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(01/18/05 4:03pm)
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- In their first Indiana-Purdue game, the IU freshman four made it look like they'd been battling the rival Boilermakers for years.\nFreshmen D.J. White, A.J. Ratliff and James Hardy spearheaded a 14-0 second half run that helped the Hoosiers recover from a 10-point deficit on their way to a double-overtime, 75-73 win Saturday in Mackey Arena.\nThe freshmen's play also aided the Hoosiers in the overtime periods as the fourth member of the starring cast, forward Robert Vaden, joined White and Ratliff to score 12 of IU's 20 points in the overtimes. White had eight of those 12 points including IU's only three field goals in the second, decisive extra period.\n"I thought our guys showed great courage, especially our freshmen," IU coach Mike Davis said. "We played four freshmen in this game. To be in this atmosphere to play older guys is tough. But to come in here and play four freshmen and to be able to win this basketball game is really big."\nAfter all was said and done in Saturday's thriller, White finished with 16 points and eight rebounds. Vaden totaled 11 points and six boards while Ratliff tallied seven points and six rebounds. Hardy came off the bench for his highest point total of the year with seven points, including his first three-pointer of the season.\nBut with Purdue leading 32-22 early in the second half, it looked as if the freshmen four would leave their first visit to Mackey Arena with an unhappy ending. That is, until IU's 14-0 run energized the Hoosiers and got things rolling.\nDuring that run, the freshman four scored 10 of the 14 points, including Ratliff's block of Purdue's Xavier Price and following breakaway dunk that gave IU its first lead, 34-32, since a 1-0 early advantage.\nAnd while the freshmen contributed to the run and the Hoosier win, Davis said the team's youth helped Purdue gain the lead.\n"When you're young, you have the results in the first half and in the first part of the second half," Davis said.\nWith 0.9 seconds on the clock in the first overtime and IU leading 63-61, a member of the freshmen four took center stage again.\nRatliff fouled Purdue's Carl Landry after Landry caught a length of the floor pass, scored and was fouled with a made free throw surely clinching the win for the Boilers.\nOne of the members of the cast had almost turned the game from triumph to a tragedy for the Hoosiers.\nRatliff smilingly said he was nowhere near Landry to foul him.\n"They said the foul was on 20 and I said 'no way, I wasn't even there,'" Ratliff said.\nRegardless, the controversial Landry basket counted, but fortunately for the Hoosiers his free throw didn't, as his miss kept IU alive and the thriller rolled on.\nAs the scene changed to the second overtime, White stepped into the starring role with his six points propelling the Hoosiers to their first Big Ten road win. The Purdue fans left Mackey Arena silent, with Hoosier fans giving their team a standing ovation for a solid production.\nDavis said IU was trying to get the ball into White's hands earlier in the game, but tough defense from a foul-plagued Landry kept White at bay.\n"But I felt like once we got the ball into D.J.'s hands, he can make plays," Davis said. "And he made big plays for us."\nThe freshmen four were outscored by their elder statesmen, junior guard Bracey Wright. Wright tallied a game-high 23 points, but Wright said he didn't have to say anything to the freshmen during the ups and downs of the wild second half.\nThe freshmen four didn't get stage fright.\n"They knew everything we had to do," Wright said. "This is a game where they really grew up. D.J. really stepped up in the second half. Everybody stepped up together. It was a collective effort, and that's what we needed."\n-- Contact Staff Writer John \nRodgers at jprodger@indiana.edu.
(01/10/05 6:25am)
A role reversal happened Saturday at Assembly Hall. Bracey Wright the shooter went into his phone booth and came back as Bracey Wright the aggressor.\nThe junior, notorious for his three-point persistency, instead attacked the basket more often. The result: 30 points on 11 of 22 shooting while putting the Hoosiers on his back in his own Superman performance in IU's 74-61 victory against Wisconsin.\nWright, who only hit one three-pointer, scored 10 two-point baskets as well as seven of 10 from the foul line -- with many free throw chances coming after being fouled upon attacking the rim.\nThe Colony, Texas native said the Badgers really tried to guard him closely to make him put the ball on the floor.\n"My first step, I was half way by the guy and all I had to do was read his help and I think I did a good job of that," Wright said. "Anytime a defender gets up to close to me, he's going to end up fouling me once I make my move."\nWright had 14 points at halftime, but his second half performance showed he wouldn't let the Hoosiers be denied. He scored on the first possession of the second- half on a 15-footer to get IU started. His scoring maintained the Hoosiers big lead throughout the second half.\nAnd with four minutes to go and Wisconsin trailing by 11 and threatening to cut the lead to single digits, Wright went around two Badger defenders on his way to a reverse lay-up while subsequently putting the Badgers comeback hopes to rest.\nThe Badgers' version of kryptonite wouldn't work tonight in slowing down Wright.\n"Tonight, I thought Bracey was really aggressive," said IU coach Mike Davis. "Bracey made plays. Bracey took 22 shots and the last game he took seven."\nThat last game, a 73-52 loss to Northwestern, saw Wright hit only two of seven shots while being zero for four from three-point range, scoring only seven points. Saturday's performance also snapped a rough stretch for Wright against the Badgers, a forgettable two-games where Wright scored only 15 points on six of 31 shooting combined in the blowout losses.\nHis adversary in those two losses was Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan. Ryan's teams, notorious for their defense, came into the game second in the Big Ten in scoring defense.\n"Once he got it going tonight, we had to crowd him a little bit," Ryan said. "Then, he attacked. We didn't do a real good job of keeping him from getting to the rim. And his confidence just grew."\nWright got the best of Ryan's defensive schemes. It all started on his way to the basket in his role as the aggressor -- a role crucial for the entire Hoosier team when Wisconsin tried to get back in the game.\n"We really just tried to attack them and continue to be the aggressor," Wright said.\n-- Contact Staff Writer John \nRodgers at jprodger@indiana.edu.
(01/10/05 6:24am)
New IU football coach Terry Hoeppner spoke at halftime of Saturday's basketball game at Assembly Hall. His message was short and simple as the former Miami of Ohio coach looked straight into the student section and made a simple request.\n"I've got to have you," Hoeppner said. He was greeted by applause.\nCreating a home-field advantage at Memorial Stadium has been one of his main initiatives since being hired Dec. 17 after former coach Gerry DiNardo was fired after three seasons.\nAfter his remarks to the crowd, Hoeppner addressed the media at halftime and said his recruiting efforts have gone well as he and his staff have retained all of the verbal commitments DiNardo's staff had received.\nHoeppner used one word to describe the reaction he's getting when visiting with prep prospects: excited.\n"We have guys here that are re-committing to me," Hoeppner said. "They committed to Indiana University and Director of Athletics Rick Greenspan sent out a letter saying we would honor that commitment from Indiana to them. That was absolutely the right thing to do. What they have done is get a chance to meet me and meet the coaches on the staff and recommit."\nIU currently has 13 verbal commitments -- with 10 of those offensive players, two defensive and one kicker, Joe Kleinsmith, who was ranked as the No. 22 kicker in the nation by www.rivals.com.\nOn his wish list for recruits, Hoeppner listed a quarterback, offensive linemen, defensive linemen and linebackers for his 22 scholarships to give. He pointed out that his recruiting efforts were an "across the board" effort as he and his staff are recruiting Florida, Texas and all across Indiana.\nRegardless of the improvement, Hoeppner said the Hoosiers have "some real needs."\n"Now how we fix those, either through recruiting or by personnel moves," Hoeppner said. "This defensive end goes to offensive tackle. This wide receiver goes to corner. Those are things you have to do. Putting people in the right place on the field is really what you do as a coach. The formula we have had for that, I keep using that. I have a basic plan for that and we will start working it here soon."\n-- Contact Staff Writer John Rodgers at jprodger@indiana.edu.
