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(04/17/09 4:09am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After finishing 6-25 in his inaugural season in Bloomington, IU coach Tom Crean and the Hoosier faithful are hoping for a difference next season.Whether the wins or losses will improve remains to be seen. However, it is certain that the men taking the court will not be the same.The ragtag group that made up the 2008-2009 team – a squad composed of players with virtually no Division I experience or any familiarity with one another – will have an influx of new players to go along with the remaining roster.But not everyone from last season will return.Kyle Taber will have graduated, and freshmen Malik Story and Nick Williams have both decided to transfer.Story announced in late March his decision to leave IU, citing his desire to be closer to his family in California as his reason to leave.“This was a very emotional decision for me,” Story said in a press release. “But I am blessed to have an outstanding support system in my family at home, and I want to be able to share my collegiate experiences with them.”While Story’s decision to transfer was emotional, Williams’ choice to leave appears to be more tactical.With an influx of incoming guards, including Indiana’s newly crowned Mr. Basketball Jordan Hulls and transfer guard Jeremiah Rivers (who will gain his eligibility), Williams looks to find a team where he can have a greater impact.“I want to thank everyone at IU for their support this season,” Williams said in a press release. “I’m going to finish up the semester and then begin the process of finding a program where I can come in and have an impact for them.”Just like seeing Williams and Story on the court was common last season, so was the sight of walk-ons receiving plenty of opportunities.But with Rivers, Hulls and five other scholarship freshmen joining the team to complement future sophomores Tom Pritchard, Matt Roth and Verdell Jones and soon-to-be senior Devan Dumes, Hoosier fans can expect the majority of playing time to go to scholarship players.This might explain why freshman walk-on Broderick Lewis will not be on the team next season.Lewis will either focus on academics or try to get a scholarship at a lower-level program next year, Director of Media Relations J.D. Campbell said.With two consistent starters and a sixth man leaving in Williams, Taber and Story, respectively, next year’s roster could look very different.The newcomer anticipating the most early action is Rivers, who has previous experience at Georgetown. Incoming freshmen Maurice Creek and Christian Watford, the two highest-rated players on tap for next season, also appear to be early frontrunners to claim spots in Crean’s regular rotation.But Crean has harped on the importance of creating competition in practices – and making anyone who wants to play next season earn it in practice.In other words, time will tell. Much like last season, Hoosier nation will need to get to know many new faces.
(03/13/09 4:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>INDIANAPOLIS – IU lacked experience. Penn State had the deeper team. The Hoosiers fell behind early and fought back, but ultimately didn’t have enough.It was the story line of the season.The Hoosiers (6-25) fell 66-51 to Penn State in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, ending a season that witnessed the setting of school records for most conference and total losses in a season.Fighting for their postseason lives, the Nittany Lions (22-10) raced out of the gate and built a quick 26-8 lead. Penn State utilized a frantic full-court press, which flustered IU and lead to several early open Penn State looks.While the Hoosiers had to account for sophomore Talor Battle – the conference’s leading scorer and first team All-Big Ten selection – it was the other two consistent Nittany Lion scoring threats who dominated.Jemelle Cornley notched 10 of Penn State’s first 12 points, finishing with 22, and Penn State sharpshooter Stanley Pringle added 16. IU coach Tom Crean predicted Cornley would cause problems for IU given his speed and strength, and Cornley finally was consistently able to find his shots.IU freshman Nick Williams described guarding the bulky, 6-foot-5 forward as “awkward.”“He’s really big, and he’s a tough player,” Williams said. “You can tell he’s been working on those moves for a long time.”Things went so poorly for the Hoosiers that Crean picked up his only technical foul of the season early in the first half.But the Hoosiers didn’t go down without mounting a mini-run of their own. After Penn State built its 26-8 lead, IU reeled off a 12-3 run to cut the lead to nine.IU didn’t quit but didn’t execute, either. The Nittany Lions continued their relentless attack and put the game well out of reach early in the second half.“We were throwing careless passes, and we weren’t taking what was there,” Williams said. “We were trying to force things, and they got some easy buckets off those turnovers and built the early lead.”The next game the Hoosiers play, Crean will have a highly ranked incoming freshman class to complement the players who braved this season.Junior Devan Dumes said as hard as this season has been, it will only make the team stronger next year.“I’m excited ‘cause we’ve all grown together, and we’ve all grown to love one another,” Dumes said. “And we’re all really excited about the next time we get on the floor.”Freshman Tom Pritchard agreed with Dumes, adding that a more seasoned roster next year should lead to more tangible results. “I know what we went through,” Pritchard said. “And I don’t want to go through it again.”But that’s not to say anyone on the team is happy to see this season come to an end. Crean emphasized how disappointed his team was to see this campaign come to a close.Williams commented on how strange it will be when they don’t have another game for which to prepare.“Tomorrow is gong to be an odd day because there’s nothing to do,” Williams said. “We’re usually practicing every day. It’s going to be kind of odd to not be with these guys all the time.”
