Men's Basketball

Different game, different Story

On a team that IU coach Tom Crean calls “thin,” Malik Story has been a valuable commodity. Coming off the bench or starting, playing power forward or point guard – wherever Crean has been lacking, he’s turned to Story to fill the gap. No wonder Story has an open mind on what his role is for the Hoosiers. “(I do) whatever needs to be done,” he said. “Pass the ball, score the ball, whatever needs to be done.” While the whole season is a learning experience, perhaps no Hoosier has had to learn as much or adjust to as many different roles as Story. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound freshman came to Bloomington as a guard. He quickly learned he would need to fill the position of power forward, due to the lack of size on the squad.

RUNNING THE FLOOR: Brief return to normal

It had been months, but it really seemed more like years. This hall – as it’s purported – wasn’t close to capacity, but when those flags hit the parque surface, the floor rumbled like it hadn’t since that dead winter of nine months ago.

Men's basketball pulls it out in 2nd half

Maybe it was freshman Malik Story’s buzzer-beating 3 to end the first half. Maybe it was learning from their last two games against highly ranked opponents.  Whatever the reason, the Hoosiers uncharacteristically came out in the second half on fire, turning a four-point halftime lead into a second half laughter against TCU. “The first four minutes of the second half were really crucial in burying a team,” said freshman forward Tom Pritchard. “That’s what we had to do, and we did it.” In their four losses this season, the Hoosiers have been the ones buried and playing flat in the second half – they were outscored 167-109 in those games. But Wednesday night was a different story.

Men's basketball defeated by Zags in Indy

INDIANAPOLIS – After being trounced by No. 17 Wake Forest on Wednesday, IU faced another nationally ranked foe Saturday – Gonzaga.

RUNNING THE FLOOR: Not too shabby

As the IU men’s basketball team exited the first-ever basketball court inside Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, the assembled thousands swathed in cream and crimson rose to their feet in applause.

Men's basketball faces another tough challenge in No. 5 Gonzaga

Gonzaga’s glass slipper no longer fits. Once an annual Cinderella story, the Zags have evolved into one of the top programs in the country. The northwest school that used to be regarded as the feel-good story of college basketball now has opponents worried sick about playing them. “There really is not anything that doesn’t concern us (about Gonzaga),” IU coach Tom Crean said in a Thursday teleconference. With a balanced scoring attack, talent at every position and “tremendous” chemistry, Crean said he thinks the Bulldogs have been one of the best teams in the nation for more than a decade. “I don’t think you’ll find any college basketball coach or player that has competed against them that wouldn’t refer to them as one of the best programs in the country,” Crean said. On Saturday, the Hoosiers (4-3) will try and create a feel-good story of their own when they face No. 5 Gonzaga at 1:30 p.m. in the Hartford Hall of Fame Classic in Indianapolis.

Running the Floor: Demon Deacons too much for young Hoosiers

Now the fun begins.

IU preps for talented point guards

On Wednesday, the Hoosiers will face one of the best floor generals in the country. Without an All-American in the backcourt, IU plans to use a point guard by committee approach to run its offense. In search of size and depth, IU coach Tom Crean played freshman Malik Story at the point position for the first time Sunday. Story, a 6-foot-5, 222-pound freshman from Los Angeles, has primarily played frontcourt positions this season, splitting time with freshman Nick Williams at power forward. But Crean said the Hoosiers would take advantage of Story’s versatility, playing him at as many as four positions this season.

Analysis: Wittman scores career high in IU win

Mahalo, Maui

NCAA: IU on 3 years probation

On Tuesday, IU let out a collective sigh of relief when the NCAA Committee on Infractions announced it accepted IU’s self-imposed sanctions and would only penalize the school in the form of a three-year probationary period.PODCAST: Hoosier Headlines

NCAA spares IU, comes down hard on former coaches

For months, Indiana University waited in suspense and braced for the worst.On Tuesday, the school let out a collective sigh of relief when the NCAA Committee on Infractions announced it had accepted IU’s self-imposed sanctions and would only penalize the school in the form of a three-year probationary period.AUDIO: Crean reacts to NCAA ruling

Second half run dooms Hoosiers on Maui's second day

LAHAINA, HAWAII — After their second blowout loss in as many days, IU coach Tom Crean said his team is disappointed, but not discouraged.The Hoosiers (2-2) lost 80-54 to Saint Joseph’s (2-2) Tuesday in the second round of the EA Sports Maui Invitational. The two teams played tight game in the first half before the Hawks blew the game open in the second period.

OPINION: Good call, NCAA

A win is a win. ... I guess.

IU men's basketball beats Demons’ pressure in victory

After winning his first two exhibition games as coach at IU, Tom Crean took his Hoosiers to a victory in their regular-season debut against Northwestern State 83-65 on Saturday. In a spirited but sloppy game, the Hoosiers broke Northwestern State’s press often, leading to several free throws and open looks at the basket.      While the end result is exactly what IU wanted, the game was anything but flawless. Despite forcing 30 turnovers, the Hoosiers turned the ball over 23 times themselves. Seventeen of IU’s 25 made field goals came off assists, but the Hoosiers were out-rebounded by 11, allowing the Demons to grab 27 offensive rebounds. Crean acknowledged his undersized team needs to work on its rebounding, and that it needs to become one of the best box-out teams in the country, especially once IU plays teams with more size. “We’ve got to understand that we have to get into bodies,” Crean said. “We have to be aggressive with it.” Members of the team credited the less-than-capacity crowd for its energy. Fans in particular took exception to Northwestern State point guards Michael and Logan McConathy – sons of coach Mike McConathy.

Crean excited about ’09 recruiting class’ depth

Different day, different Hoosier star

The season starts Saturday

The tables turned more than a bit Tuesday night at Assembly Hall.

IU grad brings the ‘cheeseburgers-and-bus league’ to Bloomington

After IU’s 72-54 victory against Bemidji State, IU coach Tom Crean talked about the importance of his team playing with energy – something the Hoosiers will prepare for before their regular season opener. Conversely, Bemidji State coach Matt Bowen talked about preparing for the 16-hour bus ride home awaiting his team tomorrow.