(01/07/05 5:22am)
It's known as one of college basketball's shrines. With five national championship banners overseeing the floor, Assembly Hall has provided IU with a distinct homecourt advantage since it opened in 1972, where the Hoosiers have won more than 86 percent of their games.\nThat shrine is crumbling. \nIU is only 4-3 at home this season, with all four of those victories against teams from mid-major conferences. Last season, the Hoosiers finished below .500 with a 6-7 home record.\nTo restore Assembly Hall's reputation, the Hoosiers will have to reverse the current trend of struggling at home in their Big Ten home opener against Wisconsin Saturday. Wisconsin has beaten IU the last two times they've ventured south to Bloomington, including last year's 70-52 shellacking. The Badgers have also knocked off IU six of the last eight times they've played.\nThe odds seem long for IU, with the Badgers recent dominance coming after IU's 5-7 start, including a 73-52 Big Ten opening loss at Northwestern Wednesday. The 21-point deficit was IU's worst loss to the Wildcats since 1914.\nIU coach Mike Davis said after the Northwestern game that the Hoosiers won't have any hangover following the loss.\n"We are not going to get down by losing to Northwestern," Davis said in a statement. "They have got a great team with a chance this year. A lot of good teams are going to come in here and lose."\nPicked third in the preseason Big Ten predictions, Wisconsin is 10-2 this season after winning on the road against Purdue Wednesday. Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan's team is lead by junior Alando Tucker's 15.5 points per game followed by leading rebounder and the team's second high scorer, senior Mike Wilkinson.\nTo beat the Badgers while protecting Assembly Hall, IU will hope to resurrect a struggling offense, which ranks second to last in the Big Ten with only 61.8 points per game. It won't get any easier Saturday against the Badgers as Wisconsin ranks second in the conference in scoring defense.\nIt's quite a conundrum for the Hoosiers, who've been struggling with turnovers of late. IU posted 17 turnovers against Northwestern.\n"I think we gave up something like 27 points of turnovers (against Northwestern)," Davis said. "It's something that we've really struggled with the past three or four games. What we talked about coming into (the Northwestern) game was if we turn the ball over, forget about it and get back and play defense. We didn't do that, though."\nAnother loss Saturday would drop the Hoosiers to 0-2 in the Big Ten and further fade their already fleeting NCAA tournament hopes while Assembly Hall would witness IU's sixth home conference loss in nine games.
(12/13/04 5:02am)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Kentucky's version of the 'Empire State Building' and his fellow skycrapers towered over the Hoosier big men in the Wildcats' 73-58 victory Saturday in Freedom Hall.\nThat famous building comparison was IU coach Mike Davis talking about 7-foot-3-inch Wildcat junior center Shagari Alleyne. Alleyne, senior Chuck Hayes and freshman Randolph Morris led Kentucky's inside charge by outscoring IU 38-10 in the paint while paving the way for the Wildcats' win.\nIt didn't matter who the Hoosiers threw at Kentucky's big men. A mixture of D.J. White, Pat Ewing Jr., Mike Roberts, James Hardy and Sean Kline couldn't slow down Hayes and Co.\n"Their inside play was just too strong for us," Davis said. "When we scored, they did a great job of going inside to their post guys."\nAlleyne, who was averaging 6.3 points per game heading into Saturday's game, scored 10 points, grabbed five rebounds and rejected four shots. The freshman Morris scored 11 points. \nBut the group was led by Hayes -- who has never lost to IU in his four years at UK. Hayes tallied 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds.\nKentucky coach Tubby Smith said his post players were the difference as all three scored in double-figures while IU had only one scorer in double-digits with junior Bracey Wright's 31 points.\n"I thought Chuck Hayes presence inside was a real force," Smith said. "We went to a different alignment in our offensive set and I think that made a difference keeping our post people closer to the basket. That was the difference."\nWhile Kentucky had a plan to go inside to take advantage of the young Hoosier front line, IU had a plan to stop that advance, but the Hoosiers just couldn't execute it. The Hoosiers double-teamed Kentucky's big men often when they caught the ball in the post, but most times the Wildcats went over the double-teams or around them.\nWith UK leading 33-24 at half time, the Wildcats' big three scored nine-straight UK points to lead 42-34 with 12:12 to go in the second half. Two baskets resulting in four of UK's nine points to begin the second half showcased IU's lack of an inside presence. On back-to-back possessions, Hayes and Morris found each other for dunks when IU double-teamed UK. \nFirst, Hayes passed around a double-team for a dunk by Morris. Then, on the next possession, Morris passed around a double-team to Hayes for a two-handed slam.\nTwo of the four of Alleyne's baskets were dunks and the UK big men tallied five of the Wildcat's 17 assists for the game.\nMeanwhile, the Hoosiers looked at each other in disbelief as their defensive rotations couldn't catch-up.\nHardy was one of those Hoosiers on the floor. He said it wasn't one Hoosier missing the rotation -- it was the whole team's fault.\n"We were firing big to big," Hardy said. "A couple of times the guard didn't drop. You really can't blame it on them because the trappers should've gotten close enough to where he couldn't even see the back side. As a team, it's a problem -- it's not one individual."\nWright said he was surprised at Alleyne's soft-touch from the free-line -- a uncharacteristic trait for a 7-foot-3 player, Wright said. \nMeanwhile, Alleyne might have a new nick-name in 'Empire State Building.' He does hail from the Bronx, N.Y.\n"He was big. He controlled the paint. He dominated inside," Wright said. "That's what a 7-foot-3-inch guy is supposed to do."\n-- Contact sports editor John Rodgers at jprodger@indiana.edu.
