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(04/13/07 4:00am)
When it comes to hitting, IU coach Tracy Smith knows his team can do better.\n“It better,” Smith said in regards to his team’s need to pick up its offensive play. “The guys know they’re better than what they’re performing. It’s just a matter going out and taking a deep breath, go out and do what you do.”\nThe Hoosiers, who have been a riding a roller coaster of .500 baseball so far this season, will travel to West Lafayette this weekend to play a four-game set against Purdue. \nMost recently, the Hoosiers have come off an 8-1 loss to Evansville on Tuesday, which came after a sweep of Northwestern in a double-header Monday.\n“Our consistency comes with staying with the right approach and staying positive about things,” freshman second baseman Evan Crawford said. “You got to take the losses, but you can’t accept them.”\nAfter having played its last 11 games in Bloomington, with a 5-6 record in that stretch, the Hoosiers will start a road trip that will span 19 of its next 24 games. \nThe series against in-state rival Purdue will be the beginning of that road trip.\nPurdue is 13-12 on the year, losing 2-out-of-3 against Michigan State last weekend.. \nThe Boilermakers have produced plenty of offense on the year. Its top six batters are above .300, and the Boilermakers have three players with more than 10 RBIs in 25 games.\nLike the Hoosiers’ last Big Ten opponent, Northwestern, the problem for Purdue does not lie with its hitting. \nPlaying with what has been mostly a three-man rotation this year – now that Big Ten play has started, Purdue is throwing four pitchers – the Boilermakers have allowed their opponents to hit .287 and are giving up more than five runs per game.\nEven with the Hoosiers recently giving up eight runs to Evansville, the pitching has fared well most of the season. \nThe problem in some games has been giving up the big inning. \nAgainst Evansville, it was a four-run second inning. In the first game against Northwestern, sophomore Tyler Tufts gave up a five-run sixth inning.\n“You always want to win every inning,” senior shortstop Keith Haas said. “Big innings are definitely tough to come back from. But it’s baseball. I mean, it’s unpredictable, and it’s going to happen. You just have to keep staying positive, and you can’t let it get to you.”\nThis weekend, though, Smith is going to look for his team to be fundamentally sound on the offensive end to eliminate the significance of an opponent’s big inning. \n“It’s going to be the team that executes in crucial situations that gets the two-out RBI, gets the bunt down, executes the hit-and-run,” Smith said. “I think that’s going to be the difference this weekend.”
(04/09/07 4:00am)
Forty-degree weather and a cold-weather delay didn’t stop the IU baseball team from playing Northwestern on Sunday in the first of two double-headers.\nBut the weather also didn’t help the Hoosiers add to their win column.\nPlaying their second Big Ten series of the year, the Hoosiers (11-13, 1-5) dropped both games of its double-header 5-3 and 1-0 to the Wildcats (8-15, 2-4) on a chilly afternoon at Sembower Field.\n“Today is a very frustrating day,” said junior first baseman Jon Fixler. “Our pitchers did a great job in both games. When you get pitching performances like that, we should do whatever it takes to push a couple runs across.”\nThe Hoosiers did get on the board first in Game 1, though, in the bottom of the third inning. After retiring the first seven hitters to start the game, Northwestern pitcher Ryan Myers hit IU freshman left fielder Sterling Mack to give the Hoosiers their first man on base. After sophomore left fielder Chris Hervey flew out to center field, senior shortstop Keith Haas drove Mack home on a two-out single up the middle to give IU a 1-0 lead.\nIn the bottom of the fifth, the Hoosiers once again managed to take advantage of Myers. After the Wildcats pitcher walked the first two batters, Hervey roped a line drive into the gap between left and centerfield for a two-RBI double to make the score 3-0.\nAfter taking a comfortable three-run lead, sophomore pitcher Tyler Tufts began to unravel. Tufts started the top of the sixth with a groundout, but then he put two men on base with a walk and a single. With two outs, Northwestern first baseman Jake Goebbert cleared the bases on a two-run double, followed by another single to score Goebbert and tie the game at 3-3.\nThe bleeding did not stop there.\nOn a day where the wind blew to right centerfield, Northwestern right fielder Max Mann took advantage of the conditions and hit a two-run home run to culminate a five-run sixth inning for the Wildcats. Northwestern would not relinquish the lead, winning its first Big Ten game of the year.\nWhile the two teams combined for eight runs in the first half of the double-header, Game 2 provided slightly less offense as Northwestern won a 1-0 pitcher’s duel.\nIU freshman pitcher Matt Bashore continued his strong start to the year and pitched a complete game. But his team couldn’t muster any runs in the loss.\n“The pitching staff, they’ve been throwing well,” said IU coach Tracy Smith. “But you know what, you’re not going to beat anybody if you’re not scoring runs.”\nIn the bottom of the fifth, IU first baseman Brad Henke nearly put the Hoosiers on the board as his one-out triple failed to clear the fence, but IU couldn’t bring him home to break the deadlock. Northwestern did score in the following inning to take a 1-0 lead on a fielder’s choice that drove in catcher Geoff Dietz to win the game.\nThe second loss to Northwestern extended the Hoosiers losing streak to five games.\n“We’re going to fight through it, and we’ll be good to go,” Bashore said. “Just, something’s got to spark, get us going. Once it does, we’ll be good.”\nThe Hoosiers wrap up the series today against the Wildcats for their second doubleheader. The first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
(04/06/07 4:00am)
It looked as if the IU baseball team was on a roll.\nAfter winning seven games in a row – the longest winning streak under head coach Tracy Smith – the Hoosiers suffered a setback last weekend in its Big Ten opener against Michigan State. \nIU managed to squeak out a late 2-1 win in the first of four games against the Spartans \nbut then dropped the following three.\nThis weekend, the Hoosiers will look to get the ball rolling again as they play their second Big Ten set of the season. This time, they move on to a four-game series against Northwestern, with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at Sembower Field. \nThough Northwestern is still winless in the Big Ten, Smith warned his team about trying to play the way it has and still come out with a victory.\n“This league’s too good, and if you’re \nnot ready to play, then Northwestern is more than capable of beating you,” Smith said.\nThough the Hoosiers haven’t hit with much power through their first 18 games of the season, they entered last week’s contest against Michigan State playing small ball to win games. \nBut the hitting did not come around as the Hoosiers only managed to hit .232 in the four-game series.\n“I think if anything, it was more mental,” junior designated hitter Reid Briglia said of the team’s performance last weekend. “I think we \nlet up a little bit, but the way we’ve been practicing these last couple of days, we’ve really turned it up as a team.”\nSmith will look to get his Hoosiers (11-11, 1-3) on the right track against a struggling Northwestern squad. \nThe Wildcats dropped all four games in their opening Big Ten matchup against Michigan and are 6-15 on the year.\nUnlike the Hoosiers, however, Northwestern has had an abundance of offense this year.\nThe Wildcats are led by juniors Jake Owens and Antonio Mule. They are No. 1 and No. 2 in batting average, runs scored and RBIs. Owens is batting .384 on the year with 17 RBIs and 17 runs scored, while Mule is hitting .364 with 14 RBIs and three home runs. \nIU has only one home run as a team.\n“We’re not a power team, and we’ve got to do what we do well, which is move runners and steal bases and do the different things because we’re not a one-swing-of-the-bat-score-three-runs team,” Smith said.\nOn the pitching side for Northwestern, senior Dan Schwartz (2-1) leads the team with a 4.60 ERA. \nOn the other side of the diamond, the Hoosiers’ top five pitchers all have ERAs less than 4.00, and two of them – Matt Bashore and Jason Ferrell – are freshmen.\n“As I look at our hitting, yeah we struggled, but I still feel good about where we are because we pitch it,” Smith said. “If you have good pitching, you’ll always have a chance to win.”\nBut good pitching or not, the Hoosiers will need to jump-start their hitting to be effective. After a more focused week of practice, the Hoosiers believe they have fixed their mistakes and are ready to take the field, junior infielder Jon Fixler said.\n“We’re just really focused on doing what we need to do here,” Fixler said. “We feel that if we play the way we can, then we’re going to be a tough opponent, no matter who we’re playing.”
