Planting seeds of doubt
Through the first weekend of this year's NCAA Tournament, one thing is clear: The underdogs and lower seeds weren't going to lie down.
Through the first weekend of this year's NCAA Tournament, one thing is clear: The underdogs and lower seeds weren't going to lie down.
After thousands of miles of travel, numerous hotel stays and countless hours spent waiting in airports, the IU women's softball team finally got to play at home this weekend. Bloomington was the site of Sunday's IU Classic, giving the Hoosiers a chance at a fresh start before Big Ten play begins.
News surfacing that IU men's basketball coach Mike Davis will return next season has brought criticism and praise from IU students.
The Hoosiers began the season unheralded and unranked. But they didn't finish it that way. Wrestling in St. Louis during the weekend, junior Joe Dubuque was crowned the NCAA 125-pound champion, capping one of the greatest seasons in IU history. Dubuque became the first grappler to appear in a title match since Roger Chandler in 1997, and the first to win since Brian Dolph in 1990.
The Hoosiers entered the 2005 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships with aspirations of national glory. Returning two NCAA runners-up and one reigning NCAA champion, IU seemed guaranteed to impress on the nation's biggest stage. The team did not disappoint, finishing fifth in the nation, the highest NCAA finish of any IU squad during the winter sports season.
Coming off a tough seven-game road trip, the IU softball team returned to Bloomington this weekend for its first home games of the season. "We wanted to come out and show everyone what we're capable of," said sophomore Tory Yamaguchi.
Senior Amanda Walker, the stroke in the IU rowing team's top boat, knew the assignment for the Hoosiers' training trip to Clemson, S.C. They had to prepare for a race at the end of the week instead of their usual scrimmage. "We have to put it together over spring break," she said in the IU weight room on the team's last hard day of practice before departing Bloomington.
Junior distance runner Jessica Gall went into the 2005 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships on March 12 at Purdue as IU's only female representative and seeded seventh in her event -- the 5000-meter run. "It wasn't my best race, but it was a great learning experience and I was glad I had the opportunity," Gall said. Gall started the race strong. The first mile of the about three-mile race was the second-fastest mile she has ever run.
The IU swimmers might have enough help to propel the Hoosiers to a national title. Only seven spots were available for divers at the Zone C Championships toward the NCAA Championships in Minneapolis -- IU made huge strides to a national title by capturing three spots, more than any other school during the competition this weekend in West Lafayette.
For the first time in program history, the IU water polo team is the regular season College Water Polo Association Western Division champion. The No. 9 Hoosiers defeated No. 11 Michigan 7-6 Friday in Ann Arbor, Mich.
If Hoosier fans were displeased at IU not making the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year, they showed it Wednesday night. IU took on Vanderbilt in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament in front of a record low crowd of 5,113 in the 17,257-capacity Assembly Hall -- the smallest crowd ever to watch a game in the 33-year history of the building. The previous low was 7,249 Jan. 3, 1999, against Illinois.
In the best tournament of his young collegiate career, freshman Santiago Quirarte was one of three Hoosier golfers to finish at even par or better as the men's golf team shot a 54-hole 859 total to place third at last week's Pioneer Classic. The Hoosiers finished one shot behind second-place Northern Colorado and 38 shots behind first-place Wichita State.
The IU women's golf team bounced back despite a troubling first round to finish 14th in a 17-team field at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas Spring Invitational. The team was paced by the consistent play of freshman Elaine Hake and improved play after the first day of the tournament.
With seven games in nine days, the Hoosier baseball team worked hard during spring break to take home some victories.
WEST LAFAYETTE -- Only eight IU swimmers and divers went to the 2005 Women's Swimming and Diving Championships during the weekend, but the team's motto, "small but mighty," proved to be true. The team overcame all odds as it finished ninth, the best placing IU has had in history, led by national champion diver Cassandra Cardinell.
INDIANAPOLIS-- Maybe the Indiana Pacers can do better against Vince Carter Tuesday night. They sure couldn't handle him Sunday.
No one was surprised when the topic came up. After Wednesday night's 67-60 loss to Vanderbilt in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament, IU coach Mike Davis addressed the media with a glum look on his face, knowing his Hoosiers won't have a chance to play in Madison Square Garden for the NIT title -- what could have been a reviving end to a rollercoaster season. But it was on question No. 4 that the flood gates opened.
CHICAGO -- With their NCAA Tournament hopes on the line, the Hoosiers played like they were on a sandy beach and watched their post-season wash away like the tide.
Somewhere, the NCAA Selection Committee was sitting Wednesday night shaking their head, knowing they made the right decision. All debate, all questions, all what-ifs were laid to rest as the Hoosiers proved why they weren't pretty enough to be in the round of 65 with a 67-60 loss to Vanderbilt at home in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament.
No one was surprised when it came up. After Wednesday night's 67-60 loss to Vanderbilt, IU coach Mike Davis addressed the media with a glum look on his face, knowing his Hoosiers won't have a chance to play in Madison Square Garden -- what could have been a reviving ending to a rollercoaster of a season.