(12/10/04 5:37am)
Last year, it was a debacle: One of college basketball's biggest rivalry games turned into a complete annihilation. \nThe score: Kentucky 80, IU 41 in the RCA Dome in Indianapolis.\nIU coach Mike Davis said he hadn't thought about last year's loss until Thursday morning.\n"It hasn't crossed my mind until this morning, when we started talking about Kentucky," Davis said. "We have had so many tough games, you have to look at what you have in front of you. That game was probably over from the beginning. We never showed up to play that game last year."\nThis year, after dropping three straight games, the Hoosiers must show up and beat No. 10 Kentucky to snap that streak.\nIt's a rough predicament for the Hoosiers. Having already played North Carolina and UConn, IU's match-up with Kentucky is its third game against a top-10 team in its last four match-ups. The Hoosiers come into the game ice-cold from the floor, as IU is only shooting 34.8 percent for the season and less than 30 percent from three-point range.\nNot to mention that as they head into Saturday's game in Louisville's Freedom Hall, the Hoosiers haven't beaten Kentucky since 1999 and have lost nine of their last 10 to the Wildcats . The Wildcats lead the overall series, 26-21.\nTo win, IU will continue to rely on a stingy defense that limited Notre Dame to 55 points Wednesday night and hope its offense comes around, Davis said.\n"When you look at the scores of all our opponents -- if you hold North Carolina to 70 points -- you have a chance to win," Davis said. "You can say the same thing for UConn. The problem right now is that we are not making shots."\nThe Wildcats defense also has been stingy so far this season -- although against easier competition. In games against Coppin State, Ball State, Georgia State, Tennessee Tech, North Carolina and Morehead State, Kentucky has surrendered an average of only 58.7 points per game. However, in the two teams' one common opponent so far, North Carolina, the Wildcats gave up 91 points at UNC while the Hoosiers limited the Tar Heels to 70. \nThe No. 10 Wildcats are led by senior forward Chuck Hayes, who has tallied four double-doubles in the six UK games so far this season, and junior Kelenna Azubuike, who leads the Wildcats with 15.7 points per game. Kentucky is 5-1 for the season and is coming off a blowout victory against Morehead State Wednesday night, 71-40, in Lexington's Rupp Arena.\nIU hasn't broken the 70-point barrier all season, but Kentucky has in every game this season.\nTo get to that 70-point mark and win, the Hoosiers need better production from their starting backcourt of Bracey Wright and Marshall Strickland, Davis said. With both now in their junior years, Davis said it's time for them to figure it out.\n"When we played North Carolina here, (Rashad) McCants and (Raymond) Felton stepped up and made some plays," Davis said. "UConn did the same thing. (Wednesday) night, even though Chris (Thomas) struggled, he stepped up and made two big shots for (Notre Dame) last night. Unfortunately, Bracey and Marshall haven't."\nWright is averaging 15.2 points per game while Strickland is tallying 9.8 ppg.\nWright said he doesn't remember much about last year's game. He does remember Kentucky's second-half run.\n"I remember we were in there at halftime, and then all of a sudden we were down by 40," Wright said. "It was like a big blur after halftime. They pounded us inside. And I know both big men had 20 and 10 each."\nAnother Hoosier guard, senior Ryan Tapak, remembers last season's loss. And after coming off three straight losses, he said the Hoosiers have to regroup heading into Saturday's game. \nTapak also sees an opportunity.\n"That's the thing about a long basketball season," Tapak said. "How bad we feel now, we can turn it all around if we can get a win at Kentucky and get a win at Missouri and get this thing turned around."\n-- Contact staff writer John Rodgers at jprodger@indiana.edu.
(12/09/04 7:33pm)
The smatterings of boos and cat-calls reigned down at Assembly Hall just as often as the Hoosiers' missed shots as IU fell 55-45 to Notre Dame Wednesday.\nIU only shot 30.2 percent from the field as Notre Dame's defense, which often featured a 2-3 zone, kept the Hoosiers frustrated.\nIU Coach Mike Davis said the Hoosiers were prepared for whatever defense the Irish threw at them -- they just couldn't hit the open shots.\n"When you go back and watch the tape, how many open shots did we miss?" Davis said. "It's wide-open shots. You can't draw up anything to get a guy a wide open shot and he misses. That tells you that they're tired. I know we concentrated."\nIt was a game of 13s. IU had previously beaten Notre Dame 13-straight times in Bloomington since 1973.\n"I was listening to the Bee-Gees the last time the Irish won here," said Notre Dame coach Mike Brey. "I've probably still got the eight track too."\nThe unlucky 13s continued for IU as the Irish's starting backcourt of Chris Thomas and Chris Quinn both scored 13. The Hoosiers countered with their own baker's dozen as D.J. White scored 13 as well. \nFellow freshman Robert Vaden was the only other Hoosier in double figures with 10 points.\nWhile Thomas and Quinn led the Irish, IU's starting backcourt of juniors Marshall Strickland and Bracey Wright was held to 11 points on only four of 15 shooting combined. Wright was two of 10 and it was the second game of the young season that the Preseason All-Big Ten guard was held to five points or less.\nBrey said he thought Thomas, who played 37 minutes, did a great job of quarterbacking the Irish.\n"I thought Chris Thomas did a fabulous job of getting the ball into the right guys," Brey said. "He is a beautiful basketball player who never gets tired."\nDavis said after Quinn and Thomas' shooting woes against Michigan Saturday, in which Thomas went one for 13 and Quinn two for 11, he knew they were due.\n"I thought Chris Thomas made some big shots. I thought Quinn made some big shots," Davis said. "But what hurt us more than anything was their inside guys. They made big plays when they needed them."\nThe Irish were led inside by Torin Francis' 11 points and 13 boards -- with five of those being offensive. Dennis Latimore scored 12 and corralled eight rebounds as well.\nSenior Ryan Tapak said Notre Dame's inside-outside threat presented a real defensive challenge for the Hoosiers.\n"Chris and Quinn are real consistent basketball players," Tapak said. "They got some open looks and knocked them down like they always have. They play well together, and I think with the big guys they have if you're worried about them two, they'll go inside. It's pick your poison." \nWhile the Hoosiers defense dug in for a third straight game, a group of 17,413 at Assembly Hall were getting tired of the Hoosiers' offensive ineptitude. IU trailed 36-27 with 11:54 left in the game but cut the lead to five, 41-36, with eight minutes to play after junior Roderick Wilmont's two free throws. \nWith the Assembly Hall crowd trying desperately to get into the game, Notre Dame's starting backcourt simply refused to allow IU to get back in it. \nQuinn continued his hot shooting with a pull-up 15-footer and Thomas followed with two jumpers in the next three possessions to push the Irish back up by nine, 47-36, with 4:41 remaining.\nAfter Thomas and Quinn's baskets, the crowd grew silent again, until the final seconds ticked off the clock. The boos reigned down then on Davis and his Hoosiers as the Irish's Thomas held onto the ball.\nThe Indianapolis' native, Thomas, gripped the ball firmly, finally beating the Hoosiers in his final chance after two prior unsuccessful bids.\nOn the other hand, it's a bitter pill to swallow for the Hoosiers after Davis' young team was encouraged after a pair of single digit losses to top-10 teams. The unranked Irish, however, beat the Hoosiers by 10.\n"It's just so tough to get up and play at this level this early in the season every single game," Davis said. "We had guys today that just had no energy whatsoever. You come off two tough, unbelievable teams, and turn around and play another top-20 team. You don't have those five minutes that you can't give it everything."\nThe loss leaves the Hoosiers at 2-3 with a three-game losing streak heading into their annual rivalry match-up with Kentucky Saturday in Louisville's Freedom Hall.\nThe Wildcats, ranked No. 10, haven't lost to the Hoosiers since 1999. \n"It's definitely a disappointing loss, but we've got a game on Saturday," Davis said.\n-- Contact staff writer John Rodgers at jprodger@indiana.edu.
(12/08/04 8:37am)
IDS: Did you get a raw deal?
