Will he stay or Will he go?

The Hoosiers avoided losing him after his freshman year, and IU marched to the national championship game in his second season.\nBut will there be a third season at IU for Jared Jeffries? Everybody seems to have an opinion, but only one person knows the answer.\nOr does he?\n"I'm going to take a little bit of time just to kind of decide what's going to be best for myself and my family," Jeffries said Monday night. "(Playing in the national championship game) is definitely going to weigh into my decision just because it's such an emotional thing. It's such a large part of my life right now."\nAfter a 24-point, 15-rebound effort in the huge upset of No.1 Duke, Jeffries was quiet against Kent State, Oklahoma and Maryland. He had just 16 points combined in the two games at the Final Four.\nSome have said the 6-foot-10, 215-pound Jeffries needs another year in college to polish his game. He made great strides this season, becoming a dominating player at times. But he needs to get bigger, the experts say, and that was never more evident than Monday night.\nLonny Baxter, who is two inches shorter but 60 pounds heavier than Jeffries, dominated the paint against IU. He finished with 15 points and 14 rebounds and kept the paint occupied all night. Jeffries never really got going.\n"He was just kind of bulling our guys out of the way," coach Mike Davis said.\nJeffries finished his sophomore season averaging 15 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. He battled through a thigh bruise and a sprained right ankle this season, missing a 64-63 loss to Wisconsin in February.\nThat night proved how important Jeffries is to the Hoosiers. Even if he doesn't score points, his presence on the floor changes how teams defend IU. If the double-teams come, Jeffries is a great passer and helped setup Tom Coverdale, Kyle Hornsby and Dane Fife for three pointers all season.\nIn Atlanta, Davis was resigned to the fact that Jeffries will leave for the NBA draft this summer. A second-team All-American and the Big Ten Player of the Year this season, Jeffries' latest comments sound as if he is leaning toward going pro, but he hasn't announced a decision.\nIf Jeffries were to go, the Hoosiers would lose almost 25 points per game in the frontcourt from Jeffries and Jarrad Odle. Jeff Newton is already being counted on to be a big time contributor next season.\nDavis' first full recruiting class since he has been head coach at IU is guard-oriented. Experts have the class ranked in the top 10 nationally, but that is because of guards Bracey Wright and Marshall Strickland. Daryl Pegram is a forward with a similar body to Jeffries, but he might be red-shirted so he can get thicker.\nJeffries said a news conference in the next couple of weeks is likely. May 12 is the deadline for Jeffries to declare himself eligible for the draft. Regardless of his decision, Davis said the Hoosiers would be ready for next season.\n"I think Indiana basketball's future is bright. It just needs to continue, just keep working and hopefully next year we'll come back," Davis said. "If Jared Jeffries leaves, it's definitely going to affect this basketball team, no question about it.\n"His development to me is right on schedule to being one of the best basketball players in the country. But if he leaves, then who knows?"\nOnly Jeffries does, and Davis said the Hoosiers can only wait for the answer.\n"We'll see," Davis said.