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(12/11/00 6:49am)
Riding an emotional high after IU easily defeated Southern Illinois 85-63 Dec. 2, sophomore Tom Coverdale was cited for illegal consumption by Indiana State Police, his second alcohol offense of the year.\nCoverdale, 20, said he was embarrassed about the incident.\n"I want to apologize for embarrassing my parents, my family, my coaches, my teammates and the entire state of Indiana," Coverdale said after IU's 87-59 win against Western Michigan Friday. "I had two drinks and called a friend to take me home. He didn't use his turn signal, and they pulled (us) over. I didn't have a high blood-alcohol level, but it was two drinks too many. I've learned my lesson. I'll be embarrassed about that for a while."\nDespite Coverdale receiving the citation and being arrested for illegal consumption May 26 outside The Bluebird Nightclub, 216 N. Walnut St. -- in which he spent a few hours in jail and entered a pre-trial diversion program involving community service -- interim head coach Mike Davis said he did not suspend Coverdale because he said he thought Coverdale was sorry about the infraction.\n"I thought he was remorseful, and the right thing to do may have been to suspend him, but I believe he meant what he said about being sorry," Davis said. "I gave him a curfew for the remainder of the year and he's going to get counseling. If he misses curfew or counseling he will no longer have a scholarship here at Indiana."\nDavis said he has set a 10 p.m. curfew for Coverdale every night.\nCoverdale said he doesn't have a drinking problem but said he agrees with Davis' decision and can live with his restrictions.\n"I think they're very appropriate because I embarrassed a lot of people," Coverdale said. "If he's giving me this chance, what can I say? It took a lot of guts for him to play me. There won't be a next time."\nCoverdale is not the first player on this year's basketball team to get in trouble with the law. Sophomore forward Jeffrey Newton was arrested June 3 near Scottsburg, Ind. for a misdemeanor possession of marijuana. Junior guard Dane Fife, was arrested June 15 for illegal consumption outside Kilroy's Sports Bar, 319 N. Walnut St.\nAs a result of these incidents, Davis said he would consider moving the entire team into one of the residence halls.\n"Right now it's too loose with these guys staying in the apartments," Davis said. "These are young guys, and they don't understand making a commitment and making the right choice.\n"I need to be in a situation where I can be hands-on with these guys," Davis said. "Maybe I can't do anything about it right now, but there's going to be a point where they all will be in the same apartment complex or a dormitory."\nSophomore guard Kyle Hornsby said he would like to live in the same area with his teammates.\n"I think it would put guys in a situation where we have to be extremely tight," Hornsby said. "I think the best teams are the closest teams. Most of the teams that are great, enjoy playing together, they're one cohesive unit, and that can help us achieve that"
(12/11/00 6:47am)
Kyle Hornsby's teammates consider him the best shooter on IU's basketball team. In two games of the Indiana Classic, Hornsby proved that he truly is one of IU's best bombers.\nThe sophomore guard made seven-of-10 three-pointers in the two-game Indiana Classic, en route to MVP honors. He scored 16 points in IU's 65-50 win over Ball State in the championship game Saturday evening and 12 against Western Michigan in IU's 87-59 victory Friday.\n"Kyle is playing well," said IU coach Mike Davis. "He's a shooter. In high school, he shot 63 percent from the 3-point line. So hopefully, he'll stay aggressive offensively and if he can do that, it will really help us."\nHornsby said he was surprised that he was given the MVP award for his efforts, which included four three-pointers against the Cardinals.\n"At the end of the game, I was thinking it would be nice to be on the all-tournament team," Hornsby said. "But to be the MVP, that's real nice."\nJunior forward Kirk Haston came off the bench to score 14 points and grab eight rebounds. He was named to the all-tournament team and scored 25 points in the two games.\nAs Haston watched the first seven minutes of the game from the bench, he saw Ball State build an eight-point lead. But after he entered the game, Ball State struggled to score, and the Hoosiers started making their shots.\n"Kirk can score. (He) is an offensive sparkplug for us," Davis said. "We came out sluggish tonight and played down, not like I wanted."\nWith Haston in the game, IU used a 22-4 run to build a 10-point lead en route to a 34-24 halftime lead. Haston was the team's starting center for IU's first five games, but he's come off the bench in the last three games after sitting out one game with a toe injury.\n"I don't think anyone enjoys coming off the bench," Haston said. "But I'm going to do what's best for the team. If we're playing well and this is what's working for us, it's hard for me to say we should change it."\nLed by Hornsby, the Hoosiers made eight-of-17 three-point attempts against Ball State, and 20-of-38 in the tournament.\n"I told Kyle, 'just keep giving me assists,'" Haston said. "Because he can knock it down from anywhere. He's a real good shooter, but I'm two-for-two on the season, so I got him beat in percentage."\nHaston scored seven points during the first half run, which lasted seven minutes, en route to 10 first half points. Sophomore forward Jeffrey Newton extended IU's lead to 12 points, the largest lead of the half, with a layup with 1:56 remaining.\nSophomore guard Tom Coverdale dished out seven assists in the half, and finished the night with 10 assists and seven points. Coverdale was also named to the all-tournament team by scoring 13 points and dishing out 16 assists in the two games.\nIU went on a 17-4 run to open the second half and give the Hoosiers a 23-point lead. Freshman forward Jared Jeffries scored seven during the run and finished with 11 points.\nLonnie Jones led the Cardinals with 14 points and Josh Murray grabbed 14 rebounds. Ball State's leading scorer, Theron Smith, scored 40 points against Texas Tech but was limited to 12 by the Hoosiers. IU forced 18 turnovers, while giving it up only eight times.\n"This team definitely feeds off defense more than any other team," Haston said. "We're not really into it to try to outscore anybody. We really want to keep a team around 60 points."\nAgainst Western Michigan, freshman guard Andre Owens exploded for a career-high 22 points in just 22 minutes. He scored 19 of his points in a seven-minute stretch in the first half in which the Hoosiers went on a 24-6 run to take a 38-12 lead with 5:26 to play in the first half.\nThe win over Ball State extended IU's all-time to 53-1 in the Indiana Classic and gave the Hoosiers their 25th championship in 26 years. Indiana State defeated IU 63-60 in last season's championship game.\n"We got our trophy," junior guard Dane Fife said. "It feels good to have our title back"
(12/06/00 6:20am)