(12/08/04 8:33am)
Former IU football coach Gerry DiNardo spoke Tuesday for the first time since IU Athletics Director Rick Greenspan fired the third-year coach Dec. 1.\nDiNardo said his firing was not expected because he thought three years was a short time to turn a program around, even though his team finished 3-8 for the season.\nThe timeline of the turn of events, from DiNardo being the coach to DiNardo being fired, started Nov. 20, when the Hoosiers took on Purdue in West Lafayette. The Hoosiers lost the game and the Old Oaken Bucket, 63-24, on a day DiNardo said all of the trustees, President Adam Herbert and Greenspan were in attendance.\n"That was a bad day to have a bad day, I guess," DiNardo said. "I think there probably was some embarrassment."\nThe following Sunday, Nov. 21, DiNardo said he received a phone call from Greenspan, who mentioned that Herbert was receiving pressure from the board of trustees in regard to the Purdue defeat. Greenspan requested a meeting with DiNardo for Monday, Nov. 22. The meeting wasn't out of the ordinary, as both DiNardo and Greenspan had been meeting on a weekly basis.\nDiNardo said he didn't object to Greenspan's request to meet.\nWhile the meeting included regular conversations regarding issues within the program, DiNardo said he and Greenspan talked directly that Monday about him being fired.\nThen, the night of Tuesday, Nov. 30, eight days later, DiNardo said he received a call from Greenspan asking if they could get together Wednesday, and DiNardo granted his request.\n"I asked him what I should be prepared for, and (Greenspan) said the inevitable," DiNardo said.\nDiNardo then asked for clarification, and he said that Greenspan confirmed that he was being fired.\nWith the athletics department already facing a deficit, DiNardo stands to make more than $1 million from IU until his contract runs out in June of 2007. The income DiNardo is expected to make comes from his IU salary, annual leave, deferred compensation and outside income.\nAfter the firing, DiNardo met with the team and told them two things. The first was that when college football was started, it was about education and football, and that they should never forget that. \nThe second part, DiNardo said, was that the people within the meeting room care for them, and they should care for each other. \n"Then I told them I loved them, and I left," DiNardo said.\nDiNardo said he could not speak for Greenspan, but it is a general rule in college athletics that people in authority want their own people. Greenspan was hired Sept. 2. DiNardo was officially fired Dec. 1, a little less than 3 months after they first met.\nThe former Louisiana State and Vanderbilt coach was fired before he had a complete four years with his recruits. DiNardo said he'd be pulling for his former players and hoped they will graduate.\n"It hurts," DiNardo said. "There's nothing I can do about it. I worry most about the guys in academic jeopardy. The ones that were not ordinarily admissible to IU but because of their special talent. Maybe they're not going to class. Maybe they're not seeing their tutors enough. Those are the guys I worry about the most."\nAfter the firing, there was speculation that Greenspan perhaps fired DiNardo for his off-the-field personality more than, or just as much as, his on-the-field results.\nDiNardo said tension within the athletics department is common at any institution.\n"For any coach to be successful at Indiana, it's my opinion the support staff has to be philosophically in line with the coach, not the coach has to be philosophically in line with the support staff," DiNardo said.\nFrom this point on, DiNardo is contractually obligated to seek comparable employment upon his firing. His assistant coaches, who DiNardo said are on the road recruiting right now, present the most difficult aspect of the entire situation, DiNardo said.\n"It's been a struggle. There's a lot of uncertainty," DiNardo said. "I tell you right now, it's in the problem stage."\nTo get the IU football program out of its problem stage, DiNardo said it's going to take a full commitment with everybody being on the same page to achieve football success. \n"I believe that Kansas State is out there as a shining example," DiNardo said. "At some point in Kansas State's history, they decided, 'We're going to totally commit to this thing and make it work.' I believe that when a university does that, whether it's in academia or athletics, they can't be stopped."\nDiNardo pointed to a specific example of the department's mismanagement with the fact that Nikki Borges, the department's former marketing director, left last June and still hasn't been replaced.\n"Institutionally, my guess is there should be someone in the marketing position at the athletics department," DiNardo said.\nLooking back over his three years at IU, DiNardo said he's been through three presidents, three athletics directors and a changing board of trustees. He said he got along fine with Greenspan in the three months they knew each other.\nBut after finishing his third year, DiNardo said it's the players that have brought him the most enjoyment.\n"It's always the relationship with the players (that's most enjoyable)," DiNardo said. "I think no matter where you coach, that's the most fun. Watching 18-year-old guys become 22, or, in my case, 21."\n-- Contact sports editor John Rodgers at jprodger@indiana.edu.
(12/06/04 4:45am)
HARTFORD, Conn. -- After dropping its second game in a week to a top-10 team by single digits, the IU men's basketball team knows it can compete against the best. Beating the best, however, is another goal the Hoosiers still need to accomplish.\nAnd after UConn's 74-69 victory Saturday at the Hartford Civic Center, IU failed that quest with the inability to close out defending national champion UConn. With the Hoosiers leading by 13 points with a little more than 13 minutes remaining, UConn went on a 17-1 run to take a three-point lead, 58-55, and went on to the victory.\nJunior guard Bracey Wright, who led IU with 28 points, said the young Hoosier team has to learn how to finish off teams no matter who they play.\n"We kind of got out of our offense down the stretch," Wright said. "We've got to learn how to close games out, and once we do that, we're going to be something to deal with." \nWright was something to deal with for the Huskies through 27 minutes Saturday. The junior went off in the first half by scoring 16 points and 21 points before the Huskies game-clinching run. \nWright and IU had trouble in the remaining 13 minutes of the second half, however, because of UConn's increased defensive pressure, IU coach Mike Davis said. Wright was held to seven points during the final 13 minutes.\nWithout Wright's scoring in the last 13 minutes, IU had trouble executing their offense, Davis said. And subsequently, without that execution, the Hoosiers couldn't finish off the Huskies.\n"I thought at the 13 or 14 minute mark we had a chance right there to make a couple plays to get it stretched out to 20, and we didn't," Davis said. "You have to give them credit because we stopped executing. I think part of it is the way they picked it up defensively and another part is us being so young."\nPart of the lack of execution was settling for three-point shots. During the last 13 minutes, the Hoosiers shot 13 three-pointers and only made one -- that being Robert Vaden's with 25 seconds left. Wright was 0-5 from behind the arc during that stretch while IU shot 26.7 percent for the game from the three-point line.\nDavis said there were three specific instances where IU took bad shots from three-point range just when UConn started its 17-1 run. He doesn't mind, he said, if IU shoots three-pointers as long as the Hoosiers are open when they take them.\nFatigue also played a part toward the end, Davis said. The missed IU shots reigned and dunks by UConn's Josh Boone and Rudy Gay followed while the 16,294 fans at the Hartford Civic Center cheered on the Huskies. IU struggled to find another option while Wright was struggling to just find an open shot. \n"I mean UConn is pretty good, real good," Davis said. "You're going to be tired at the end, and when fatigue set in, what do you do -- you hope you get a shot. They wore us down. Coach (Jim) Calhoun kept putting them in and in and in. I was afraid to take Bracey or Marshall (Strickland) out. At the end of games, it's not like we're playing a mid-major school."\nUConn freshman Gay, who finished with 11 points including two thunderous one-handed dunks, said the 17-1 run that started at the 13-minute mark was aided by the crowd.\n"It was crazy to come back from that kind of deficit," Gay said. "The crowd helped us through it. They really cheered us on and helped us play defense like we're capable of playing."\nWith No. 20 Notre Dame coming Wednesday to Bloomington, IU hopes to realize its potential to stop a two-game losing streak. Wright said that while IU has lost these last two games, the confidence is still up because the Hoosiers know they can compete against the top teams. Last year at this time IU lost by 33 points to Wake Forest and 39 points to Kentucky.\nDavis said close games though don't matter unless you win them.\n"We've lost two games that if we would have made some shots and executed we would've had an opportunity to win," Davis said. "We just didn't finish the game."\n-- Contact sports editor John Rodgers at jprodger@indiana.edu.
