Hoosiers hit with ankle madness

Ankle madness didn't stop after sophomore Jared Jeffries. \nIt spread to junior Tom Coverdale. It's become a mini-epidemic that has followed the Hoosiers through the NCAA Tournament, continuing right up until the Final Four. It's infected IU's top two scorers and put the Hoosiers at risk in nearly half of their games this season. \nSo why would anything change for IU's biggest game in some 15 seasons? It won't. \nJeffries is better but still not 100 percent. Coverdale will have to battle pain, swelling and medical reasoning to even play. \nIU's hopes of upending Oklahoma and heading to the national championship game rest not on the shoulders of Jeffries and Coverdale, but on their ankles. And mostly on that pesky, twice-sprained left ankle of Coverdale, IU's offensive commander. \n"I rolled it pretty good," said Coverdale, who sprained the ankle in IU's first round win over Utah then again in the South Regional Final against Kent State last weekend. "I just hope it keeps improving. I can't jog on it right now, but I think by (Saturday), it will be better."\nCoverdale injured the ankle during a drive to the bucket midway through the second half of IU's 81-69 victory over the Golden Flashes and spent the rest of the night sitting in a folding chair near the IU bench. Eventually, Jeffries guided Coverdale on a wheelchair joy ride and helped the hobbled guard up the ladder to slice a piece of the championship net. \nSince Saturday, Coverdale has received treatment three times per day, electrically stimulated the ankle and kept it planted in an ice boot, which circulates cold water around the injury and keeps swelling minimal. He sleeps in the ice boot and walks with the aid of crutches. \nAll of that medical attention should help him prepare for substantial playing time Saturday, but IU fans aren't convinced. Coverdale will leave those decisions up to Tim Garl, the team trainer, and Dr. Larry Rink, the team physician. IU coach Mike Davis said Wednesday Coverdale is "50-50."\n"I ask people to quit calling (Garl) with their miracle healings, because he's gotten about a million phone calls," Coverdale said. "Anywhere from acupuncture to stick it in vinegar to all this crazy stuff. He's a trainer here and (has ) been here for a long time, so I think he knows what he's doing. I'll just listen to what he says."\nCoverdale insists that he wants to play but doesn't seem as upbeat as he was most of the season. The decision regarding his playing time will be a combination of the thoughts of Coverdale, Garl and Davis.\nSome teammates don't seem convinced the decision will be a thumbs-up. But they've rested their belief in freshman Donald Perry, who replaced Coverdale for the final nine minutes against Kent State. \n"If (Tom) is hobbling too much, Donald can do a great job," junior Kyle Hornsby said. "I have faith in Donald. He's going to do a good job if Cov is having some problems."\nCoverdale has had his share of problems over the final stretch of the season. Since IU's loss at Illinois Feb. 26, Coverdale has battled back spasms and the ankle sprains. But he's made the most of playing through the pain. He was named second-team All-Big Ten and was the South Regional's Most Outstanding Player. \nThose are two awards that seemed far fetched three seasons ago, when Coverdale arrived in Bloomington after a season of prep ball at New Hampton Prep School in New Hampshire. Coverdale attended New Hampton Prep after winning the Indiana's Mr. Basketball award in 1998, but then-IU coach Bob Knight figured a season of prep school basketball would benefit the 6-foot-2 Coverdale. \nIt didn't make much of an impact the next season, when Coverdale played a grand total of 41 minutes. That all changed last season, when Davis took over for the fired Knight and allowed Coverdale to conduct the Hoosier offense. Over the past two seasons, the Noblesville, Ind., native has scored more than 11 points per game and helped IU to 45 victories while not missing one game. \nThat's what makes the injury, those crutches and the possibility of not playing in the Final Four aggravating for Coverdale. \n"Whether I'm 100 percent or not, I just want to play," Coverdale said. "Not many people can say they played in a Final Four, and it's something I dreamed about since I was a little kid. The main concern is not how healthy I'll be, but whether I'll be out there with my team."\nSo will he be? Davis is convinced. \n"I haven't given him any (home remedies)," Davis said. "He'll get enough. Tim Garl is good. He's one of the best in the business. He'll get him ready"