SOUTH BEND -- As IU's point guard, sophomore Tom Coverdale's job is running the Hoosiers' offense. Against Notre Dame Tuesday night, he was IU's offense.\nCoverdale topped his previous career high of 13 by halftime on the way to a 30-point performance in IU's 86-78 upset win against No. 10 Notre Dame. At times, the only way to stop Coverdale was to grab his jersey, as Notre Dame's Troy Murphy did late in the second half to prevent an easy basket.\n"I had no idea Tom Coverdale would score 30 points," interim head coach Mike Davis said. "Coverdale stepped his play up in the first half and hit a three pointer that gave us momentum going into halftime."\nJunior center Kirk Haston came off the bench to score 19 points and grab eight rebounds. Freshman forward Jared Jeffries scored 14 points and junior guard Kyle Hornsby added 11 points.\nCoverdale didn't quite know how to express how he felt about his career-best performance.\n"You can't describe the feeling right now," Coverdale said. "It's a great feeling knowing that this team can play this well. It just shows that we can play anybody if we're concentrating and playing the type of defense coach Davis wants us to play."\nDavis said adjustments have made the team better. "By putting Jared Jeffries back inside and establishing Coverdale as our point guard, I think we can only get better," Davis said. "I'm sleeping well, because I know we have a good basketball team."\nSophomore Jeffrey Newton grabbed eight rebounds and had three blocks while guarding pre-season All-American Murphy for part of the game. Murphy finished with 15 points on five-of-18 shooting, a season-low in points.\n"We knew he was going to score," Newton said. "We just wanted to make every shot of his a difficult one."\nIt appeared IU would be off to another slow start when they turned the ball over on three consecutive possessions early in the game, but instead they jumped to a 15-6 lead.\nThe Irish (4-1) responded by going on a 10-2 run cutting the lead to 17-16. The game's first tie came with 4:08 in the first half after two free throws by Notre Dame senior guard Martin Ingelsby. Coverdale put the Hoosiers up 37-34 with a shot from behind the arc as time expired in the first half.\nCoverdale finished the half with 16 points on seven-of-11 shooting. \n"I just wanted to come out and take what Notre Dame gave me," Coverdale said. "(Assistant Head) Coach (John) Treloar told me to drive the ball as much as possible on the man who was guarding me because he knew I could get around him, and that's what I did in the first half of the game."\nThe Hoosiers (4-3) made 53 percent of their shots in the half, while the Irish connected on 35 percent shooting. Notre Dame made two more three-pointers and five more free throws to keep the game close.\nFor the game, IU shot 53 percent to Notre Dame's 38 percent. \nThe Hoosiers extended their lead to 50-36 early in the second half by going on a 13-2 run, in which Coverdale scored five points and junior guard Kyle Hornsby scored seven. Notre Dame would not fold and went on a 12-6 run of its own.\nDown the stretch, IU responded to small runs by Notre Dame by executing its offense well and running the floor. Many of the 11,418 fans in attendance headed for the exits after Hornsby extended the lead to 83-68 with more than two minutes remaining. \nWhen Coverdale exited the game with 58 seconds remaining, many of the fans still in attendance stood and applauded his performance\n"We're a lot better basketball team than we showed at the beginning of the season," Davis said.
(12/04/00 5:13am)
Mike Davis called sophomore guard Tom Coverdale on the day he was named interim head coach, and it was a call Coverdale will never forget.\nDavis told Coverdale that if he practiced hard and proved he could play, he would earn playing time and possibly a spot in the starting lineup. Apparently, Coverdale was listening.\nHe has developed from a player who saw only 41 minutes of action last season into the Hoosiers' starting point guard. \n"We never had a lot of conversation," Davis said. "He wasn't playing and sometimes when guys aren't playing, sometimes they slip on out. But I told him, 'If you work hard, I'll give you an opportunity. If you can make a commitment to being a good basketball player, you have a chance to play.'"\nIn IU's 85-63 win over Southern Illinois, Coverdale proved how far he's come by scoring 13 points, dishing out 10 assists and grabbing nine rebounds, one rebound away from becoming the first IU player to record a triple-double in Assembly Hall.\n"Tom Coverdale is amazing," Davis said. "He's playing his butt off for us. I thought (Southern Illinois) would give Tom some problems, but he handled the ball like a champ. He played great. If he can continue to do that and grow as a player and stay committed, I think we'll be OK.\n"I challenged him at the beginning of the game. I said, 'I want you to have eight rebounds.' He had seven at the half."\nWith the Hoosiers up by 20 in the second half, Coverdale drove to the basket, made a layup and was fouled in the process, igniting the Assembly Hall crowd. He converted the free throw, and on IU's next possession, helped bring many of the 12,486 in attendance to their feet. \nJunior guard Dane Fife grabbed a rebound and passed to Coverdale, who raced down the court and lofted a pass to freshman forward Jared Jeffries who converted a one-handed alley-oop. Coverdale pumped his fist in the air and flashed a big smile as he ran back to play defense.\n"I took what Coach Davis said seriously," Coverdale said. "I just tried to play as hard as I could and work every day to become a good point guard -- that's going to be my job all year.\n "(Assistant) coach (John) Treloar has been me on all week to become the leader of this team, and that's what my focus is on. Being a point guard, you have to be a leader and get the team into its offense. On defense, my job is to keep the point guard in front of me and disrupt the offense as much as possible."\nSouthern Illinois offense was more than disrupted. It was nearly shut down. The Salukis entered the game averaging 92 points per game, but the Hoosiers held them to a season-low 63 points and 39.1 percent shooting from the floor.\n"We simply played like we are capable of playing," junior forward Jarrad Odle said. "We had a couple of lapses down the stretch, but if we can play like that every time out, we will beat a lot of good teams"
(11/28/00 6:24am)
NEW YORK -- Freshman guard Andre Owens scored 13 points combined in IU's first two games. In the third game, he came off the bench to lead the Hoosiers with 16 points.\nBut it wasn't his offensive explosion that impressed people in IU's 69-61 loss to Temple. It was his defense that raised a few eyebrows in the semi-final game of the National Invitation Tournament.\nAs if he wrote the textbook on man-to-man defense, Owens kept his knees bent, back straight, hands out and feet moving as he shadowed Temple's best player, junior guard Lynn Greer. \n"One of my strong points is defense, and I was trying to pressure Greer full court and every time he touched the ball," Owens said. "Coach (Mike) Davis kept telling me to 'Pressure. Pressure.'"\nAlthough Greer led all scorers with 20 points, Owens was quick to point out that he wasn't guarding Greer the entire game. But when Owens was, Greer noticed a difference and wasn't as effective as a point guard.\n"Owens made me tired," Greer said. "That's why a couple of times I had to give the ball to Quincy (Wadley) to bring it up because the other players on Indiana weren't pressuring." \nDavis went so far as to say several Hoosiers weren't guarding anybody during the Temple game. But he appreciated Owens' effort against the Owls in Madison Square Garden. \n"Andre works hard, the effort is there, but sometimes he doesn't pay attention to detail," Davis said. "But he's giving the effort, and I like that out of him."\nOne of Owens' mistakes came in the second half when he fired up an three-pointer that didn't touch the rim. \n"I feel like I played both good and bad," Owens said. "There were times when I made some mistakes. I just kept playing as hard as I could so we could win."\nIn IU's first two games, Owens played 13 minutes against Pepperdine and 18 minutes against South Alabama. During those games he didn't play as well as he did against Temple.\n"I feel like I haven't really had the chance to prove what I can do," Owens said. "I just do things to try and help the team. I was just trying to do everything it takes to win."\nOwens led the Hoosiers with 16 points against Temple, including four-of-nine from behind the three-point line. He also had four rebounds, two assists and a steal. Each of his personal fouls were called for hand-checking Greer. This performance earned Owens a start against Texas Friday. In that game he scored only three points in 21 minutes.\n"He showed me some immaturity as a player because in one game he scores 16 and in the next game his concentration went down," Davis said. "He'll be fine by the time the season is done."\nJunior guard Dane Fife was impressed with Owens' play against Temple, and Fife is trying to be a mentor for the freshman. \n"Andre came out and did a nice job on Greer," Fife said. "He's going to come out and work his tail off on the defensive end and knock down the open threes -- that's what he has to do. I'm trying to take him under my wing, but he's got a strong personality and he's stubborn, but I'm working on it."\nAnd Owens is working on defense.