(03/13/09 4:12am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>INDIANAPOLIS – IU lacked experience. Penn State had the deeper team. The Hoosiers fell behind early and fought back, but ultimately didn’t have enough.It was the story line of the season.The Hoosiers (6-25) fell 66-51 to Penn State in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, ending a season that witnessed the setting of school records for most conference and total losses in a season.Fighting for their postseason lives, the Nittany Lions (22-10) raced out of the gate and built a quick 26-8 lead. Penn State utilized a frantic full-court press, which flustered IU and lead to several early open Penn State looks.While the Hoosiers had to account for sophomore Talor Battle – the conference’s leading scorer and first team All-Big Ten selection – it was the other two consistent Nittany Lion scoring threats who dominated.Jemelle Cornley notched 10 of Penn State’s first 12 points, finishing with 22, and Penn State sharpshooter Stanley Pringle added 16. IU coach Tom Crean predicted Cornley would cause problems for IU given his speed and strength, and Cornley finally was consistently able to find his shots.IU freshman Nick Williams described guarding the bulky, 6-foot-5 forward as “awkward.”“He’s really big, and he’s a tough player,” Williams said. “You can tell he’s been working on those moves for a long time.”Things went so poorly for the Hoosiers that Crean picked up his only technical foul of the season early in the first half.But the Hoosiers didn’t go down without mounting a mini-run of their own. After Penn State built its 26-8 lead, IU reeled off a 12-3 run to cut the lead to nine.IU didn’t quit but didn’t execute, either. The Nittany Lions continued their relentless attack and put the game well out of reach early in the second half.“We were throwing careless passes, and we weren’t taking what was there,” Williams said. “We were trying to force things, and they got some easy buckets off those turnovers and built the early lead.”The next game the Hoosiers play, Crean will have a highly ranked incoming freshman class to complement the players who braved this season.Junior Devan Dumes said as hard as this season has been, it will only make the team stronger next year.“I’m excited ‘cause we’ve all grown together, and we’ve all grown to love one another,” Dumes said. “And we’re all really excited about the next time we get on the floor.”Freshman Tom Pritchard agreed with Dumes, adding that a more seasoned roster next year should lead to more tangible results. “I know what we went through,” Pritchard said. “And I don’t want to go through it again.”But that’s not to say anyone on the team is happy to see this season come to an end. Crean emphasized how disappointed his team was to see this campaign come to a close.Williams commented on how strange it will be when they don’t have another game for which to prepare.“Tomorrow is gong to be an odd day because there’s nothing to do,” Williams said. “We’re usually practicing every day. It’s going to be kind of odd to not be with these guys all the time.”
(03/12/09 3:40am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>March is synonymous with many things in college. But for college basketball, March means only one thing: madness. IU coach Tom Crean and his Hoosiers (6-24, 1-17) are looking to write their own chapter of madness starting tonight. IU will travel north to Indianapolis as the lowest seed in the Big Ten Conference Tournament. After taking Monday off, IU got back to work Tuesday – and Crean said despite his team losing 20 out of its last 21 games, the level of excitement is as high as it has ever been. “I love that about them,” Crean said. “And this time of year, for them to be as excited as they are and to continue to improve the way they have is really kind of a microcosm of the whole season.” As long as the Hoosiers stay alive they’ll be underdogs, but Crean knows he doesn’t want tonight to be this year’s last game. ”Maybe I’m learning again how much I love coaching. I don’t think I ever forgot, but I enjoy coaching this team a lot,” Crean said. “There’s no off-season focus right now. It’s totally focused on how we get ready to win on Thursday.” IU will need a miraculous run to extend its season past the Big Ten Tournament. But freshman Verdell Jones said earlier in the season that the team can defeat anyone in the conference if it brings it all together. “We got to tie 40 minutes together,” Jones said, “and if we do that I think we can beat any team in the country.” Standing in the Hoosiers’ way is Penn State (21-10, 10-8). The Nittany Lions went 2-0 against IU this season – the last on Feb. 28 when the Hoosiers fell 61-58 on Penn State’s Senior Night. If IU is to make its third time a charm, the Hoosiers will need to find a way to slow down sophomore Talor Battle. As a first team All-Big Ten pick, Battle leads the conference in scoring and his team in assists. Crean said IU can’t be conventional when trying to stop Battle. “I think we have to be creative,” Crean said. “I think we have to continue to move people around. He’s a very hard matchup, but he’s a hard matchup for anybody.”Another potential advantage for IU is the desperation Penn State, a bubble team, might be feeling. The Nittany Lions are coming off a 75-67 2OT loss to No. 10-seeded Iowa in the regular season finale. Thursday might be a must-win if Penn State hopes to get an at-large bid into the NCAA tournament.“Where do you play a little looser sometimes?” Crean asked. “You play a lot looser when you’re down.” Let the madness begin.
(03/09/09 4:16am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>MADISON, Wis. – The long, record-setting regular season for IU coach Tom Crean and his Hoosiers is finally over.But if you haven’t watched ESPN lately – it’s March Madness. The Hoosiers’ fate as the 11th seed in the Big Ten tournament had been decided long before IU lost to the Badgers 85-61 Sunday night.The only question was: Whom will they play in the first round?The final day in the regular season gave Hoosier fans their answer – IU will take on Penn State on Thursday afternoon in Indianapolis.“I just heard that about 10 minutes ago from when I was on the radio show, so I really don’t have a lot of thoughts on that yet,” Crean said. “They’re good, and we have had some good battles with them.”As is the case with every conference team – except for Iowa – the Hoosiers did not beat Penn State in the regular season.But if the schools’ regular season encounters are any indication, the Nittany Lions might be the best matchup the Hoosiers could have hoped for.Ten days ago IU played neck-and-neck with Penn State on the road but ultimately fell 61-58 in State College, Pa. IU had the ball with a couple of chances to tie late in the game but were unable to capitalize.Like most games the young Hoosiers have played, the Feb. 28 nailbiter did not indicate the same kind of game will be played Thursday.On Jan. 17, Penn State raced out to a comfortable lead and triumphed by 10 against IU in Bloomington.One area that plagues the Hoosiers is turnovers. During its visit to Penn State, though, IU marked a season-low 11.Sunday night, the Hoosiers committed 12 turnovers in the first half and 16 total, allowing Wisconsin to win. “We just have to keep learning how tough and physical and aggressive you have to be on a daily basis,” Crean said.The question is: Can the Hoosiers learn in time to upset the higher-seeded Nittany Lions on Thursday?The Badgers, defending tournament champions, think so. Senior Joe Krabbenhoft called the Hoosiers a “feisty ball club,” while senior Marcus Landry said the Hoosiers’ record can be deceiving.“Their record may not show the best on how they can be,” Landry said. “But they’re a very dangerous team.”Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan – who led the Badgers to the Big Ten Tournament title game four out of the last five years – agreed with his players’ thoughts on IU’s tournament chances, warning Penn State to come to play, or else.“Can they beat somebody?” Ryan asked. “Absolutely. Penn State better get ready.”