(03/30/07 4:00am)
IU coach Tracy Smith couldn’t care less about his team’s six-game winning streak. \nThose were nonconference games, yet Friday, the IU baseball team’s games begin to matter on a different level.\nNow it’s Big Ten play. \nIn their first conference games of the season, the Hoosiers host the Michigan State Spartans in a four-game series this weekend and will look to extend the longest winning streak in Smith’s time IU.\n“All this about our win streak, I go, ‘What win streak?’” Smith said. “All that matters is what goes on in the Big Ten, and I think our guys are ready to get out there.”\nHe said because the Hoosiers (10-8) played a tough nonconference schedule – highlighted by three straight losses to now-No. 1 Florida State – he is looking for the team to be better prepared against Big Ten opponents.\nThat preparation will come into play against the Spartans, who Smith said played a tough nonconference schedule this year as well. \nFollowing a 5-3 win against Bowling Green on Wednesday, Michigan State evened its record to 8-8.\n“I think they’re going to be well coached,” Smith said. “So we’ve got to bring a very sound philosophy because they’re very well disciplined. They’re going to be a lot like us, just that we haven’t had a lot of success in the Big Ten and (we) have something to prove.”\nOne of the more obvious differences between the two teams is age. \nThe Hoosiers are a younger ball club, and Smith said this could play to the their advantage because they are confident and “don’t know any better.”\n“I’m definitely going to find out real quick how important these Big Ten games are,” said catcher Josh Phegley, one of the team’s 18 freshman players.\nAlongside Phegley, freshman second baseman Evan Crawford (.391 Avg.) and freshman pitcher Matt Bashore (3-1, 1.63 ERA) are two of the other new Hoosiers who have made an immediate impact. \nStill, Smith said there is room for improvement \nSo far, IU has played small ball, pitched well and played good defense rather than relying on a power offense. Currently, the Hoosiers boast a team batting average of .277 and are averaging almost six runs per game, yet Smith is still looking for more improvement out of his offense. \nSmith would rather have more power in his offense but recognizes his team just isn’t that type of squad.\n“We’re going to be a speed, put pressure on the defense type club,” Smith said. “We can win plenty of games by not hitting long balls, but I don’t think our hitting is anywhere (near) where it needs to be right now.”\nDuring its Wednesday practice following the cancellation of its game against Xavier, eagerness embodied the team as it prepared for the weekend series against Michigan State. \nSeveral players, including senior shortstop Keith Haas, said they are ready for Big Ten season to start.\n“We’re excited and we’re excited to get started, especially at home,” Haas said. “We just want to get off on the right foot.”
(03/23/07 4:00am)
As March rolls to an end, the IU baseball team is beginning to pick up steam.\nThe Hoosiers are riding a four-game win streak it will take into a three-game series against IPFW this weekend. IU will play an IPFW team that is only 4-16 on the year but has won their last two games, scoring a total of 20 runs in the two-game stretch. \n“I keep telling the guys it doesn’t matter who we’re playing,” IU coach Tracy Smith said. “IPFW, they have been struggling, but they’ve always had a quality arm. So we’ll be focused and we’ll be concentrating on what we’re trying to do, which is take care of the baseball and quality at bats.”\nThe Hoosiers, on the other hand, played a total of eight games in Florida during spring break and lost the first four, including three to then-undefeated Florida State. Recently, though, IU regained its momentum and scored at least 10 runs in three of its last four games.\n“At Florida State, we couldn’t even buy a hit or a run,” sophomore outfielder Andrew Means said. “We just weren’t hitting in certain situations where we needed to hit. We went to North Florida and the Florida A&M games with a different mind-set, knowing we can score runs, knowing we can win the game.”\nSenior shortstop Keith Haas said he was pleased to see the team begin to score more runs during spring break but said the team’s success did not just come with power hitting.\n“We started doing some situational hitting, which obviously helps win games,” Haas said. “Just doing the little things, we’re starting to realize is very important because hitting a home run, one swing of the bat isn’t going to win games.”\nLed by Means’ strong play, the Hoosiers subsequently won their final four games of the spring break trip to even their record at 8-8. Due to his efforts in Florida, the Big Ten conference named Means their player of the week. In eight games he hit .500, going 13-26 with eight runs and eight steals.\nThe Hoosiers have also found another source of offense in junior infielder Reid Briglia. In his last eight games, Briglia hit .411 and scored six runs while driving in another four runs. On the season, Briglia is fifth on the team in hitting with a batting average of .341. \nWith Means and the rest of the offense starting to click, the Hoosiers had a setback on their pitching staff. After beginning the year with a 3.45 era and 15.2 innings pitched, good for fourth and third on the team respectively, junior Chris McCombs suffered a season ending injury. In high school, McCombs had Tommy John surgery on his throwing arm, and he re-injured the same place in his arm over spring break.\nEven with the loss to McCombs, Smith said he is pleased with the pitching to this point. When Big Ten play begins, however, he said he will need more pitchers to step up for the Hoosiers.\nFor now, the Hoosiers said their only focus is on the weekend series with IPFW. Even though the Mastadons have not played well to this point, Haas said the Hoosiers can’t take them lightly.\n“You don’t change your mentality with who you’re playing,” Haas said. “You just go out there and play as hard as you can, and we’ll hopefully get three from them this weekend.”
(03/22/07 1:33am)
As March rolls to an end, the IU baseball team begins to pick up steam.