(11/27/00 7:15am)
NEW YORK -- As interim head coach Mike Davis walked off the court at Madison Square Garden at halftime with IU down 42-22 against Texas, he was looking at the floor and loosening his tie. He was clearly frustrated with a team playing one of its worst halves of basketball, making only six shots from the field.\nDuring the break, he told his players the same thing he's told them many times -- they have to play with toughness. The Hoosiers responded by cutting the lead to 10 points, but eventually lost 70-58.\nDavis said the only tough thing about the Hoosiers are the times they're going through.\n"It's tough times right now," said Davis, who stared straight ahead at a table in front of him during the post-game press conference. "We are not giving the effort it takes to win against a really good team. We struggled against Pepperdine, and we struggled against South Alabama, which are average teams."\nAnd they're losing to teams such as Temple and Texas. During IU's final two games of the National Invitation Tournament, the Hoosiers never led, averaged only 59.5 points and shot only 35 percent from the field, while giving up 69 points to Temple and 70 to Texas.\n"I think (our team has) learned something from this trip: you win because you dig in and give it effort on every possession," Davis said. "What they didn't know is that you don't show up and win basketball games."\nIn both games, IU started slowly and was down by 10 points before 10 minutes expired from the clock. Temple took eight minutes to build a 10-point lead and Texas took less than five.\n"Our guys have been coming out and feeling their way along," Davis said. "We don't understand that it's a 40-minute game. With the young team, we don't know a lot of the things it takes to be successful at this level."\nSeveral players struggled in New York, including freshman forward Jared Jeffries, who did not score against Temple. He bounced back to score 13 against Texas, but committed seven turnovers.\nDespite his lack of production, Jeffries is keeping his chin up.\n"I think a lot of people are really down," Jeffries said. "Myself, I'm just trying to keep a positive attitude. We do a lot of good things; then we fall off. It's like we do three good things, then five bad things. We have to maintain the good."\nDavis said Jeffries is putting too much pressure on himself.\n"Jared is not playing the way we need him for him to play right now," Davis said. "He's young and he's got the world on his shoulders and he feels like we depend on his every move. It's my job as his coach to tell him just to play basketball."\nJunior center Kirk Haston scored six points against Temple, but rebounded to score 22 against Texas. He said the Hoosiers' trip to New York should be looked at as a learning experience and reminded everyone that a season is longer than two games. He was able to put the tough times in perspective for his teammates.\n"You look at things that happened last year, like North Carolina," Haston said. "They started off tough and everybody wrote them off, but by the end of the year they're one of the top teams in the country.\n"It's a long season with a long way to go."\nDavis said he was impressed with how the Hoosiers have improved their rebounding. He's looking forward to playing Indiana State Wednesday, IU's next chance to get back on track.\n"If our guys are made of anything, we'll come back to put some wins together," Davis said.
(11/27/00 6:43am)
NEW YORK -- In IU's loss to Temple, the Hoosiers lacked toughness, interim head coach Mike Davis said. In the consolation game of the National Invitational Tournament, IU lacked toughness and a shooting touch.\nIU made only six shots in the first half as Texas raced out to an early 10-point lead that paved the way for a 70-58 Longhorn victory Friday.\n"They played tougher than we did," Davis said. "Our guys have been coming out and feeling their way. We're not giving the effort it takes to win."\nTexas, like Temple, used a variety of zones and traps to confuse IU's offense. Davis said the lack of a true point guard hurt the Hoosiers offensively.\n"People have high expectations for us, but, really, they're unrealistic because we don't have a true point guard," Davis said. "We have an offense and guys not running it because they afraid somebody will take the ball from them. It's really tough trying to hide that. You can't hide it because you can't hide it once people pressure you and trap you."\nDavis described how the offense he designed should have worked against the zone. \n"We didn't do that but twice in the first half," Davis said.\nIn the first 13 minutes of play, IU scored only 12 points and was down by as many as 21 late in the half.\n"We were executing and came out with more intensity than they had," Longhorn junior forward Chris Owens said. "We forced them into bad shots and got the rebounds and kicked it out."\nThe Hoosiers came out of the locker room after halftime and cut Texas' 20-point lead down to nine with 11:08 remaining. During that stretch, the Hoosiers forced six turnovers and junior center Kirk Haston scored seven points.\n"We got tentative coming out after halftime," Texas coach Rick Barnes said. "We were on our heels and forcing shots. We were not in sync and just bogged down."\nDavis said to his team at halftime that he wanted the lead cut to 10 before 10 minutes remained. He half-joked that he should have told them that he wanted the lead cut to zero by the time the final buzzer sounded.\nOwens said he was happy with the way Texas responded to IU's charge and held off the upstart Hoosiers.\n"We handled their run pretty well," Owens said. "I'm pleased with the way we stuck together as a team."\nTexas pushed the lead to 19 on two occasions late in the game.\nHaston finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Freshman forward Jared Jeffries scored 13 points.
