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(02/27/03 6:03am)
Hey, look! Illinois just got another rebound.\nI'm not sure what the worst part of Tuesday night's game was. It was so dreadful that I don't even know if Sean Kline's airballed free throw makes the Top 10 list.\nThe only thing I do know is that it was the worst thing to come onto my TV since the last time I saw a commercial for "I'm a Celebrity, Now Get Me Out of Here!"\nWith a final score of 80-54, the Illini took the Hoosiers out to the woodshed and beat them like a redheaded stepchild. (No offense to Tom Coverdale. Ha ha, get it? No offense.)\nOnce again, IU was done in by an extended scoring drought -- the same thing that has been plaguing them in nearly every road game this year. At this point, it has become so formulaic that it can be turned into a script for a sitcom.\nIn the final four minutes of the first half and the first four minutes of the second half, IU scored a total of four points. For the game, they shot 37 percent from the field. Provided that you rebound the shots that you miss and you play defense, you can remain competitive with such poor shooting. Except the Hoosiers allowed Illinois to shoot 55 percent and pull down 16 more rebounds.\nTo add insult to injury, after the game was over, ESPN aired a commercial for games during their so-called "Judgment Week." (Is it just me, or do they overhype this stuff? During their so-called "Rivalry Week," Purdue played Northwestern. Now those are two teams with an undying hate for each other). The tagline was "Where contenders (here they showed footage of Maryland, Notre Dame and Illinois, among others) get separated from pretenders (whereupon they showed Tom Coverdale … and nobody else)."\nAfter all of this mess, it is hard to remember that the game actually started in good fashion. And that IU still has a pretty good shot a making the NCAA Tournament.\nIn the game's early moments, George Leach made his presence felt offensively with seven points in the first 10 minutes. But he also picked up two fouls (and didn't get passed to him) in the next five minutes, so he found himself on the bench, and ended the game with only 24 minutes of action.\nCoverdale also began the game in a magnificent fashion, hitting three of his first four shots from downtown despite drawing the jeers of the Illini faithful. (They actually get to sit on the floor. What a novel idea). And that was it -- he had no points for the rest of the game.\nIn the end, it was Jeff Newton who led the IU attack with 11 points. So I guess you could say they were well balanced. \nAnd while Leach spends plenty of time in Mike Davis' doghouse, I think that Newton should not be immune from the same treatment. Every time Newton takes a three-pointer, he should be benched for a minute. Even if he makes it. If the tallest player on your team is at the top of the key, how are you going to get a rebound?\nShould anyone be panicking? I don't think so, even though IU has to win out to assure themselves of a berth. Saturday, Iowa comes to town. While they are coming off of a big comeback win at Ohio State, any team that loses to IU on their home court figures to be due for a pounding at Assembly Hall.\nAfter that, it's Minnesota. The Gophers are a tough team, but like everyone else in the Big Ten, they seem to struggle away from home. Their only road wins all season were at Northwestern and Penn State.\nIU's final appearance before the Big Ten Tournament is in State College, Pa., against the hapless Nittany Lions, who have only one Big Ten victory. Granted, that win came against second place Wisconsin, so this game is no guarantee either.\nAt the end of a confusing season, the equation has become simple: three wins, and the Hoosiers are in.
(02/25/03 4:33am)
A friend remarked to me, "Figuring out the Big Ten this year is harder than figuring out what females want."\nWhile I consider myself an expert in both fields, I have to come clean: I can't figure out the Big Ten either. Every week, it seems that some team is streaking toward the top of the standings while another stumbles like some kid walking down Kirkwood.\nThe most amusing team to get tripped up recently is Purdue, which has lost three of its last four. \nAt any rate, parity has turned the league so thoroughly upside-down that even with a 6-6 conference record, IU is still theoretically in competition for the Big Ten title.\nProvided that they win their final two home games, a win tonight would virtually assure the Hoosiers of an at-large bid to the NCAAs. While IU was able to handle the Illini at home, visiting Champaign is another matter. Even after beating Illinois by 31 at home last year, IU was not able to win at their Assembly Hall.\nHere's how the teams match up:\nJeff Newton vs. Brian Cook:\nCook is leading the Big Ten with 19.7 points per game, and has emerged as the clear favorite for Big Ten Player of the Year. But the last time he faced Newton, he was turned into a non-factor, playing 26 minutes and fouling out. Of course, in those 26 minutes, he scored 15 points.\nAdvantage: Illinois\nJames Augustine vs. George Leach:\nTo combat the height of the 6'10" Augustine, Mike Davis will have to put Leach back into the starting lineup -- or at least get him into the game real quick. This can actually work to IU's advantage. Even though he is a permanent resident in Davis' doghouse, Leach had 14 points, four blocks, and four rebounds against Iowa. In Illinois' last game against Northwestern, Augustine had six points and no boards. How does a six-foot-ten guy go an entire game without a rebound?\nAdvantage: IU\nRoger Powell vs. Tom Coverdale:\nPowell, being a small forward, has a good four inches on Coverdale. He also scored 20 against Northwestern on Saturday. Against Iowa, Coverdale returned to his old form, hitting five three-pointers. If he can hit from the outside and keep Powell away from the basket, it may become an advantage for IU, but otherwise …\nAdvantage: Illinois\nDeron Williams vs. Bracey Wright:\nThese two guys have a pretty good handle on each other -- they were high school teammates. And while Williams is good, he's no Wright.\nAdvantage: IU \nDee Brown vs. Marshall Strickland: \nThe match-up at point guard should be the most intriguing battle of the game. Provided that they both stay in school for four years, the future could hold some classic battles between these two freshmen. The fact that Brown has been starting all season gives him an edge, though.\nAdvantage: Illinois\nBench: \nIU's bench features A.J. Moye, Sean Kline, and Kyle Hornsby. Illinois can go deeper, with guard Luther Head, three-point sharpshooter Sean Harrington, and Nick Smith, a 7'2" man with a pencil-thin mustache. Also, they have a player named Nick Huge.\nAdvantage: Illinois\nCoach:\nMike Davis has led a team to the National Championship game. Bill Self was the 2000 Sporting News Coach of the Year, and he's lost one home game in his three years in Champaign.\nAdvantage: Illinois\nIntangibles: \nIU has gone six days without playing a game. Thus, there is no better time for them to pull of an upset than the present.\nAdvantage: IU
(02/20/03 6:46am)
Over the course of this season, several readers have come up with suggestions and ideas that are just plain good -- or at least worth repeating in print.\nEarlier in the year, I wrote about the problem of students not being able to get close enough to the action at Assembly Hall. Since an enlarged student section or seating on basis of seniority is still a pipe dream, one reader gave me an idea that seems like it would work.\nA non-student season ticket holder, he has noted that faculty and alumni ticket holders sometimes can't make it to every game, especially on nights in the middle of the week. He suggested that the Student Athletic Board could run a program where season ticket holders would donate their tickets if they knew they would not be able to make it to a game. Students without seats could then line up an hour or so before tip-off, and see if they'd score some primo tickets. \nI think it would at least work better than selling your tickets off to shady scalpers.\nAnother reader advised that there should be a song written about junior A.J. Moye, based on the logic that "everyone loves A.J. Moye." Also, she had just heard a song on ESPN written about Yao Ming, so thus theorized Moye should get one too.\nIt is true that there is a long history of quality songs including references about athletes ("Mrs. Robinson," to name one). But perhaps the best example of a sports song is "The Super Bowl Shuffle." So if someone penned a tune called "The A.J. Moye Shuffle," I could dig it.\nOther readers have suggested I am an (expletive deleted) idiot and that I should limit my future to writing greeting cards.\nSometimes, though, even I am able to come up with a good idea. This year, IU didn't hold either the Indiana Classic or the Hoosier Classic. Not that I mind -- they were generally tournaments consisting of creampuff teams that created no excitement unless you were related to one of the walk-on players that got to play in the final two minutes. \nHowever, I think that they should be combined and brought back in the future in an entirely new form of the all-Indiana basketball tournament. A state championship, if you will.\nThink about it -- there's enough schools in the state to pull it off. IU, Purdue, Notre Dame, Butler, Ball State, Indiana State, Valparaiso, Evansville, IUPUI and IPFW are all Division I schools.\nIt's a tournament that could create some pretty interesting match-ups. And it wouldn't necessarily be the same teams in the championship game every year. You could randomly draw up the bracket to create new match-ups in the first round each year -- maybe IU plays IPFW one year. Maybe they get Notre Dame the next.\nThere would be plenty of potential for upsets. It's a tournament that the small schools can gun for, as it could be their best chance to pick up a quality win in the eyes of the tournament committee. Just this season alone, Evansville defeated No. 17 Creighton, and IUPUI beat Northwestern, a team with wins over both IU and Purdue. (Apparently, the powers of IU and Purdue combined into one school were too much for the Wildcats to handle).\nIt's unlikely that such a tournament would ever happen -- losing to an in-state opponent can mean losing a recruit to your rival. But it would still be cool.