(03/06/09 5:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan could appreciate the way IU played its past two games.The Hoosiers played a style similar to the Badgers’ against Penn State and Michigan State – namely, IU shortened the last two games by holding onto the ball deep into the shot clock as well as cutting down on turnovers.If IU can take its newfound style of play to Wisconsin on Sunday night against the Badgers, who have played that way all season, it could make for another deliberate, methodical contest.It also might give IU its best chance at pulling off an upset.IU coach Tom Crean said the new grind-it-out style IU has played lately has resulted in some of the best basketball the Hoosiers have played all season, really boosting the team’s morale.“They’re believing that they can win,” Crean said. “We’re starting to play our best basketball in the sense, because that mind-set is so right.”Against the Nittany Lions, IU committed just 11 turnovers. It followed the performance with only 14 against Michigan State, with just four in the second half. Both games were an improvement from the Hoosiers’ average of 17.6 turnovers per game.As a result, IU played both the Nittany Lions and Spartans to competitive, low-scoring affairs, though it allowed both to hit more than 50 percent from the floor.Although the Hoosiers failed to crack the 60-point barrier in either game, they held Michigan State to 64 points (as opposed to its 72.6 points per game average) and Penn State to 61 points (below its 66.1 points per game average).IU will have to work hard to put points on the board itself when it faces Wisconsin: The Badgers give up fewer than 60 points per game.IU’s change in style of play came on the heels of a 75-53 trouncing at home against Northwestern. Freshman Verdell Jones said the team has practiced much better since the loss.“Ever since the Northwestern game, we have really had great practices, first off, and had a great mind-set, and that helped us in the Penn State game and Michigan State game,” Jones said.The rejuvenation comes with just two guaranteed games left – Wisconsin and a first-round game in the Big Ten Conference Tournament. Freshman Malik Story said his team wants to “go out with a bang” and its recent revival has made the Hoosiers more ambitious.“It makes you more hungry,” Story said. “It makes you know that if we played like that against the best team in the league (Michigan State), we can play like that against anyone else in our league.”
(03/04/09 5:44am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Hoosiers saved one of their best performances this season in Assembly Hall for last. Unfortunately for the rowdy IU crowd, it simply wasn’t enough.Michigan State (24-5, 14-3) clinched the Big Ten regular season championship outright and dropped IU (6-23, 1-16) 64-59 on Tuesday, Kyle Taber’s Senior Night. But the first-against-last game was far from half-hearted. Every time Michigan State appeared to pull away, IU clawed right back in the game, showing the Hoosier faithful positive signs for the future.Three minutes into the game, leading scorer Devan Dumes left with an injury, but the Hoosiers kept it close throughout.Despite Dumes’ absence, the Hoosiers fought with the same spirit they had throughout most of the season. Freshman Nick Williams flew over the scorer’s table attempting a steal, and junior Tijan Jobe nearly wiped out a courtside-seated fan while trying to save a ball.Williams’ second-half 3 brought the Hoosiers within two points at 5:16, and IU kept it to a one-possession game with less than 1 minute left. But IU couldn’t execute on offense down the stretch, and for the second game in a row, a close game was literally slammed shut on the Hoosiers.Spartan junior Raymar Morgan put back a one-handed, tomahawk slam that gave Michigan State a four-point lead with 27 seconds left.Tuesday was one of the better all-around games his team has played this season, freshman Malik Story said, but that doesn’t mean anyone on the team is happy.“It drives us just crazy how close we are,” Story said. “We just want it. We want more than to be just close. We want to win.”Freshman Verdell Jones made up for Dumes’ absence, hitting 11 of his 15 points in the first half.But Jones couldn’t stay in front of Michigan State point guard Kalin Lucas. Lucas, the catalyst for the potent Spartan fast-break offense, hit big jump shots, penetrated the lane and set up his teammates with five assists.During his post-game address, Taber said his team – and the program – is well on its way.“You guys are tremendous,” Taber told the crowd. “I mean, I can’t say enough about you guys. This program is heading in the right direction, as you can see tonight.”Despite the final outcome, IU coach Tom Crean said the young Hoosiers – and the one elder – represent the University well.“We don’t have all the results that we would like,” Crean said. “But if tonight has proved anything and if this year has proved anything, it’s we’ve got a group of people who represent Indiana very well.”
(03/03/09 5:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>All season the rallying cry for IU basketball has been “passion for the past, excitement for the future.” The present is not mentioned. Given the Hoosiers’ (6-22, 1-15) sub-par record – with more conference and total losses than any team in IU history – it may be soothing for fans to think about glory days gone by or the hope of returning to those heights in the future. But for the last time this season, IU fans have a chance to see the present Hoosiers play at home when they take on conference-leader Michigan State. The Spartans (23-5, 13-3) clinched at least a share of the Big Ten regular season title Sunday by defeating Illinois and have a chance to win it outright with a victory against the Hoosiers. Given Michigan State’s record, as well as the 75-47 thumping the Spartans gave IU in their first meeting, IU coach Tom Crean said Michigan State is a worthy conference champion. “They’re very, very talented,” Crean said. “Very tough-minded, and there’s no question that they feed off of Tom. They always have and there’s a never-say-die, never-quit attitude to them.”Depth and experience – two things the Hoosiers have lacked all season – have also contributed to Michigan State’s success. “It’s one thing to have depth,” Crean said. “It’s another thing to have the consistency of depth, and it’s a whole other thing to have the talent inside of that depth, and they have that.” The Spartans’ depth is even stronger from the last time they played IU. Michigan State’s second-leading scorer Raymar Morgan has returned to the rotation. The 6-foot-8 junior’s versatility could cause matchup problems for the Hoosiers. The addition of Morgan helps the Spartans do what Crean said is one of their strongest assets – consistently execute offensive plays. IU senior Kyle Taber said the only chance for him to go out on a high note will be if his team can force Michigan State to stray away from the offensive sets the Spartans execute so well.“They’re real methodical and have a lot of sets,” Taber said. “And if you can stop those and make the players beat you, we’ll have a much better chance.” Taber said the best way to disrupt Michigan State’s offense will be to battle the Spartans on the glass and get back on defense. “Coach said we’ve got to control the middle part of the game,” Taber said. “We’ve got to control their fast break and get the rebounds at the end of the shot clock.”Regardless of the game’s outcome, it will serve as a reminder of where IU currently stands, at the bottom of the Big Ten, and where they want to be – claiming a Big Ten championship like the Spartans did on Sunday. As he’s done all season, Crean praised the fan base for its support and said this year’s team has already generated excitement for the future. “I hope it’s the start of something special, I really do,” Crean said. “I believe that it is. I think they believe that it is.”