(11/27/00 6:41am)
NEW YORK - Freshman guard Andre Owens came off IU's bench to lead the Hoosiers with 16 points, but it wasn't enough as IU lost to Temple 69-61 in the semi-finals of the National Invitation Tournament Wednesday.\nThe Owls used a variety of zone and trapping defenses to shut down IU's offense and limit the Hoosiers to 38 percent shooting from the floor. Heading into the game, freshman forward Jared Jeffries and junior center Kirk Haston were IU's leading scorers, but they never found an offensive flow. Jeffries was held scoreless and Haston scored only six points.\nInterim head coach Mike Davis said he was unhappy with his team's overall effort.\n"Our guys didn't come out and give any effort," Davis said. "I'm disappointed. We've talked about toughness and we didn't play, and we didn't fight. Jared has to make his mind up and give it all he's got."\nDavis limited playing time for several Hoosiers who didn't give the type of effort Davis said he was looking for. Junior guard Dane Fife was the only starter to play more than ten minutes in the second half while Haston, Jeffries, junior forward Jarrad Odle and sophomore Tom Coverdale watched.\n"We had guys who didn't come and play," Davis said. "Three or four guys didn't guard anybody at all."\n Temple jumped out to a 21-11 lead just eight minutes into the game and pushed it to 45-30 seconds before halftime. \n Owls coach John Chaney said he was surprised his team scored 45 points in the first half.\n "I'm not used it. I told them, I overcoached them," Chaney said.\n But he wasn't surprised that Jeffries -- who played most of the game around the free throw line -- struggled.\n "The heart of our defense is in the middle," Chaney said. "We protect the middle and I think he's got to be a little more patient."\n Owens hit a three-pointer with 17:40 remaining to cut Temple's lead to 10, the smallest it would be until late in the half. The lead swelled to 20 on a free throw by Kevin Lyde, who scored nine for Temple. Lynn Greer led all scorers with 20 points and teammate Quincy Wadley scored 16 for the Owls.\nDavis said the first play of the game set the tone for the night.\n"We had talked about getting the ball inside on the first possession," Davis said. "Haston took a shot from the corner. It was an air ball and then we jogged back."\nOwens summed up the team's effort.\n"Our heads just weren't into the game"
(11/21/00 4:57am)
Sophomore guard Tom Coverdale has always wanted to play a basketball game on the floor of Madison Square Garden. \nCoverdale will live out that dream when the Hoosiers face Temple at 7 p.m. Wednesday in New York. IU advanced by defeating South Alabama in the second round of the National Invitation Tournament Friday. Should the Hoosiers win, they'll play in the NIT finals at 9 p.m. Friday. If they lose, they'll play in the consolation game at 7 p.m. Friday. \n"It's better to be in New York for Thanksgiving than Bloomington, which is where we would be had we lost to South Alabama," junior forward Jarrad Odle said. "This isn't entirely a sight-seeing trip. We're going out there to win two games. But I would like to see the Statue of Liberty and Times Square."\nBefore Odle can visit the landmarks, he and the Hoosiers (2-0) have to take care of business -- not an easy task. Temple (3-0) is known for playing a tough 1-3-1 trapping zone defense that creates problems when the opposing team is unable to shoot well.\n"We're going to have to knock down the outside shot in order to win the game," Coverdale said. "We have good shooters on this team, so we just have to relax and make our shots. The other important thing against their zone is to get the ball in the middle and attack their big guys."\nThe Hoosiers might be without the services of sophomore guard Kyle Hornsby, one of the team's best shooters. Hornsby did not practice Monday because of an injured foot. Interim head coach Mike Davis said he is unsure whether Hornsby will be healthy in time for the game.\nTemple is led by guard Lynn Greer, who scored 22 points in Temple's 67-62 victory against Memphis in the second round. The Owls and IU have met each of the last three seasons, with IU winning the last two matchups. IU defeated Temple 67-59 last year in Springfield, Mass.\n "Patience and spacing is very important," Davis said. "Against this team, you shouldn't really create shots because what they'll do is get out in the open court, and their guards are really good in the open court."\n Davis said the Hoosiers were nervous in their first two games. Coverdale said he isn't worried about being nervous Wednesday.\n "We might be nervous before the game, but once the game starts we'll be fine and relaxed," Coverdale said. "We're young, but we have two games under our belt and once the game starts we'll settle down and do the things we need to do to win."\nNo. 1 Duke faces Texas in the other semi-final at 9 p.m. Wednesday. \n"I'm sure all of us would love to play Duke, but we have to beat Temple to do it," Odle said. "It's just a matter of getting everything together."\nJunior forward Kirk Haston is looking forward to getting to know his teammates a little better. \n"This is a good place for the team to go, a chance for us to get close," Haston said. "Road trips are always fun, especially when you're winning. We've put in a lot of hard work, and this is kind of a reward"
(11/20/00 5:35am)
Freshman A.J. Moye heard the question during every huddle and timeout of IU's 70-62 victory against South Alabama: "Do you all want to go to New York?"\nOf course he and the rest of the Hoosiers answered "yes" Friday night, but before IU could advance to the semi-finals of the NIT, they had to overcome a five-point halftime deficit and very low morale.\n"You could see it in their eyes at halftime," interim head coach Mike Davis said. "You would have thought the world was over by the look on their face. They did not want to go back on the court the way things looked."\nThe Hoosiers were down by five, losing the rebounding battle 23-12, making only 40 percent of their free throws and having difficulty defending the Jaguars' small lineup. At one point, four IU guards were on the floor trying to stifle South Alabama's offense, which ended the half on a 16-5 run.\n"Our matchups were bad the whole night," Davis said. "It's hard for guys like (sophomore forward Jeffrey) Newton and (freshman forward Jared) Jeffries to understand that when you're playing perimeter people that you have to dig in and play all out. We were casual, hoping they would miss shots."\nFreshman guard Andre Owens wasn't satisfied with how IU played in the first half.\n"We didn\'t come out as focused and we just didn\'t come out ready to play," said Owens, who scored five points. \nAfter listening to Davis' halftime talk -- in which he told the players to stay together, rebound better, not worry about missing shots and just go play basketball -- the Hoosiers briefly gained the lead on a three-pointer by sophomore guard Tom Coverdale, who finished with 13 points. \nThe Jaguars then scored nine consecutive points. IU countered and tied the game at 49 with 12:46 remaining on a layup by junior forward Kirk Haston. The game was tied five times in the second half, the last time with five minutes remaining. \nJeffries gave IU the lead with 3:14 remaining. He could have extended the lead to three with 1:36 remaining, but he missed two free throws, a problem that plagued the Hoosiers all night. IU shot only 58 percent from the line.