(02/18/03 4:59am)
The state of IU's NCAA Tournament hopes has become as precarious as a walk through the icy Arboretum. While it is possible to make it into the postseason safely, there is just as good of a chance for the Hoosiers to slip up and embarrass themselves.\nSaturday was another example of what has been killing IU on the road all year -- a spurt by the home team where the Hoosiers are held scoreless. When these spurts occur, IU goes from having a lead or trailing by a few points to getting taken out of the picture altogether. At Purdue, it involved going over four minutes without scoring. At Louisville, it was the infamous final 7:55 of the game without a field goal.\nAgainst Wisconsin, IU's scoring drought was not very prolonged, lasting little over two minutes. But in that period of time, the Badgers were able to rattle off 11 points and turn an eight-point halftime deficit into a three-point lead. And while there was still over 17 minutes left to play at that point, one could not help but feel that the rest of the game was merely icing on the Badgers' cake.\nSure, it didn't help that the officiating in the game was sketchy at best. In the first half, every bit of contact was called a foul, while at the end of the game players were mugged and nothing was called. But it didn't matter. If IU had stemmed Wisconsin's tide at the start of the half, they would have won.\nWhile Wisconsin is a good team, and losing to them is by no means embarrassing, it does put the Hoosiers in a bad spot. They have dipped to eighth in the conference with a 5-6 record (15-9 overall). Therefore, Wednesday's game at Iowa is no less than a must-win situation.\nWorking to the Hoosiers benefit is the fact that the only team in the Big Ten slumping at a similar rate is Iowa. The Hawkeyes, after starting off the season surprisingly well, have lost five of their last seven games. Adding to the importance of this contest is the fact that IU's next game is at No. 14 Illinois, which does not figure to be a victory.\nOf course, going to Iowa City is no walk in the park. The Hawkeyes have beaten Illinois and Michigan State at home. And IU hasn't won a conference road game in 366 days.\nIf IU is to win at Iowa, they'll have to remedy their drought problem, which is beginning to resemble the Dust Bowl in its magnitude. There are solutions to this plight, of course. It helps that one was being employed against Wisconsin in the emergence of Marshall Strickland as a scorer. Strickland can create his own shot off the dribble and passes well. Combined with Bracey Wright and Jeff Newton, the Hoosier offense has the potential to score with anyone in the country if it is properly executed.\nIn a situation where the opponent is making a big run, the coaching staff should not hesitate to call timeout, either. By the time IU called timeout in the second half against Wisconsin, they were already trailing. That is probably too long of a wait -- you want to stem the tide while you are still in the driver's seat.\nAnother key is for Tom Coverdale to bust out of his slump. I have been on the Coverdale bandwagon long enough to be its driver (or at least to ride shotgun). But there is no denying that TC's shooting has been colder than Bloomington's temperatures this month. Since there are other scorers on this team, it shouldn't be such a big problem. However, he has also made some poor decisions passing the ball in recent games. (He didn't have any turnovers Saturday, so maybe that problem will be remedied).\nIU must also get better production from the bench. The bench contributed a paltry two points against Wisconsin. Yes, it's good for Sean Kline to see some minutes. It's not good when he picks up five fouls in five minutes.
(02/13/03 5:35am)
You can get away with anything. It's just a matter of when you're going to get caught.\nFor the Michigan basketball program, getting caught meant paying for transgressions that are in the current team's rearview mirror.\nWhen it was revealed that former booster Ed Martin "lent" money to players and their families, 112 victories over five seasons were erased, including two Final Four appearances. The current team was put on self-imposed postseason probation for this year (any additional penalties by the NCAA are pending).\nAt the beginning of the season, if nothing else, this seemed like a light penalty. People still remembered who the Fab Five were. And this year's Wolverines squad, which started 0-6 with losses to the likes of Central and Western Michigan, wasn't good enough to make it to the postseason anyway.\nMichigan's poor start is so long ago that it seems like it occurred in another season altogether. Now the Wolverines are fighting for the top spot in the Big Ten standings. For the Big Ten's head wonks, nothing could be more nightmarish for the conference's image than a championship team that can't prove its worth in the NCAA Tournament. But for IU, Michigan's success may help the Hoosiers in their tournament hopes.\nThe Big Ten has already made a contingency plan in case Michigan wins the Big Ten tournament. In that case, the title goes to the regular season conference champion. Provided that Michigan claims that title as well, the Big Ten's automatic bid will go to the regular season runner-up. \nNo, that's not where IU figures to fit in. But Michigan's inability to go to the postseason opens up an extra spot for someone to go to the Big Dance. As things currently stand, most people figure that the Big Ten will get five -- maybe six -- teams into the tournament. While the tournament selection committee says that it does not look at the number of teams that a conference puts into the field, it certainly wouldn't help any for Michigan to be a part of that mix.\nFor IU to pull itself into the tournament, it will have to win at least 18 games. That would give them an 8-8 conference record. They really don't want to play around with what might happen if they finish below .500 in conference play.\nIn order for any of this to happen, the Hoosiers will have to do something that they haven't done all season -- win a Big Ten road game. They have four games left on the road, including their next three straight contests.\nWas it fair for the Big Ten to schedule two blocks of three-straight road games for IU during the toughest part of the season? It doesn't seem like it. But they did the same thing to Ohio State and Iowa, so IU is not alone in this category. If the Hoosiers can prove that they can survive on the road, they could find themselves tournament worthy.\nNo surprise here: Speaking of teams who cheated, the NCAA is investigating allegations that former Fresno State players had people paid to complete their term papers using money funneled from a Las Vegas agent. Come on, a dirty team coached by Jerry Tarkanian?