(03/02/09 4:56am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Freshman guard Nick Williams’ dejected look after the final buzzer on the floor of the Bryce Jordan Center told the story.Though many of the problems that have plagued IU this season were not a factor – the Hoosiers were more careful with the ball and consistent from the free-throw line – and though seldom-used center Tijan Jobe scored, the Hoosiers (6-22, 1-15) didn’t have enough to pull off a win.Penn State guard Talor Battle’s 16 points led the attack as the Nittany Lions (20-9, 9-7) came away with a 61-58 victory on their Senior Night. The Hoosiers had a lead late in the game, but Battle found Penn State senior forward Jamelle Cornley for a thunderous dunk that put the Nittany Lions ahead for good.IU had the ball with a chance to tie as time expired, but freshman guard Matt Roth’s potential game-tying shot was tightly contested and hit short off the rim.“We wanted to get a quick two,” IU coach Tom Crean said. “But that wasn’t available, and then we had to go for the 3-pointer. They did a good job of switching.”Penn State and IU traded back-and-forth leads the entire game. Every time a team appeared to be pulling away, the other countered with a crucial basket.Helping IU throughout the game was its ability to hold on to the ball. The Hoosiers tied a season-low 11 turnovers, in contrast to typical road games.Conversely, the Nittany Lions were unable to pull away due to an all-too-familiar sight for IU fans: Penn State only hit 41.2 percent of its free throws.But for the third game in a row, IU allowed its opponent to shoot 50 percent or better from the floor, and whenever the Nittany Lions needed a big basket, they got one.Junior guard Devan Dumes and freshman guard Verdell Jones led IU with 16 points apiece.“We have great kids, and I was proud of them,” Crean said. “I thought (Dumes) was really locked in defensively – he had a tough assignment – and I think that helped him on the offensive end.”The Hoosiers won’t have much time to recover from the loss. IU will take on conference-leader Michigan State on forward Kyle Taber’s Senior Night on Tuesday.When the Hoosiers faced Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich., the Spartans demolished IU, 75-47.
(02/27/09 5:37am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The shortest month of the year has seemed to last forever for the Hoosiers.After winning the first game of the month against Iowa, IU has gone on another prolonged losing streak, currently at six losses.As the losses mount, the once seemingly tireless, always-spirited Hoosiers have started to lose some of their vigor. Even in the worst of losses, TV commentators and fans alike have applauded the efforts of the smaller, younger IU squad.But as the regular season hits its last leg, the Hoosiers have begun to limp toward the finish line.IU coach Tom Crean said he and his staff have tried to keep the team mentally fresh, even taking them to the movies earlier in the week instead of holding practice.But ultimately, the combination of youth and losing has exhausted the Hoosiers.“They’re good kids. They really are,” Crean said. “They’re good kids. There’s no question they’re mentally drained, but we can’t stop working.”Crean and his staff realize that if IU is to win another game this season, the team must dramatically improve in a variety of aspects of the game. At the same time, Crean must do everything possible to keep his team mentally invested for the rest of the season.“It has to change,” Crean said. “There’s so many things that we have to get better at, and we’ve known that all year. But the steam’s running dry a little bit right now.”Breakdowns on defense have accompanied the mental lapses.In the past two games the Hoosiers have allowed the opposition to shoot more than 55 percent from the floor, with the opponent scoring an average of 78 points.IU averages fewer than 60 points per game – meaning the defensive effort needs to improve if the Hoosiers hope to break the losing streak.Freshman Nick Williams said that mentally, he and his teammates are fine, but the ongoing quest for communication on the defensive end needs to continue to improve for future success.“We just have to be better on the defensive end, and the points will come,” Williams said. “We just have to be better on the defensive end and talk to each other more.”Williams insists the team is improving from practice to practice but can’t seem to translate it into the games.“We’re getting better every day, and we just got to bring our practice mentality to the court,” Williams said. “I don’t know what that will take, but we just have to do it.”One player who appears to be as mentally sharp as ever has been senior Kyle Taber, who has surpassed his career high in points in the past two games. Taber doesn’t buy into the notion that his teammates are mentally wiped, but he agreed with Williams that the team needs to take its practice habits on the road with them this weekend.“No, I think we’re fine,” Taber said about the mental state of the Hoosiers. “That’s all a mindset. I mean, we play hard every day, and we’re fine in practice, so we should be fine in the game.”
