n"The case is not about why President Brand decided to end Bob Knight's coaching career," Boshkoff argued. "Whatever the reasons were, they don't change the fact that only four trustees were present during these conversations."\nBoshkoff said the plaintiffs' discovery should be limited for a variety of reasons, including tax-payer cost, efficiency and that depositions could be used for other means than obtaining pertinent information.\n"There is a great danger that discovery will turn into a cross examination of President Brand," Boshkoff told judge Cecile Blau.\nThe University claims a 1987 board of trustees act gave the president sole authority to fire the controversial coach. In court documents, Gojko Kasich, attorney for the plaintiffs, argues that Brand's authority to fire Knight without authorization from the trustees is not clear.\nAfter the hearing, the plaintiffs and their lawyers looked at the minutes of trustee meetings from the past 18 years.\n"I feel really almost insulted that the trustees think they have the right to tell me what I need as evidence," Kasich said. "The trustees are stalling. They're trying to delay things."\nDuring arguments, Kasich offered Blau the opportunity to make an immediate ruling and end the case. Such a ruling would have been in favor of the trustees.\n"She could have just thrown this whole thing out," Kasich said. "But she didn't. That means she's thinking."\nBlau said she would issue a ruling on the protective order as soon as possible. She gave no indication on when that would be.
(03/02/01 5:44am)
Junior Dane Fife sported a cherry-red mark on the side of his neck Thursday. \n"Yeah. Kyle (Hornsby) gave it to me," Fife said jokingly.\nIf Fife has his way, Purdue will be kissing something else when the Hoosiers meet the Boilermakers at 8 p.m. Saturday in Mackey Arena.\nBut defeating Purdue on its home floor isn't as easy as telling a joke. The fans are crude, rude, insensitive and can make playing in Mackey Arena a difficult task for opposing teams.\n"But they don't shoot the ball, or block a shot," interim head coach Mike Davis said. "It would mean a lot to beat Purdue twice in the same season. Those are two games that the Indiana fans want you to win. I think our guys are used to playing road games."\nMany words could describe how the Hoosiers (18-11, 9-6 Big Ten) are feeling these days, but only two are needed: confident and relaxed.\n"Their minds are free and they're having fun," Davis said. "At the beginning of the season, there was so much pressure -- every game, every possession, every shot. I think we're a totally different team than what we were one week ago."\nApparently, that's what winning by 30 points in one game, and 35 in the next, will do for a team.\n"We're pretty confident," sophomore guard Tom Coverdale said. "It's been a lot of fun lately, especially when you're winning by 30." \nIU defeated Purdue 66-55 Jan. 23 in Assembly Hall. The Hoosiers haven't defeated the Boilermakers twice in the same season since the 1992-93 season.\n"It would be huge for this program," Fife, a guard, said. "We're really fighting for a better seed. If we can get this game, we're looking at moving up a few seeds in the NCAA tournament."\nWith 18 wins, Davis said he is almost 100-percent positive the Hoosiers are in the tournament.\n"I told our guys after the game we're playing for a seed right now," Davis said. "I think the highest we can get would be a No. 5 or No. 6 seed. We're playing for that right now."\nDavis said he likes what he's seen out of his new starting lineup, which has Hornsby inserted instead of sophomore forward Jeffrey Newton.\n"Hornsby gives us another shooter on the court and you have five guys -- Fife can shoot it if he's open -- on the court that can shoot the basketball," Davis said.\nBut this is an IU-Purdue game -- the Boilermakers will be ready and waiting, Fife and Coverdale said. Defeating IU could be the highlight of Purdue's year. With a losing record in the Big Ten, Purdue is on the outside looking in on the NCAA tournament. \n"Coach (Gene) Keady is going to have his guys ready," Fife said. "And they're going to be hungry. They came here, and we beat them pretty good"
(03/02/01 5:25am)