\n"In this league, at this level, you\'ve got to hit your free throws," junior forward Jarrad Odle said. "You just have to go up there, concentrate, have some faith and just shoot them."\nThe teams exchanged possessions before Coverdale made the offensive play of the game. He grabbed the ball, crossed midcourt, hesitated at the top of the key, drove toward the basket with his right hand, and lofted the ball off the glass backboard and through the hoop, giving IU a three point lead with 46 seconds left. \n"He understands how to play basketball," Davis said. "If we don't have Tom Coverdale, it's tough for us to win the basketball game." \nThe Jaguars called a timeout and set up a play that would give Emmett Thomas an open three-point shot. As he shot the ball from behind the arc on the right side, Newton jumped with him and partially blocked the shot. Haston grabbed the ball and passed to Coverdale who was fouled. Coverdale made both free throw shots, sealing the victory for the Hoosiers, and sending them to New York for Thanksgiving.\n"I think our guys will go to New York and have some fun," Davis said. " When we get there we'll be a better basketball team."\nMoye said he is looking forward to the road trip, in which IU will play Temple Wednesday, and either Texas or Duke Friday. \n"I'm pumped about going to the big city," Moye said. "That was our motivation. We're kids and sometimes we need some motivation, like if you win, I'll get you the shiny new Transformer. \n"We won something, and now we're getting our reward"
(11/16/00 8:38pm)
IU's victory against Pepperdine Tuesday advances the Hoosiers to the second round of the National Invitational Tournament where they will face South Alabama at 8 p.m. Friday in Assembly Hall.\nThe Jaguars return four starters from last year's team that finished 20-10 and are led by senior center Virgil Stanescu who averaged more than 13 points per game en route to all-conference honors in the Sun Belt Conference.\nSouth Alabama defeated Marquette 67-54 Tuesday to advance. The Jaguars and Hoosiers have met twice in IU history, with IU winning both games.\nFormer players on the air\nDon Fischer, who started his 28th year of calling the radio play-by-play of IU basketball games, will have a new co-host adding the color analysis in each game.\nFormer IU player Todd Leary donned a headset and sat alongside Fischer during IU's 80-68 victory against Pepperdine. Damon Bailey, who played for the Hoosiers from 1991-94 is expected to test his announcing skills in the next few weeks, as is Bob Dro, who played on the Hoosiers' 1940 national championship team.\nThe rotation of color analysts is part of IU's celebration of its 100th season.\nContributions other than points\nJunior guard Dane Fife missed the two shots he took from the floor and three from the free throw line, leaving him scoreless in IU's 80-68 victory against Pepperdine.\nBut Fife was instrumental to IU's success in breaking down Pepperdine's trapping defense, and his stat line wasn't all zeros. He dished out five assists, pulled down four rebounds and made three steals.\nAfter the game, he was happy to have defeated Pepperdine, which bounced IU out of last year's NCAA tournament, in an unkind manner, according to Fife.\n"A lot of guys who got blown out by Pepperdine last year are back again this year, and we thought we owed them revenge," Fife said. "There were a lot of words exchanged during the game last year. We weren't too happy with the way Pepperdine treated us. They treated us like dogs. They kicked us and hammered us.\n"But they came into our backyard and I thought we handled them pretty well."\nCoverdale earns high praise\nSophomore guard Tom Coverdale, who played only 41 minutes last year, saw 33 minutes in Tuesday's game. He scored seven points, led all players with eight assists and earned high praise from interim head coach Mike Davis.\nCoverdale said he was happy with his improvement over two exhibition games.\n"Tonight (showed) the way I can play, and not like those exhibitions," Coverdale said. "I just have keep it up for the entire season"
(11/15/00 6:44am)
IU's 80-68 victory was a historic game for IU basketball for two reasons: The Hoosiers advance to the second round of the National Invitational Tournament in their first win since coach Bob Knight was fired, and Mike Davis won his first game as IU's head coach.\nFor the first time in 30 years, the Assembly Hall crowd did not have the opportunity to cheer for Knight. Instead, a sea of red and white rose to its feet and applauded Davis as he walked out of the locker room onto the floor.\nHe walked toward his seat, the third from the scorer's table, taking a moment to shake hands with a fan who was wearing an IU jacket. Then he sat down.\nOnce the game started he was able to relax and do his job. Davis earned the victory -- and his spot in the history books -- by preparing his team before the game, and getting them to relax during the game, a player said.\n"We were too pumped up," freshman guard Andre Owens said. "Sometimes we have to just settle down."\nPepperdine bounced IU out of last year's NCAA tournament by trapping the Hoosiers, forcing turnovers and not allowing IU to run its offense. The early stages of Tuesday's game looked like a repeat of IU's 77-57 loss in March.\nIU turned the ball over on four of its first five possessions and struggled to find an open shot. Freshman Jared Jeffries' first shot didn't hit the rim. The Hoosiers' first points came when Pepperdine was called for goaltending nearly three minutes into the game.\nThe crowd was also nervous, and quiet early, not sure what to make of their first impression of Davis. Then it woke up after junior guard Tom Coverdale stole the ball, passed ahead to Owens, who flipped to freshman forward Jared Jeffries, who slammed it home with two hands.\nThe dunk was a sign that IU was starting to figure out how to play against Pepperdine's press. Shortly before the dunk, Davis told Jeffries to go up the middle,and said that if Jeffries did that, IU would have a three-on-two advantage.\n"Anytime you have three-on-two, you have to attack the basket," Davis said.\nIU led at halftime 40-36, and used an 11-0 run to expand its lead to 16 with seven minutes remaining. Davis said he and the team were just waiting for the clock to tick down to zero. It finally reached zero, and when it did, junior forward Jarrad Odle patted him on the belly.\n"We got him his first win, and this is a good start for us," Odle said. "I had some jitters because I wanted to prove to our fans that we're still going to be a good team. Without Coach Knight out there, it's a different era. It's going to take some getting used to, but the more games we win, the less people are going to think about it."\nSophomore guard Kyle Hornsby said he thought of the game as the first round of the NIT and he simply wanted to win. The Hoosiers will be hosts to South Alabama Friday in the second round.\n"We wanted to win the game for a lot of reasons, and Coach Davis is one of them," Hornsby said. "We want to show everyone what a good coach he is and what a good job he's done"