(12/03/04 4:44pm)
One year and two days after the beginning of the worst IU men's basketball season since 1970, the Hoosiers hit the court Tuesday night at Assembly Hall hoping to return the program to its historically winning ways.\nThat road to redemption starts Tuesday against Indaiana State University with tip-off set for 6 p.m.\nIU prepped for the season with two exhibition games. The first, a blowout victory against Bellarmine University, showcased a dominating second-half performance. The second exhibition, a 57-47 squeaker against Southern-Illinois University Edwardsville, displayed a young team still experiencing growing pains.\nIU coach Mike Davis said he had no concerns following the SIUE victory heading into the season opener, but the memory of last season still persists.\n"You can never erase last year," Davis said. "But we're a completely new team this year. We have new players, new uniforms, new coaches, and we're excited because we think we have something good going on here."\nOne "good" thing Davis might be referring to is the additional scoring threats this Hoosier team potentially has with Marshall Strickland, D.J. White, Robert Vaden and an improved Pat Ewing Jr. Last season, junior Bracey Wright led IU, averaging 18.5 point per game, while being the Hoosiers' only go-to guy.\nHowever, Wright has struggled through the two exhibition games. In the two contests, The Colony, Texas, native has averaged only 9.5 points per game, roughly half of his average last season, to go with a combined seven of 18 shooting.\nEwing said Wright's role has changed on this Hoosier team.\n"He doesn't have to shoot all of the shots now," Ewing said. "We've got a lot of options this year. Bracey's still Bracey. He knows he's our go-to guy."\nIndiana State knocked off Coastal Carolina University 70-46 Friday night at home in its inaugural game of the 2004-05 campaign. The Sycamores were led by junior guard David Moss' 24 points as well as senior forward Amani Daanish's 12.\nLast season, the Sycamores finished a lackluster 9-19, but return four starters from last year, led by Moss, who averaged 13.6 points per game in 2004. \nIU leads the overall series 15-4, but has lost the last two times they've met the Sycamores. In 2000, Davis' first year as head coach, the Hoosiers dropped a one-point game in Terre Haute. One year earlier, IU lost 63-60 in Assembly Hall.\nWilmont said every game for the Hoosiers will be a war -- starting Tuesday against the Sycamores.\nThe No. 1 priority for IU's quest to return to basketball respectability, Wilmont said, does not involve the Xs and Os; rather, it involves each other.\n"Communication - if we talk, we are a real good team," Wilmont said. "If someone messes up, but we're talking, that can help us out a lot. We're a young team, and if we talk and help each other, we'll be alright."\n-- Contact sports editor John Rodgers at jprodger@indiana.edu.
(12/03/04 6:41am)
When the goin' gets tough, the tough get goin'.\nThe IU basketball team hopes to adopt this saying and take it into Saturday's match-up with defending national champion University of Connecticut. And believe it or not, after losing to run-and-gun No. 9 North Carolina Wednesday, things do get tougher for the Hoosiers.\nContrary to Wednesday's game in friendly Assembly Hall, a young IU team, which starts two freshmen and a sophomore, must play on the road and in a hostile environment against No. 7 UConn and veteran coach Jim Calhoun.\nKnowing the tough schedule facing his team, IU coach Mike Davis said starting freshmen Robert Vaden and D.J. White must gain experience on the fly.\n"What we have to do is continue to throw them in the fire," Davis said. "That's where we are right now. We play UConn Saturday, then we come back and play Notre Dame, then we go play Kentucky and Missouri and Charlotte. There's no time for them to be freshmen."\nVaden, who will be playing in his second-ever nationally televised game Saturday, impressed against UNC with 16 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Vaden said the team must carry over its intensity and heart to Saturday.\n"Our schedule is one of the toughest," Vaden said. "I think now knowing we can play with the top teams in the country, we're going to bring it every game."\nOne aspect the Hoosiers hope doesn't carry over is their shooting performance Wednesday night, as IU struggled from the field, hitting only 33.4 percent of its shots. IU also struggled from the free-throw line. The Hoosiers only connected on eight of 15 from the charity stripe. \nTheoretically, those seven misses were the difference in the game, as UNC won by seven, 70-63.\nIU (2-1) was also out-rebounded for the third time in as many games Wednesday.\nSomehow, the Hoosiers and Davis hope to fix their shooting and rebounding problems before facing the defending champ Huskies.\n"For us, we don't have a cupcake," Davis said. "All of our games are tough. If you don't show up, you can lose by 30 or 35. Anybody can beat you."\nUConn's schedule so far has been light, as the Huskies have cruised to two victories against Buffalo and Florida International. Calhoun's 19th Huskie team is led by leading scorer junior Rashad Anderson and his 20 points per game, and top big men, sophomores Josh Boone and Charlie Villaneuva.\nSaturday's game is the first of a two-year, home and home series between the Hoosiers and Huskies. This year's game will be played at UConn's second venue, the Hartford Civic Center, while IU will welcome UConn next season in a match-up most likely slated for Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. This will be the series's fifth rendition, as the Huskies and Hoosiers are tied at two wins a piece.\nSaturday, three days after their first loss of the season, Davis and the Hoosiers will look to get back in the win column. But the tough schedule will assuredly claim one victim -- Davis' sleep time.\n"It's tough to sleep at night because of the schedule, but it's one that we have to play," Davis said. "We have the personnel now. We're just young." \n-- Contact sports editor John Rodgers at jprodger@indiana.edu.
(12/02/04 6:37am)
It was an opportunity to put IU basketball back on the national map -- the North Carolina Tar Heels just wouldn't allow it.\nIn the match-up of two of NCAA basketball's traditional powers, UNC defeated IU 70-63 on the strength of 37 points from its starting backcourt of Raymond Felton and Rashad McCants in front of a sellout crowd at Assembly Hall. McCants effectively ended the Hoosiers' hopes with a three-pointer with 2 minutes, 11 seconds to go to put the Tar Heels up by 10, and UNC held on despite a desperate Hoosier rally that at one point cut the UNC lead to five.\n"I thought our guys fought hard tonight," IU coach Mike Davis said. "Offensively, we're still working. You have to give our basketball team credit because they stayed with it and played hard. We have to get better from games like this. Tonight, I thought we made a step in that direction."\nThe No. 9 Tar Heels came into Bloomington 4-1 and expected to continue the ACC's dominance of the Big Ten in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Illusions of a blowout win for the Tar Heels weren't realized in the first half as a game IU team battled the high-flying Tar Heels on both ends of the floor.\nAfter trailing 32-26 at half, the Hoosiers came out in the second half trying to get the ball inside to freshman D.J. White to take advantage of UNC junior Sean May's foul trouble. May had three fouls at halftime and only finished with 8 points.\nWith IU trailing 43-35 midway through the second half, sophomore Roderick Wilmont missed two free throws and McCants followed with another three-pointer to complete a crucial five-point swing and give UNC it's largest lead of the game, 46-35, with 11:52 left.\nA barrage of three pointers from Wright and Strickland kept the Hoosiers close as IU trailed 50-44 with less than eight minutes to play. The Hoosiers had an opportunity after May and McCants picked up their fourth fouls each in a two-minute span with seven minutes to go. \nBut IU couldn't take advantage as the Hoosiers went on a four-minute scoring drought until a pair of White free throws snapped it, but UNC still led after May scored another basket and a foul, pushing the lead to 53-46.\nThat was the closest the Hoosiers would come until the closing seconds when IU cut it to five with 13 seconds left, but a pair of Melvin Scott free throws provided UNC's winning margin.\nWright, who finished with 18 points, said this game is something the Hoosiers can build on as they go through a six-game stretch, including Saturday's match-up with defending national champion UConn.\n"That's something we really talked about in the locker room (after the game)," Wright said. "It's a game that we could've won if certain things bounce your way. No matter how you look at it even though we lost we won a lot of mental battles for ourselves to know that we're capable of competing at that level with the top-teams in the country."\nThe Hoosiers competed early as they came out hot in the form of one of their newest members -- Indianapolis native Robert Vaden. The 6-foot-5 Vaden hit a three-pointer on the first possession of the game on his way to scoring IU's first seven points. Vaden finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and four assists while playing 35 minutes.\nWhite scored 10 points and Marshall Strickland had 11.\nAssembly Hall fans came in with a mission Wednesday night -- give UNC center and Bloomington native May fits. May helped their cause with an early foul and a traveling violation and only scored one point in the first half. May didn't score his first field goal until a basket and a foul with 11:31 left to extend UNC's lead back to 11, answering a three by Wright. May finished with eight points in his much-publicized homecoming to the place most Hoosier fans felt assured he'd spend his collegiate career.\nUNC coach Roy Williams said he didn't think May was pressing. \n"I just don't think things went well for Sean (tonight)," Williams said. "I don't think he was tight. I thought he played well, especially down the stretch. He had some bad things said to him. Our depth saved us tonight." Williams said.\nThe sellout Assembly Hall crowd gave the Hoosiers a definite home court advantage, something both coaches pointed out after the game. Davis said he thought the crowd brought a lot of energy.\n"The crowd was great," Davis said. "Tonight, you could feel it in the air." \n-- Contact sports editor John Rodgers at jprodger@indiana.edu.