As an assistant football coach at the University of Colorado in the early 1980s, Michael McNeely helped rebuild the Buffaloes to a national power.\nHe's being asked to do it again. Only this time, it's as IU's athletics director.\nIU President Myles Brand announced the hiring of McNeely at a press conference Thursday. \nMcNeely will replace current athletics director Clarence Doninger, who will retire June 30. McNeely will serve as a consultant until the transition is complete and work with Doninger to familiarize himself with IU and the athletic department.\n"The search committee wanted someone who understands the academic mission of IU and the need to integrate academics with athletics," Brand said in his opening remarks. "Importantly, the committee sought someone committed to winning teams and IU's grand tradition of winning athletics programs. The committee and I sought someone who could oversee a multi-million dollar enterprise and understood the business of athletics."\nMcNeely, 46, has more recent football experience at the NFL level. He has been the vice president and chief operating officer of the San Diego Chargers for two years. His resume lists a variety of responsibilities with the Chargers, most of which deal with marketing and promotions. \n"Frankly, we liked the idea that he has a strong background in football," said Vice President for Administration Terry Clapacs, who headed the search committee. "Indiana is a basketball state, and in the long run basketball will always be successful at IU. The challenge is football. Football drives the budget and is an area where we need to provide the maximum amount of support as possible."\nHelping balance IU's athletics budget will be an important part of McNeely's job. In San Diego, he re-organized corporate sales, suite sales and ticket sales programs.\n"The athletic department has taken on new financial responsibilities. In the last seven years we've added four women's sports," Clapacs said. "It's fun to do that and fun to see more women compete for IU. But those are new expenses. And when your football stadium seats (53,000) and you're averaging 34,000, there is an opportunity to increase revenue dramatically."\nMcNeely said he is determined to make IU an elite athletic program.\n"Our goal is to become the standard-setter in college athletics," McNeely said. "We expect our teams to be championship performers. Hopefully, a few years down the road, the decision that's being announced today, people will say is a good decision."\nOne of McNeely's first decisions will be to select a men's basketball coach. But the decision will not be his alone.\nMcNeely, who ate lunch with all of IU's head coaches and several administrators Thursday, will earn $250,000 a year, Brand said. Clapacs said the contract will last five years. McNeely becomes the third-highest paid employee on the Bloomington campus behind Brand ($272,000) and Kelley School of Business Dean Dan Dalton ($260,243).\nMcNeely's statement of philosophy impressed Brand.\n"The quest for athletic achievement should complement the University's educational mission and be based upon the highest standards of fair play and integrity," the statement said. "Our ultimate measure of achievement will be the quality of life experienced by these young people, as well as their contributions to society, once they have left our immediate sphere of influence."\nSaid Brand: "His philosophy was one of the most important points to me. Not only to have a successful, winning team, but how to treat student athletes to be sure they get a good education and they graduate." \nBefore moving to San Diego, McNeely was the athletics director at the University of the Pacific for two years. He directed administration, finance and sports program enhancement for 16 sports, according to his resume. Except for the two years with the Chargers, McNeely has spent each of the last 20 years in college athletics.\n"He missed the interaction with the student athletes," said Cindy Spiro, associate athletics director and senior women's administrator at Pacific. "I can see why he wanted to come back." \nDennis Farrell, commissioner of the Big West Conference, has known McNeely for nearly 15 years and said he has high expectations for his friend.\n"Mike is going to be a tremendous AD at IU," Farrell said. "He was one of the brightest, most visionary athletic directors that I've had to deal with in my 20 years in this office. I think that IU made a great hire."\nThe search committee interviewed more than 12 candidates, some with close connections to IU, such as Alumni Association marketing director John Laskowski, who played basketball for IU.\n"I'm an Indiana guy. I'm doing what I can to help this program," Laskowski said. "I'm disappointed that I wasn't selected, but I'm not disappointed with the choice they made. He's exactly the type of person they need. He does have the skills and qualities to get us where we want to be"
(03/01/01 6:26am)