(02/26/09 5:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU coach Tom Crean has cited the Hoosiers’ youth as a reason for the unpredictability they display from game to game. But Wednesday night IU radically changed in the middle of the first half. Northwestern (15-11, 6-9) notched its first-ever victory in Assembly Hall, dominating IU (6-21, 1-14) 75-53. While always fighting to prevent it, Crean said he has dreaded a performance like Wednesday’s. “I’ll never accept it, and I never have,” Crean said. “But this was bound to happen at some point with this team.” The Wildcats overcame a strong Hoosier start and benefited from IU going an atrocious 3-of-21 from behind the arc.“They had some pretty good looks on their shots and missed them,” Northwestern coach Bill Carmody said. “And we had some looks and knocked them down.” Conversely, Carmody’s crew caught fire from three in the second half, draining six of seven. The Wildcats were led by senior Craig Moore. Moore went 3-of-3 from behind the arc in the second half, scoring 17 points and taunting the Hoosiers when going back on defense en route to leading five Northwestern players in double digits. The start of the game gave no indication that Northwestern would walk out of Bloomington with a victory at all, much less a blowout win. The Hoosiers started off 6-of-8 from the floor and had five assists and one turnover, easily penetrating the Wildcats’ 1-3-1 zone defense. Then IU suddenly couldn’t crack the zone. The Hoosiers started to settle for long jump shots rarely resulting in baskets. Crean gave credit to Northwestern’s defense, but said ultimately his team’s lack of aggressiveness is what left them so stagnant offensively. Unlike the first time IU played Northwestern and scored 75 points, the Hoosier post players weren’t calling for the ball enough. “We just weren’t physical enough,” Crean said. “We didn’t demand the ball enough, and that’s the reason we had success with it the first time.” Making matters worse for IU, the Wildcats were unconscious on the offensive, back-cutting the Hoosiers and draining deep three-pointers. Freshman Nick Williams said the team needs to stop worrying so much offensively and focus more on hard-nosed defense. “In the second half we had too many letdowns,” Williams said. “I think they scored on eight or nine straight possessions, and we just can’t have that. We have to dig down deep and just be gritty with every possession. I know we can play better defense.” But in the end, no matter how good of a defensive game IU had, its 14.3 three-point percentage and 28.6 free-throw percentage would have made it difficult for the Hoosiers to win. Senior Kyle Taber – who set a career-high in scoring for the second consecutive game with 12 points – thinks that both three-point and free-throw shooting can be infectious, for better or worse. “It seems like sometimes it’s contagious,” Taber said. “I think it’s the same thing with free throws.”
(02/25/09 5:09am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Just four regular season games remain for the IU men’s basketball team.A season that has seen the team unwillingly make history with the most conference and total losses plays in just two more home games with this collection of freshmen, walk-ons, junior college transfers and Kyle Taber.But as the year winds down, IU (6-20, 1-13) still has some incentive to play. For one, tonight might be the best remaining chance this team has at capturing a victory before the season closes when they welcome Northwestern (14-11, 5-9) to Bloomington.The Wildcats are ninth in the Big Ten and just 2-7 on the road. Northwestern is coming off a humiliating 72-45 loss at Minnesota, but IU coach Tom Crean dismissed the game as a fluke – given that several Wildcat players had the flu.Northwestern also notched a win against first-place Michigan State, showing that when the Wildcats are on, they can beat anyone in the conference.In the first meeting between the two, Northwestern edged the Hoosiers 77-75 in a spirited contest. Crean credited Northwestern’s collective clutch performance.“They’re a strong team, and what we saw in that game that was just a huge, huge intensity game all the way through,” Crean said. “When they needed to answer the call, they did.”More incentive for the Hoosiers is the prospect of making a lasting impression on the coaching staff for next season.The same day IU fell to rival Purdue, incoming recruit Jordan Hulls dazzled a Bloomington crowd by defeating nationally ranked Detroit County Day – serving both as hope to the IU fans next season and a reminder to the current players that more competition is on its way next season.One freshman showing strides as the season has progressed has been Verdell Jones. In the last five games Jones has averaged 14.4 points per game, an increase from his 9.8 season average. After the Purdue contest, Boilermaker coach Matt Painter said his team struggled to stop Jones’ slashing ability. Crean agreed.“He’s trusting his pull-up,” Crean said. “And we’ve got to continue to get that same improvement in the defensive area.”One Hoosier who is not playing for anything beyond these last games is Taber. The senior hopes to go out with a bang after scoring a career-high 10 points Saturday at Purdue.Taber’s development continues to marvel Crean, who said his lone senior’s performance has been impressive. The senior scored only 34 points total in his first three years.Freshman Tom Pritchard also appeared to get back on track against the Boilermakers, scoring 12 points.The big man averages double digits in scoring but went seven consecutive games without notching 10 before the clash against Purdue.“He was on the glass. He was aggressive. He made some moves which we want him to make,” Crean said. “He’s looking for his jump shot more and more, which is what we want. And he was a force. That’s good to see.”
(02/23/09 5:02am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>WEST LAFAYETTE – IU has had its fair share of grudge matches this season. The Hoosiers faced in-state foe Notre Dame and had border wars with both Kentucky and Illinois. But nothing compares to IU-Purdue. The majority of the Hoosiers (6-20, 1-13) got their first taste of the rivalry Saturday when Purdue (21-6, 10-4) downed IU 81-67. The intensity level increased before tip-off. IU coach Tom Crean said even before his team made into the stadium, it was “welcomed” by the Purdue faithful. “We were serenaded by some of the students, 100 to 150 of them, singing the fight song when we pulled up,” Crean said. “That got our guys’ attention, I know that.” The students were just getting warmed up. Derogatory chants rained on the Hoosiers throughout the game – ranging from “IU sucks” to yelling at Crean to get off the court. The lone Hoosier who has experienced Mackey Arena before, Kyle Taber, said his freshman teammates can expect such treatment annually. “The student section, they were on us,” Taber said. “They wanted Purdue to kill us.” Hoping to work his team into a frenzy and block out distractions, Crean called in three NFL coaches to give pep talks. Crean’s brother-in-law and Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, Ravens offensive coordinator and former IU football coach Cam Cameron and Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy sat behind IU during the game after pumping up the Hoosiers beforehand. “They were great,” Crean said. “As good a speech as we had was (IU trainer) Tim Garl talking to the team last night.” Even with Purdue second in the Big Ten and IU at the bottom, the game had its share of physicality.IU freshman Tom Pritchard drew the ire of the Boilermaker crowd when he laid out Purdue sophomore star Robbie Hummel while setting a pick. Hummel left the game and did not return. Purdue coach Matt Painter called it a clean play, and Pritchard wished Hummel well after the game. “I set a pick, and he didn’t see me coming and ran into me,” Pritchard said. “I hope he’s OK.” Both Crean and Painter complimented each other’s team, as well as the IU-Purdue rivalry. But Painter said the current matchup between the schools isn’t as intense as it was in the 1980s and ’90s.“For us to have the same type of rivalry, you have to have consistency where head coaches stay in place for a long time,” Painter said. “And they both have to be competitive and battle for Big Ten Titles. And if those two things can happen this rivalry can grow and get back to where it was.” Despite the boos, chants and final outcome on Saturday, Taber said his younger teammates will appreciate facing the Boilermakers in the future – and the outcome might be different the next time around. “They’re going to enjoy playing in this game every year,” Taber said. “It’s back to twice a year now for a while so that’s good for the rivalry, and I think we’ll be ready to go the next time we play.”