(11/29/04 8:06pm)
Slated to resurrect a struggling program, IU freshmen Robert Vaden and D.J. White went right to work Saturday in their second game as Hoosiers.\nVaden and White saved the Hoosiers from a potentially embarrassing loss by scoring 16 of IU's last 17 points to defeat Western Illinois 64-60 Saturday at Assembly Hall.\nThe win pushes IU's record to 2-0 heading into this week's match-ups with No. 11 North Carolina at home Wednesday before traveling to take on No. 7 UConn Saturday.\nIU coach Mike Davis said the freshmen pair's play was how he envisioned them playing. White finished with 15 points and two rebounds while Vaden scored 12 and added eight boards.\n"We won this basketball game because D.J. White and Robert Vaden played with energy," Davis said. "D.J. made some plays. It's going to take time for D.J. I wish we had a couple more games to get him ready for this stretch of games coming up. But I thought he grew up. (Vaden and White) played well."\nWhile the freshmen provided the points, a veteran Hoosier sparked IU off the bench. With IU trailing 52-47 with just more than six minutes remaining, senior walk-on Ryan Tapak entered the game for the first time, replacing junior Marshall Strickland. Tapak's entrance came to the delight of the 11,635 Assembly Hall faithful, and he promptly found Vaden for a 3-pointer to draw IU within two, 52-50.\nWith Tapak leading the team, IU found itself tied 58-58 with 2:20 left to go after White and Vaden scored eight straight points. During that stretch, White was four of five from the free throw line while Vaden was two of two. White also scored on a post move and was fouled, prompting the 6-foot-9-inch freshman to flex and scream for the suddenly rowdy crowd.\nWhite said he responded to Davis' challenge while he was on the bench with foul trouble.\n"He told me to come in and step up," White said. "That's what I did for the team. I brought energy to the table."\nWhite's energetic play wasn't finished. The game remained tied heading into the final minute before White rebounded his own miss and scored on a put-back while being fouled. White hit the subsequent free throw to give IU a 61-58 lead.\nWestern Illinois' Fred Oguns' attempted game-trying 3-pointer missed and Strickland grabbed the rebound. Strickland hit one of two and Vaden hit a pair of free throws after T.J. Gray's layup to give IU the 64-60 win.\nVaden said Tapak's coach-on-the-floor like mentality had a tremendous impact on IU's victory.\n"That's what a point guard is supposed to be," Vaden said. "We all listen to him because he knows the game of basketball just like he's the coach."\nIU was out-rebounded for a second straight game, 37-35.\nJunior guard Bracey Wright finished with four points while only playing 25 minutes, with seven coming in the second half. Davis said he needed more energy from his All Big Ten guard -- who poured in 20 points in the season opening victory against Indiana State.\n"He picked up four fouls and I was going to leave him in but I felt we needed energy more than anything else," Davis said. "Hopefully, Bracey can come out next game and play with that energy. We need Bracey to be good for us to have a chance."
(11/24/04 4:21am)
Indiana State almost did it a third time in a row.\nTrailing by three in the waning seconds, ISU's David Moss looked for the tying basket, but a Marshall Strickland steal off Moss' pass prevented ISU's tying opportunity while stopping the Sycamores two-game winning streak against the Hoosiers with a 56-52 IU victory.\nIn their season opener, IU improved to 1-0 while ISU evened at 1-1.\nIt didn't come easy for IU coach Mike Davis' squad, however.\nIU never led in the first half after going into the break tied at 26. ISU also out-rebounded the Hoosiers, 33-28 for the game.\nDavis said last year's 14-15 squad would've lost this type of close game after ISU's Tyson Schnitker's tying basket with just more than three minutes to play.\n"Once they tied the game up it would have been a situation where we all would've been looking at Bracey to score a basket," Davis said. "Tonight, defensively, we stayed in there."\nA bright spot for IU offensively and defensively was junior guard Bracey Wright. Wright finished with 20 points on eight of 13 shooting while expending energy on the defensive end, battling ISU's leading scorer Moss. Moss finished with 15 points\nWright, who struggled in two preseason exhibition games, said now that it's the regular season, it's time to start lighting up the scoreboard.\n"This is the regular season. Those preseason exhibition games don't mean nothing," Wright said. "Like everybody was saying, you only have 8 or 11 in the preseason, I'm like 'That don't mean nothing to me.' Because when the regular season comes, it's show time. That's when you play." \n"I told everybody after I only took like 7 shots in a couple of exhibition games that that's not going to happen in a regular season game. It's going up, and I'm going to be ready to play, and that's what you'll saw."\nStrickland finished with 13 points, including the game's last five. Freshman Robert Vaden started and chipped in 10 points with five rebounds while fellow freshman D.J. White was held to four points with only one rebound.\nWith IU holding its largest lead of nine with under 10 minutes to play, ISU started its methodical comeback by cutting the Hoosier lead to seven, then to four, and then to two before finally tying the game at 50 with Schnitker's bucket. \nA Pat Ewing Jr. free throw and a Strickland basket pushed the Hoosier lead to three, 53-50, before ISU's Moss cut it to one with a driving basket. \nWith ISU in a fouling situation, Strickland hit two free throws -- which set the stage for his steal of Moss' pass with three seconds to go.\nFollowing the steal, Strickland added a free throw after he was fouled. \nDavis said he felt proud about his team's poise as the Hoosiers prepare for Western Illinois at Assembly Hall Saturday night.\n"We lost eight close games like this last year," Davis said. "There wasn't a time I looked out on the court that I thought our guys gave in to it. They stayed with it for 40 minutes. I'm proud of it"
(11/10/04 5:27am)
Richard Nixon was president of the United States. The U.S. had just landed on the moon. The Vietnam War was raging in Southeast Asia. \nThe year was 1970. The IU basketball team had a losing season, finishing 7-17. Little did anyone know it would take 34 years before the feat was accomplished again.\nBut in 2004, it happened. The tradition-rich IU basketball program finished 14-15. The home of five national championship banners and 20 Big Ten championships, the team that plays its games at hallowed Assembly Hall, spent spring break at home.\nNinety-seven other programs advanced to the NCAA tournament or the NIT last season. The IU Hoosiers were not one of them and weren't close to being the 98th team.\nAll of this is not lost on the Hoosiers. IU coach Mike Davis, who received a lot of heat after last season's performance, said last year's team lacked the experience to compete consistently in the Big Ten.\n"When you look at our team last year, we lost Kyle Hornsby, we lost Tom Coverdale, Jeff Newton," Davis said. "Bracey was a guy returning who averaged 14 or 15 points, but George Leach was a guy who never started on a regular basis. A.J. Moye's never started. Donald Perry's never started. Sean Kline never started. You have four or five guys that've never started at this level. Then, you ask them to play and it was all new to them." \nSophomore Roderick Wilmont was one of those young players asked to play often in a reserve role. Wilmont said IU has learned its lesson.\n"Look at the season we had last year," Wilmont said. "Why would you not go out and play hard? (If not), we're gonna end up like we were last season. This year, it's not going to happen. The guys out there are the ones that are going to win the game by playing hard."\nCompetition in games and in practice is shaping up to be a theme for this year's Hoosiers. Davis continually harps on its improvement, and the returning players are quick to point out the differences in last year's practices compared to this year's.\nThe new influx of talent courtesy of five new freshmen and the late emergence of walk-ons Ryan Tapak and Mark Johnson last season and Errek Suhr in the preseason gives Davis some flexibility on who will see the floor.