(02/11/03 5:19am)
This Wednesday, I want you to do something that you may have never done before. When the Hoosiers step onto the floor at Assembly Hall, I want you to boo. Boo them hard. Boo harder than you ever have in your life. Boo them like five Luke Reckers have walked onto the floor. Boo until you are hoarse. Boo them so that they are confused about whether they are playing Michigan at home or on the road.\nThis display does not have to last for the entire game, mind you. Just for a few seconds, to show your displeasure. It's like putting your child in "timeout" when he or she is misbehaving.\nIf you care about IU, you will boo. Or maybe you won't show up at all.\nMaybe this is sacrilege. Perhaps you are so indignant that you have thrown this piece of work away already. Maybe you said "What's wrong with this kid? Is he from Philadelphia or something?"\nThere's nothing wrong with me. But there's everything wrong with what is the most underachieving basketball team since, well, the 2001 Iowa Hawkeyes. (Remember them? They started the season in the Top 10. They ended the season in the NIT).\nThis team lost to Northwestern. Northwestern. A team that is led by a freshman Frenchman. \nFor the first time since 1988, the Big Ten team that is better suited to play against city rival Loyola in the Horizon League beat the Hoosiers. \nIf it were a buzzer beating defeat, it would be a loss that could possibly be stomached. But the game was not even close from the get-go. IU was kicked in the midsection by Northwestern -- a team that plays in a glorified high school gymnasium -- and was never allowed to catch its breath.\nEmbarrassment is not the right word. Total, utter garbage is a more appropriate phrase for what IU is passing as basketball these past three weeks.\nAt least the team showed some heart against Michigan State. They could have tanked it when they were down by seven, but they got the crowd the loudest it has been all year in making a comeback effort. But they still couldn't win. Even when the Spartans have been ranked in the Top 10 they have come up on the short end of the stick when they visited Assembly Hall.\nSo the real question has become, "Does anybody really care anymore?"\nEvery time that Michigan State made a big play, their bench jumped up and down in excitement, and rushed into the huddle of each timeout with gusto. The Hoosiers sat solemnly, as if the result of the game were a foregone conclusion.\nI can tell that some people care. Bracey Wright cares, though he may try to do too much. There are times where teammates have a better shot, but Bracey tries to score on his own. Of course, there are other instances that he should have the ball, but no one gets it into his hands.\nA.J. Moye cares. The poor guy has lost all his hair in this losing streak. But unlike the rest of the bench, he gets pumped up when things go IU's way -- which is why he should never be on the bench. He also sprinted into the locker room at halftime against Michigan State while everyone else was lollygagging off the court, pretty clearly unhappy with the results of the first half.\nAs a senior, Kyle Hornsby cares. He hit the floor going after a loose ball against MSU. That's all I have wanted to see from anybody during this losing streak. Some hustle. Some determination. \nThose three guys showed it. Tom Coverdale has shown some in spurts, but never with the absolute steely resolve that he showed against Maryland. Will anybody else step up?\nThere is no excuse for the length of IU's losing streak. At the very worst, the team should have gone 2-3 over the past five games.\nPerhaps Mike Davis needs a new game plan. He looked brilliant when he made Illinois' star forward Brian Cook a non-factor by punishing the Illini inside the paint with Jeff Newton and George Leach. Ever since, it has been a three-point shootout with none of the shots falling.\nIU has attempted 495 three-pointers this year. They've made 167 of them. In terms of attempts, the next closest team in the conference is Illinois, which has hurled 432 three-pointers. They've made 161.\nI'm no mathmagician, but I can figure this out: try something new.\nAre the Hoosiers a team with Final Four potential? Yeah. The Final Four of the NIT.
(02/04/03 5:46am)
Well, at least it should be easier to get season tickets next year.\nAnd while people start flying off the Hoosier bandwagon like lemmings, the rest of us are left scratching our heads and wondering what exactly is going on.\nAny time a 16-point lead turns into a 19-point loss, these things tend to happen. So like a modern day Sherlock Holmes (or perhaps more like Inspector Clouseau) I have tried to sift through various causes for IU's recent woes. \nEditor's note: Many of these theories aren't very plausible. Why did we let this guy write for us?\nThe SI jinx: \nThe most recent edition of Sports Illustrated features a nice article about Mike Davis, and talks about how he has restored the luster of the IU program. IU is 0-2 since the story was published. While the SI jinx is generally associated with those who are placed on the magazine's cover (except for the swimsuit models), this should be chalked up as bad luck for IU nonetheless.\nUniform alterations:\nSo maybe I'm just using this as an excuse to express my distaste for IU's new (or old school, depending on your point of view -- though old school would include short shorts) crimson uniforms. The uniforms don't bother me as much as the new warm-ups do though. \nIU's warm-up pants are supposed to be "candy cane striped," but as of this date, I still have not come across a candy cane that had crimson striping. I'm also bothered by the fact that the warm-up shirts no longer have "Indiana" written in cursive on the back. Nike is evil.\nThe loss of Jeffries:\nIt wasn't as apparent before the Big Ten schedule got underway, but Jared Jeffries' early departure to the NBA has hurt the Hoosiers this season. IU is having a hard time proving that they can take over a game inside the paint. IU has lost the battle of the boards in all of their defeats, as teams are content to let the Hoosiers try to beat them with outside shooting. To quote Bill Walton (something I promise to never do again), "Somebody get a rebound!"\nBricklayers union:\nThere's no way to beat around the bush here. IU has not been able to score when it counts. The Hoosiers were unable to score a field goal in the last 7:55 of the game Saturday. To add insult to injury, the defense was lit up for 95 points. \nAgainst Purdue, IU had two separate stretches where they went over four minutes without managing to score. The team is now ranked tenth in the conference with its .420 shooting percentage.\nThey also can't hold onto the ball, with 20 turnovers against Louisville and 14 against Purdue. \nIt's just a crazy season:\n IU's loss to Louisville, as shocking as it was, was not even the most stunning comeback in college basketball this season. That would be Arizona's rally from a 20-point deficit at Kansas that turned into a 17-point win for the Wildcats.\nAnd as poorly as IU has played lately, they are still in contention for the Big Ten title in what could be the most wide-open conference race since … last year. But they are looking up to several teams, including two of last year's bottom feeders, Purdue and Michigan.\nMeanwhile, the only team from Indiana ranked in the Top 10 is Notre Dame, which is playing better basketball than football this season. \nAnd the last team from Indiana to beat a team in the Top 10? Evansville, which knocked off now-No. 13 Creighton when they were ranked No. 9. \nWith a month left in the season, there's no telling what will happen next.
(01/30/03 5:43am)
It has been a rough week. Between two IU losses and the fact that "Kangaroo Jack" is the No. 2 movie at the box office, one could argue that things can't possibly get any worse.\nDid I mention the fact that IU faces Louisville on Saturday?\nNo good can come out of this match up. Can you name the hottest team in America? That's right; it's the No. 8 Cardinals, who have won 13 straight since dropping their second game of the season to Purdue for their only loss (which was by two points). \nAt 83.3 points per game, Louisville has the sixth-highest scoring offense in the nation. \nSo at least we'll be able to get into a shootout, right?\nNope. Louisville's defense likes to press. And for a stagnant offense that lives off of the three-pointer and hasn't scored 60 points in its last two games, that is a bad sign.\nThen there is the game's location. IU still hasn't won a game away from Bloomington since they played at Freedom Hall in Louisville, which resulted in a 71-64 loss to Kentucky and Mike Davis' now-infamous tirade.\nAs if all of this isn't enough, Saturday's game includes two of my least favorite elements in college basketball: a non-conference game in the middle of the conference schedule and Rick Pitino.\nI've never liked the idea of having to play teams from outside the Big Ten after the second semester gets under way. I suppose coaches like these types of games because they gauge how well a team matches up against NCAA Tournament caliber opponents. Of course, this is more applicable to Louisville, which is in Conference USA and plays no one challenging besides Cincinnati and Marquette.\nThere are some advantages for IU. The game represents a chance to pick up a big win that would give the team (and fans) a reason to be confident again. If they lose, it doesn't matter -- IU's Big Ten record will not be blemished.\nBut the negatives far outweigh the positives. No matter what the result is Saturday, IU will undoubtedly be mentally and physically fatigued after a game against a team as athletic and physical as Louisville. \nAfter last year's middle of the Big Ten season tilt against the Cardinals, IU faced Wisconsin at home. The result was their first home loss to the Badgers since Bob Knight prowled the sidelines in a questionable plaid sports jacket.\nFortunately, it will be a little easier for IU to win their next game, which is against Northwestern. The Hoosiers have not lost to the Wildcats since 1988. But I still stand by the principle that non-conference games in the middle of the conference schedule are just wrong.\nAnd then there's Pitino. Now don't get me wrong; I don't completely hate Pitino. He's someone that is universally despised by Kentucky fans, which I can respect.\nI've just always felt that he was "too NBA" for college basketball. When he coached Kentucky, they seemed to change uniform design as frequently as they changed their underwear. (Remember that one hideous "shark tooth" jersey that looked like it was designed as part of the Greg Norman Collection?)\nRemember when people actually threw his name around when Knight was fired? I still shudder at the thought of Pitino coaching at Assembly Hall. The whole idea of "graduation" doesn't seem to make him bat an eyelash. (Isn't that just for high school kids, anyway?)\nHis hair also bothers me, putting him in an elite club of coaches who have annoying hair. (Jimmy Johnson, Pat Riley and Gene Keady serve as the board of directors).\nUnfortunately for Pitino, he was "too NCAA" for the NBA, as he took a team with a Rolls Royce lineage, the Boston Celtics, and left them more worthless than a Yugo.\nMaybe he'd be a better fit somewhere in between -- like the NBDL. Just a thought.
