Eying IU

Bassett, Ellis kicked off team

Two starters have been kicked off the Indiana basketball team, The Indianapolis Star reported on its Web site Monday.

Guards Armon Bassett and Jamarcus Ellis were dismissed by interim coach Dan Dakich after missing two prearranged meetings, the paper reported. According to the report, which listed three unnamed sources close to the program, Bassett and Ellis were told if they missed the second meeting they would be kicked off the team.

Bassett was third on the team in scoring, averaging 11.4 points. Ellis led IU in assists (108).

- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette

Report: Bennett says no

You can apparently scratch Tony Bennett off the list of potential IU coaches.

The Spokesman-Review (out of Spokane, Washington) reports that Bennett had preliminary talks with the Hoosiers on Sunday, but has decided to stay at Washington State.

"I had an exploratory conversation with Indiana," said Bennett on the paper’s blog Sunday, "and I am not going to pursue the Indiana job."

According to the report, Bennett said Indiana called Saturday.

“They made contact last night and they went through the proper procedures by contacting (Washington State athletic director) Jim Sterk and, like I said, I had an exploratory conversation with them," he said.

- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette

Evans returns to quarterback

Mitchell Evans made a return to quarterback on Tuesday, backing up Ben Chappell.

Evans came to IU with experience at quarterback and safety. The Hoosiers placed him in the secondary, where he had two interceptions last year.

Kellen Lewis’ suspension, and Teddy Schell’s elbow injury, are reasons why IU is taking another look at Evans behind center.

“Some saw him play for a week last fall and he’s pretty good,” IU coach Bill Lynch said. “We didn’t need him, we had Kellen, Ben and Blake (Powers). So we put him at safety and he played well there. Deep down inside he wanted to try quarterback again, so it gives us an opportunity to do that.”

- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette

Hoosiers dealing with injuries

Kellen Lewis isn’t the only Hoosier who will miss time this spring. IU began camp knowing that at least 16 players will miss time, most due to injuries.

Those out with injuries include offensive linemen Rodger Saffold (leg, day-to-day), Mike Stark (back), Josh Hager (ankle), Dan Rutigliano (knee), Pete Saxon (shoulder) and James Brewer (foot), quarterback Teddy Schell (elbow), defensive tackles Greg Brown (shoulder) and Deonte Mack (shoulder), running back Demetrius McCray (foot), safeties Rayshun Calhoun (leg) and Nick Polk (leg, day-to-day). 

“A lot of these were conscious decisions to go ahead and get the surgeries done before spring practice,” Lynch said. “A lot of them were one’s they said ‘we could get them through spring and then do the surgery or whatever it is.’ I said ‘no.’ I had done that before and then something goes wrong with rehab and then they don’t get to condition in the summer and then August 2 they are going to be out here on the sideline. I feel like everyone should be ready to go.”

Wide receiver Andrew Means is on the baseball team and won’t participate in any practices. Running back Marcus Thigpen’s time will be limited. He is on the track team. Wide receiver James Bailey is “taking care of some personal things,” Lynch said.

“So I’ve excused him for a few days.” 

- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette

Slow but steady

Ben Chappell pointed out one difference in the Hoosiers’ spread offense with him at quarterback instead of Kellen Lewis.

“There’s a little bit of a difference, he runs a 4.3 (40 time),” Chappell said with a laugh. “There’s a little difference, but I think I can run the offense just fine. It’s going to be the same.”

- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette

IU has short stay in Carolina

Who could have seen all of this coming?

Self-imposed sanctions followed by a lot of winning followed by NCAA allegations leading to a resignation and a self-implosion.

That’s the 2007-08 basketball season.

A year that started with so much promise for a return to glory ended Friday with the program in shambles. Who will be the coach? How many players will bolt?

Who could have seen all of this coming?

Arkansas played better in an 86-72 victory. The Hoosiers didn’t have an answer for Sonny Weems, who scored 31 points.

When asked about his future, Eric Gordon said “Indiana is a great university and I don’t know.”

When asked why he should be named the next IU coach permanently, Dakich gave a passionate speech that all alums would be proud of.

“…The Indiana nation wants it done right; where there’s no embarrassment; there’s nothing but pride in all areas. And that’s something that has to happen at IU. It doesn’t have to happen everywhere, but it has to happen at Indiana University. That’s how Indiana University conducts its business, especially the basketball program,” he said.

“There is a pride and a way that is bigger than whether you win or lose games, and that takes care of itself at IU but you have to do things in a certain way, you have to do them right and you have to do them with people that care and you have to bring former players into, not the former, the whole environment of what made it great, whether it was the ’40 national championship, the ’53 national championship, the ’76 national championship, but this is one of the programs where it absolutely has to be. It’s not a program where, maybe yes, maybe no; it has to be here at Indiana and that’s what makes it great.”

- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette

Hoosiers trail at halftime

The problems that plagued IU down the stretch, poor shooting among them, are the reasons why the Hoosiers trail Arkansas, 37-30, at halftime.

IU is shooting 38.2 percent from the floor. Indiana is 3 for 10 from three-point territory. Eric Gordon is 1 for 7 from the floor, the one coming on a layup early. He has two points. Arkansas has more rebounds, 20-18. That’s an area interim coach Dan Dakich pointed to as important for the game.

D.J. White is keeping IU alive. He has 11 points and five rebounds. Arkansas is 10 for 10 from the free throw line. IU is only 1 for 4.

-- By LaMond Pope, The Journal Gazette

Plenty of questions for IU

It’s a couple of hours before Indiana plays Arkansas. Which Hoosiers’ team will show up?

Will it be the one that stormed out of the gates, getting off to one of the best starts in school history? Or will it be the one that has had spurts of listless play down the stretch?

IU is going to have to slow down the pace against the Razorbacks. Turnovers, 17 of them, killed IU in the regular-season finale against Penn State. It goes without saying, the Hoosiers have to do a better job taking care of the ball tonight.

The Razorbacks don’t have anyone as talented as Eric Gordon or D.J. White. But will that star power be enough? OK, enough with the questions. Let’s get to the game.

- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette

Plenty of questions for IU

It’s a couple of hours before Indiana plays Arkansas. Which Hoosiers’ team will show up?

Will it be the one that stormed out of the gates, getting off to one of the best starts in school history? Or will it be the one that has had spurts of listless play down the stretch?

IU is going to have to slow down the pace against the Razorbacks. Turnovers, 17 of them, killed IU in the regular-season finale against Penn State. It goes without saying, the Hoosiers have to do a better job taking care of the ball tonight.

The Razorbacks don’t have anyone as talented as Eric Gordon or D.J. White. But will that star power be enough?

OK, enough with the questions. Let’s get to the game.

-- By LaMond Pope, The Journal Gazette

Upcoming schedule

IU will hold an open practice here in Raleigh, N.C. from 5:10 to 5:50 p.m. on Thursday. It’s a rare opportunity to see the Hoosiers in a practice. All practices during the season have been closed to the media. Fans might get a chance to see which way IU is leaning with its starting lineup for Friday’s game with Arkansas.

-- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette