Freshman class makes a fearsome foursome

Five players graduated from last season's men's basketball team, taking more than half of IU's scoring from last season with them. But a crew of freshmen that is among the best in the nation will replace the likes of A.J. Guyton and Michael Lewis.\n Throughout the season, they'll be called upon to score, defend, rebound and play an important role for the 2000-01 Hoosiers.\nFreshmen Jared Jeffries, A.J. Moye, Andre Owens and Mike Roberts are ranked as one of the nation's top 10 recruiting classes by several publications. While expectations for them are lofty, they are still just freshmen.\n"We don't all expect to be the man, and we can accept it because we're all trying to win," Moye said. "There's no bickering, no jealousy. We all accept our roles."\nSophomore forward Jeffrey Newton said he is impressed by his new teammates and has seen them come a long way in just a few weeks.\n"They had to get adjusted to the level of play, but once they did that, things have been good," Newton said. "Everybody on the team is gelling together and playing hard. Everybody is focused and things are going good right now."\nJeffries, perhaps the most anticipated addition to the team, was named Gatorade national player of the year and Mr. Basketball in Indiana. He was on FOX Sports' top 10 list of high school players last year. He's versatile -- able to play any position on the floor, including point guard, even at 6-foot-9.\n"I want to model my game after (current Los Angeles Clipper) Lamar Odom," Jeffries said. "If somebody big is guarding you, you take advantage of your quickness. If somebody small is guarding you, post them up."\nRoberts spent last school year in New Hampshire at New Hampton Prep, which he said is similar to a fifth year of high school. There he bulked up and sharpened his skills. He gained 20 pounds and averaged 12 points a game while on a team featuring nine future Division I players.\n"He plays hard every time he gets on the floor," Newton said. "Every time, whether it's individual workouts, practice or games, he plays the same. He's got an intensity about him like no other."\nMoye also comes to IU with a long list of accomplishments. He was Georgia's Mr. Basketball, a first-team all-state player in AAA and one of the top 10 players from Georgia's four classes. During his senior year at West Lake High school, he averaged 31 points per game. \n"I taught him a lot of what he knows, but he won't admit it," said Newton, who played against Moye in high school. "He's got a lot of skills and can do a lot of things at the guard position." \nNewton called Owens, who is a graduate of Indianapolis' Perry Meridian High School, the quickest player on the team. In high school, Owens was regarded as one of Indiana's top guards, averaging nearly 24 points per game and playing in the Nike All-American game.\n"Andre is very competitive and wants to be very good," junior guard Kyle Hornsby said. "He will work very hard, and if you combine those things with his athleticism, which is unbelievable, you have a very good player. He's going to play a lot of minutes by the end of the year."\nBut Hornsby realizes the freshmen might end up taking playing time away from him.\n"If we're winning and they're playing well, then I don't mind watching," Hornsby said. "The competition means I have to work even harder to keep my minutes, and that's just going to make us a better team"