(01/28/03 7:29pm)
Ugh.\nThat was the most appropriate way I could think of beginning this column. Probably because I didn't anticipate having to write anything of this nature all season.\nOther possibilities included beginning it with a humorous quip, such as "Purdue students celebrated Saturday's victory with a wild night of picking up girls on the Internet." But IU was simply too embarrassed for such an insult to hold water.\nI could have started the column by berating a player. But there are too many players to berate.\nI could have picked some minute part of the game that highlighted the Hoosiers general incompetence. But the entire 40-minute nightmare that unfolded at Mackey Arena on Saturday would fit that description.\nSo I'll just stick with "ugh."\nIt was an atrocious performance, to say the least. Quite simply, it was more horrific than being trapped in an elevator with Carrot Top. \nIn Thursday's column, I said the Hoosiers would need to bring their "A-game" if they wanted to win at Purdue. They proceeded to bring their "F-game" in what was the worst loss of the Mike Davis Era. And if things don't get better, the four-game road swing that they are currently embarked on will provide a lot of L's for IU. \nAmong the frontrunners in leading the disappointment was Tom Coverdale. While he led IU in scoring -- with 13 points -- he played what may have been his worst game ever. While Purdue fans gleefully taunted him, Coverdale produced only three assists and committed seven turnovers to go along with four fouls.\nThen there are George Leach and Jeff Newton. The big men dominated Purdue at the RCA Dome in December, with Newton scoring 16 points and Leach grabbing 14 boards. Not so much on Saturday. Leach scored as many points as I did -- zero -- while Newton contributed seven points. They combined for 13 rebounds.\nIn the words of Mike Davis, they played "like high school players." But only because Davis is too nice to say "they played like middle schoolers."\nKyle Hornsby added two points in 20 minutes. Grab some bench.\nAs a team, IU shot a brain-defying 3-of-20 behind the 3-point arc.\nBut enough of focusing on the past. It hurts my head too much. The real question has become, "Will IU win a road game this year?"\nAs long as Northwestern and Penn State are still in the conference, the answer to that question is "Yes." But for IU to prove that they are still legitimate contenders for the Big Ten title, tonight's trip to Michigan State will be vital.\nThe reeling Spartans have lost six of their past eight games. They just lost to Michigan for the first time in eight games. (Much like IU losing to Purdue for the first time in five games).\nComing off a humiliating loss will not make things easy for the Hoosiers. Nor will the fact that they have not won at the Breslin Center since 1991.\nHopefully, Davis's 20-minute tirade in the locker room Saturday will light a fire under the team, or they'll make their next appearance at Assembly Hall as an unranked team.
(01/23/03 5:16am)
Q:What is uglier than an OSU-IU game?\nA: Everything in West Lafayette.\nOK, so maybe that was a cheap shot (even if it is true). But in the middle of the Big Ten season, there will be plenty of cheap shots to go around on the court as well, as we have entered the "beat the tar out of each other" phase of the season.\nIU's ability to withstand physical play will be severely tested over the next two weeks, as they enter their toughest stretch of schedule with four straight games on the road.\nThe first of these games promises to be as tough as any, as the Hoosiers travel to Mackey Arena to battle Purdue. Unlike years past, the Boilermakers are good this year. And unlike December's poorly played tilt at the RCA Dome, IU won't win unless they bring their A-game. \nAfter that, it's off to Michigan State, where IU hasn't won a game since it was considered fashionable to listen to Vanilla Ice.\nAnd if you were a fan of Tom "Rocky" Coverdale versus Brent "Apollo" Darby, the Feb. 1 non-conference game at Louisville should really whet your appetite. Based on the penchant for thuggery that the Cardinals displayed when visiting Assembly Hall last year, this game may have to be moved from CBS to HBO.\nThe next game is at Northwestern, so … well, at least the Hoosiers will exit this road stretch with a win.\nHere are some keys for IU to pull out of this tough stretch on top of the Big Ten.\nJeff Newton: The past week has been a case of Good Newt/Bad Newt. Good Newt scores 28 points and gets a double-double. Or makes the top scorer in the Big Ten a non-factor for nearly the entire game. Bad Newt picks up a dumb technical and fouls out of the game. I think you can figure out which one IU needs to show up. \nA.J. Moye: Who made the most clutch plays all week? That guy whose name you chant all the time. No one will be chanting his name on the road, but Mike Davis needs to make sure that Moye is on the floor for at least half of the game -- and all the time in the last five minutes.\nTom Coverdale: Coverdale had three points against Ohio State Tuesday. Granted, he was locked in a defensive battle with Darby. He also spent a couple minutes on the bench getting his chin stitched up. But IU can't expect to win too many games with him scoring under 10 points. He's only had seven points in the last two games combined. So far, Coverdale has done all of the things that a point guard needs to do, and then some. But more shots would be a nice bonus. \nMore PT for DP: Maybe you forgot that Donald Perry was on the IU roster. But he was clutch coming off the bench against Illinois with five points in seven minutes and hit the free throws that clinched the game. With Bracey Wright coming back, logic dictates that Perry will be back on the bench. But he's earned his way into playing more minutes, and I hope we see it.\nRebounds: Yeah, it's a key to every team's success. But IU was badly outrebounded in their losses. They'll need to win the battle of the boards to come out victorious.