As interim head coach Mike Davis was introduced in Assembly Hall Wednesday night, IU legend Walt Bellamy stood and applauded. But he wasn't just being polite.He's a big Mike Davis fan.\nSo is Kent Benson. Damon Bailey is, too. Add Calbert Cheaney, Archie Dees, Bob Leonard and Jimmy Rayl to the list.\nOn a night celebrating the last century of Indiana basketball, the hot topic of conversation was the future of IU basketball and whether it should include Davis. The answer from the all-century team, and the crowd, was a resounding yes.\nThe eight members of the All-Century team in attendance gave their support for Davis during informal interviews before the game and speeches after it. Near the end of the blowout win, fans chanted "Keep Mike Davis."\n"I think they should take away the 'interim' coach label they've tagged Mike Davis with," said Benson, who played for IU from 1974-77. "It's not fair. I would encourage (the administration) to do the right thing in making that decision soon and giving Davis a three-year contract."\nCurrent Hoosier, junior center Kirk Haston introduced Davis to the crowd after the game. He made his feeelings clear.\n"On behalf of the players," Haston said, "I want to introduce, as far as the players are concerned, our head coach for next season, Mike Davis."\nDavis suggested he'd prefer a five-year deal.\n"I want this job next year," said Davis when he addressed the crowd. "If I'm not though, I'll always be a Hoosier and I appreciate this opportunity."\nHis statement was greeted with a loud ovation. But not quite as loud as the statement made by Benson after the game.\n"To President Brand, (boos by the crowd); to Clarence Doninger, (boos); to the board of trustees (more boos): We are human and we err," Benson said. "To those who did err, and those who did handle the firing of Coach (Bob) Knight, it's not the firing, it's the way it was handled. I encourage you not to compound that error by naming Mike Davis basketball coach of Indiana University."\nDamon Bailey agrees.\n"I think he's done a great job. This has been a tough year all around. This has been a great year and hopefully things stay the way things are. Assuming the players stay here and all the coaches stay here, I think they have an opportunity to be a very good team next year.\n"I think that he should have an opportunity. I think the thing about IU basketball is that IU is a big-time program and they'll get an opportunity to look at a lot of big-time coaches. Does IU need a big-time coach? I don't know."\nDavis has even won over players who played for Branch McCracken.\n"I think he's doing a great job and he's such a nice person," said Jim Rayl, who played from 1961-63. "If they don't keep him, it's a big mistake. The players like him, he's friendly, the assistant coaches, ¦the whole thing. It just makes you want to root for him."\nAll of the supportive statements had an emotional effect on Davis. "It's good to hear those things they said," Davis said. "If I'm not here, I have no hard feelings against the University. Every game I coached was like an interview. If they decide to keep me, I'll be the happiest guy in the world"
(02/28/01 5:09am)
Practice was long over. Interim head coach Mike Davis let the players out after only 35 minutes of basketball Tuesday. \n"They deserve it," he said. "I think, right now, we're playing the way I envisioned us to play."\nDavis sat on a couch in the coach's lounge with the television remote control next to his thigh Tuesday afternoon. He wasn't watching tape of Minnesota, IU's next opponent. He was relaxing. But don't think Davis is taking today's 8 p.m. matchup with the Gophers lightly. \nAlthough he thinks IU has earned a berth in the NCAA tournament, he's not convinced. But the Hoosiers own a 17-11 record, 8-6 in the Big Ten, which has been good enough in the past for Big Ten teams to be invited.\n"I think it's a very important game for us to get into the NCAA tournament," Davis said. "I would hope that we're in. I think 18 wins should be more than enough to get us in."\nMinnesota coach Dan Monson said he is keeping a sense of humor about the game.\n"We're coming off a bye weekend so nobody got hurt and we didn't lose a game," Monson said. "So we're feeling pretty good about our weekend."\nThe injury bug bit a pair of key Gophers earlier in the season. Minnesota forward John-Blair Bickerstaff broke his right leg Feb. 6 in the Gophers' 66-59 victory against Northwestern. It's the same leg he broke last year and the break appeared to be in almost the same place, just below his right kneecap. The Gophers also lost forward Michael Bauer. He broke his arm in Minnesota's loss at Purdue Jan. 27.\nBauer scored 19 points in Minnesota's 78-74 overtime victory against IU Jan. 20, while Bickerstaff added 10.