(11/15/00 1:21am)
Sophomore Kyle Hornsby carried a 10-pound weight everywhere he went last year. It's wasn't a dumbbell in his backpack, it was simply extra body weight. After losing the extra weight over the summer, he said he's become a better basketball player.\nBut he's not the only Hoosier on the men's basketball team to make great strides over the summer, interim head coach Mike Davis said. Sophomore Tom Coverdale and junior Jarrad Odle have also improved. Coverdale can also attribute part of his improvement to losing weight. Odle's hard work in the offseason brought about more finely honed skills. \nEven though they combined to average only seven points per game last season, they will be important to IU's success this season. Odle and Hornsby started in IU's exhibition game against Athletes in Action and played 22 minutes each, while Coverdale played 12 minutes. Odle scored 11 points in the first half.\nHornsby said he lost the weight on his own, without the help of a dietician, and it has made him quicker and more explosive. \n"If I was carrying around a 10-pound weight all day and got used to it, I wouldn't be any faster," Hornsby said. "But if I put that weight down, I've got to be faster. Now I can penetrate more and be more of a multi-dimensional player." \nDavis said he is impressed by Hornsby's mental approach and his improvement on the court.\n"He was playing at 100 mph last year," Davis said. "He's slowed things down, and he's knocking down his shots."\nOdle has taken a different approach to the game. In the past, he was primarily a defensive player who spent little effort on scoring. But this year he's looking to make baskets. \n"I've just been working on my offense a lot more this year," Odle said. "I'm working on driving and shooting and my all-around game. A lot of it is confidence though."\nBut Davis said he doesn't want Odle driving too much.\n"You want him to catch and shoot," Davis said. "You don't want him on the post or driving, and that's how I play him. He can shoot the basketball."\nDavis said he also has been pleased with Coverdale's improvement, especially on defense.\n"He really understands the game, and he's working harder than he did last year," Davis said. "He has a real good feel for the game"
(11/15/00 1:09am)
At about 10:30 every night last year, someone came around to Mike Roberts' room to see that he was there. He wasn't being punished. He wasn't in jail. He was just at New Hampton Prep School in New Hampshire.\n "Prep school was 300 people under strict supervision in the middle of the woods in New Hampshire," Roberts said. "It was a little school out in the woods in the middle of nowhere. There weren't too many distractions."\nFormer assistant coach Pat Knight suggested Roberts attend prep school, which allows a player a fifth year of high school competition without losing NCAA eligibility. Roberts' team included nine future Division I players, and it played against other teams stacked with talent. So with a scholarship to IU on the line, Roberts gladly packed his bags. \nBut he wasn't really prepared for the rigidness of the school.\n"Let's just say it was a shock to my system," Roberts said. "I wasn't a wild guy or anything, but I was used to going out and doing things."\nRoberts' schedule didn't allow him much free time. His days were mapped out starting at 6:30 a.m. and ending with bed check at 10:30 p.m., "just like a little kid." He couldn't get in his car and travel. There wasn't enough time in the day, and he had classes Saturdays. Not to mention there wasn't really anywhere to go. Concord was the closest town of any size and it was 32 miles away.\nSo Roberts concentrated on basketball and his studies, despite scoring 1220 on the SAT and carrying a 3.7 GPA through high school.\n"I went there to get bigger, stronger and better," Roberts said. "I got stronger and gained about 15 pounds."\nAt IU, Roberts is expected to contribute to the depth of IU's front line and push around guys such as junior forward Kirk Haston and sophomore forward Jeffrey Newton in practice.\n"He's playing his butt off and giving everything he has," interim coach Mike Davis said. "Mike is really pushing the other guys and making them better. He's a tough, hard-nosed guy."\nRoberts said he realizes he will not see much playing time this year, but that doesn't bother him, and it sometimes has its advantages because he's not as well known as Haston, Fife or freshman Jared Jeffries.\n"It will be difficult to get playing time next year too," Roberts said. "I'm not like the other guys, I can pretty much blend in with everyone else on campus."\nAt 6-foot-9 and 210 pounds, it's more like he only blends in the with trees around campus. \n"Mike is a blue-collar worker," sophomore Kyle Hornsby said. "He works very hard and will do a real good job for us by the end of this year"
(11/15/00 1:09am)
Five players graduated from last season's men's basketball team, taking more than half of IU's scoring from last season with them. But a crew of freshmen that is among the best in the nation will replace the likes of A.J. Guyton and Michael Lewis.\n Throughout the season, they'll be called upon to score, defend, rebound and play an important role for the 2000-01 Hoosiers.\nFreshmen Jared Jeffries, A.J. Moye, Andre Owens and Mike Roberts are ranked as one of the nation's top 10 recruiting classes by several publications. While expectations for them are lofty, they are still just freshmen.\n"We don't all expect to be the man, and we can accept it because we're all trying to win," Moye said. "There's no bickering, no jealousy. We all accept our roles."\nSophomore forward Jeffrey Newton said he is impressed by his new teammates and has seen them come a long way in just a few weeks.\n"They had to get adjusted to the level of play, but once they did that, things have been good," Newton said. "Everybody on the team is gelling together and playing hard. Everybody is focused and things are going good right now."\nJeffries, perhaps the most anticipated addition to the team, was named Gatorade national player of the year and Mr. Basketball in Indiana. He was on FOX Sports' top 10 list of high school players last year. He's versatile -- able to play any position on the floor, including point guard, even at 6-foot-9.\n"I want to model my game after (current Los Angeles Clipper) Lamar Odom," Jeffries said. "If somebody big is guarding you, you take advantage of your quickness. If somebody small is guarding you, post them up."\nRoberts spent last school year in New Hampshire at New Hampton Prep, which he said is similar to a fifth year of high school. There he bulked up and sharpened his skills. He gained 20 pounds and averaged 12 points a game while on a team featuring nine future Division I players.\n"He plays hard every time he gets on the floor," Newton said. "Every time, whether it's individual workouts, practice or games, he plays the same. He's got an intensity about him like no other."