(02/20/09 5:55am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The last time Tom Crean coached against Wisconsin, he was leading an experienced Marquette squad that came within one point of reaching the Sweet Sixteen.Needless to say, the first-year IU men’s basketball coach has gone through just as much change in the past year as the Hoosier program.Wisconsin methodically picked away at the Hoosiers after halftime, limiting IU to 21 second-half points en route to a 68-51 victory.“They played like a veteran club, and we played like a bunch of rookies,” Crean said. “That’s the bottom line.”The return of leading scorer Devan Dumes appeared to give IU the boost it sorely needed the past two games.But after a back-and-forth first half, an all-too-familiar scene for IU fans began to replay.The Hoosiers came out flat to start the second.Wisconsin straightened out its patented swing offense while frustrating the Hoosiers throughout the second half, transforming a one-point halftime lead against IU (6-19, 1-12) into, at one point, a 22-point margin.“I don’t think we competed very well in the second half,” Crean said. “And our defense certainly let us down.”The start of the game showed no indication it would end that way.Dumes’ return paid dividends early. For the first time since his suspension, the Hoosiers’ offense was effective for much of the first half.But it was another Hoosier guard that led the way: freshman Verdell Jones.Jones matched his season average in the first frame with 10 points, slashing and penetrating through the Badger defense.But Wisconsin point guard Trevon Hughes matched Jones, notching 10 first-half points of his own.The two led their collective teams in a spirited first half that saw both squads trading buckets.As has been the case throughout the season, it became a tale of two halves for the Hoosiers.After halftime, Wisconsin sharpened its defense, forcing careless Hoosier turnovers and drawing IU into early foul trouble. The Badgers were in the bonus six minutes into the half.Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan’s offense began to frustrate the Hoosier defense.With freshman Tom Pritchard and senior Kyle Taber getting into foul trouble, the small IU lineup struggled to stop the Wisconsin forwards from having their way down low.The loss leaves the Hoosiers battered and bruised with a day and a half to recover before facing in-state rival Purdue on Saturday. But Crean said there won’t be a Dr. Phil therapist for his team. He wants his players to remember routs like Thursday’s.“I don’t want them to forget what it feels like in any of these games,” Crean said, “‘cause I’m not forgetting.”
(02/19/09 5:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Assembly Hall will witness a player reunite with his team and two coaches revive a rivalry tonight. IU’s leading scorer Devan Dumes will rejoin the team after a two-game suspension that came from throwing elbows Feb. 7 at Michigan State.Crean said the point has been made. “We think we’ve covered the ground that we need to cover, and it’s time to move forward,” Crean said. In those two games the Hoosiers (6-18, 1-11) struggled without Dumes. IU averaged 53 points in the two losses. On the season, IU averages 60.9 points per game. Senior Kyle Taber said Dumes’ defensive prowess has also been missed, and his return will be a big boost.“It means a lot,” Taber said. “He can bring a lot of things to us on the defensive side with all of his offensive ability, too.” Freshman Tom Pritchard said he is looking forward to seeing Dumes back. Pritchard, the team’s second leading scorer, has seen more attention directed toward him, piling onto his recent struggles even before the Dumes suspension. “I mean, it’s a big lift for everyone on the team,” Pritchard said. “Devan brings out the best in us. He’s a leader on the floor. He’s one of our leaders. We definitely missed him, and it’s going to be good having him back.” Pritchard scored just six points in the past two games but predicts he will improve against the Badgers. “I think it’s a good matchup for me,” Pritchard said. “Hopefully I can be aggressive and make some free throws.” If Pritchard and the Hoosiers are to bust out of their collective slumps, they’ll need to do so against a hot Wisconsin team. The Badgers (16-9, 7-6) came back from a six-game losing streak early in the season by reeling off four consecutive wins. In those wins, Wisconsin limited its opponents to 49 points per game. Crean, who knows Bo Ryan and the Badgers well from his time leading in-state rival Marquette, said any team hoping to beat the Badgers needs to bring its “A” game.“Whenever you go against well-coached teams ... then you’re going to get the best from that,” Crean said, “and I think that’s what makes it fun.” Crean said one of the keys to the Badgers’ success is senior Joe Krabbenhoft. Krabbenhoft is fifth on the team in scoring but leads them in rebounding. Despite being 6-foot-7, he is also second on the team in assists. “Joe Krabbenhoft is as well-rounded and versatile and probably – I think I said this the other day – but he is as good of a passer as there is, I think,” Crean said.