(01/16/03 3:44pm)
Who needs Vegas? I'm not a gambling man myself, but I've decided to set my own odds for the Big Ten title race, just for fun. However, if you would like to send some money to my "offshore account," maybe we can arrange something. (I also have a great moneymaking deal from this Nigerian guy that e-mailed me).\nIllinois -- 5:3. The Illini have unfortunately emerged as the favorites heading into the Big Ten season. Senior forward Brian Cook is averaging 21.7 points per game, and freshman guard Dee Brown will give Bracey Wright a run for his money for Freshman of the Year. If they beat IU in Bloomington, the Big Ten is for the taking, provided they don't choke.\nIU -- 2:1. The Ohio State game was an aberration. Maybe. IU has the most talented squad in the conference, and if they start playing like they did before the Kentucky game, they should be able to vie for at least a share of the title.\nMinnesota -- 10:1. The Gophers lost a rare home game to Illinois to start their Big Ten season. Don't expect anyone else to beat them at Williams Arena, aka "The Barn." They have played four ranked teams -- but they're 1-3 in those games. If this isn't their year, sophomores Rick Rickert and Maurice Hargrow should have the Gophers on top sometime in the future.\nMichigan State -- 15:1. Once again, the national media kissed Tom Izzo's posterior and picked the Spartans to win the Big Ten. Ha ha ha. These guys lost to Purdue and Iowa. However, the Spartans may have played the toughest non-conference schedule in the Big Ten, which could help them later on.\nPurdue -- 20:1. Guess what? Gene Keady isn't washed up. (Neither is his comb over). The Boilermakers are a solid dark horse pick to surprise a lot of people. At the very least, they should be NCAA Tournament bound this year. They are the only team that has beaten Louisville this year, and are poised to make some noise.\nWisconsin -- 20:1. Another Big Ten co-champ a year ago. They embarrassingly lost to Michigan to begin the Big Ten schedule. But the Badgers still have that plucky Kiwi, Kirk Penney, leading the way at guard. Unlike IU, they were able to win at Temple.\nOhio State -- 25:1. Could the Buckeyes win the Big Ten basketball and football titles in the same year? That wouldn't be fair. Of course, Illinois did it last year, except nobody noticed. The Buckeyes have played three Top Ten teams this year, and got killed each time. But the underrated Jim O'Brien always has his teams ready for the Big Ten.\nIowa -- 50:1. Sure, the Hawkeyes have won 10 games, including their first two Big Ten games. This alone is more than I expected out of Steve Alford's troops this year -- they entered the year with a nine-man roster. At least they have worked their way up to 11 players now. Maybe this year they will do the opposite of their incredible fold in the Big Ten last season.\nMichigan -- 75:1. After starting the season 0-6, including losses to Central and Western Michigan (Egad!), the Wolverines have won nine straight. Senior guard LaVell Blanchard has played great ball, and freshman guard Daniel Horton is developing quickly. But even if Michigan miraculously wins the Big Ten … it doesn't matter. Probation must suck.\nPenn State -- 1,000:1. Only nine months until football season.\nNorthwestern -- 1,000,000:1. "Yes! A million to one! So you're saying there's still a chance?" Yes, that's from "Dumb and Dumber." Which is how every coach feels when he leaves Evanston because he can never get another job. The Wildcats have never been to the NCAA Tournament. But if they play their cards right, maybe they can work into the NIT this year. At least junior guard Jitim Young has the coolest name in the Big Ten.
(01/14/03 5:46am)
If Mike Davis were the president of Indiana University, I have a feeling that he would be compelled to cancel winter break. That's because every year, the darndest things seem to happen to the Hoosiers while students are resting themselves for the holidays. Like Davis saying or doing something that stirs a controversy. Or IU playing flat, uninspired basketball.\nLet's take a look at the ghosts of Hoosiers past. In Davis' first year, the Kentucky game made Davis wonder out loud in a press conference whether or not he was the right coach for IU.\nLast year, he came out and said he hated Kentucky, a statement he later had to retract. Of course we all knew it was true -- who doesn't hate Kentucky? But Davis is far too polite to stand behind such a statement. He also got himself a $10,000 fine for criticizing referees after the Butler game. In addition, the Hoosiers lost three games over the course of the break.\nThis year, things got even worse. IU entered the winter break undefeated, poised to take over the number one ranking in the nation. And then came Kentucky. This year, Davis didn't wait until the end of the game to criticize the officiating -- or for that matter, the end of the play. He simply charged onto the floor and went after the official to argue what turned out to be a good call and got two technicals that cost the game.\nIn turn, this prompted the Big Ten to suggest a ludicrous six-game suspension for Davis, which IU pared down to one game. Would two games have been more appropriate? Maybe -- but I don't think so because the effect that the Kentucky game has had on this team lasted much longer than one game.\nThe next game was against one of the weakest Temple teams in recent memory and turned into a 71-64 loss. Davis took the blame for the loss, saying the team was too focused on his issues rather than playing.\nIU won their next three games by double digits, but let Ball State, Charlotte and Penn State stick around for much too long. Then, against Ohio State, everything looked broken.\nThe Buckeyes out-hustled, out-rebounded and out-played IU in every possible facet of the game. So what's the problem? Why can't IU ever play well during winter break? Do they need to bring back the Hoosier Classic? And can they fix these problems? \nNo, they don't need to bring back the Hoosier Classic. Eastern Washington and Western Illinois do little to prepare you for the Big Ten season. And if the previous two seasons are any indicator, as much as Davis and the Hoosiers struggle over winter break, they excel once the spring semester gets into full swing.\nI'm not saying that they will just get better at the turn of the calendar. They'll have to start doing things differently. For instance, they shot an abysmal nine for 34 behind the three-point line against Ohio State. If you are shooting that bad, there is no excuse for taking 34 three-pointers. It's called pushing the ball inside. Bracey Wright can drive. Jeff Newton can score. Let them do it.\nAlso, Tom Coverdale needs to get more involved in the offense. He is the heart and soul of the team, so let him do the work. Coverdale is averaging 13.1 points per game. He should be over 15 a game.\nAnd Kyle Hornsby needs to get out of his funk -- or get out of the starting lineup. Hornsby was 0 for 9 against Ohio State and is shooting 36.5 percent from the field on the season. I have the confidence that Hornsby can get his stroke back, but sometimes I wonder if he does.\nAt any rate, with Illinois coming into town next week, IU will have to be ready to get out of their traditional winter blues. We shall see if they can.
(12/11/02 3:35am)
I'll never forget my first game at Assembly Hall. Defending National Champion Michigan State came into the Hall sporting a 23 game winning streak that seemed poised to continue with only seconds remaining to play. And then, just before the horn sounded, Kirk Haston drove a three-point dagger into the Spartans' hearts and sent the place into delirium.\nFans rushed the court. People gave hugs and high-fives to those that they had never met before. And to think that I witnessed it all -- from the last row in the entire stadium. For a brief moment, a thought crossed my mind -- is there anywhere else in the world where a season ticket holder gets to sit in the nosebleeds?\nThat thought went away quickly, as I happily slapped the red, metallic wall behind me to make my own contribution to the celebration.\nFast-forward two years. You've put down your hard-earned $115 for 10 season tickets with your friends. And then you learn that what you paid to get will be cut nearly in half. As you get your refund check and six tickets, including one against North Texas when you will be in your car/truck/plane/Winnebago back to school from Thanksgiving Break, the thought crosses your mind- "Is there anywhere else in the world where season ticket holders have such hijinks pulled on them?"\nI don't know. But truth be told, it doesn't get me all hot and bothered that we only get to see six or seven games instead of all ten. It doesn't even bother me that 12,200 tickets were sold for 7,500 seats. Or even that many of the tickets were sold after the so-called deadline. What does bother me, though, is the way that the ticket office handled the situation.\nIt probably became obvious fairly early in the process that there would be more ticket requests than seats available for the season. At that point, it would have behooved the athletic department to say "There's a good chance that you won't be able to get all 10 games in your season ticket package this year, this has happened in the past, blah blah."\nBut of course they didn't do anything like that. Because that might have caused hundreds of students who expected nothing less than their full ticket package to not buy season tickets, costing thousands of dollars in potential revenue. Shady.\nBut it's no use complaining about a problem that has already happened without offering a solution. If I wanted to do that, I'd just run for Congress. But this problem can be rectified for future generations of IU student season ticket holders in a very simple fashion.\nYou see, Duke has its Cameron Crazies. Michigan State has its Izzone. Illinois has its Orange Crush. IU has its… wildly cheering alumni and boosters?\nMy point is this: I feel that most IU students would be perfectly happy going to six games a season if there were a legitimate student seating section. The areas on the two ends of the court don't cut it- this season, not everyone has a court seat (present company included).\nI propose that in addition to these areas, an entire section of the lower concourse -- say, the East Main, be reserved for students. After all, let's not forget that collegiate sports were created for and by college students. \nIt's not as if this proposal is forcing the older folks to make the long trip up the balcony either- it would still leave a whole side of the lower concourse open for them.\nThe balcony seats would then be sold to whoever wants them, as they are in any reasonable arena where season ticket holders are given priority seating.\nWill something like this ever happen? I doubt it-the option that will generate the most revenue will always win in an argument. (Especially if you are in debt).\nBut miracles have been known to happen to the Hoosier faithful if they wait long enough, from Keith Smart to Haston to last year's Final Four run. Here's hoping another one isn't too far-fetched.