\n"Hopefully the healthy guys are healthier, and we can come into this last week and play the best basketball since these injuries have changed the makeup of our team," Monson said. \nMonson said he realizes Minnesota's (17-10, 5-9) chances of making the NCAA tournament are slim, but he's proud of what the Gophers have accomplished, considering the sanctions levied against the program for academic fraud.\n"That's college basketball and the postseason is the hopes and dreams of college basketball players," Monson said. "Our players are still dreaming that dream. This team deserves to have some sort of postseason in its future.\n"Coming out of sanctions and probation, the postseason marks a beginning of the end and chance to say that this program is headed in the right direction. It's a validation of their hard work and dreams."\nDavis knows that today's game could be his last as IU's head coach in Assembly Hall, should the new athletics director choose to replace him. He said he appreciates the opportunity to coach at a program with a history like IU's. \n"It's been a roller coaster, up and down all season," Davis said. "I knew it was going to be like that because I put in everything new, both offensively and defensively. I just appreciate the opportunity.\n"If they keep me, it's more than a dream come true"
(02/21/01 5:33am)
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State freshman center Zach Randolph won the Class 4-A IHSAA state championship at Marion High School last year, but his friend, IU freshman forward Jared Jeffries, won the Mr. Basketball award.\nApparently, that didn't sit well with Randolph.\nHe banged, bruised and muscled his way to 14 points against Jeffries and the Hoosiers in Michigan State's 66-57 victory Tuesday.\nJeffries scored nine points and made only four of 15 shots while grabbing five rebounds.\n"Jared is growing game by game, and all I can do is talk to him and develop him," interim head coach Mike Davis said. "He's talented, can put the ball on the floor and shoot the basketball, and when you have skills like that, you try to overplay. He was up for this game. He wanted to win this game bad."\nRandolph led the Spartans to a 33-23 halftime score with nine points in the half. On one play, Randolph collected an errant pass about 12 feet from the basket, dribbled and muscled his way through Jeffries to the rim. He missed the shot, but grabbed the rebound and easily layed it back in. \n"In the first half, they were too strong and physical for us, and we gave up too many offensive rebounds," Davis said. "They scored 16 second-chance points in the first half. That's too much to give up."\nRandolph's ability to push Jeffries under the basket is understandable. Randolph is 6-foot-9, 270 pounds, while Jeffries is 6-foot-9, 220. But Randolph isn't just big, he's athletic. Early in the second half, when Jeffries made a spin move and appeared to have a clean look at the basket, Randolph recovered and blocked the shot.\n"I think Zach Randolph had the best defensive game of his life," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. "I thought he played more inspired tonight." \nMichigan State displayed its dominance on the boards. Michigan State had 13 offensive rebounds in the first half compared to IU's four. Michigan State held a 27-14 rebounding advantage at the break. \n"They killed us on the boards in the first half," junior guard Dane Fife said. "Our guards have to go and get some rebounds." \nJunior forward Jarrad Odle said IU did a better job of rebounding in the second half. Statistics support his statement. Each team grabbed 17 rebounds in the second half, leaving the Spartans to finish with a 44-31 rebounding advantage. \nSpartan senior center David Thomas also contributed to Michigan State's rebounding dominance. His four first-half rebounds all came on the offensive end.\n"He hurt us. He attacked the glass like a madman," Davis said. "For some reason it was hard for us to block him out."\nRandolph led all players with nine rebounds.\nIn addition to his state title trophy, Randolph was the MVP of the McDonald's All-American game, was a USA Today and Parade All-American and MVP of the Nike Hoop Summit. IU recruited him, but he chose Michigan State. \nJeffries' resume includes Gatorade Player of the Year, McDonald's All-American, IHSAA Trester Award Winner and member of the USA Men's Junior Select Hoops Summit Team.\nBoth would like to add the Big Ten Freshman of the Year trophy to their mantles. Randolph is averaging 11.2 points and seven rebounds per game. Jeffries is averaging 14.7 points and eight rebounds per game. When asked if he got the better of Jeffries, Randolph dodged the question.\n"That's something for us to talk about," he said with a grin. "There will be many more battles"