(02/16/09 5:53am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Almost every time the Hoosiers address and temporarily fix a problem that’s plagued them recently, a new weakness is exploited.Sunday’s game showed more of the same.IU (6-18, 1-11) limited its turnovers to just 13 after turning the ball over a season-high 26 times Tuesday against Minnesota and throwing away the ball 19 times the first time out against Illinois (21-5, 9-4).But while the Hoosiers did a better job of taking care of the ball, their free throw shooting went south.The Hoosiers made just 11-24 from the charity stripe in the game and only 6-14 during a first half that saw Illinois build a 21-point lead.Freshman Matt Roth, who made two of the three free throws he shot Sunday, doesn’t believe poor shooting is infectious on a team.“I don’t really believe in contagious shooting or anything like,” Roth said. “It’s just something we’ve got to keep doing and work on in practice, and we just got to carry it over to games now.”Another staple for IU in most games this season – and a point of emphasis for IU coach Tom Crean – is the team’s ability to compete and win the rebounding battle. Despite the general shortness of the team, IU has held its own in the rebounding department most of the season, out-rebounding the Illini in January by 12.But on Sunday the taller Illini, namely big men Mike Davis and Mike Tisdale, helped Illinois pull down 10 more boards than IU.“They did a great job of getting to the offensive boards from that four spot,” Roth said. “They had a lot of balls that we were able to get our hand on but just not able to bring down.”Defensively, the Hoosiers went from allowing 13 3-point field goals when the two schools played in Illinois to holding the Illini to just 3-10 from behind the arc Sunday.The only problem for the Hoosiers is that the same Illini big men who helped dominate the boards also went from scoring 14 combined points to dropping 16 points each.Illinois coach Bruce Weber credited his team’s efficient passing game for his two post players’ big afternoon.“We have a size advantage, there’s no doubt,” Weber said. “Tisdale and Davis had nice touches inside. We were able to spread them and move the basketball.”Even as opposing teams adjust to IU, Crean said the team’s youthfulness isn’t to blame. Instead, the first-year coach praised the play of the opposition, citing the Illini as being one of the more underrated teams around.“I think it’s the experience and talent of the other team. They’re very good,” Crean said. “Illinois can beat you a lot of different ways. I hate to use the term ‘pick your poison,’ but you have to. They have players that are very hard to guard one-on-one.”
(02/13/09 5:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU coach Tom Crean and his young Hoosiers have had a tough go of it since their last home game.Whatever momentum they might have obtained from defeating Iowa might have vanished with two road losses since, the first against Big Ten-leading Michigan State.In the game, Devan Dumes, the Hoosiers’ leading scorer, was ejected and subsequently suspended by Crean.At Minnesota on Tuesday, IU turned the ball over a season-high 25 times.Hoping to get some of that momentum back against Illinois, the Hoosier faithful have been asked to participate in a stripe-out.The goal of the stripe-out is for fans in alternating sections to wear either red or white – giving Assembly Hall a look similar to the Hoosiers’ candy-stripe warm-up pants.The stripe-out is the latest in a series of marketing ploys from new athletics director Fred Glass aiming to increase attendance for the struggling Hoosiers.“I think it’s critically important,” Glass said. “One of the things we need to do is learn to create a kind of environment where students want to come.”Even with attendance down this season, Crean said the fans have done an admirable job of supporting the downtrodden Hoosiers this season, thanking them after every home game.“You can choose to write it or not, but I’m going to keep saying it,” Crean said to the media. “I cannot believe what this crowd brings and what this nation, Hoosier Nation, brings to this team.”Weber returnsHoosier Nation might not have needed the stripe-out as incentive to be fired up for Sunday’s game.In Illini coach Bruce Weber’s last two trips to Bloomington, he had ammunition enough to rile up the Hall’s crowd.The past two seasons have seen choruses of boos rained down on Weber for his reaction to former IU standout Eric Gordon’s reneging on his verbal agreement to play at Illinois.This season, Weber fanned the flames of the budding rivalry between the two schools by saying IU would “suck,” well before the season started.Illini senior Trent Meacham, whose 21 points on 7-of-9 3-point shooting helped crush IU last month in Champaign, Ill., insisted Weber doesn’t want to beat the Hoosiers any more than he does every game Illinois plays.“He’s intense. He wants to get every game,” Meacham said of his coach, adding the incentive of beating former IU coach Kelvin Sampson is no longer an issue.Stay the sameEven with Meacham’s abilIty to hit the 3s, and the fact that Illinois made more than 50 percent of its 3s against IU in Champaign, Ill., don’t expect to see a change in strategy on the part of the Hoosiers.The Illini average 18 assists per game, tops in the conference. After the game at Illinois, Crean said Illinois is one of the best passing teams the Hoosiers will face, and not over-pressuring Illini jump shots could lead to much easier baskets.“It was not going to be in our best interest to come out and chase them around and allow them open passes to the basket,” Crean said.No status yet on DumesAs of Friday’s press time, it was yet to be determined whether Dumes’ suspension would be lifted for the Illini game. Crean said the decision would be kept internal.
(02/10/09 5:16am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Less than 24 hours after indefinitely suspending leading scorer Devan Dumes, IU coach Tom Crean along with Dumes met with the media to discuss the incidents that spawned the suspension. During Saturday’s game against Michigan State, Dumes was whistled for a flagrant foul and ejected after throwing his third elbow of the game. On Monday Dumes apologized for his actions, but insisted that he had no intention of trying to injure an opposing team’s player. “I never mean to hurt anyone if I’m swinging an elbow or anything,” Dumes said. “It’s just the nature of the game. Sometimes people say it’s not a physical sport, but it really is.“I didn’t mean to throw anything that intentionally hurt anybody. That’s not the way I play basketball. If I wanted to be like that I’d be playing football or wrestling or something like that, but that’s just not how it’s supposed to be done.” Crean stressed the importance of liability in the program, but added that Dumes’ suspension is for the coach and player to take account for, not the rest of the program. “Accountability rules in this program, no matter what,” Crean said. “So he’s accountable, he’s in here, he’s not hiding behind anything. But this is for me to discuss, this is for him to discuss and that’s it. Everybody else in the program is not discussing it.” The Michigan State game was not the only time Dumes has been at the center of a scuffle with the opposition. On Jan. 28 against Northwestern, Dumes appeared to smack Wildcat guard Craig Moore after the two both dove for a ball.Dumes said it’s sometimes difficult for him to keep his emotions in check in the heat of the moment. “It’s hard,” Dumes said. “But you have to have the mental toughness to keep it from going overboard.” In addition to stressing the importance of accountability, Crean also came to the support of his player throughout the interview, giving Dumes credit for facing the media head-on. Given the recent legal and ethical problems the program has witnessed during the past year and a half, Crean said there is nothing more to the Dumes incident than what is seen on the court. “It is not a social issue, it is not a flunked drug test, it is not a grade issue, it is not an irresponsibility issue outside of the program,” Crean said. “It’s a basketball issue.” And for the specific issue of throwing elbows, Dumes reiterated the apology that he initially gave in a press release on Sunday night. Dumes said he only saw the tape of the game once, but he said he recognized he needs to be more aware on the court. “I felt like it wasn’t a smart move,” Dumes said. “Like I said, I take full responsibility for it. Like coach said, I’m not going to hide from it, I apologize for it, I truly meant it. And it is what it is.”
