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(07/25/13 1:38am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell might have commanded a squad of collegiate all-stars, played against teams from around the globe and proudly worn “USA” on his chest, but something else from his recent trip to Russia might stand out most of all.The Kremlin smelled funny.“I know I will never forget it,” the rising sophomore guard said.This summer, while former teammates of Ferrell and rising senior forward Will Sheehey were embarking on professional careers and future teammates were back in Bloomington familiarizing themselves with Cook Hall, the pair traveled to Kazan, Russia, as part of Team USA at the World University Games earlier in July.“It was a great honor to represent my country,” Ferrell said. “When I put that jersey on, I got chills. I felt like I was representing everyone back home.”Living in an athlete village Sheehey compared in size to IU’s entire campus, the pair was in the presence of athletes from 136 different countries. Sheehey said the opportunity to immerse himself in other cultures stood out more than any on-court moment.An admitted adventurous eater, Sheehey said he gained a reputation among teammates as the man willing to try any of the unfamiliar delicacies at least once.But ultimately the two Hoosiers were there to play basketball, even if they found it to be a different strain than the college game.“It’s difficult to explain, but the game of basketball is completely different over there, the way everyone moves, the way screens are set,” Sheehey said. “When you are playing in the Big Ten, you kind of know when a screen is going to come and where it is going to come from, but overseas they set screens in the middle of the lane. You have guys running out of bounds. It’s wild.”Couple that with international officiating that is much more strict on travel calls, and the Americans found themselves facing a steep learning curve. Ferrell went so far as to blame one of Team USA’s losses on the rule, while Sheehey professed a preference for the American style of play.“You can’t use your hands at all, but you can use your chest and body the heck out of a guy, so that was the kind of stuff we had to get used to,” Sheehey said. “The big guys really struggled throughout the whole thing trying to learn to not use their hands. Traveling calls were an absolute disaster, but we got used to it after a while. The travels were called really tight.”A pair of upset losses to Canada and Australia kept Team USA from medaling, though Sheehey said he thought the team played its best ball once they were out of medal contention.In its six wins, Team USA won by at least 18 points each time and by as many as 94.“It’s very tough to lose a game representing your country,” Ferrell said. “Even over there, everyone still showed us a lot of love, even the fans. We had a lot of fans come out to our games. But the players on the other teams hated us. It got real chippy sometimes.”Not only did Ferrell and Sheehey find themselves among teams from across the world, but they also found themselves making friends with their new teammates on Team USA, an array of players they were more used to playing against, such as Michigan State’s Adreian Payne.Ferrell and Sheehey were roommates with Louisville’s Luke Hancock and Colorado point guard Spencer Dinwiddie.Coached by Davidson’s Bob McKillop with Michigan’s John Beilein and South Carolina’s Frank Martin as assistants, the team was determined only weeks earlier at a training camp in Colorado Springs, Colo., the 12-man squad emerging from 26 players invited to the camp.“We were both excited to make the team,” Sheehey said. “Yogi was playing absolutely fantastic in Colorado so I knew he was a lock and it was more me that was on the fence. For us both to get our names called and to play there was a great experience for us.”While Team USA was still new as a team by the Games’ beginning, other countries boasted teams with years of playing experience together. Ferrell admitted that put the Americans at a disadvantage.“You have to pay much more attention to detail because those teams have been playing together for so long and they run their sets to a ‘T,’” Ferrell said.Both players said they eventually found their niche on the team, though, Ferrell as one of the primary point guards along with Dinwiddie and Sheehey as a specialist at moving without the ball to set up scoring opportunities.With the Games concluded, Ferrell and Sheehey are now back in Bloomington with their teammates for the upcoming season. Though they had spent some time with the six-player incoming freshman class before leaving for Colorado, the two probable captains said they sense a change for the better occurred while they were overseas.“The guys who have been here throughout the summer and who have developed as leaders on this team are going to keep doing so because it’s best for our team to have a group of leaders than just one or two,” Sheehey said. “It’s really exciting to come back and see other guys do the things that I would want them to do.“The strides that the freshmen have made throughout just six weeks has been absolutely incredible. You can tell by their work ethic that they are starting to change. Every guy coming out of high school doesn’t really know exactly what it’s like. To see them embrace the work that needs to be put in and for them to see results is really good.”They are not the only ones. Partly as a result of his Russian excursion, Sheehey said he sees a change in his own game as well.“I think mentally I’ve become a better player over the summer,” he said. “I’ve learned a lot this offseason, not just through my Team USA experience but also here at school being the oldest guy. My freshman and sophomore year, I was so scared of the older guys all I wanted was to play hard and show them that I could do that. Now that I’m older, I can sit down and really analyze the game. I think mentally I’ve learned a lot.”