\nMoye also comes to IU with a long list of accomplishments. He was Georgia's Mr. Basketball, a first-team all-state player in AAA and one of the top 10 players from Georgia's four classes. During his senior year at West Lake High school, he averaged 31 points per game. \n"I taught him a lot of what he knows, but he won't admit it," said Newton, who played against Moye in high school. "He's got a lot of skills and can do a lot of things at the guard position." \nNewton called Owens, who is a graduate of Indianapolis' Perry Meridian High School, the quickest player on the team. In high school, Owens was regarded as one of Indiana's top guards, averaging nearly 24 points per game and playing in the Nike All-American game.\n"Andre is very competitive and wants to be very good," junior guard Kyle Hornsby said. "He will work very hard, and if you combine those things with his athleticism, which is unbelievable, you have a very good player. He's going to play a lot of minutes by the end of the year."\nBut Hornsby realizes the freshmen might end up taking playing time away from him.\n"If we're winning and they're playing well, then I don't mind watching," Hornsby said. "The competition means I have to work even harder to keep my minutes, and that's just going to make us a better team"
(11/15/00 1:07am)
The tattoo on Jared Jeffries' shoulder proclaims him "King of the Court."\n It's a bold statement of confidence from the freshman forward. But with his list of awards and developing talent, it's understandable that Jeffries has a lot of confidence. \nHe was named Gatorade Player of the Year, Indiana's Mr. Basketball, won the Indiana High School Athletic Association Trestlet Award and played for the U.S. Junior National Team. ESPN.com lists him as the No. 6 freshman in the country and college basketball analyst Andy Katz predicts Jeffries to win national freshman of the year honors.\nWith such a resume and a 27-point performance in IU's first exhibition game, Jeffries realizes he will have a lot of attention this entire season. \n"I love the spotlight. I love being out there," Jeffries said. "If you want to be a great player, you have to know how to shine when the spotlight is on you."\nHis teammates said they know Jeffries will contribute to the Hoosiers' success.\n"He's an unbelievable player," sophomore guard Kyle Hornsby said. "He's doing everything we need him to do. He's got to keep improving and not be satisfied with how he's playing."\nAt 6-foot-9, Jeffries is able to play each of the positions, including point guard. Interim head coach Mike Davis said this will create matchup problems for other teams.\n"If it's a big guy guarding me, I like to be on the point," Jeffries said. "But if he's small, I'll take him in the post."\nAlthough he was one of the most highly-recruited freshmen in the country, Jeffries said he isn't satisfied with his game. He said he knows there is plenty of room for improvement despite averaging 23.9 points, 10.4 rebounds per game and 4.2 assists per game.\n"I have plenty of flaws," Jeffries said. "I don't play hard all the time. I'm not very strong. I rush my shot. Sometimes I get in foul trouble. I play upright too much and don't get down on offense or defense. Sometimes I lose focus and you won't even know I'm out there. \n"I have many flaws, but thankfully they're all things I can correct."\nHe played well enough to impress Athletes in Action coach Chuck Badger in IU's 84-74 victory Nov. 5.\n"He hit that little penetration jumper about three or feet away and he took (our player) to the hole, and (our guy) is a professional. Jeffries plays like an experienced player," Badger said. \nBut he's not even 20 years old, and he still likes to go home. He said he eats dinner with his family several times a week, and he takes dirty laundry home for his mom to wash. As a senior at Bloomington High School North, he began socializing with current teammate sophomore Jeffrey Newton.\n"Even last year, when he was in high school, we hung out a lot," said Newton, one of Jeffries' roommates. "We are around each other all the time. We play a lot of Playstation and Dreamcast. We get into a lot heated battles with Andre (Owens) and A.J. (Moye)."\nWith all of his honors, Jeffries might have the option of heading to the NBA after this season. But he's not thinking about that option until the time comes. He said if Davis is not retained as IU's coach next year, he'll have to think a little harder about turning pro.\n"Coach will weigh in on the decision," Jeffries said. "I mean, I just can't overlook it. If something goes down, I have to think about what I want to do"
(11/10/00 6:04am)
Coach Mike Davis is concentrating on Tuesday's game, even though IU plays Marathon Oil tonight. But that's understandable. Marathon Oil is simply a tuneup for Pepperdine, IU's first opponent of the regular season.\n"I'm not even worried about Marathon Oil," Davis said. "We just have to come out and play and do some things, but my main focus is on Pepperdine because that's the first game and the most important game."\nIn the meantime, this game is an opportunity for IU to sharpen their skills and improve upon their performance Sunday against Athletes in Action. Game time is scheduled for 8 p.m. in Assembly Hall, or 30 minutes after the women's team finishes its game against Tapiolan Honka. \n"Hopefully we can play defense harder for a longer period of time," Davis said. "The whole team has a tendency to play at a casual pace sometimes and it's my job to keep them focused, keep them intense and keep them playing hard.\n"I thought we did a great job in the first five minutes of the game, but then everyone thought 'This game is over. We don't have to play hard against these guys' and that's been the pattern of this team for a few years."\nDavis said he also wants to improve the team's offensive play. His offensive theory is to work from the inside out.\n"We have guards who can knock down open shots, so I want to play off those guys," Davis said. "The best offense to me is to go inside, and (then) pass out for the open shot. Or they don't help and our guy scores."\nFreshmen Mike Roberts and A.J. Moye did not play against Athletes in Action, mainly because of matchup problems. Davis said he talked with Moye about redshirting him this season but decided against it because it would be unfair to Moye.\n"I'm not sure if I'll be here or not next year," Davis said after the AIA game. "Moye played well in the scrimmage last week. He'll get a chance to play a lot in the next game."\nRoberts is not likely to see many minutes this season with the likes of freshmen Jared Jeffries and George Leach, sophomore Jeffrey Newton and junior Kirk Haston playing on the front line. He said he accepts that fact.\n"I'm confident that when I go in I'll do my job," Roberts said. "I'm not going to be quick like Newton, so I have to rely on my strength. And I need to improve my help-side defense." \nEven though IU played one exhibition game, Newton said he is looking forward to playing against Marathon Oil.\n"We're ready for some competition against somebody other than each other because we've been playing each other for so long," Newton said. "We're ready for new competition."\nFans who purchase a ticket to the women's game before halftime for $5 will receive a free ticket in the balcony for the men's game.