(03/20/07 4:00am)
When asked if the monkey was off her back after her first postseason win at IU, Felisha Legette-Jack smiled. \nTruth be told, she said the pressure has not been removed. In fact, it was never there to begin with.\n“No monkey on our backs, we were the underdog all season,” Legette-Jack said. “There’s nobody that said we were going to be a top-three program in this conference, so we never had the monkey.”\nThe IU women’s basketball team was all smiles along with its head coach following a 74-71 victory over Iona College (21-13) in the second round of the WNIT tournament. The win improved IU’s record to 4-0 during WNIT play at Assembly Hall.\nWith one minute to go, the Hoosiers (19-13) held a 72-69 lead and had possession of the ball. But, IU failed to convert on the offensive end and after an offensive rebound by Iona, Gael senior Martina Weber scored to make the score 72-71. Immediately following the shot, Iona fouled IU junior guard Nikki Smith with 12 seconds to go. Smith sank both free throws to give the Hoosiers a 3-point advantage, 74-71.\nFollowing a timeout, IU sophomore guard Kim Roberson – who took a blow to her left eye only seconds before – stole an errant Iona pass with only seconds to play at half court to secure the Hoosiers’ second round win in the WNIT.\n“I saw that she was trying to hand it off to a guard, but one eye saw orange so I went for it,” said Roberson, who finished with 16 points and three steals.\nThe Hoosiers opened the contest with a struggling first half. IU only shot 32 percent from the field and did not get into any kind of rhythm on the offensive end. Still, 10 Iona turnovers – eight caused by IU steals – helped the Hoosiers get back into the game.\nWith the clock winding down in the first half, Roberson stole the ball at half-court and drove to the basket for a lay-up as time expired to bring the Hoosiers within three points, 34-31.\nIU carried that momentum into the opening minutes of the second half, tying the game at 36-36, only to see Iona go on a 6-0 run shortly after. But by the 12-minute mark, the Hoosiers went on a 14-7 run of their own to take a 50-49 lead. In order to come back, IU forced Iona into six turnovers through the first 10 minutes of the second half, which in turn sparked the Hoosiers offense.\nWith scoring hard to come by in the first half, Smith took over after the break. Scoring only one point in the first half, the junior guard scored 17 points in the second half, allowing the Hoosiers to keep pace with Iona in the opening minutes of the half.\nIn the second half, the Hoosiers used a combination of three point attempts and drives to the lane to keep a steady lead heading into crunch time.\nAs IU began to click on the offensive end – the team shot 48 percent from the field in the second half – Iona kept answering the Hoosiers challenges, most of which came from Iona’s Weber. Weber, the 2006-2007 MAAC player of the year, scored 32 points in the contest to lead all players.\nHaving advanced to the Sweet 16 of the WNIT, the Hoosiers will play Thursday night against South Dakota State.\n“We don’t want to have the year end yet,” Smith said. “This is the best time of the year. It’s March, you play with everything you’ve got because you don’t know if it’s going to be your last game.”
(03/08/07 5:00am)
In its first home game of the season, the IU baseball team gave its fans plenty to cheer about on a brisk March afternoon.\nPlaying without freshman left fielder Kipp Schutz, who sustained a broken collarbone during Tuesday’s 5-3 loss to Indiana State, the Hoosiers (4-4) evened their record back to .500 with a 6-0 win against in-state rival Butler (3-5), Wednesday. \nThough the Hoosiers played well defensively, had strong pitching performances and forced Butler into five errors on the day, IU coach Tracy Smith said he saw plenty of room for improvement with his team.\n“I thought we made some decisions today where we ran ourselves out of a couple of innings and guys not doing what they’re supposed to do,” Smith said. “That stuff will come back to get you though it didn’t today. In my mind, we did what we had to do, but I think we need to set our bar higher on our level of play.”\nThe Hoosiers got on the board in the bottom of the first on an error to take a 1-0 lead early. After senior shortstop Keith Haas reached first and stole second, a deep fly ball from freshman catcher Josh Phegley bounced off the right fielder’s glove, allowing Haas to score.\nIn the bottom of the third, IU took another Butler error as sophomore outfielder Andrew Means reached base after Butler second baseman Jason Jamerson bobbled Means’ groundball. Means then stole second, and after two consecutive singles from freshmen second baseman Evan Crawford and right fielder Sterling Mack, he scored to give the Hoosiers a 2-0 lead. With Crawford and Mack on second and third, however, the next three Hoosiers recorded outs to end the threat.\nButler gave the Hoosiers a scare in the top of the sixth, but their rally ended after errant base running from the Bulldogs’ centerfielder, Dustin Bucalo. With shortstop Joe Pauley and Bucalo on first and second, respectively, Bucalo attempted to steal third but IU junior pitcher Chris McCombs picked him off when he was midway to third base. McCombs then struck out Butler left fielder Tony Barnes to retire the side.\nAfter tagging another run in the bottom of the sixth, the Hoosiers added three insurance runs in the following inning to extend their lead to 6-0. Junior third baseman Tyler Cox, Means and Crawford all got on base to start the inning and scored, culminating on Phegley’s second double of the afternoon.\n“I think for the most part, we came out swinging the bats,” Phegley said. “We weren’t timid at the plate and I think we were looking for hitters counts and we were swinging.”\nIn his first start of the season, McCombs pitched six innings of shutout baseball, striking out five Bulldogs along the way. After McCombs left the game, the Hoosiers used a combination of relief pitchers to give up only one hit over the final three innings.\n“I made a couple of good pitches in certain situations,” McCombs said. “I was just trying to make them put the ball in play and I know I have eight guys behind me. Best method for success.”\nSmith said that the solid play he got out of his pitchers was instrumental in getting several strong plays out of his defense, and sees his team making the same type of plays in the future.\n“I just think with our pitching, the way it’s going to be, we’re running out some quality guys one after another,” Smith said. “If you do that and the guys are throwing strikes, it makes your defenders – they’re more on their toes – more apt to make the plays behind them. I think we’re going to continue to take care of the ball; that’s the strength of this team.”