(07/18/13 12:57am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Despite having played a grand total of 124 minutes for IU, third-year forward Austin Etherington found himself the unlikely veteran among five Hoosiers assembled Tuesday at Assembly Hall.With IU’s rash of player turnover — two early departures to the NBA, two transfers, and three seniors lost to graduation — since a season-ending loss to Syracuse, Etherington suddenly finds himself the second-longest-tenured scholarship player on a roster with more scholarship newcomers than returnees.He trails only senior forward Will Sheehey in that regard, but with Sheehey’s obligations to Team USA in the World University Games, Etherington has been the elder statesman during much of the team’s offseason practice.“We have seven new guys here, so it’s been a lot of work for everybody to come in, learn their roles and get better,” Etherington said. “We’re working out every morning and afternoon, so everyone is putting that work in and getting better.”Sitting dead center among four teammates at a cramped table, Etherington was the clear ringleader as he fielded questions ranging from his impressions of the new freshmen — “very athletic” — to the health of his left knee.If IU coaches had their druthers, Etherington surely would have played more than his 47 minutes last season, but a fractured patella suffered Dec. 8 against Central Connecticut State quashed those plans and ended his season.The injury occurred soon enough in the season for Etherington to be eligible for a medical redshirt, making him a sophomore once again this coming season. Between that, Cody Zeller’s departure to the NBA and Remy Abell’s transfer to Xavier, IU will have no scholarship juniors this season.The forward said he is not back to full strength yet, but is participating in most drills. The last step will be 5-on-5 scrimmages, which Etherington hopes to participate in once players return from a short break in the coming weeks.Etherington said he dealt with a knee injury before in high school and can now draw on that experience in his current recovery.“The big thing is just the mindset and being able to go out there and not worry about your knee,” he said. “That’s something I have been better with. The first time I took a charge in workouts it was the first step because I knew I could do it again and not worry about my knee ... The physical part with my knee and my strength is coming on pretty well.”Gordon adjusts to third college teamWhile Sheehey may be the team’s longest-tenured player, he is not the squad’s sole senior.Along with the team’s six freshmen, senior guard Evan Gordon has also been a newcomer in offseason practices this summer after transferring from Arizona State.“These guys are a totally different group than I have ever experienced,” Gordon said. “There are no egos on this team, and I am able to just come in and everyone sometimes is looking for advice and sometime I can take advice from the older guys like Yogi, Austin, Will and Jeremy. We go back and forth and bounce ideas off of each other.”Gordon, now at his third school after beginning his career at Liberty, brings a familiar last name to Hoosier fans. His older brother, Eric, played a single season at IU in 2007-08 before jumping to the NBA. A third brother, Eron, is an IU recruiting target in the 2016 class. All three suited up for North Central High School in Indianapolis.“I’ve been to two different institutions, but me being here at home, I can go home,” Gordon said. “And the expectations in the weight room are a lot different than I ever expected.”Gordon averaged 10.1 points per game last season for the Sun Devils and 14.4 as a freshman for the Flames.Vonleh adds 20 pounds since May arrivalThe other newcomer making his debut to IU media was freshman forward Noah Vonleh, the jewel of IU’s incoming freshmen class.“He is a real good player,” sophomore forward Jeremy Hollowell said. “The biggest thing that I have seen is that he is willing to learn, always willing to improve his game, he is very coachable and works hard day in and day out. He is always going to go hard and give you his best.”Already an imposing figure listed at 242 pounds and a shade under 6-feet-10-inches at the Nike Hoops Summit, Vonleh said he has quickly taken to the strength training programs at IU and added roughly 20 pounds since arriving in May.“I think it has helped me a lot,” Vonleh said. “I can bump guys off better and I can finish stronger.”While Gordon noted he is much older than most of his teammates, Vonleh is in an opposite situation. Still more than a month short of his 18th birthday, he vowed not to let his youth prevent him from being a physical presence.“I just like to be in the gym all the time getting better,” he said. “I’m going to be playing against a lot of guys who are a lot older than me next year, so I need to get physically ready, mentally ready and just keep getting better.”Sophomores expect larger role in post playVonleh is just one of several players likely to be called on to replace the production of players such as Zeller, Derek Elston and Christian Watford down low.Joining him in that endeavor will be sophomore forward Hanner Mosquera-Perea. An early-season suspension largely kept him from establishing a true niche in the rotation last season, but the Colombia native said he nonetheless feels the pressure this year to be not only a contributor, but a leader as well.“We have a huge responsibility because I know how Cody and Derek took care of us last year,” he said. “So I feel like I have to step up with the new guys like Noah and Luke (Fischer) because they are going to be doing the same thing we had been doing. It’s a huge responsibility.”As such, Mosquera-Perea said the off-season workouts have paid noticeable dividends for him, particularly in his shooting and timing.“I feel that I have made a lot of improvements,” he said. “I’ve been working out with the coaches, doing new things, because I’m going to have to step up and do a lot of new things for our team this year. So I’ve been working really hard and getting a lot better.”In a pinch last season, Hollowell was sometimes pressed into undersized post duty himself, and he said he has continued to refine those skills even with an eye on a more well-rounded role this season.“I need to push myself to get better with my ball handling, get better with my shot, and post moves,” Hollowell said. “I feel like I have the ball in my hands a lot more and looking to score and rebound, and be an offensive factor for us to score points.”Student season tickets reduced to 8 gamesInformation on the IU ticket website recently showed that student season ticket holders will now only receive tickets to eight games instead of 16 and the price for the basketball/football season ticket package has dropped from $320 to $200. The change in price reflects the loss in games, as each game is $15.Sources within IU Athletics said roughly 14,500 student season tickets have been sold thus far.Students who purchased the $320 plan will have the cost reduced to $200 on their bursar bill.
(07/14/13 11:56pm)
A look at the eight IU football commits the Hoosiers have for the 2014 recruiting class.
(07/08/13 12:23am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Victor Oladipo scored a team-high 18 points in his debut in his No. 5 Orlando Magic jersey Sunday in the NBA’s Orlando Summer League.The former IU guard helped guide the Magic to a 95-88 win against the Boston Celtics at the Amway Center in Orlando.In just over 33 minutes, Oladipo also dished out seven assists, another team-high. He added six rebounds and five steals to round out his stat line.The Magic played him primarily at point guard with former Kentucky guard Doron Lamb starting at the other guard position.While some expressed concern about Oladipo’s 3-point shooting in the NBA, he shot 2-of-3 from range in his debut. He did struggle a bit with turnovers, another area of concern entering the draft, giving the ball away six times.Oladipo also signed his contract with the Magic Sunday, a two-year deal with two additional years as team options. The expected salaries for the first two years are $4.76 million and $4.98 million, as the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement has a scale that determines rookie salaries.Christian Watford did not start for the Pacers in his Summer League debut, but scored three points on 1-for-4 shooting (0-3 from 3-point range) in a 76-68 loss to the Thunder. He played in more than 10 minutes off the bench and also grabbed three rebounds.Ferrell and Sheehey star for national teamA world away in Kazan, Russia, IU sophomore guard Yogi Ferrell and senior forward Will Sheehey each scored 15 points as Team USA cruised to a 140-46 win against the United Arab Emirates in their opening game of the World University Games.Ferrell recorded a double-double, contributing a team-high 13 assists in his 24 minutes of action. He also had five rebounds and four steals.Sheehey shot 7-for-13 from the field and had four assists in 18 minutes of play.Team USA plays the Czech Republic Monday, followed by Sweden on Wednesday.Potential recruit leads Australian U19 team2014 IU recruiting target Dante Exum continued a recent streak of torrid play at the FIBA U19 World Championship June 27 through Sunday in Prague.Exum’s Australian national team finished fourth, capping its tournament run with a 106-100 overtime loss Sunday against Lithuania. In the bronze medal game, Exum had a team-leading 28 points and five assists.A 6-foot-6-inch guard capable of playing either backcourt spot, Exum made headlines with a 33-point outburst in Australia’s 87-76 upset of favored Spain Friday.Eligible to enroll in school as soon as January 2014 and enter the draft next year, Exum has long maintained his plan is to attend college for at least a year. While he is the son of former North Carolina player Cecil Exum, the younger Exum said in a recent story by zagsblog.com that the Tar Heels are not currently recruiting him.Instead, IU appears among the frontrunners for Exum’s services if he does choose the college route, at least from a travel perspective. Exum’s only visit to a college thus far was to IU Jan. 12 for the Hoosiers’ 88-81 win against Minnesota.Nonetheless, Exum’s recent play has seen him vault up early 2014 draft boards. He recently climbed to No. 3 on a 2014 mock draft on draftexpress.comHulls signs with Polish clubAfter not being drafted or picked up by any summer league teams as an undrafted free agent, former IU guard Jordan Hulls has signed a contract to play in Poland with Energa Czarni Slupsk. On the team’s official page, a news article translated to English calls Hulls “the new quarterback of our team.”
(06/23/13 11:15pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Former Hoosier and NCAA wrestling champion Angel Escobedo placed second Saturday in the 55-kilogram (121-pound) weight class at the 2013 United States World Team Trials in Stillwater, Okla.Escobedo, now based out of Columbus, Ohio, and representing the New York Athletic Club, lost two consecutive matches in the best-of-three finals to former Lock Haven and Oklahoma State wrestler Obe Blanc, both by decision. Blanc defeated Escobedo in the finals of the same tournament in 2010.By Saturday evening, he took to Twitter acknowledging the loss, writing, “I just want to be the best in the world. A loss won’t stop me from reaching that goal. Just thankful God let me compete today.”Escobedo is IU’s most recent national champion in wrestling, taking the crown at 125 pounds as a sophomore in 2008. The native of Griffith, Ind., was an All-American in each of his four seasons at IU and won the Big Ten title at his weight three times.— Max McCombs
(06/17/13 1:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In the process of leading his team to a second-place finish at the vaunted NBPA Top 100 camp Thursday through Sunday in Charlottesville, Va., IU basketball commit James Blackmon Jr. came away with an accolade of his own.Blackmon, currently the only commit in IU’s 2014 recruiting haul, was named to the all-tournament roster after averaging 10 points per game in helping his team, the Mavericks, to a championship game loss to the Celtics.With teams comprised of top players from the 2014-16 classes, Blackmon’s teammates included players committed to North Carolina, Kentucky and one who may join him in Indiana’s cream and crimson, 2014 five-star forward Leron Black.In the camp, each player typically plays half of each 48-minute game resulting in a lack of high-scoring averages. Teams typically utilize five-for-five substitution patterns on a quarterly basis.Blackmon recently transferred from the Ft. Wayne Bishop Luers to Marion High School for his senior season. His father, a former Kentucky player, was named head coach at Marion.He has been commited to the Hoosiers since Sept. 3. 2010. IU is also recruiting Blackmon’s younger brother, Vijay, and has offered him a scholarship.
(05/22/13 4:14pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Theo Pinson, considered among IU's top recruiting targets for the 2014 recruiting class opted Wednesday to stick with the hometown team, committing to North Carolina in a ceremony at his school.The 6-foot-5 wing from High Point, N.C., who has drawn comparison to former Hoosier and like NBA lottery pick Victor Oladipo, made his announcement just after noon. From the moment the announcement time was set several days prior, general speculation had Pinson heading to Bloomington.IU, after all, was the only school to receive an official visit from Pinson out of a field of suitors that also included Duke, Louisville and Georgetown, among others.However, word on the twittersphere began to point increasingly toward the Tar Heels as the announcement approached. By Wednesday morning, there were numerous reports that Pinson would stay home.Pinson is a five-star recruit ranked No. 15 nationally for the 2014 class by rivals.com. With only a pair of seniors on next season's squad, IU will have two open scholarships for the 2014-15 season. One is set to be filled by Marion, Ind. guard James Blackmon Jr., an IU commit since his freshman year of high school.
(05/17/13 9:21pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Former IU guard Remy Abell will transfer to Xavier, he announced Friday afternoon.Abell settled on the Musketeers after narrowing his options to Xavier, Saint Louis and St. Mary's. The latter was essentially eliminated from contention earlier in the week when Abell canceled his visit there.Abell will sit out the coming season, then have two years of eligibility remaining.In two years at IU, the Louisville, Ky. native averaged 3.5 points per game. He announced his plans to transfer April 13, citing a desire for more playing time.Fellow guard Maurice Creek will also transfer, though he has yet to announce a destination.IU welcomed a transfer of its own Wednesday when former Arizona State guard Evan Gordon announced he would play his final college season at IU.Abell is the second Hoosier to transfer to Xavier in recent years. Jordan Crawford transferred in 2008 in the aftermath of former IU Coach Kelvin Sampson's firing.This story will be updated.
(05/17/13 5:05pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Police have arrested two people in the case of a robbery and strangulation that occurred Wednesday afternoon at a Motel 6 on North Walnut Street, Bloomington Police Department Sgt. Joe Crider said.Bennie Wesley Ferguson and Amanda Jo Biggs were arrested after allegedly robbing a 46-year old man who had called an escort service requesting a woman come to his room at the motel.The man said that when the man answered the door, Biggs and Ferguson rushed into the room. Ferguson put the man in a headlock until the victim lost consciousness. When he awoke, his wallet with roughly $300 in cash, key fob and two cell phones were gone.One cell phone was returned to police by Biggs. The other has yet to be recovered.A BPD detective was given the name of the website used to request the escort by the victim. An ad for a woman of the site was identified by the victim as the woman he called. Police cross-referenced the number to that of Biggs.She initially denied involvement when interviewed by police, saying she went to the motel but was given the wrong room number. She later recanted, though, and admitted that she had gone to the motel on the pretense of performing sexual favors but with an intent to rob the victim.She also told police that she went with a man known only to her as "Big G," later determined to be Ferguson.Ferguson told police he was contacted by police to assist in robbing the man of his money. He said Biggs picked him up at the bus terminal at Fourth and Washington streets and admitted to putting the victim in a headlock.Ferguson said he was given both cell phones and the key fob. He discarded the phones separately. He also told police there was an understanding that he would receive a cut of the money, but he did not specify how much.Biggs was found with the money.The pair was remanded to jail and charged.
(05/15/13 4:45pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Rumored for nearly a week to be following in his brother's footsteps, former Arizona State guard Evan Gordon announced via Twitter Wednesday morning his intentions to transfer to IU for his final season of eligibility."I have decided to become a Hoosier this coming season," Gordon tweeted shortly after news of his decision began to trickle onto social media.As a graduate student planning to study in IU's Sports Administration program, Gordon will be eligible to play next season.“We are excited to have Evan Gordon join our University and our program," IU Coach Tom Crean said. "Evan has been a productive and proven player throughout his college career. He can score, he makes his teammates better and is a clutch player. Defensively, his physical strength and speed have helped him be a strong individual and team defender. Evan will bring leadership, a work ethic and seriousness that will help make our program better.”He is the younger brother of former Hoosier and current New Orleans Pelican Eric Gordon Jr. IU is also recruiting a third brother, Eron Gordon, a freshman at North Central High School in Indianapolis who already boasts offers from IU, Purdue, ASU and Nebraska. Their father, Eric Gordon Sr., played at Liberty.Eron Gordon took part this past weekend in the adidas May Classic in Bloomington. Evan Gordon was in attendance while also visiting IU that weekend. He visited Butler Monday and Tuesday before making his decision.IU will be the third college Gordon will suit up for. He played two seasons at Liberty, leading the Flames in scoring as a sophomore with 14.4 points, before transferring to ASU and sitting out a season. In his lone season, he averaged 10.1 points and saw field goal percentages increase both overall and from 3-point range.Listed at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds by ASU, Gordon is expected to provide another experienced ballhandler to pair with rising sophomore guard Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell and help assuage the loss of four guards from last season's roster.IU had an open scholarship following the transfer of guard Maurice Creek. In all, seven scholarship players from this past season's IU team are gone.Eric Gordon Jr. also took to Twitter not long after his brother's announcement."Congrats to my bro @EvanGordon10 for making a tough decision for his final year. Hoosier nation show him some love! #iubb"
(05/09/13 8:44pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Idalene “Idie” Kesner will be elevated to dean of the Kelley School of Business pending approval from the Board of Trustees. She has served as dean in an interim capacity since October 2012 and was recommended for the full-time position Thursday by Provost Lauren Robel.She is an IU graduate and earned both a Master’s degree and Ph.D from IU. Her undergraduate studies were at Southern Methodist University.“Being selected as the dean of the Kelley School is an honor of a lifetime for me,” Kesner said. “As a graduate of the school, I can say with certainty that the successes I have had throughout my career are attributable to the great education and countless opportunities afforded to me by the Kelley School and its alumni network of nearly 100,000 living alums.”Prior to her interim post, Kesner was the associate dean of faculty and research and the Frank P. Popoff Chair of Strategic Management. She has been at IU since 1995 when she arrived from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.“The university conducted a thorough national search for a new dean at the Kelley School, commensurate with its reputation as one of the finest business schools in the world, and Idie Kesner was a clear and compelling choice for the role,” IU President Michael McRobbie said. “Idie is an internationally recognized business scholar and a renowned teacher who has played several vital leadership roles at Kelley during her 18 years at the school.”If approved, Kesner will replace Dan Smith, who left the school after seven years to lead the IU Foundation.“I know Dr. Kesner quite well,” Jonlee Andrews, clinical professor at the Kelley School of Business, said. “She will bring new energy to the School. Her focus on building awareness and understanding of the Kelley brand among prospective students and employers will help us to continue to maintain our strong reputation.”A 14-person search committee reviewed a number of applications before selecting Kesner.“Faculty, staff, students and alumni on both the Bloomington and IUPUI campuses were involved in engaging the finalists on their vision for the school,” Robel said. “Idie’s selection reflects her superlative capabilities and credentials, and I am delighted to pass on the committee’s recommendation to the trustees.”Matthew Auer, dean of the Hutton Honors College and School of Public and Environmental Affairs professor, led the search committee and echoed Robel’s sentiment.“The pool of candidates was outstanding, which shouldn’t be surprising because Kelley’s reputation is so strong,” Auer said. “Idie Kesner is quintessentially prepared for this job. She is superbly accomplished and is going to do amazing things for Kelley.”
(04/24/13 9:22pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Fewer than half of IU’s scholarship players from this past season will return for the 2013-14 campaign. IU Coach Tom Crean announced Wednesday in a press release that rising-senior guard Maurice Creek will not return to IU and instead seek a transfer to a school where he can get more playing time.“Maurice and his family have decided to pursue an opportunity where he can find the type of role that would provide him the minutes he desires and is accustomed to,” Crean said in the press release.Creek, with a 7.2 career scoring average in 54 games with IU, will graduate in May and be immediately eligible for a final season with his new team.With Creek’s departure, there are now no remaining members of the six-man 2009 IU recruiting class still on the team. Two transferred within the first two seasons while three exhausted their eligibility as seniors this year.Creek has a remaining season of eligibility after earning a medical redshirt due to injuries.The Oxon Hill, Md. native was among the most ballyhooed of the group when they arrived as freshmen, and perhaps first to emerge as a significant contributor.He led the team with a 17.6 scoring average through 12 games including 31 against then-No. 4 Kentucky. Three games later, however, in a 90-42 trouncing of Bryant, Creek suffered a season-ending left knee injury.He would again suffer a season-ending injury the next season. In 2011-12, he was injured before the season began and missed the entire year, resulting in his medical redshirt.Creek returned this season, though, playing through the season and reaching the postseason. He averaged 1.8 points in 7.8 minutes per game — highlighted by nine points against Ball State Nov. 25.He also became a father that month with the birth of his daughter Nyla Marie Creek.“In all my time as a coach, I have never witnessed someone overcoming the adversity that Maurice had sustained during his time,” Crean said in the release. “His attitude, ability to continue to work and his passion for the game of basketball have never wavered. He has been an integral part of our basketball family and will always remain that in our eyes and should also in the eyes of Hoosier Nation.”Creek’s exodus leaves IU with just six of the 13 scholarship players it began the 2012-13 season with. In addition to three graduating seniors, guard Remy Abell is also transferring, while forward Cody Zeller and guard Victor Oladipo have declared for the NBA Draft. Senior forward Will Sheehey and junior forward Austin Etherington are the only upperclassmen slated to return.That leaves IU with more than enough scholarships for its six-player 2013 recruiting class.While a walk-on player could be elevated to scholarship status as guard Daniel Moore was for the 2011-12 season, the potential now exists for IU to add a seventh member to the 2013 class.The Hoosiers were heavily linked to New Jersey point guard Jaren Sina before the one-time Northwestern commit recently pledged to Seton Hall.Another possibility would be a one-year transfer player who has graduated with eligibility remaining and is seeking a new home for a final season.It is the same scenario Creek finds himself in.“I want to thank Hoosier Nation for their support during my four years at IU,” Creek said in the press release. “I am grateful that Coach Crean gave me the opportunity to come to Indiana University. As much as anyone, he has helped me turn from a boy into a man. I feel like I would have a better opportunity for more playing time at another school where I can be eligible right away.”
(04/11/13 4:07am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In the same spot where, 24 hours earlier, Victor Oladipo ended his IU career with labored posture and heavy breathing, Cody Zeller painted a different picture Wednesday afternoon.The sophomore forward laughed and joked as he sat at the makeshift press conference with IU Coach Tom Crean. Crean even joined in with some wisecracks, and Oladipo smiled off to the side as he sat next to a tweeting Assistant Coach Kenny Johnson.The result was the same, though.Zeller’s days in cream and crimson are finished, as he announced his plans to skip his final two seasons of eligibility and join his two older brothers, Luke and Tyler, in the NBA.“The past two years have been probably the best two years of my life, made possible by these coaches, the guys in the locker room, the fans of Indiana, the students, the people of Bloomington,” Zeller said. “It’s been a great two years, but at this point in my life, I think it’s best for me to pursue my dream of playing in the NBA.”While Oladipo said he did not know he was leaving until the recent season’s end, Zeller admitted he knew from the start that this year could be his swan song.“After a while, you just kind of know,” Zeller said. “I kind of knew, barring injury or anything drastic, that this might be my last year, so I was enjoying every last minute of it. There was kind of a sense of closure with playing my game at Assembly Hall and playing my last tournament.“I definitely left everything out there that I had, put everything into each practice and each game. I just kind of knew over time.”While the weight of the decision had shown through in Oladipo the day before, Zeller seemed carefree, even cheerful, Wednesday, showing none of the exhaustion that Oladipo displayed. Pondering his legacy at IU, Zeller left it open-ended with a joke about the media.“I guess that’s up to you guys.”Zeller, whose speedy progression through the Kelley School of Business has been noted in the past, is 35 credits away from a degree. He will complete his degree during the course of two summers, first taking the 14-credit I-CORE, then 15 credits the following summer. He will take six credits online.As Zeller began to discuss the importance of academics to him — both of his brothers spent four years in college and earned degrees — Crean jumped in. He apologized, but with a smile, noted “I don’t get to interrupt him much more,” then complimented Zeller’s commitment to his studies.Zeller averaged 16.5 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game this season. All led the team and were improvements from his freshman campaign.Zeller said he came back this year largely to be part of the final ride with this year’s seniors, “the guys I’m closest to,” as he put it.Zeller plans to work out with Oladipo as the pair prepares for the draft. Like his teammate, he has not yet hired an agent. As with Oladipo, Zeller has received feedback indicating he will be a lottery pick, Crean said.Even with Oladipo and Zeller gone, IU remains oversigned by one, necessitating at least one player slated for next year’s squad to leave the team. A player could transfer, a recruit might not make it to campus or another player could choose to leave eligibility on the table for whatever reason.Yet Crean is already looking ahead at the long-term picture, one in which he anticipates more players earning opportunities to leave early. As the press conference closed, he promised there would not be another sequel today.“We will not be here tomorrow, ’cause I’m going recruiting.”
(04/10/13 4:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Junior guard Victor Oladipo walked onto Branch McCracken Court once more Tuesday afternoon, but it was different this time.He wore sweats, not the cream and crimson jersey he had for three years.He sat next to IU Coach Tom Crean at a table set up at half-court, surrounded by a backdrop and speakers, not his teammates. Assistant coaches stood off in the distance.He did not enter to the roar of a crowd and Chuck Crabb’s voice over the loudspeaker. He did not skip around offering handshakes and fist bumps to opponents. He was not minutes away from nabbing a nimble steal or uncorking a thundering dunk before the Assembly Hall fans.Those days are done.As had been widely speculated, Oladipo announced Tuesday that he will forego his final season of collegiate eligibility at IU and enter the 2013 NBA Draft.“It’s been an honor to play here in Indiana, to grow as a human being, as a man and as a basketball player, but I will be growing and going on and entering the NBA Draft,” Oladipo said. “It’s an honor. To be an Indiana Hoosier means so much to me, and I will always be an Indiana Hoosier. This is my home. I love this place.”The junior guard and his coach spoke at length for a half hour about where he has come from and where he is going, Oladipo’s breathing heavy as the microphone amplified it.He did not crack jokes — except to say he likely would have sung at his senior speech — or even much of a smile, a departure from the freewheeling Oladipo normally at home in a press conference.Oladipo — the first IU player to enter the draft early since Eric Gordon in 2008 — has yet to hire an agent, but Crean said that process will begin shortly.Mere months ago, such an announcement would have been unthinkable, even for Oladipo himself. He said he heard the predictions — which saw him go from a fringe-second rounder before the season to a potential top-five pick today — but he paid them little mind.Crean said they have heard no recent predictions that have Oladipo slipping out of the lottery range — the top 14 picks — in the draft.“I was hearing stuff and I was realizing that I had a good chance of getting to the NBA, but I was just focused on Indiana and wearing them candy stripes that I wasn’t really worried about anything else until the end of the year,” Oladipo said. “It seemed like the best decision was to go.”To Crean, though, this was no surprise. He said he knew as early as last season that Oladipo would have this opportunity.The general public, though, did not. A 3-star recruit ranked No. 144 nationally in the 2010 class by Rivals.com, he arrived without the hoopla of most future lottery picks.Oladipo’s scoring, rebounding and steals rose every year at IU, culminating in averages of 13.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game. He took home multiple player-of-the-year honors and made numerous first-team All-American teams.In what Crean predicted as a rarity for early entrants, Oladipo will have his degree by the time he is drafted, graduating in May after only three years in college. He said having that accomplished did make his decision easier.Oladipo’s teammate, sophomore forward Cody Zeller, will make his own announcement Wednesday regarding his future at IU.After a half hour, Oladipo stood up, quiet and still staring into the distance, the weight of his decision still evident in his posture. Before he was fully upright, though, Crean extended a quick hand, and the player and coach shared one final handshake.“Victor epitomizes, to me, what it is to have someone who deserves to have those options in his life,” Crean said. “He has truly, truly earned those. He didn’t have them handed to him. They weren’t bestowed upon him. They weren’t entitled to him. He went out and took them.”
(04/01/13 3:01am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As much as the scribes at the Indiana Daily Student can try to put the recently completed IU season into words, no one had a better view of it than the players and coaches themselves.Here are a few of the season’s big moments as described by the team:“It felt great just going out there and distributing the ball to those guys, just watching them score. It was a great feeling, and this win was just good for us.”- Freshman guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell after season-opening 97-54 win against Bryant Nov. 9“This was going to be an epic battle, and we haven’t been in a lot of those in November, but we were ready for one and so was Georgetown. I think that everybody that played tonight absolutely left it out there. We certainly didn’t play great — there is not one area that I could look at and say we were dominant in that area — but we kept getting better. There is a lot of room for improvement, and I think I would be nervous if it was in November and there wasn’t.”- IU Coach Tom Crean after 82-72 overtime win against Georgetown No. 20 in Progressive Legends Classic at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.“Our players are resilient. I think when they walked in the door, even last spring, they signed up for a marathon not a sprint. We are continuing on with the same process to make sure we maximize each individual day. That is our goal. It has never been about trying to have perfection in December.”- Assistant Coach Kenny Johnson on Dec. 18, three days after IU’s first loss of the season, 88-86 against Butler in Close the Gap Crossroads Classic in Indianapolis.“I think we are very prepared for the league to start. The coaches do a great job of working us every day. We’re getting better every single day. The Big Ten is a great conference with a lot of good teams. We’re going to have to perform every single night, so that is what we’re going to focus on.”- Senior guard Jordan Hulls on Dec. 30, the day before opening Big Ten play at Iowa.“I feel good, but at the same time I know there’s a lot of stuff we need to work on. There are big games down the road. We have to watch this tape and see what happened in the second half, what we did wrong and correct it. There’s really good teams that are coming up and we need to be ready for them.”- Junior guard Victor Oladipo after Jan. 12 88-81 home win against Minnesota in which IU nearly gave up 23-point halftime lead.“I think when we see the film it wasn’t as much them as it was us. They played really well and I’m not taking anything away from the way they played, but we missed shots, especially the open ones, and we didn’t guard the dribble the way we needed too. That’s how they got the win.”- Crean on Jan. 15 after 64-59 loss to Wisconsin at home, IU’s first loss at Assembly Hall.“It is kind of neat because IU has had so many great teams over the years and to be the biggest win, it’s always nice to be part of history, and there’s always a little extra here at Purdue.”- Sophomore forward Cody Zeller Jan. 30 after 97-60 win at Purdue, the Boilermakers’ worst home loss in school history.“Obviously when we started here it wasn’t like Gameday was on the horizon anytime soon. The program worked its way to have this to be a place where they wanted to go. I thought they had a great day here, but I think it’s a huge honor for us to have something like this, but I also think it’s well-earned not only by the program but by our fans. We didn’t want there to be anything that they didn’t see, but the bottom line was how we played from 9 to 11 tonight.”- Crean on Feb. 2 after 81-73 win against No. 1 Michigan. ESPN’s College Gameday broadcasted from Assembly Hall that morning.“I just want to win. It is my last time going up there. We’ve got a good game plan, and we’ve got to stick with that. It’s definitely going to be a hyped-up game. It’s exciting to play in that environment.”- Hulls on Feb. 18, a day before IU’s 72-68 road win against Michigan State, its first win in East Lansing, Mich. since 1991.“We earned that right. Obviously, we didn’t like to lose, but we did earn the right to cut down the nets. We’re happy with that, but we definitely would have liked to have won.”- Hulls after IU’s 67-58 home loss to Ohio State on Senior Night March 5. Despite the loss, the team cut down the nets after clinching a share of the conference title.“I join IU fans around the world in congratulating Coach Tom Crean and the men’s basketball team on winning its first outright Big Ten championship in 20 years. Basketball has a special place in the hearts of Hoosiers everywhere, and the resurgence of the basketball program under Coach Crean and players such as our senior leaders Jordan Hulls, Christian Watford and Derek Elston is a source of great pride for the University.”- IU President Michael McRobbie on March 10 after IU clinched the outright conference title with a 72-71 road win at Michigan.“They have been trying to slow it down on us all year. We always want to speed up the pace, and you know, with our pressure, if we are getting after them on the defensive end, getting deflections, then that’s how we want to play. We didn’t do enough of that and enough to speed up the pace tonight, which is why we got beat.”- Zeller on March 16 after IU’s 68-56 loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten tournament semi-finals.“It’s been full of ups and downs, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I love my teammates, and I’m happy to be an Indiana Hoosier at the end of the day.”- Senior forward Christian Watford after IU’s season ending 61-50 Sweet 16 loss to Syracuse Thursday that ended his career.
(04/01/13 2:59am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With IU stalwarts Derek Elston, Jordan Hulls and Christian Watford graduating, the IU lineup will look noticeably different next season with at least two new starters.The question becomes just how different.Both sophomore forward Cody Zeller and junior forward Victor Oladipo are considered likely lottery picks in the NBA Draft if they enter it this year.There is also the matter of new faces on next year’s squad.IU has a six-man recruiting class headed to Bloomington for next season, meaning six scholarships must be cleared up for the new freshmen. Departing seniors will account for half that number, but at least three other players from this team must leave to make room.Either Zeller or Oladipo leaving early would help in that regard, but even if both left, IU would still need another spot to open up another way. Someone else could leave early for the draft, though that appears unlikely.Some have speculated that perhaps junior guard Maurice Creek would forego his final season of eligibility. A member of the same 2009 class as the departing seniors, injuries largely derailed his career after a stellar start to his freshman season.Another possibility would be a transfer from a current player in search of more playing time in a new situation. Sophomore forward Austin Etherington and freshman center Peter Jurkin, both of whom dealt with injuries this season, have been speculated as candidates.Either way, at least six spots must open up and maybe more. The weekend also brought news that IU may look to add a seventh player to its 2013 recruiting class.New Jersey point guard Jaren Sina was once committed to Alabama and later signed with Northwestern. However, the Wildcats’ coaching change led to Sina reopening his recruitment, and IU has emerged as a possibility.There is also the possibility of one or more of the six freshmen, all of whom have already signed binding letters of intent, not making it to campus. Two IU signees under Crean, 2010 junior college center Guy-Marc Michel and 2012 guard Ron Patterson ultimately never suited up for IU.Michel was hindered by eligibility clock questions, while poor grades troubled Patterson, who went to prep school and is now slated to attend Syracuse next year. Neither appears likely to be an issue for anyone in the six-man class.With all these factors, there are a number of possible lineups the team could field next season.
(03/29/13 5:22am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>History did not repeat itself Thursday evening, at least not the history IU wanted.There was no last-minute jumper to defeat Syracuse like in 1987.There was no Sweet Sixteen comeback from a double-digit deficit as there was in 2002 against Duke.There will be no sixth banner. Not this year.Instead, IU lost its fourth consecutive game to Syracuse, the vaunted Syracuse zone defense working nearly to a fault as 12 first-half turnovers put IU in an ever-deepening hole. IU never tunneled out, falling 61-50 in a Sweet Sixteen matchup in Washington, D.C.“We had a heck of a ride with this group,” IU Coach Tom Crean said.With an Elite Eight berth at stake, only five Hoosiers scored, and just junior guard Victor Oladipo shot better than 50 percent from the field. He led IU with 16 points.Poor shooting, a typical hallmark of IU losses, was the case again Thursday, as the team shot just 16-of-48 and a paltry 3-of-15 from 3-point range.IU took an aggressive tact from the get-go, while Syracuse’s length and athleticism was on full display.Yet each team had fairly little to show for it. With IU encountering several bodies with each drive up the lane — often resulting in fouls — and Syracuse missing several open looks, the game entered the first media timeout with IU trailing 4-3, all points coming from the foul line.Coming out of that first stoppage, though, the Orange hit stride, building a 9-0 total run to lead 11-3.Rangy Syracuse point guard Michael Carter-Williams was on freshman guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell from the moment the Hoosier crossed midcourt on each possession, if not sooner. Ferrell had a pair of quick turnovers and the IU offense as a whole was unable to build any manner of momentum.Carter-Williams was a nearly impossible matchup for IU all evening, its smaller guards simply unable to keep pace with his longer stride and quick hands. He finished with a team-leading 24 points and four steals.IU did not convert its first field goal until 6:12 into the game when sophomore guard Remy Abell, fresh off the bench, drove for a layup.Meanwhile the turnovers continued, regardless of how deep on the bench Crean went. Ferrell led with four, but Oladipo had three as well.It was not simply that IU was turning the ball over, costing itself shot attempts, though. Even when the Hoosiers managed to get a shot off, successful shots were few and far between. Meanwhile, Syracuse gradually pulled away, the lead reaching as many as 18 points.With no turnovers in the half’s last 4:42, IU mounted a late run, pulling within 11 points before settling for the 12-point halftime margin. Prior to Thursday, IU had not trailed by more than three at halftime this season.IU’s newfound momentum carried over to the second stanza, as it began the period on a 7-0 run, utilizing its fast break so as not to allow the Orange zone to even set up. The deficit was quickly cut to six, ultimately the closest margin of the half.Syracuse’s offense did not stay stagnant long, though, and the time allowed by made baskets for the zone defense to set up in turn slowed down the Hoosier offense. About eight minutes into the half, the Syracuse lead was back up to 12 and Oladipo sat on the bench with an apparent ankle injury from diving out of bounds.Even when the junior returned, the Orange continued to slowly pull back out of reach. IU never wavered from its game plan on offense, sending the ball down low at every opportunity, forcing plays at times.Yet no matter which Hoosier had the post, no shot went uncontested. Three different players posted at least two blocks for the Orange on their way to 10 overall.When IU attempted one last run, it was not through post play. A 3-pointer by senior forward Christian Watford, in his final college game, pulled IU within 10 points at 56-46 with 3:40 remaining.It was as close as IU would get, Syracuse salting away the game with free throws and its suffocating zone defense.With about 30 seconds left, Crean inserted senior forward Derek Elston, a symbolic move that put the team’s three seniors — three players who had keyed IU’s return to relevance in the past four years — on the floor together one last time.Thursday evening, they could not finish what they started.
(03/29/13 2:54am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>History did not repeat itself Thursday evening, at least not the history IU wanted.There was no last-minute jumper to defeat Syracuse like in 1987.There was no Sweet Sixteen comeback from a double-digit deficit as there was in 2002 against Duke.There will be no sixth banner, not this year.Instead, IU lost its fourth consecutive game to Syracuse, the vaunted Syracuse zone defense working nearly to a fault as 12 first half turnovers put IU in an ever-deepening hole. IU never tunneled out but fell 61-50 in a Sweet Sixteen matchup in Washington, D.C.With an Elite Eight berth at stake, only five Hoosiers scored, and just junior guard Victor Oladipo shot better than 50 percent from the field. He led IU with 16 points.IU took an aggressive tact from the get-go, while Syracuse’s length and athleticism was on full display.Yet each team had fairly little to show for it. With IU encountering several bodies with each drive up the lane—often resulting in fouls—and Syracuse missing several open looks, the game entered the first media timeout with IU trailing 4-3, all points coming from the foul line.Coming out of that first stoppage, though, the Orange hit stride, building 9-0 total run to lead 11-3.Rangy Syracuse point guard Michael Carter-Williams was on freshman guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell from the moment the Hoosier crossed midcourt on each possession, if not sooner. Ferrell had a pair of quick turnovers and the IU offense as a whole was unable to build any manner of momentum.IU did not convert its first field goal until 6:12 into the game when a fresh-off-the-bench sophomore guard Remy Abell drove for a layup.It would take nearly as long for a second, with Oladipo scoring on breakaway dunk more than halfway through the first half that only brought IU within seven.Meanwhile the turnovers continued, regardless of how deep on the bench IU Coach Tom Crean went. Ferrell led with four, but Oladipo had three as well.It was not simply that IU was turning the ball over, costing itself shot attempts, though. Even when the Hoosiers managed to get a shot off, successful shots were few and far between. IU was 7-of-19 in the half from the field, including 1-of-7 from 3-point range.Meanwhile, Syracuse gradually pulled away, the lead reaching as many as 18 points. With defense breeding offense and no turnovers in the half’s last 4:42, IU mounted a late run, pulling within 11 points before settling for the 12-point halftime margin. Prior to Thursday, IU had not trailed by more than three points at halftime this season.Despite the break, IU’s newfound momentum carried over to the second stanza, starting the period on a 7-0 run and utilizing its fast break so as not to allow the Orange zone to even set up. The deficit was quickly cut to six.Syracuse’s offense did not stay stagnant long, though, and the time allowed by made baskets for the zone defense to set up in turn slowed down the Hoosier offense.Just more than eight minutes into the half, the Syracuse lead was back up to 12 and Oladipo sat on the bench with an apparent ankle injury from diving out of bounds.Even when the junior returned, the Orange continued to slowly pull back out of reach. IU never wavered from its game plan on offense, sending the ball down low at every opportunity, forcing plays at times.Yet no matter which Hoosier had the post, no shot went uncontested. Three different players posted at least two blocks for the Orange on their way to 10 overall.When IU tried to make one last run, it was not thanks to post play. A 3-pointer by senior forward Christian Watford, in his final college game, pulled IU within 10 points at 56-46 with 3:40 remaining.It was as close as IU would get, Syracuse salting away the game with its suffocating zone and free throws.With about 30 seconds left, Crean inserted senior forward Derek Elston, a symbolic move that put the team’s three seniors—three players who had keyed IU’s return to relevance in the past four years—on the floor together one last time. Thursday, though, they could not finish what they started.
(03/28/13 3:59am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Indiana and Syracuse may be forever linked in the history books by a certain shot in 1987, but tonight brings the chance for each team to write a new chapter.The Hoosiers and Orange meet for the first time since a 76-63 Syracuse win in 1998 with an Elite Eight berth on the line between two programs doused in history. Tipoff is at roughly 9:45 p.m. EST at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.All postseason long, IU players and coaches have praised the Big Ten and the many styles of play they saw during the conference season. However, Syracuse brings something that even the Big Ten may not have truly prepared them for.“Syracuse is unique because they’re so long and athletic,” sophomore forward Cody Zeller said. “They obviously play the zone defense that we haven’t seen as much this year. I don’t know if there is one team or players to make the comparison to, but we definitely got our work cut out for us. It’s what they’re known for, and it’s going to be tough for us.”A departure from the one-man show of Khalif Wyatt for Temple against IU on Sunday, Syracuse sports a balanced offensive attack. Four players are in double figures, all within 2.7 points, from 14.5 to 11.8 points per contest.The balance extends to the glass, where the Orange averages 38.7 boards per game — slightly more than IU’s mark of 38.4 — despite having no player averaging more than forward C.J. Fair’s 6.9.Against Temple, senior guard Jordan Hulls injured his shoulder and wore a brace for most of the second half. Junior forward Will Sheehey was hit in the head. Both appeared fine during an open practice Wednesday in Washington. Hulls did not wear the support brace.“Shoulder is good,” Hulls said. “Once it got loose, I was able to shoot well. The doctors are doing a great job of getting me back in shape, feeling good.”The two teams are linked by more than just the championship game 26 years ago.Orange freshman Jerami Grant was a high school teammate of junior guard Victor Oladipo while former IU signee Ron Patterson is now slated to join Syracuse in the fall.The connection with perhaps the most bearing on tonight’s contest, though, is IU Coach Tom Crean, who brings three years of experience coaching against Syracuse in the Big East from his time as coach at Marquette.Post players such as Zeller, the likes of which he did not have at Marquette, Crean said he has more options in attacking Syracuse’s signature zone defense.“We didn’t necessarily have the low post ability,” Crean said. “It allows you to be a little bit more creative. I don’t think you can look at that zone and think you’re going to beat it any one way, but I don’t think you can look at the zone and think you can stand around and pass the ball around the perimeter, either. That is a recipe for defeat.”As IU seeks to eclipse its postseason success of last season and reach the Elite Eight for the first time since the 2002 NCAA finals run, the Hoosiers are in Washington, rather than the closer location of Indianapolis that was expected for much of the season.Zeller said he is not worried, though, and for players such as Oladipo and junior guard Maurice Creek, Washington is actually closer to home.“My family has been fortunate to come out and watch me play, because they live so close,” Oladipo said. “I’m looking forward to playing with my teammates and coming out and playing Indiana basketball at a high level.”
(03/25/13 4:34am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>DAYTON, Ohio — Since he was Temple’s leading scorer by nearly nine points entering Sunday’s game, IU knew the man they would have to stop was Owls’ guard, Khalif Wyatt.It was easier said than done.To an extent, IU never stopped him. It slowed him down, but he still notched 31 points.What the Hoosiers did do, however, was keep any other Owls from factoring in on the scoreboard. Wyatt scored 31 of Temple’s 52 points as a late surge put IU in back-to-back Sweet 16s for the first time since 1994.“It really became more about, if he can’t catch it, he can’t shoot it, so let’s do everything we can do from the very beginning to not let him get it,” IU Coach Tom Crean said. “And then just keep an eye on those guys and read them. He’s that good.”Excluding Wyatt, Temple shot just 9-for-38 from the field. Only one player besides Wyatt, forward Anthony Lee, even reached his season scoring average.Perhaps no player was more flummoxed by IU’s defense than starting Owl guard Scootie Randall.Playing in his last ever college game, the graduate student went 0-for-12 from the field, including 0-for-6 from 3-point range. His three points all came on free throws.It seemed as if Randall epitomized the offensive ineptitude of Wyatt’s supporting cast Sunday afternoon.“It’s one of those things that happens,” Temple Coach Fran Dunphy said. “He tried his very best. Sometimes you try too hard.”Even with the lack of firepower from other sources, though, the Owls remained in the game. Wyatt simply carried them on his shoulders, especially in the first half.It was evident from the get-go that the Owl offense would run through Wyatt, perhaps even more than usual.He put his team on the board early with a drive right through the lane against a much larger defender — senior forward Christian Watford.He would score Temple’s first seven points, but this one-man show looked to be insufficient against an early IU lead that would build to 18-9.With the score at 20-11 and IU threatening to break away, Temple — or more specifically, Wyatt — launched a 13-4 run to knot the score at 24. Through shots ranging from mid-range jumpers to free throws, layups to 3-pointers, Wyatt accounted for all 13 points on the run that threw momentum on Temple’s side.“I was just being aggressive,” Wyatt said. “My teammates kept coming to me, and I was just being aggressive.”All told, Wyatt scored 20 of Temple’s first 24 points as whispers began of a possible run at Austin Carr’s single-game NCAA tournament scoring record of 61.“He plays at his own pace, and nothing, nothing speeds him up,” junior guard Victor Oladipo said. “It doesn’t matter who you put on him. He’s going to play at the same pace. That’s why he’s such a good guard. He does a great job of creating space for himself and getting his angles to the rim.”Held to just two points in the game’s next 12 and a half minutes, extending into the second half, it appeared for a time that IU had finally solved Wyatt’s Paul Pierce-like versatility.IU employed a variety of defenders on him, from Oladipo as his primary defender to players ranging from sophomore guard Remy Abell to sophomore forward Cody Zeller.“I wasn’t the only one who was guarding him, so credit to (junior forward) Will Sheehey, Remy Abell. Christian (Watford) got on him a few times, even Cody was on him — just throwing different bodies at him,” Oladipo said. “It’s not a one man show. Without my teammates, we couldn’t have slowed him down.”Yet Wyatt was not quite done in the second half, hitting two jumpers in 34 seconds to push the Owl lead to six and a 3-pointer minutes later break a tie. But the furious Hoosier comeback required a consistency from Wyatt and his teammates that simply never materialized.Wyatt made pair of free throws with 3:09 remaining that put Temple up 52-48. Perhaps fittingly, though, those would be Temple’s final scores of the game, his teammates unable to pick up where Wyatt left off.Wyatt’s outburst should not have been unexpected for the Hoosiers. Sunday marked the seventh and final game of his senior season in which Wyatt scored at least 30 points.“In the first half, I was letting him catch it easy and just letting him have a comfort game,” Oladipo said. “He was comfortable. In the second half, we kind of limited his touches and made it hard for him to even move.”