\n"There's going to be some competition to get some playing time this year," Wilmont said. "There's not going to be like oh, you have to play."\nWhen the Hoosiers look at their schedule of opponents, the competition really picks up the first day of December when the highly ranked University of North Carolina rolls into Assembly Hall. That's the beginning of a brutal six-game stretch featuring a trip to defending national champion UConn, a home date with Notre Dame, the traditional border war with Kentucky, at Missouri and at home versus Charlotte.\nLast year, IU faced six consecutive NCAA tournament teams during its non-conference schedule. The same could happen in 2004.\n"That December schedule, in my opinion, might be the toughest in the country," freshman D.J. White said. "We take care of business, we'll be OK. We've got a lot of tough match-ups. We just work hard and prepare for it, I think we'll be OK."\nThe Hoosiers working hard to prepare for the upcoming challenges are a group of familiar faces and big-eyed youngsters. Junior Bracey Wright returns for his third year starting. Wright was named to the Preseason All-Big Ten team by the media prior to the season.\nWright is joined by backcourt mate junior Marshall Strickland for the pair's second straight year as a starting duo. \nFreshmen Robert Vaden and White are expected to start along with Wright and Strickland with a nucleus of other Hoosiers vying for the fifth and final front court starting position. \nLeading the list is junior Sean Kline and sophomore Pat Ewing Jr. Kline is returning from last year's season-ending knee injury. Ewing, who scored 22 points in IU's exhibition win versus Bellarmine, could also step in and start.\nIU's lack of inside presence hampered the Hoosiers last season. So Davis brought in assistant coach Kerry Rupp. Rupp has taken on the responsibility of working with the Hoosier big men.\nDavis also added former Florida International University head coach Donnie Marsh to the staff.\nThe old faces know what happened last year. The new one's have heard about it. And with the season approaching, the Hoosiers hope to start a new 34-year streak.\n"This year I think we have a great memory of what happened last year," Davis said. "But only time will tell."\n-- Contact sports editor John Rodgers at jprodger@indiana.edu.
(11/10/04 5:22am)
Former high school teammates Deron Williams of Illinois and Bracey Wright of IU have careers progressing in remarkably similar fashions. The pair are both juniors and both starting guards in the Big Ten. \nWhen the media announced its preseason All Big Ten team, both were members in the guard position. But one thing they don't have in common is their respective team's expectations -- Illinois is picked to win the Big Ten and compete for a national championship while the Hoosiers aren't expected to do much.\nWilliams, who sat one table away from Wright at Big Ten Media Day, said they still keep in touch.\n"Oh it's great," Williams said. "I talk to him every once in a while on the phone to catch up on some old times. We were talking in there in the meeting room."\nWilliams and Illinois are loaded with preseason expectations. Picked No. 1 in Lindy's Preseason Poll, Illinois boasts a bevy of returning starters including guard Dee Brown, center Nick Smith, and forward Roger Powell Jr.\nWilliams, who was named Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year, said the team is taking on the expectations head on.\n"Go out there and play. Perform, meet them," Williams said. "That's it. We've got a lot of expectations on us this preseason. I think we're ready to step up and meet the challenges. I want to win a Big Ten championship and hopefully make it to St. Louis."\n \nMichigan State\nSeniors Chris Hill, Alan Anderson, and Kelvin Torbert return along with All Big Ten center Paul Davis to lead Michigan State. The veteran Spartans coached by Tom Izzo hope to get back to their roots by focusing on defense and rebounding in 2004, Anderson said.\n"Everyday, we don't go a day without emphasizing defense, rebounding," Anderson said. "When we get back to that, the sky is the limit."\nThe Spartans boast a tough non-conference schedule, but most of all circle Duke on their schedules. The Blue Devils pasted MSU 72-50 last season.\nMSU added a key addition to their team during the offseason with the signing of highly regarded point guard Drew Neitzel.\nAnderson said Neitzel has got a lot of responsibility.\n"You've got to know a lot," Anderson said. "We try to help him to the best of our ability, but we just know he's so smart and knows the game so good."
(11/10/04 5:17am)
Two seasons ago, Marco Killingsworth and Lewis Monroe were starters at Auburn University. Monroe ran the show at the point, and Killingsworth was in his first year of leading the Southeastern conference in field goal percentage from his power forward position. \nThe Tigers were in the Sweet Sixteen, and faced Syracuse in the East Regional semifinal. One point is all that would separate Monroe and Killingsworth from a trip to the Elite Eight as they fell to the eventual Orangemen, 80-79.\nIn the spring, Auburn was put on probation and fired coach Cliff Ellis. The pair began looking for greener pastures.\nThat pasture turned into Bloomington as the pair transferred to IU and coach Mike Davis' Hoosier program. \nHow times have changed in a year and a half.\nInstead of battling SEC foes, Monroe and Killingsworth will don teachers caps in place of game jerseys. Their pupils: the young Hoosiers like A.J. Ratliff and D.J. White who could benefit from the pair's experience. The pair will also be counted on to provide competition in practice and challenge the regulars as scout team members.\nIt's all in the life of players who must sit out a year because of NCAA transfer regulations.\nKillingsworth said since the team hasn't played a real game yet, he doesn't know how bad it's going to be having to sit on the bench the entire year.\n"I know I want to get out there and play," Killinsworth said. "Man, I hate to sit on that bench."\nThe 6-foot-5, 200 pound Monroe echoed similar feelings, saying, "it's going to be a real tough." But having Killingsworth sit out with him will help ease the transition.\n"(Marco) was a big reason to come here," Monroe said. "Having somebody to sit out with me that I've been with the past three years will help."\nThe duo will hope to help the Hoosiers out in any way possible. One way is to take a young freshman under their wing. That relationship has developed between White and Killingsworth, both Alabama natives with White hailing from Tuscaloosa and Killingsworth calling Birmingham home.\nWhite said Killingsworth is helping him, and the team, out in many different ways.\n"I mean he knows the game," White said. "He's been in college for three years. And for him going against me everyday is teaching me the little things about the game that I need to know. He keeps us in check and makes sure we do things right. I feel he's a big leader on this team just coming in from Auburn."\nDavis said Killingsworth has provided an example for the rest of the team through his work ethic. And the fifth-year coach is also impressed with the soft-spoken Monroe.\nMost of all, their impact will be felt in practice.\n"Killingsworth is really a handful for guys in practice," Davis said. "He is a really tough player. Lewis Monroe is a true point guard. To have their kind of talent on our basketball team really helps us out."\nThe pair are excited about playing in more of a basketball friendly environment. For Killingsworth, the transition from a football-dominated school like Auburn to basketball crazy IU has been a blessing.\n"There's no comparison," Killingsworth said. "Basketball is number one. It's football oriented down there. That's what it's about. If you play football, they get crazy. If you play basketball and you win, they're with you, and if you lose, they don't care."\nThat doesn't affect Killingsworth though, as the 6-foot-7, 265 pounder said he'll give it his all no matter what he does, be it either in practice or the games.\n"I bring my lunch pail to everything I do," Killingsworth said.\n-- Contact sports editor John Rodgers at jprodger@indiana.edu.