(03/06/07 5:00am)
After playing its first six games in the relatively warm weather of Memphis, Tenn., and Dothan, Ala., the IU baseball team heads to Indiana State today to compete in the slightly cooler temperature of Terre Haute. \nFresh off a 4-2 win Sunday against Northern Iowa, the Hoosiers enter today’s contest against the Sycamores – a team that started the season with a 4-1 record and averages almost eight runs per game.\nIU coach Tracy Smith said he isn’t too concerned with Indiana State, even though the Hoosiers will be facing what has so far been a high-powered offense. Because the IU team has many freshman players this year, Smith said he will just be focusing on how his players perform. Smith still needs to put together a concrete team lineup. \nSmith said he has told his players to “keep on keepin’ on” and “do what we do” against Indiana State – which is simply to play solid baseball. \n“We’re going to try and keep the momentum going a little bit,” Smith said. “We’re going to look for our pitchers to continue to throw strikes. Our hitting, we’re not getting a lot of power right now, but that’s going to come. If we pitch it, we make the plays and play defense behind them, our speed and our aggressiveness is going to be able to grab some runs.” \nA combination of veteran and freshman players led the Hoosiers through their first six games of the season. Freshman second baseman Evan Crawford registered a hit in all six games to average .520 at the plate, while freshman pitcher Matt Bashore started his collegiate career with 7 1/3 innings of five-hit baseball against Northern Iowa. \n“They don’t know any better, you know,” Smith said in regard to his freshmen. “They don’t think that since they’re a freshman, they have to be nervous, and that’s good.”\nSmith also said his freshmen are succeeding due to the team’s senior leadership. Senior shortstop Keith Haas has continued to contribute on the field for the Hoosiers with a .429 batting average and a team-leading eight RBIs in 21 at-bats in his senior year.\nThe Hoosiers see their 3-3 record as a success especially because the lineup is not set yet. The only major setback they have faced was the 15-4 loss to Southern Mississippi in the second game of the season.\n“As a team, I think we are starting to gel a bit more and are starting to come together,” Crawford said. “That’s something I think is going our way right now.”\nBashore agreed with Crawford and said he is pleased with the effort the Hoosiers have put into the season to this point.\n“We’re all starting to see what kind of team we can be and it feels good,” Bashore said.
(03/05/07 5:00am)
IU coach Tracy Smith saw his team deliver a blowout, a heartbreaker and a pitcher’s gem – all in one weekend.\nThe IU baseball team traveled to Memphis, Tenn., to compete in the AutoZone Classic this weekend, taking two of three games to be the runner-up in the tournament.\n“I thought it was pretty good baseball,” Smith said. “As long as we continue to improve, play solid baseball and make teams earn every hit off of us, our hitting is going to come around and we’re going to start seeing a lot more hits.”\nThe Hoosiers (3-3) began the weekend with an offensive explosion against Eastern Illinois. \nAfter falling behind 4-1 in the bottom of the second inning, the Hoosiers rebounded in the top half of the third to score seven runs and take an 8-4 lead. IU sent 11 men to the plate, with the first eight batters reaching base to take the lead for good.\nEastern Illinois, however, came right back, picking up three runs over the next two innings to put the game within reach. As soon as they came back, however, the Hoosiers added two runs in the top of the fifth inning and six more runs in the top of the ninth to put Eastern Illinois away, eventually winning 16-7.\nThe following day, the Hoosiers experienced a setback against Memphis. \nThe Tigers struck first with a solo home run early in the game. But over the next two innings, the Hoosiers put together a triple and two RBI ground-outs to give themselves a 3-1 lead in the top of the fourth.\nSophomore pitcher Tyler Tufts gave up a second run to the Tigers in the bottom of the fourth, but escaped the inning after loading the bases with one out. Tufts took a five hitter into the sixth but gave up three runs and Memphis added one more to take a 5-3 lead which would stay the same for the rest of the game.\nThe Hoosiers came back the following day with a 4-2 win against Northern Iowa, which included a gem from freshman pitcher Matt Bashore who made his first collegiate start. Bashore pitched 7 1/3 innings of five hit baseball, giving up two runs while striking out four.\n“My defense made as much of the good plays that kept my innings shorter than what they could have been,” Bashore said. “It got some of the pressure off me and it felt good to be back out there, playing as a team to get the win.”\nThrough the first six games of the season, the Hoosiers have already had several standout performances from freshman second baseman Evan Crawford.\nCrawford registered a hit in all six games, including four hits against Eastern Illinois, to raise his batting average to .520.\n“When you get to the games, you just do whatever you can to help the team win,” Crawford said. “That means you’ve just got to work a little bit harder by getting your at bats and working hard in practice.”\nSo far, Smith said he likes what he sees from his team and only sees further improvement as the year progresses. \n“We’re coming together as a team and I think the biggest thing is we’ve got some strong leadership on this team that the young guys can model themselves after,” Smith said. “I think that mentality has served them all very well, if they just come in and play the game.”
(03/05/07 5:00am)
A storybook ending just wasn’t in the cards.\nPlaying the night after a convincing victory over Iowa in the Big Ten tournament, the IU women’s basketball team fell to Ohio State 72-60 Friday night.\nLed by center Jessica Davenport, the Big Ten’s three-time player of the year, the Buckeyes (27-2, 15-1) controlled the pace of the game and had little trouble executing on offense against the Hoosiers (18-13, 6-10). \n“It was a great game,” IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said. “Our kids just wouldn’t go away. We continued to fight and we continued to lead and at the end we just ran out of gas.”\nWith Davenport as the Buckeye’s main threat in the low post, her ability to spread the ball around to her teammates created more offense for her team than the statistics give her credit for. The senior center scored 30 points – 14 of which came from the free-throw line – and added eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks. \n“Jessica is a very, very tough player, and when I play against her, it just makes me better,” said IU senior center Sarah McKay. \nMcKay and sophomore forward Whitney Thomas drew the task of having to guard a dominant Davenport. In the opening minutes, the IU duo found success in double-teaming Davenport, and Thomas ended the game with 10 rebounds, including five on the offensive end.\n“I just think that’s one of the kids that doesn’t get any respect,” Legette-Jack said of Thomas. “I just don’t get it. I just don’t get her heart. The fight in that kid’s heart is really contagious, and we’re going to be better because of her.”\nThroughout the night, the Hoosiers struggled on the offensive end as IU’s shots refused to fall. After shooting 44 percent from the field the night before against Iowa, the Hoosiers regressed in the category and only managed to shoot 33 percent from the field. \nStill, for the first 15 minutes of the first half, a scrappy Hoosier defense matched Ohio State on every possession. After the Buckeyes took a quick 6-0 lead, IU stepped up its defense and put pressure on every Buckeye possession. Two consecutive 3-pointers from freshman guard Shanice Billington and sophomore forward Kim Roberson tied the game at 6-6.\nThough the Buckeyes played strong defense and forced several shot clock violations, the Hoosiers eventually took its first and only lead of the game at 18-17 on a layup from Thomas. Ohio State hit a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession to end the short-lived IU lead. The bucket sparked an 11-4 Buckeye run over the final few minute of the first half to give Ohio State a comfortable lead going into the break.\nFollowing the break, the Ohio State offense kept on rolling. The Buckeyes scored the first 10 points of the second half to take an 18-point advantage, while the Hoosiers missed their first seven shots on the other end.\n“Today’s game, it’s just a series of mini-games,” Ohio State coach Jim Foster said. “They had some runs and then we answered their runs.” \nBut during the next 10 minutes the Hoosiers eventually clawed their way back into the game. What was once an 18-point lead by the Buckeyes became a six-point lead with five minutes to go, after several IU steals helped the Hoosiers get back in it. With McKay on the bench with four fouls, and with Thomas picking up her fourth foul, Ohio State extended their lead once again.\nAn Ohio State foul sent Roberson to the line for a one-and-one. After missing the front end, the Buckeyes came right back with a jump shot from forward Star Allen, ending the IU threat. The Buckeyes extended their lead to 12 before the final seconds of the Hoosiers tournament life ticked away.\nWith the Big Ten tournament over, and an NCAA tournament bid unlikely, the Hoosiers will wait to hear if they will gain a bit to the WNIT tournament, with announcements expected March 12.