(12/10/02 5:31am)
I'll never forget my first game at Assembly Hall. Defending National Champion Michigan State came into the Hall sporting a 23 game winning streak that seemed poised to continue with only seconds remaining to play. And then, just before the horn sounded, Kirk Haston drove a three-point dagger into the Spartans' hearts and sent the place into delirium.\nFans rushed the court. People gave hugs and high-fives to those that they had never met before. And to think that I witnessed it all -- from the last row in the entire stadium. For a brief moment, a thought crossed my mind -- is there anywhere else in the world where a season ticket holder gets to sit in the nosebleeds?\nThat thought went away quickly, as I happily slapped the red, metallic wall behind me to make my own contribution to the celebration.\nFast-forward two years. You've put down your hard-earned $115 for 10 season tickets with your friends. And then you learn that what you paid to get will be cut nearly in half. As you get your refund check and six tickets, including one against North Texas when you will be in your car/truck/plane/Winnebago back to school from Thanksgiving Break, the thought crosses your mind- "Is there anywhere else in the world where season ticket holders have such hijinks pulled on them?"\nI don't know. But truth be told, it doesn't get me all hot and bothered that we only get to see six or seven games instead of all ten. It doesn't even bother me that 12,200 tickets were sold for 7,500 seats. Or even that many of the tickets were sold after the so-called deadline. What does bother me, though, is the way that the ticket office handled the situation.\nIt probably became obvious fairly early in the process that there would be more ticket requests than seats available for the season. At that point, it would have behooved the athletic department to say "There's a good chance that you won't be able to get all 10 games in your season ticket package this year, this has happened in the past, blah blah."\nBut of course they didn't do anything like that. Because that might have caused hundreds of students who expected nothing less than their full ticket package to not buy season tickets, costing thousands of dollars in potential revenue. Shady.\nBut it's no use complaining about a problem that has already happened without offering a solution. If I wanted to do that, I'd just run for Congress. But this problem can be rectified for future generations of IU student season ticket holders in a very simple fashion.\nYou see, Duke has its Cameron Crazies. Michigan State has its Izzone. Illinois has its Orange Crush. IU has its… wildly cheering alumni and boosters?\nMy point is this: I feel that most IU students would be perfectly happy going to six games a season if there were a legitimate student seating section. The areas on the two ends of the court don't cut it- this season, not everyone has a court seat (present company included).\nI propose that in addition to these areas, an entire section of the lower concourse -- say, the East Main, be reserved for students. After all, let's not forget that collegiate sports were created for and by college students. \nIt's not as if this proposal is forcing the older folks to make the long trip up the balcony either- it would still leave a whole side of the lower concourse open for them.\nThe balcony seats would then be sold to whoever wants them, as they are in any reasonable arena where season ticket holders are given priority seating.\nWill something like this ever happen? I doubt it-the option that will generate the most revenue will always win in an argument. (Especially if you are in debt).\nBut miracles have been known to happen to the Hoosier faithful if they wait long enough, from Keith Smart to Haston to last year's Final Four run. Here's hoping another one isn't too far-fetched.
(12/06/02 5:16am)
After the ninth straight season of sub-.500 play and a failure to secure a bowl bid, most IU fans probably assumed that things would get better before they got worse for the Hoosiers. Now, that might not be the case.\nFreshman linebacker John Kerr announced that he will be transferring from IU after the semester is over. Kerr, a 6-foot, 240-pound graduate of St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, led the team with 114 tackles this season. In addition, Kerr was tied for second on the team with two sacks. Kerr also had an interception.\nHe also played part in one of the most bone-jarring tackles of the football season when he picked up freshman Purdue wide receiver Ray Williams and body slammed him to the ground in the second quarter of the Old Oaken Bucket game. \nCoach Gerry DiNardo released a statement regarding Kerr's decision. \n"I think it's inappropriate to share personal conversations with players," DiNardo said. "But I will say that my experience at both Vanderbilt and LSU is that only the real team guys bought into the rebuilding of a program."\nKerr was unavailable for comment. Kerr's father, Bill, was reached, but declined to comment on the situation at this time. \nKerr was among the last recruits signed to play for IU by former coach Cam Cameron. He was a prep standout at St. Ignatius, recording 230 tackles and 17 sacks in leading his team to the state championship his senior year.\nHe was recognized as the Cuyahoga County Player of the Year and was named Ohio Defensive Player of the Year. But, he was not offered a scholarship by Ohio State because he was perceived as being too small to play linebacker.\nKerr would not see the wins he enjoyed in high school as a Hoosier. During IU's season-ending six game losing streak, he would often comment about how much he hated losing in post-game interviews.\nKerr's older brother, Luke, played football at Bowling Green.
(12/05/02 5:10am)
Admit it. You were scared.\nFor the first few seconds after Maryland senior Steve Blake hit his improbable half-court shot as time ran out in Tuesday night's game, you were petrified. Perhaps your jaw dropped. Maybe you spilled your drink. Or you possibly echoed Chris Farley's "Super Fans" character and said, "I think I'm 'havin a 'heart attack."\nThankfully, they created instant replay, and such fears went away. Just as thankfully for Hoosier fans, there's also a guard named Tom Coverdale who helps such fears go away.\nIt was a game in which IU was nearly impossible to figure out. At times, the team looked like they were capable of throwing up enough bricks to build Ballantine Hall. Compounding this problem was the fact that they couldn't rebound, either, leading to an early 14-point deficit.\nAt other times, IU looked like they were riding an unstoppable wave of momentum that would take something freakish to stop -- like a half-court shot.\nBut no matter how the rest of the team was playing, Coverdale was the glue that held the Hoosiers together, and he came out and proved to a national audience why he is this team's captain and emotional leader.\nWhen nothing was falling for IU, it was Coverdale making his shots. When the defense needed a stop, Coverdale would be there for a key steal. Need someone to drive into the lane and draw a big foul? Well, I think you know where I'm going with this one.\nBut you know what you can do with all of this year's highly touted NBA lottery picks? You can keep 'em. I'll take Coverdale. And I'm not just saying that because most highly touted lottery picks come out of high school these days.\nWhile he doesn't have an athletic build or a great deal of speed, he brings three things that are important in a team leader: courage, a brain and heart. And he didn't have to go to the Wizard of Oz to get them. Coverdale's so old school that the only things he's missing are the Daisy Dukes.\nI know it's early in the season, but if Tuesday night's feats are any indication, Coverdale should be in line to get nominated for some sort of shiny hardware once the year is over. But there is still a big downside to Coverdale's 30-point performance. He completely overshadowed the efforts of his teammates. And there were some big efforts.\nLike freshman Bracey Wright, who contributed 19 points and seven rebounds. Wright looked like a stereotypical freshman early on as IU trailed, showing good hustle but trying too hard to create shots. Once Coverdale brought the team back into it, though, Wright hit his stride and played like an upperclassman.\nOr the redshirt freshman Sean Kline, who provided a sparkplug off the bench. Sure, missing those free throws down the stretch was cause for nail-biting, but Kline always managed to be in the right place at the right time -- like when he drew a charge against Maryland forward Tahj Holden, who fouled out. Kline also scored IU's go-ahead bucket in overtime.\nGeorge Leach didn't do anything offensively, but he didn't need to. Leach, recovering from an injured rotator cuff, had no problem swinging his arms as he blocked six Terrapin shots.\nAnd was there every a quieter double-double than the one garnered by Jeff Newton? "Newt" scored 14 points and pulled down 13 boards, and hardly anyone noticed.\nBut perhaps the most underrated job was the one done by Mike Davis. For the entire second half, I asked "Why no A.J. Moye?" while freshman Marshall Strickland stayed on the floor. It was Strickland, of course, that stole Maryland's inbounds pass with 11 seconds left to set up Kline's game-tying free throw.\nTuesday, the Hoosiers proved that they didn't have to play their best basketball to win -- they shot under 30 percent. But with a fearless leader, anything's possible.
(11/25/02 5:24am)
WEST LAFAYETTE -- In the second half of Saturday's battle for the Old Oaken Bucket, Purdue decided to turn a game of football into a game of "keep away." \nThe Boilermakers' plan worked, as they held onto the ball for nearly 23 minutes in the second half en route to a 34-10 victory.\nPurdue's ability to control the tempo of the game stemmed from a combination of effective running and passing, and an uncanny ability to convert in third and fourth down situations.\nMost of the Boilermakers' success in converting on third down occurred in the first half, when they were able to capitalize on eight of 11 third down opportunities.\n"They have a really well-conceived offense, and they're really well coached," said coach Gerry DiNardo. "They made some plays on critical third-and-medium situations. That's a good situation for them because they throw and catch the ball so well."\nWhen it came to fourth down situations, Purdue's offense was even more clutch -- they converted on four of five fourth down chances, including a perfect three for three in the second half.\nThough they dominated the second half, Purdue's dedication to controlling the game's pace was evident early.\nAfter scoring quickly on their first possession, coach Joe Tiller had his offense slow down. Purdue's next touchdown came off of an 11 play, 85-yard drive that took 5:30 off of the clock, and the Boilermakers were near midfield when they scored, as the touchdown resulted from a 41-yard run by redshirt freshman running back Brandon Jones.\nThe drive featured efficient passing by sophomore quarterback Kyle Orton, who completed six of seven passes for 37 yards. The Boilermakers also converted all three third down situations that they faced.\nIU senior quarterback Gibran Hamdan said he was impressed by the Boilermakers' ability to keep the Hoosier offense off the field.\n"Their offense doesn't get enough credit for the way they can take control of a game by passing the ball," Hamdan said.\nOn their next touchdown drive, the Purdue offense took control by running the ball. Already leading 17-3, Purdue was in position to go in for the kill with 8:05 remaining in the third quarter after taking possession at the IU 29-yard line via a 23-yard punt by junior Ryan Hamre.\nThe Boilermakers method of eliminating the Hoosiers proved to be slow and torturous for the IU defense. Though they were a mere 29 yards from the end zone, Purdue held onto the ball for nearly six minutes before redshirt freshman Jerod Void punched in the score from one yard out on the eleventh play of the drive. The Boilermakers only threw one pass on the possession.\nPurdue also converted twice on fourth down on the scoring drive, including the touchdown. \nThe next time Purdue touched the ball was with 14:05 left in the fourth quarter. The quarter was almost half over by the time IU touched the ball again. The 45-yard, 13 play drive ate 5:54 off of the clock, and didn't even result in a touchdown.\nPurdue's offense finally stalled at the IU 6-yard line and settled for a 23-yard field goal by junior kicker Berin Lacevic to up their lead to 27-3.\nOnce again, Orton was Mr. Efficient for the Boilermakers, completing seven of eight passes on the drive.\nFor the game, Purdue ran 88 offensive plays and held onto the ball for 39:11. Orton completed 22 of 28 passes for 173 yards.\nPurdue's consistent ground attack produced two 100-yard rushers. Jones ran for 131 yards on 10 carries, while junior Joey Harris added 102 yards on 27 carries.\n"We couldn't get off the field," defensive coordinator Tim Kish said. "We went across the board with what we have for defensive calls, but we just couldn't get them stopped. They out-executed us"
(11/22/02 5:08am)
This is it -- the game that every practice of every season builds up to. It's a chance for every freshman to see what bitterness really tastes like. It's a chance for seniors to go out in a blaze of glory.\nIt's IU (3-8, 1-6 Big Ten) versus Purdue (5-6, 3-4 Big Ten) Saturday afternoon at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette as the teams kickoff the 105th edition of the series that dates back to 1891.\n"It's Purdue. It's for the (Old Oaken) Bucket," said senior defensive lineman Kris Dielman. "If you can't get jacked for that, you shouldn't be playing football at IU."\nFor Dielman and his fellow seniors, the game offers a unique opportunity -- they can become the first class to hold onto the Bucket for two straight seasons since 1991's graduating class, which won the prize in 1990 and 1991.\n"That's definitely something we want to do," senior quarterback Tommy Jones said. "We want to give the guys behind us a chance to win it three years in a row."\nIn order for the Hoosiers to put together an Old Oaken Bucket winning streak, they must first put a halt to their current five-game losing streak. The Hoosiers have tailspinned ever since a 24-8 Homecoming loss to No. 5 Iowa.\nA team headed in the opposite direction is the Boilermakers. After a 3-5 start that included a home loss to Wake Forest, Purdue has responded by winning two of its last three games. The only loss was a 10-6 heartbreaker at the hands of No. 2 Ohio State.\nWith the Boilermakers still one win short of bowl eligibility, Saturday's game allows IU an extra incentive -- they can play spoiler and keep the Boilers home for the holidays.\n"That would be the best way to go out," Jones said. "Win the Old Oaken Bucket and ruin their chances for a bowl game."\nJones and the IU offense will have their hands full with the Purdue defense, which is spearheaded by junior free safety Stuart Schweigert. Schweigert is Purdue's career interception leader. He's also a candidate for All-American honors, and is a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Award (best defensive player nationally) and Jim Thorpe Award (best defensive back nationally). \nBut Jones and the IU offense are prepared to throw anything and everything in the playbook at the Purdue defense.\n"Everything we've had in the playbook from day one is in," Jones said. "Anything can happen."\nPurdue's offense will be looking to give IU fits, though. The Boilermakers, fourth in the Big Ten in scoring, averaging 28.9 points per game. The IU defense, on the other hand, is ranked 10th in the Conference, giving up 37.4 points a game.\nIn addition, Purdue has outscored IU 93-20 in the last two games played at Ross-Ade.\nAnd while this year's Boilermaker attack won't be as wide-open as it was in the days of Drew Brees, the combination of quarterbacks freshman Brandon Kirsch and sophomore Kyle Orton have Purdue passing for an average of 254.4 yards per game, which is 29th in the nation.\nKirsch is expected to start on Saturday.\nThough he's a newcomer to the series, coach Gerry DiNardo understands what he will be up against Saturday.\n"They are a little more balanced offensively than they have been in the past. They've run the ball," DiNardo said. "We've got a lot of work to do"
(11/18/02 4:23am)
For nearly one half, IU (3-8, 1-6 Big Ten) fought like a dog that was tired of being beaten and battered and finally snapped back against No. 16 Penn State (8-3, 4-3 Big Ten), a team they have never defeated.\nAnd then Larry Johnson came to play. The Nittany Lions senior running back shredded the IU defense and the record books Saturday with 327 yards rushing on 28 carries and led Penn State to a 58-25 win in the final game of the season at Memorial Stadium.\nIn addition to breaking his own school record for a single game performance, Johnson became the single-season leading rusher in Penn State history, passing Lydell Mitchell's total of 1,577 yards in 1971.\n"I say he has to be one of the better backs I've ever seen," coach Gerry DiNardo said.\nThe Nittany Lions exploded in the second half after clinging to a 28-18 lead at halftime.\nThey had their share of fits in the first half, though.\nIU's offense was unable to move the ball early, going three-and-out on their first two possessions. The defense was able to pick up the slack though.\nAfter allowing Penn State to score on its first possession, the defense took matters into its own hands -- or at least into the hands of freshman cornerback Buster Larkins, who picked off a pass tipped by senior defensive lineman Kris Dielman and returned it 59 yards for a touchdown midway through the first quarter.\nBut sophomore kicker Bryan Robertson's point after attempt was blocked, and IU stayed down 7-6.\nThe woes of Penn State sophomore quarterback Zack Mills continued on the next possession as freshman linebacker John Kerr intercepted the ball at the Lions' 28-yard line.\n"I was just reading the quarterback's eyes, and I just happened to be in the right place," Kerr said.\nIU capitalized on the turnover with a six-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Tommy Jones to sophomore wide receiver Courtney Roby.\nThe score led to another failed point after attempt, as senior holder Gibran Hamdan was stopped cold in a fake attempt for the two-point conversion.\nIt took exactly one play for the Nittany Lions to answer, as Johnson broke loose on a 69-yard run for his first touchdown of the game, giving Penn State a 14-12 edge.\nIU responded with a methodical 18 play, 80-yard drive that ended with Jones hitting senior tight end Stephen Anthony for a one-yard touchdown pass.\nIU set up for a two-point conversion attempt, and got it. But the play was waved off for an illegal formation on the offense, moving the ball back five yards and bringing out the kicking unit.\nOnce again, the point after was botched after a bad snap, giving the Hoosiers three touchdowns and 18 points to show for it.\nTwo plays later, Johnson struck on a 43-yard run. After taking a 21-18 lead on Johnson's second touchdown, Penn State never looked back.\nPenn State senior offensive tackle Matt Schmitt blamed the Lions slow start on the "unique" conditions at Memorial Stadium.\n"We're used to a louder stadium and a little better field conditions," Schmitt said. "It was like playing on the beach."\nWith temperatures waning along with the sunlight, the second half was no day at the beach for the Hoosiers, who were outscored 30-7.\nJohnson scored Penn State's next touchdown from one-yard out.\nA 27-yard field goal by sophomore kicker Robbie Gould gave Penn State a 38-18 lead at the end of the third quarter.\nIU was able to respond early in the fourth with a 6-yard touchdown run by freshman Yamar Washington that capped off a drive that went 80 yards and lasted over eight minutes.\nJohnson killed any hopes of a comeback three minutes later with his fourth touchdown of the game, this one coming on a 41-yard scamper down the sideline.\nFreshman cornerback Damien Jones said IU lost its focus in the second half.\n"We went out in the beginning and had our mind on defense and making plays," Jones said. "In the second half, we kind of lost sight of that."\nPenn State scored twice more in the fourth quarter. The first touchdown came from junior cornerback Rich Gardner, who intercepted a Jones pass and returned it 35 yards to pay dirt.\nThe Lions final touchdown came with two minutes left to play, as sophomore running back Mike Gasparato plunged into the end zone from three yards out. By that time, Penn State coach Joe Paterno was letting everyone in for some action -- including backup junior kicker David Kimball, whose extra point attempt was blocked.\nIU's season wraps up next week at Purdue when the Hoosiers battle the Boilermakers for the Old Oaken Bucket.
(11/14/02 6:15am)
Former athletic director Michael McNeely may be gone. But a $3.5 million piece of his legacy still remains in the form of luxury seats currently being constructed at Memorial Stadium.\nFollowing the lead of Big Ten schools such as Ohio State and Penn State, which have already reaped financial benefits with the addition of luxury seats in their stadiums, IU is currently installing eight luxury suites and 300 club-level seats in Memorial Stadium to be ready for the 2003 season.\nScott Dolson, director of the IU Varsity Club, said the plans for the building suites were first formulated almost as soon as McNeely arrived as athletic director in July 2001. After taking a tour of the Memorial Stadium press box for the first time, McNeely said there was underutilized space standing in the way of additional revenue for the IU athletic program.\n"I think he immediately started thinking of the suite concept and the club seat concept as ways of creating additional revenue streams," Dolson said.\nThe suites and club seats will be added onto the current press box structure.\nConstruction on the press box started this summer and has continued throughout the football season. It was originally hoped that the construction on the suites would be completed by the final game of the season, but the suites will not be ready until next season. In addition to the building of new seats, the press area is being renovated as well. \nThe project was not funded by the already tight University and state budgets, but through a loan from the IU Foundation.\nDolson is optimistic that it won't take long to repay the $3.5 million loan though. Six suite licenses have been sold thus far, which means that the athletic department is already guaranteed to have over $2.1 million worth of the project paid for before the seats are even ready to sit in.\nThe first person to purchase a suite was long-time IU Varsity Club booster Bruce Furr of International Data, LLC. \n"We did this primarily to support the University and to offer the amenities to our clients," Furr said.\nOnce the loans are paid off, every dollar raised for the seats will be profit for the athletic department, which is recovering from a debt of more than $1 million from the 2001 fiscal year.\nSuite licenses are being priced at $46,950 per year for the seven to 10-year plan. There is also a five to six-year plan in which licenses can be purchased for $49,950 per year.\nClub seats, which will be located in the new addition that is being built below the press box, will cost $1,250 per year in addition to the cost of season tickets.\nBoth sections will offer a share of amenities to purchasers. The suites hold 14 seats apiece, and come equipped with two televisions, a telephone, refrigerator, sink, air conditioning and heat and complimentary food and beverage.\nThe club section is fitted with plush movie theater-style seats with climate-control. Food and beverage will not be complimentary in the club section.\nLicense buyers for both seating areas will receive priority points for basketball season ticket assignments.\nSuites have often been criticized for leaving out "the common fan" and catering to corporations. Dolson said the suites at Memorial Stadium have been sold to an even combination of corporate buyers and individuals.\n"We've got one group of four alumni that wanted to join together and have a suite of their own. That's strictly from a fan's vantage point rather than a business vantage point," Dolson said. \nIU isn't the only school in the area to construct suites and club seating this year. Purdue has added 34 suites as part of massive $70 million renovation of Ross-Ade Stadium. In addition, Purdue will be adding both outdoor and indoor club seating to the stadium. The renovation plan also calls for widening seats and aisles in the stadium concourse. The project will actually end up reducing Ross-Ade's seating capacity by 5000.\nWhile ticket prices across the country continue to rise, the suite building plans will not have an effect on the cost of student tickets at either Purdue or IU. In fact, IU is headed in another direction altogether, as it lowered the cost of season tickets for students, though the seats were moved to a different section.\nWhile Purdue Associate Athletic Director Jay Cooperider said he understands some fans see suites as just another step in the commercialization of college sports, he believes suites can actually benefit the common fan sitting in the nosebleed section by keeping their ticket prices lower in the long term.\n"We're not pricing people out of the market," Cooperider said. "We pay $5 million a year to educate student-athletes. This way, a small percentage of the fan base pays for amenities for everybody." \nIn terms of athletic revenue, IU is being left in the dust by the rest of the Big Ten. IU's athletic revenue ranks 10th in the conference, nearly $25 million behind conference leader Ohio State. In football, IU is ranked dead last in the conference, falling $14 million behind the revenue raised by Penn State.\nFurr said the decision to build suites is a no-brainer. \n"There's no doubt we need more athletic revenue," Furr said. "You can't beat an increasing budget with a declining revenue source. Nobody's Houdini"