(02/09/09 4:58am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>EAST LANSING, Mich. – Tom Crean has gotten his share of applause during pre-game introductions this season. But Saturday’s ovation wasn’t from a Hoosier crowd in Assembly Hall; it was coming from the Michigan State fans. One student in the “Izzone,” Michigan State’s student section, even quoted Crean’s famous phrase, “It’s Indiana,” during the game, before quickly adding, “They’re terrible.”Although it’s been almost a decade since Crean left his post as assistant coach at Michigan State, his contributions have not been forgotten. Spartan coach Tom Izzo, members of the press and even the fans warmly welcomed Crean back to East Lansing. “I was really overwhelmed,” Crean said. “There were cheers, and that meant a lot.” During Crean’s time at Michigan State the Spartans reeled off back-to-back Big Ten championships.Although he was no longer an assistant coach when Michigan State won the national championship in 2000, Izzo made sure Crean got a ring. “I don’t like ever facing my assistants,” Izzo said. “I don’t make any bones about that, and he’s one of the guys I like facing the least because I believe some of the banners up there he deserves just as much credit as me.”Both Izzo and Crean reminisced about the state of the Spartan program when they first started, and while Crean’s task at Indiana might be more daunting than what Izzo first dealt with at Michigan State, if Crean would look to a blueprint for guidance, it would be Izzo’s. “We just kind of worked countless hours to get it to kind of where it is today,” Izzo said. “So I have a special relationship with him. I have no doubt, no doubt that he will have tremendous success at Indiana.” One of the similarities between the two men’s philosophies is the community atmosphere Crean is trying to implement in Bloomington. Izzo insists that having a hand in all aspects of the program – from interaction with students to improved attendance – is important for coaches who want to have a long tenure. “Knowing Tom like I do, it won’t be just a basketball program that he builds down there,” Izzo said. “It’ll be all these kinds of things.” There are also similarities between how Michigan State played in their 75-47 trouncing of the Hoosiers and how Crean wants his team to play. Rugged defense, dominating the boards and an efficient fast break offense are points of emphasis at both Michigan State and now IU. Freshman Tom Pritchard, whose high school teammate Delvon Roe plays for Izzo, said the two coaches also share practice habits. “Me and Delvon talk a little bit, but we do some drills that they do,” Pritchard said. “And you know he’s got that aggressive mentality and the defensive mentality that Coach Izzo has.” Aside from that pre-game ovation, it was a typical game for Crean. He animatedly paced the sidelines, he barked plays to his team and worked the officials. But no matter how many more trips he makes to East Lansing, they will always remind Crean of his time as an assistant under Izzo and how much he valued it. “Greatest memories of my life,” Crean said. “It really was.”
(02/09/09 4:57am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>EAST LANSING, Mich. – A team as young as IU can be expected to lose its poise at times throughout the season. But on Saturday it was one of the more experienced Hoosiers who couldn’t control his temper. IU junior Devan Dumes was ejected late in the second half after receiving a flagrant foul for throwing an elbow toward a handful of Michigan State players in IU’s 75-47 loss.The ejection capped off a miserable day for Dumes, who finished the game with five points.IU coach Tom Crean suspended Dumes indefinitely for his actions in the game. Crean worried about Michigan State’s fast break offense and the potential of his team falling behind early in front of a hostile crowd. The Hoosiers limited Michigan State to just three fast break points and held their ground at the start of both halves.But in the end, the IU offense came up flat.IU (6-16, 1-9) stayed close early, limiting Michigan State to 39.4 percent shooting at the half. In addition to its defense, IU got to the free-throw line 15 times and hit 12 in the first half to negate a 30 percent field goal percentage.Michigan State coach Tom Izzo credited IU for constantly changing defenses – something Izzo believed threw off the flow of his team early. “Indiana did a great job coming out with a different defense,” Izzo said. “They switched everything. I thought it gave us a little bit of problems.”Trailing by seven at the start of the second half, the Hoosiers cut the deficit to three at 18:58. But the Spartans responded by going on a 13-1 run to put the game out of reach. The combination of the conference-leading Spartans (19-4, 9-2) finding their collective shot and the Hoosiers never having theirs turned the game into a blowout, as IU could muster only 21 second-half points.Freshman Tom Pritchard said his team wasn’t assertive enough trying to combat the stingy Spartan defense.“I don’t think they did anything special except for just pressure, and we had to come out and be more aggressive,” Pritchard said. “That’s something we’ve got to work on.”The only real drama in the second half came courtesy of Dumes, who got away with elbowing twice before being ejected. The off night for Dumes is just one game after he set a career high with 27 points against Iowa.Despite the final score, Jones said the Hoosiers can take the competitive first half as evidence of their potential.“We got to tie 40 minutes together,” Jones said. “And if we do that I think we can beat any team in the country.”