(03/02/07 5:00am)
A storybook ending just wasn’t in the cards.\nPlaying the night after a convincing victory over Iowa in the Big Ten tournament, the IU women’s basketball team fell to Ohio State 72-60, Friday night.\nLed by senior center Jessica Davenport, the Big Ten’s three-time player of the year, the Buckeyes (27-2, 15-1) controlled the pace of the game and had little trouble executing on offense against the Hoosiers (18-13, 6-10). \n“It was a great game,” IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said. “Our kids just wouldn’t go away. We continued to fight and we continued to lead and at the end we just ran out of gas.”\nWith Davenport as the Buckeye’s main threat in the low post, her ability to spread the ball around to her teammates created more offense for her team than the statistics give her credit for. The senior center scored 30 points – 14 of which came from the free-throw line – and added eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks. \n“Jessica is a very, very tough player and when I play against her, it just makes me better,” McKay said. \nSenior center Sarah McKay and sophomore forward Whitney Thomas drew the task of having to guard a dominant Davenport. In the opening minutes, the IU duo found success in double-teaming Davenport, and Thomas ended the game with 10 rebounds, including five on the offensive end.\n “I just think that’s one of the kids that doesn’t get any respect,” Legette-Jack said of Thomas. “I just don’t get it. I just don’t get her heart. The fight in that kid’s heart is really contagious and we’re going to be better because of her.”\nThroughout the night, the Hoosiers struggled on the offensive end as IU’s shots refused to fall. After shooting 44 percent from the field the night before against Iowa, the Hoosiers regressed in the category and only managed to shoot 33 percent from the field. \nStill, for the first 15 minutes of the first half, a scrappy Hoosier defense matched Ohio State on every possession. After taking a quick 6-0 lead, IU stepped up its defense and put pressure on every Buckeye possession. Two consecutive three pointers from freshman guard Shanice Billington and sophomore forward Kim Roberson tied the game at 6-6.\nThough the Buckeyes played strong defense and forced several shot clock violations, the Hoosiers eventually took its first and only lead of the game at 18-17 on a lay-up from Thomas. Ohio State hit a three-pointer on the ensuing possession to end the short-lived IU lead. The bucket sparked an 11-4 Buckeye run over the final few minute of the first-half to give Ohio State a comfortable lead going into the break.\nFollowing the break, the Ohio State offense kept on rolling. The Buckeyes scored the first 10 points of the second half to take an 18-point advantage, while the Hoosiers missed their first seven shots on the other end.\n“Today’s game, it’s just a series of mini games,” Ohio State coach Jim Foster said. “They had some runs and then we answered their runs.” \nOver the next 10 minutes, however, the Hoosiers eventually clawed their way back into the game. What was once an 18-point lead by the Buckeyes became a six-point lead with five minutes to go, after several IU steals helped the Hoosiers get back in it. With McKay on the bench with four fouls and with Thomas picking up her fourth foul, Ohio State extended their lead once again.\nAn Ohio State foul sent Roberson to the line for a one-and-one. After missing the front end, the Buckeyes came right back with a jump shot from sophomore forward Star Allen, ending the IU threat. The Buckeyes extended their lead to 12 before the final seconds of the Hoosiers tournament life ticked away.\nWith the Big Ten tournament over, and an NCAA Tournament bid unlikely, the Hoosiers will wait to hear if they will gain an at-large bid for either the NCAA Tournament or the WNIT.
(03/01/07 5:00am)
After playing 29 games this year, it’s No. 30 that matters most. It’s No. 30 that decides the fate of a season. It’s No. 30 that will determine if No. 31 will be played.\nEntering the Big Ten tournament, held tonight at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, the IU women’s basketball team knows this all too well.\nThrough its first 29 games of the season, the No. 9-seeded Hoosiers went 17-12 (6-10) and will be playing No. 8 seed Iowa (14-15, 6-10) in the first round of the tournament tonight.\n“I think we’re a team that no one really wants to play,” senior center Sarah McKay said. “We played really well against our competition, and the better the competition, the better we played. I think we’re one of those feared teams, and even though we’re ninth in the conference, I don’t know anyone who really wants to play us.”\nThe game between IU and Iowa will be a rematch of their Jan. 11 contest in Bloomington. \nAfter leading by as many as 11 points with 10 minutes to go, the Hoosiers squandered their lead and the Hawkeyes took advantage, using a 19-7 run to take their first lead of the second half. The two teams traded baskets for the next few possessions, but Iowa pulled out a late run to secure a 71-67 victory.\nThe Hoosiers vow not to let the same mistakes plague them a second time.\n“We let it go,” freshman Jamie Braun said of the Jan. 11 loss. “I think our defense really let us down a lot, if I recall.”\nBraun said playing much better defense for the entire 40 minutes will be best way to stop a high-scoring Hawkeyes offense that took advantage of the Hoosiers’ mistakes. Challenging the Iowa shooters while providing a tough presence inside and on the defensive glass are what Braun said she sees as the keys to the game.\nBut playing a tight defense is only part of the game plan. In games in which IU shot above 40 percent from the field, the team’s record was 14-1. When they shot below 40 percent, however, the record was 3-11.\nAll year long, first-year IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack has said her team is a very good shooting team. However, she believes a strong showing Thursday will not stem from the offense, but from her players’ hearts.\n“It’s going to be the existence of whose heart is the biggest, and it’s just going to be a great game to be a part of,” Legette-Jack said Jan. 27 in a teleconference. “You can probably see from our team that we’re not the strongest talent out there, but we are very disciplined and we’re very focused on what we can control.”\nStill, Legette-Jack knows a victory against Iowa will be no easy task. The Hawkeyes are coming off a dominant performance against No. 7 seed Wisconsin, defeating the Badgers 103-93. In that game, Iowa shot 53 percent from the field and had five players score in double figures.\n“We believe in magic and we believe in miracles here,” Legette-Jack said. “Right now we have an uphill battle and Iowa is playing fantastic basketball. We have to match their intensity and somehow surpass it.”