(11/05/04 5:43am)
Son resembled father as Pat Ewing Jr.'s 17 first half points propelled IU to a 101-64 win against Bellarmine University in the Hoosiers' first of two exhibition games.\nThe sophomore Ewing came off the bench and replaced senior Mike Roberts four minutes into the first half. After scoring his first basket on a 12-foot baseline jump shot, Ewing had the slumbering Assembly Hall crowd roaring with two thunderous drunks in a minute's span halfway through the first half.\nThe first slam was a three-point play when he dunked over a Bellarmine defender. The second dunk was a rebound-follow, skying over two defenders.\nEwing, who finished with 22 points, said he came in with a lot of energy.\n"That's my mindset every night," Ewing said. "Not just tonight. I need to make an impact every night. That's how it's got to be. That's how every player should be. You've got to make an impact if you want your team to win."\nSophomore Errek Suhr deposited IU's last impact of the first half with a three-pointer that sent IU into the break leading 48-32.\nFollowing halftime, any hopes of a Bellarmine comeback were quickly erased as the Hoosiers erupted into a 17-0 run to extend their lead to 69-41 with 10 minutes, 29 seconds left in the break. From then on it was coasting time as the Hoosier bench emptied and IU eclipsed the 100-point mark. Junior Sean Kline was the only Hoosier dressed who didn't play as he's been hampered by a sore knee.\nBellarmine coach Chris Pullem watched the Hoosiers practice last year and said the difference between last year's team and this year's team is remarkable.\nEspecially Ewing Jr., Pullem said.\n"I hope I never see him again," Pullem said. "Last year he reminded me of Bambi. I would expect great things from him this year."\nDavis said Ewing is remarkably improved this season versus last. He credited IU assistant coach Kerry Rupp's work with the Hoosier big men.\n"Pat has tons of potential," Davis said. "We all know that. What we're trying to do is teach him to be disciplined and not get caught up in the excitement of the game. Coach (Rupp) worked with him on his footwork and not playing out of control. I thought tonight he played well."\nDavis also said that it's been great for IU's big men to go against senior Marco Killingsworth in practice because they face a "really good big man everyday" in practice.\nThursday night was the much anticipated debut of the Hoosiers' highly touted freshman class. Three freshmen debuted for IU, and it didn't take long to see the talent.\nOn his first ever possession as a Hoosier, freshman Robert Vaden drained a three-pointer from the left wing off of an assist from junior Bracey Wright. Vaden finished with seven points and five assists.\nFreshman D.J. White sprinted out to 13 first half points before sitting most of the second half because of leg cramps. White finished with 15 points and three rebounds.\nFreshman A.J. Ratliff sat the first 13 minutes of the first half before coming in and picking up two quick fouls. The Indianapolis native scored his first Hoosier basket with under 10 minutes to play and totaled seven points and three assists.\nThe other two freshmen, Lucas Steijn and James Hardy, did not play. Steijn sat because of disciplinary reasons resulting from an illegal consumption charge in September. \nHardy, though still in football season, sat at the end of the bench in street clothes.\nOne of IU's goals coming into the season was to score more in transition. In the past, Davis said, 10 percent of the offense was scored in transition while good basketball teams' score 35 to 40 percent of plays in transition. \nAnother offensive goal for the Hoosiers was making the extra pass. Thursday night, the Hoosiers had 19 assists, lead by Vaden's five and junior Marshall Strickland's four.\nDavis said Strickland, who finished with 11 points and two turnovers, has been a great leader for the Hoosiers. One of Strickland's assists came on a transition break where he lead Ewing for another dunk and the last of his 22 points.\nStrickland made the extra pass and the former NBA all-star's son knew just what to do with it.\n"I thought Marshall Strickland played wonderful," Davis said. \n-- Contact sports editor John Rodgers at jprodger@indiana.edu.
(11/04/04 5:16am)
Following a losing season featuring many breakdowns, the IU basketball team starts its first of two scheduled tune-ups tonight against Bellarmine, an attempt to get the Hoosiers started and running for the upcoming season. The exhibition game's tip-off is set for 8 p.m.\nThe tune-up will not fully be completed Thursday night because of a few missing parts. Freshman Lucas Steijn will not play because of disciplinary action resulting from a September citation for illegal consumption and senior Donald Perry is still indefinitely suspended for team rule violations. \nOn the injury front, senior Sean Kline missed most of Tuesday's practice with a sore knee. Freshman D.J. White is nursing a sore ankle and is questionable for Thursday's game but is likely to play. \nIU coach Mike Davis said after practice Tuesday he wasn't sure yet whether the Tuscaloosa, Ala., native would see the floor.\n"He was hopping around (Tuesday) but he was able to go," Davis said. "I'm not sure how serious it is."\nIn a typically more optimistic assessment from the player's perspective, White said he should be ready to go Thursday and is very anxious to start his collegiate career in front of the home crowd.\nA player who made his Assembly Hall debut last year looks to have a spot on the showroom floor in 2004. Sophomore Errek Suhr has been a sparkplug and leader for the Hoosiers in preseason workouts. Davis has said the Bloomington native is in the top-eight of his playing rotation and is routinely listed among the possible candidates for a team captain role. \nThe captain announcement, which was tentatively scheduled for before the start of exhibition play, has been pushed back by Davis. Possible candidates include Suhr and junior Marshall Strickland, among others.\nSuhr said his preseason climb into the playing rotation is a credit to his hard work.\n"I think the coaches start to see it," Suhr said. "If I see some time this year that'd be great, and if not it's nothing to get your head down. It's a Big Ten, high profile school. For me to get playing time, that's a dream."\nDavis said Suhr has really improved a lot from last year.\n"He's making all open shots," Davis said. "This year he's been really consistent in the offseason program leading up to the first day of practice."\nAs far as playing time goes for the regular season, Davis said it's hard to say what the rotation will be, but it'll be no more than eight or nine players. The Hoosiers outside that eight or nine will have to compete to get in it.\nWhile everyday practice is evaluated, how the Hoosiers perform under the lights in an exhibition game might be an even more important factor in determining which players will be in the rotation. \nDavis said he's looking for execution on the offensive and defensive ends during the team's first test drive before the real race of the upcoming season.\n"I want to be a disciplined team and see what carries over and what doesn't from the past three and a half weeks (of practice)," Davis said.\n-- Contact sports editor John Rodgers at jprodger@indiana.edu.