(11/07/00 5:57am)
The Indiana Supreme Court is stepping into the middle of a lawsuit filed against IU's board of trustees.\nThe court is processing a request to appoint a judge to hear the case because three judges have recused themselves. Chief Justice Randall T. Shephard can select any judge in the state to preside.\n"He can appoint any member of the bar, but the practice is to appoint a judge or senior judge," said Lilia Judson, the executive director of state court administration. "He looks at the schedule, the complexity of case, and who would have the time. I can't imagine them appointing someone who doesn't have the experience."\nThe suit was filed in Monroe County Circuit Court, where Judge Elizabeth Mann recused herself from the case without offering an explanation. Then Owen County Circuit Judge Frank Nardi recused himself without explanation. Then, in accordance with procedure, Greene County Superior Court Judge David Holt assigned Monroe County Circuit Court Judge Marc Kellams as special judge to hear the case, but he recused himself, forcing Mann to contact the Indiana Supreme Court.\nJudson said a month-long search for a judge is not rare, and she expects one to be named in less than two weeks.\nEllen Boshkoff, IU's outside counsel of the Indianapolis firm Baker and Daniels, said she could not comment on any aspect of the case. Not having a judge has slightly affected how the plaintiffs' lawyer Gojko Kasich approaches the case. \n"I'm trying to prepare my motion for an extension of 90 days, but I'm not sure who will rule on it," Kasich said. "In case of emergency purposes, the original judge (Mann) would rule. If we don't get one before the 20th, she might have to have to act on the motion."\nKasich said he sent a request for production and admissions to Boshkoff Oct. 31.\n"We are asking the board of trustees to admit facts about the May 14 executive session, the Sept. 9 meetings with Brand, and certain events directly connected to those happenings," Kasich said. "Because they violated Open Door Laws, we don't know what they did. We have zero firsthand knowledge and we have to be able to do discovery."\nKasich said he will send subpoenas for depositions to IU President Myles Brand, trustees and others in the next few weeks. Kasich said he and Boshkoff have tentatively agreed that depositions will take place Dec. 14 and 15.\n"They've raised the issue of what authority President Brand has to fire (former basketball coach Bob) Knight," Kasich said. "Who better to answer that question than him?"\nThe lawsuit claims that Brand and the board of trustees deliberately skirted open door laws Sept. 9 by meeting in two separate groups of four before Brand fired then-basketball coach Bob Knight the next day. It asks the court to void Brand's decision and to prevent the trustees from violating the law again, along with attorney fees, other costs and proper relief.\n"This is what many people consider the boring part of law," Kasich said. "But it's where many cases are won or lost"
(11/06/00 6:23am)
Interim head coach Mike Davis has said many times that Jared Jeffries is a good basketball player who will contribute a great many things to this year's team. Jeffries lived up to the billing Sunday as he led IU to an 84-74 victory against Athletes in Action.\nJeffries, a freshman forward, scored the first points of the game on a three-pointer from the right side, then quieted down and made only one basket in the rest of the half. When Kirk Haston made a pair of free throws eight minutes into the game, he finished off a 14-2 run and gave IU a 20-point lead.\n "The reason why we lost is because we got down by 20 points," said Athletes in Action coach Chuck Badger. "Indiana was just hitting everything."\n The Hoosiers built the lead by forcing four turnovers, running the fast break and executing its offense. Athletes in Action responded by going on a 27-11 run and closing the lead to four points. Ronnie Grandison led the comeback by scoring eight points.\n "We just relaxed and they were able to get into a rhythm," said junior guard Dane Fife, who had four points and four assists in the first half. "They gave us a good game."\n IU held a 41-37 lead at halftime. Junior forward Jarrad Odle scored 11 points in the half.\n Jeffries took matters into his own hands in the second half as he scored 22 points in the final 20 minutes.\n "I made an adjustment where I said, 'Let's get the ball inside to Jared and get him going," Davis said. "He scored a basket, and from that point on he started playing."\nJeffries made eight of 11 shots from the field and 10 of 11 from the free throw line.\n"He plays like an experienced player," Badger said. "Coach Davis has done a great job of getting players into positions where they can do something, and that's what he did with Jeffries."\nAt 6-foot-9 he causes matchup problems for opponents because of his ability to handle the ball. He scored from inside the paint and out on the perimeter. He even played point guard Sunday.\n"I like having the ball in my hands," Jeffries said. "I like being able to shoot."\nIU extended its lead to 12 points when Jeffries made a layup with 14:29 remaining. But Athletes in Action wouldn't go away. They chipped away at the lead with an 11-4 run late in the half and cut the lead to three with 2:36 on the clock.\n"Our guys did a great job of fighting back," Badger said.\nAthletes in Action switched to a full-court press defense in the final minutes but IU was able to escape and the Hoosiers made their final eight free throws, making the team 37 of 40 in the game.\nSophomore forward Jeffrey Newton, who scored 14 points, was satisfied with the Hoosiers' effort Sunday, but pointed out that there is plenty of room for improvement.\n"We executed pretty well in the first half," Newton said. "We had a good effort but we have to keep up the intensity"
(10/24/00 5:52am)
In a surprise move, lawyers for IU's board of trustees filed a motion for summary judgment just 15 days after a group of alumni and citizens filed suit against the trustees for allegedly violating Indiana's open meeting laws.\n"Normally that would be quick," said Owen County judge Frank Nardi, who chose not to preside over the case. "But that doesn't mean it's improper."\nA summary judgment is a motion made by one party asking a judge to rule in its favor because any reasonable jury would come to the same conclusion. \nGojko Kasich, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, was surprised that the University filed so quickly for summary judgment. He said summary judgment usually comes after a period of discovery, and the trustees might have filed quickly because they don't want him deposing IU President Myles Brand or any of the trustees.\n"They're trying to prevent us from putting Brand under oath and asking him questions," Kasich said. "They're petrified of us taking depositions, especially if we ask about the conversations. But why? What are they so afraid of?"\nAttempts to contact University outside counsel, Ellen Boshkoff and Scott Himsel of Baker and Daniels of Indianapolis, were unsuccessful. Boshkoff's husband said she is out of town and Himsel did not return numerous phone calls. \nIU's motion claims that the plaintiffs' complaint fails as a matter of law and asks for a judgment in favor of the trustees. But the case doesn't have a judge yet.\nGreene Superior Court Judge David Holt will appoint a special judge to hear the case because Monroe Circuit Court judge Elizabeth Mann recused herself after the case was filed Oct. 2. She gave a list of three judges to the parties, from which each side could remove one. Nardi was selected by process of elimination but chose to decline -- forcing Holt to appoint the judge.\n"I'd rather have a judge recuse themselves because they're uncomfortable, than have a judge up there who is uncomfortable," Kasich said.\nThe lawsuit claims that Brand and the board of trustees deliberately skirted open door laws Sept. 9 by meeting in two separate groups of four trustees before Brand fired then-basketball coach Bob Knight. It asks the court to void Brand's decision and to enjoin the trustees from future violations along with attorney fees, other costs and proper relief.\nThe motion centers on what the defendants believe to be two facts: Brand's decision to fire Knight was legal because the president acted on authority given to him by the trustees, and informal conversations between Brand and the trustees don't fall under the Open Door Laws because a majority of the board never met.\nThe minutes of a trustee meeting from Sept. 11, 1987 were submitted as evidence, because at the meeting the trustees delegated powers to the president -- Thomas Ehrlich at the time -- with the purpose of streamlining decision-making processes.\n Section 1.A.(5) paragraph 3 reads, "... the president is granted such authority by the board to develop documents, execute contracts and agreements on behalf of the University or authorize others to do so in his stead..."\nKasich said he is unsure as to whether this transfer of power is valid.\nKnight's contract was also entered as evidence for the University. Section 9 implicity states that the University can fire Knight at will. \nBut Kasich pointed out that the first line of the contract states that it is an agreement between the trustees and Knight.\n"By going in this direction they have given us the right to see what restrictions Brand works under," Kasich said. "But I don't think we want to get into this. We want whatever happened (Sept. 9) to be void. We want an agreement that it will never happen again, and reasonable fees."\nKasich and the plaintiffs have 30 days to reply to motion for summary judgment. But Kasich said he needs more time. \n"We're going to ask for an extension because we don't want to respond until after our discovery"