(02/23/07 5:00am)
All it took was one swing of the bat and IU coach Tracy Smith knew he had found something special in Kipp Schutz.\nThe freshman outfielder drew much interest during last year’s Major League Baseball draft, when the Baltimore Orioles selected him in the 26th round out of Harrison High School in Evansville. Knowing he needed impact players to turn his program around, Smith – following his first year as the IU baseball coach – began to pursue making Schutz a Hoosier after seeing him just once in the batting cages.\n“I could tell just through our conversations that he wanted to come,” Smith said. “Maybe the offer wasn’t right, but I give him a lot of credit for pulling the trigger and wanting to be a part of turning (the program) around. Especially with the season he had, with the draft and the money (the Orioles) were throwing at him.”\nWhile the road to making Schutz a Hoosier seemed somewhat problematic at first, Smith thought at first he blew his chance to get another Indiana baseball standout. \nAfter last season, Smith saw the catcher position as a problem he needed to address and went to visit several prospects in the Terre Haute area, including Terre Haute North catcher Josh Phegley. The first potential player he visited wasn’t too appealing.\n“He was sitting at the table, talking to his dog, petting his dog while we’re trying to make a presentation,” Smith said. “So I kind of walked out of that house angry and the next visit was Phegley’s house. I told him, – and I was with coach Ty Neal at the time – ‘You Indiana kids are making me sick because you talk about how you want to turn the program around but none of you have enough guts to be the leader.’”\nInitially, Smith felt he “blew it” after being completely honest with Phegley – an all-conference, all-state catcher who was named Indiana’s Mr. Baseball in 2006. Instead, the direct, straightforward presentation he gave won Phegley over.\n“You could tell by the tone of their voice and how they spoke to me that they were going to turn the program around and take care of business,” Phegley said.\nPhegley and Schutz head a group of 19 players in Smith’s first full recruiting class at IU. Smith said he is looking for the two freshmen to make an immediate impact after both had standout senior years of high school last season. Phegley hit .592 with 13 home runs and 50 RBIs and Schutz hit .480 with three home runs and 35 RBIs . \nFacing college pitching for the first time can drastically change those numbers, and neither player is taking the transition lightly.\n“The caliber of players you’re surrounded with (are much better),” Phegley said. “In high school, everybody on (IU’s squad) was the number one player on their team and now we have everybody here to contribute.”\nThough most of the team’s freshmen are leaving high schools where they racked up records as the top players, Smith said their transition is fairly smooth due to the unselfish attitudes of the senior players.\n“The neatest thing with these freshmen is that our upperclassmen have done such a good job blending in,” Smith said. “They don’t come in with egos, and I attribute that to the leadership that’s here.”\nThis weekend, Phegley and Schutz will be put to their first test as the Hoosiers open the season against Troy, a team that went 47-16 last year and fell to Alabama in the NCAA Regionals.\nKnowing his team as a whole will have its work cut out for it this year, Smith said he values the importance of having a talented freshman class headed by two of the premiere freshmen in the Big Ten.\n“They are very much into the team and helping this program win,” Smith said. “The fact that they came to Indiana, I just hope it sets the tone for what this program is going to be for not just this year but for the future.”
(02/23/07 5:00am)
On senior night, Sarah McKay lived up to the billing.\nPlaying in her final home game alongside senior guard Leah Enterline, McKay, a senior center, carried the Hoosiers to their 17th victory of the year, defeating Northwestern (8-21, 2-14) 83-59 on Thursday night at Assembly Hall.\nLed by McKay’s 21 points, the Hoosiers (17-11, 6-9) won their second straight game and fifth straight game against the Wildcats. Entering the game, McKay needed only 10 points to reach 600 total points for her collegiate career. McKay easily eclipsed that mark Thursday night and it is the second milestone she has recorded in a week since grabbing her 400th rebound Feb. 18 against Illinois.\nOn McKay’s and Enterline’s last home game, IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack opted to sit her two seniors with 1:35 to go in the game. The pair left to a standing ovation as their first-year head coach embraced them with a hug.\n“They’ve done so much for this program,” Legette-Jack said. “They stayed through it all and they’re resilient. That’s where our character comes from; that’s where our cohesiveness comes from.”\nEnterline added that the last four years have been a “roller-coaster” ride for her and her teammates.\n“We’ve had some really good times and we’ve had some changes that were made in some difficult times,” Enterline said.” “But all in all, we stuck together, and our team pulled through.”\nIn addition to the 21 points McKay poured in, four other Hoosiers scored in double-digits. IU shot a collective 49 percent from the field, and freshman guard Jamie Braun was the second leading scorer for the Hoosiers, adding 14 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Junior guard Nikki Smith, 11 points; sophomore forward Whitney Thomas, 12 points; and sophomore forward Kim Roberson, 13 points, also scored in double figures.\n“I’ve just been going out there trying to play as hard as I can,” Braun said. “When I get the open looks, I take them because I don’t want to get benched. My teammates really helped me a lot by giving me some nice passes and getting me some easy looks.”\nAs well as the Hoosiers played on the offensive end, the team played that much better on defense. IU forced 21 Wildcat turnovers – five of which were steals by Roberson – and held Northwestern to just 28.6 percent field-goal shooting in the first half.\nIn the opening minutes, the Hoosiers got off to a quick start. IU jumped to an 8-0 lead, only to see Northwestern score 10 straight points to take a 10-8 lead with 16:46 to go in the first half. That run would turn out to be the best effort Northwestern could muster for the rest of the game.\nAfter several scoreless possessions, the Hoosiers answered the Wildcats’ comeback and were able to put together a run of their own. IU closed out the first half on a 41-12 run, shooting 57 percent from the field in the process. Following the game, McKay, Enterline and senior forward Carrie Smith, who suffered a season-ending injury earlier in the season, were honored in a senior night ceremony. The three addressed the crowd after the game and were presented framed jerseys from the IU athletics department.\nWith just one game to play before the Big Ten tournament, the Hoosiers travel to Penn State on Sunday to try and close out the Big Ten regular season with a three-game win streak.\n“There’s a lot of work to be done but it’s a great feeling when you’ve got eight great young women, who’s ready to challenge and attack for victory,” Legette-Jack said. “We’re peaking at the right time.”
(02/16/07 4:59am)
Lately, the question for the IU women's basketball team hasn't been a one of talent. It's been whether or not the shots will fall.\nAfter a two-game road trip that included two losses, the Hoosiers (15-11, 4-9) return to Bloomington to try and sweep the season series with the Illinois Fighting Illini (16-8, 6-6). \nThe Hoosiers will have to overcome an Illini defense that has held its opponents to just 35.4 percent shooting for the year.\nIn order to rebound from an unsuccessful road trip, the Hoosiers face an Illini team in Bloomington that has lost its last five games. With only three games left in the regular season, each game will play an important role as the Hoosiers try to move up in the Big Ten standings and gain some momentum heading into the Big Ten tournament.\n"We're going to continue to work harder on defense and try to get that swagger back," coach Felisha Legette-Jack said. "We want to try to play with a little more intensity and really control the game. We're going to take open shots, like we've done since the beginning of the season. And, you know, we're going to have fun with the game of basketball."\nWhen the Hoosiers have shot more than 40 percent from the field, the they boast a 10-1 record. Flip the switch though, and that record falls to just 3-10 when Legette-Jack's Hoosiers shoot less than 40 percent. Though the disparity between the two figures may make it seem as if IU has played inconsistently, the first-year coach contends her players are still good shooters.\nSenior center Sarah McKay said IU has been working on some rhythm shooting during practice, but the main focus of practice hasn't just been about making shots. Instead, the Hoosiers are going to try to bring the same intensity on defense during the team's first matchup with the Illini.\nOn Jan. 7, the Hoosiers displayed some of that good defense when they traveled to Illinois and defeated the Illini 71-64, forcing 17 Illinois turnovers.\nEven with the success IU had in the first contest, Legette-Jack said her team can't take the Illini lightly.\n"Everybody is different from the last time we played, so if we go in there expecting the same kind of results, then we're going to be in trouble," Legette-Jack said. "Illinois is a fantastic team and we have to take our intensity to a whole other level."\nFollowing Sunday's game, the Hoosiers will have two regular season games remaining before the Big Ten tournament -- Feb. 22 vs. Northwestern and Feb. 25 at Penn State. \n"We need to end strong," McKay said. "I'm not ready for my college career to be over yet. Everyone's sort of got that chip on their shoulder to go after it these last two games"
(02/08/07 3:50am)
It's getting close to that time of year.\nAfter winning its last two games, the IU women's basketball team is set to make its case for an NCAA tournament bid. With five games left to play, the Hoosiers (15-9, 4-7) travel to Wisconsin, where they will look to build on their regular season resume against a Badger team in the midst of a two-game losing streak.\nIU coach Felisha Legette-Jack credits her team's recent success to its focus on present tasks. \n"We're not going to look ahead and we can't go there," Legette-Jack said. "We're not old enough yet to think about five games. Those thoughts are just way too analytical for our team this year, so we're just going to stay in the moment."\nThe Hoosiers, who defeated Wisconsin 83-56 on Feb. 1, enter Thursday night's game after recovering from a 14-point deficit to beat Minnesota 69-65 on Sunday. Though IU easily beat Wisconsin last week, the Hoosiers said they aren't taking their opponent lightly.\n"We know that they're going to come out and play hard, considering what happened the last time we played them," said senior center Sarah McKay. "They play well at home, and we play well on the road as well, so it's going to be a battle, but we've gone back to playing our kind of basketball and that's what we're going to do."\nIn its past two games, the Hoosiers shot 47 percent from the field and held Wisconsin to just 30 percent field goal shooting in the pair's first matchup. Prior to its current winning streak, IU had not shot better than 40 percent in its previous five games, losing each one.\nThe disparity in shooting resulted from more focus in practice as well as fast starts in each of the last two games, said freshman guard Jamie Braun. She said having a good start at Wisconsin will be key to winning the game, but the team knows it can recover from falling behind early.\n"It's really important (to start the game well) because the Minnesota game shows we can come back from being down," Braun said. "But when we're up like that, we just have more energy, more intensity and we just bring it throughout the whole entire game. So, when we're more loose, I think it makes our shots fall better."\nThe Hoosiers stand just one game out of what is currently a three-way tie for fifth place and 2.5 games out of fourth place in the Big Ten standings. In its remaining five games, IU plays four of those games against teams higher in the Big Ten standings.\n"It's all about having a sense of urgency," McKay said. "We want to end strong in the conference with as high of a ranking as possible, make the Big Ten (tournament) and just see where we can go from there. Every game is big, but we never look past any game, we just look at the opponent in front of us and take it one game at a time"
(02/05/07 5:07am)
Down by as many as 14 points early in the first half, the IU women's basketball team (15-9, 4-7) staged a second-half 69-65 comeback win against Minnesota (13-11, 5-6).\nThe Hoosiers turned a poor first-half performance into an important win by relying on 25 Minnesota turnovers and a 71 percent field goal performance in the second half.\n"We had our backs against the wall and usually in the past we would surrender (that game)," IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said. "But this team fought, and they fought and we made some changes."\nUp 67-65 with less than a minute to go, freshman guard Jamie Braun made a lay-up with 30 seconds to go. Braun's shot fell with only two seconds remaining on the shot clock to seal the victory for the Hoosiers.\n"I thought I got pretty lucky, actually," Braun said. "I thought I had (senior center) Sarah (McKay) open and I saw it go off her hand and went after the ball. I thought that was a pretty good turning point at that moment."\nThe Hoosiers started off cold against the Golden Gophers, hitting just 28 percent of their shots in the first half. \nMinnesota, on the other hand, came out of the gates fast, trying to catch IU off guard in transition. The strategy worked well for the Golden Gophers initially. They shot a collective 58 percent from the field en route to a 33-27 halftime lead.\nDown 27-13 with four minutes before the end of the half, however, the Hoosiers finally found momentum and went on a 14-6 run to bring IU within six points by the close of the half.\nAs the second half began, Minnesota silenced the Hoosier momentum to take a 41-32 lead within the first few minutes. Shortly after, IU regained its stride as the team took advantage of several Minnesota turnovers to come within two points.\n"We attacked more to the basket," sophomore forward Kim Roberson said. "We got open on executing plays and slowed the game down."\nThe Hoosiers scored five players in double figures, with Roberson leading all scorers with 20 points. Braun added 12 points of her own while sophomore forward Whitney Thomas, junior guard Nikki Smith and senior center Sarah McKay all netted 10 points.\nWhile Minnesota out-rebounded and outshot IU throughout the game, the Hoosiers stayed close by way of the free throw line and securing the ball. IU took 21 shots from the free-throw line and Minnesota only went to the stripe nine times. The Hoosiers also turned the ball over just four times in the second half, compared with the Gophers' 11.\n"We made some adjustments defensively and we followed our game plan," Legette-Jack said. "This team decided to just follow, they didn't question it. That's a sign of a team that's maturing as we go through the season. February's a time when you start blending and coming together. I think that's what we're doing right now"
(02/02/07 4:51am)
Redemption is sweet. \nIt's been 25 days since the IU women's basketball team celebrated a victory.\nPlaying at Assembly Hall against Wisconsin on Thursday night, the Hoosiers finally put an end to their five-game losing streak in a 83-56 win against the Badgers. \nInstead of playing as the team that lost its last five games, the Hoosiers stayed patient and played smart basketball for the game's 40 minutes -- fitting the mold of the team IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack promised when she signed up for the job. \n"We finally got our swagger back," Legette-Jack said. "We played with a lot of intensity, we played with a lot of purpose and we played with the energy of confidence." \nThe Hoosiers opened with a 39-11 first-half run and never looked back. In that run, IU shot 62 percent from the field. \nFor Wisconsin, making a bucket simply did not come easy. The Badgers went scoreless until hitting their first field goal of the game with 14 minutes remaining in the first half, ending a 19-0 Hoosier run. \n"The Indiana start was amazing," said Wisconsin coach Lisa Stone. "I shouldn't say surprising -- it was amazing. They came out with a load of guns and sharp teeth and we dug a whole that was obviously pretty substantial. Their team was hungry and thirsty for a win, and they got it and deserved it today." \nAfter the first few minutes of the opening tipoff, the Hoosiers hustle and intensity paid off as they never allowed the Badgers to get into any type of rhythm. \nIn the first 15 minutes of the game, junior guard Nikki Smith led the Hoosiers with 13 points on 5-of-5 shooting from the field, including three 3-pointers. Senior center Sarah McKay also added her third double-double of the season with 18 points and 11 rebounds.\nSmith led the Hoosiers with 22 points.\nBy the end of the first half, the Hoosiers led by a dominant 46-20 margin after forcing the Badgers to 27.6 percent field-goal shooting. Smith and McKay's point totals alone matched the Badger's score, with each player tallying 13 first-half points for the Hoosiers. \n"It's just getting back to the things that we need to do to win," McKay said. "I'll do what I can to help us get the 'W.' It's just getting back to playing Indiana basketball and, like (Legette-Jack) said, we're back." \nSloppy play dictated the first eight minutes of the second half. But shortly thereafter, the Hoosiers again found their stride and eventually extended the lead to 80-43 with five minutes to go in the game. \nDuring their five-game losing streak, the \nHoosiers never shot higher than 40 percent from the field, but Thursday they broke out of their shooting funk, shooting 47.6 percent from the field.\n"What we've been doing the last few games is making the pass and admiring the pass," Legette-Jack said. "Now, we're making the pass and we're a moving target. It's very difficult to stop a moving target." \nBy the end of the game, IU forced Wisconsin to 20 turnovers to the Hoosiers' 12. The Badgers also managed to shoot just 30.2 percent from the field and 18 percent from beyond the arc. \nOn Feb. 4 the Hoosiers will look to carry over their intensity they displayed against Wisconsin as they play host to a Minnesota Golden Gophers (13-9, 5-4) team that has gone 5-5 in its last 10 games.\nBut playing Minnesota isn't even on Legette-Jack's radar. \n"When we started winning a lot more games, we started looking ahead and saying we should win this game or we should win that game," Legette-Jack said. "The only thing that matters to us right now is our practice on Friday. We're just not old enough as a coaching staff or as a team to look ahead, and when we did that, we stumbled"
(02/02/07 4:43am)
Like many other times in his life, sophomore Jason Fried is traveling to Miami.\nBut his trip down south this weekend isn't about getting a tan, swimming or visiting relatives. After spending some serious coin, Fried will travel to Miami this Saturday to make a trip to football's mecca: the Super Bowl. \nAsked if he'd ever consider giving up his tickets, Fried said, "There is no way, there is no price. Unless somebody's going to pay me $100,000 a ticket, and I could go scalp another one, there's no way in the world I would give up those tickets."\nThis weekend the Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears will face off in the Super Bowl, with both teams hoping to end serious championship droughts -- 21 years for the Bears and 36 years for the Colts (formerly of Baltimore).\nAt the same time, the Bears-Colts Super Bowl XLI matchup has become the second coming of Christmas for the good chunk of the student body at IU that calls Illinois and Indiana home.\nRegardless of the cost, some students at IU will be at Dolphin Stadium to watch the game, along with about 76,500 other fans.\nFried, a Carmel, Ind., native and Colts fan, who is one of the lucky few to go to Miami, discussed the possibility of going to the game after the AFC Championship victory over the New England Patriots on Jan. 21.\n"My dad told me that he was trying to look for tickets, but he wasn't sure about it because they were very expensive," Fried said. "Right before class, I called him up, and he told me he had (tickets in the second row) and he would tell me about it later. He gave me the section number and told me to look it up and see what I thought. After that, I was pretty excited."\nNot only will he go to the Super Bowl and participate in Miami's festivities, but Fried and his family are going first-class all the way. Flying in a private jet with family friends who are also going to the game, the group will take a limousine to a hotel in Naples, Fla. Then, they will enjoy the game in their second-row seats on the 5-yard line.\nOn the other side of the picket fence from Fried is freshman Jack Zimmerman, a Bears fan.\nZimmerman's grandfather has ties to the NFL Players' Association and is close with Gene Upshaw, the organization's president. Every year, Zimmerman's grandfather has gone to the Super Bowl. Zimmerman will attend the Super Bowl on Sunday.\n"My dad was at the Super Bowl when the Bears won in '85 and said it was the best weekend of his life," Zimmerman said. "I'm hoping that this will be the best weekend of my life."\nLiving in Bloomington hasn't softened his heart for the Colts and their fans, though.\n"I'm an extreme competitor, so part of me is naturally pissed off because it sucks being around here right now listening to all the Colts fans talk," Zimmerman said. "So I feel like I've got a chip on my shoulder for the game, and I just kind of hope the Bears win so I can come back here and stick it to the Colts fans a little bit on my floor. I've got a little bit of emotions flying."\nLike Zimmerman, sophomore Mike Smith was ready to go support the Bears in Miami after his uncle, a Bears season ticket holder, won six tickets in a lottery for season ticket holders for the 17th row, between the 40- and 50-yard line.\nHowever, Smith will be watching the game at Opie Taylor's instead of a prime view at Dolphin Stadium.\n"I've never been to a Super Bowl and it's one of the biggest events, in my opinion, and I've always wanted to go," Smith said.\nAfter his uncle was offered a "significant amount of money" for the tickets, combined with Smith's broken foot, the trip to Miami was called off and the family sold their tickets for an undisclosed price.\nAs of Thursday, though, seats in that area of the field were selling between $7,300 and $8,500 on StubHub.com. For those with the appropriate sum, a sideline suite seating up to 50 people cost upward of $465,000.\nBut for Fried and Zimmerman, the financial aspect of going to the Super Bowl doesn't faze them. The only thing that does matter is that both are ready to soak in the feeling of watching their favorite teams.\n"I'm ready," Fried said. "I've been ready for a while, and it's going to be absolutely incredible when I get out there this weekend."\n"It's extreme excitement," Zimmerman added. "It's just going to be a great weekend"
