Coverdale joins foreign tour team

IU point guard Tom Coverdale was named to the 2002 Big Ten Men's Basketball Foreign Tour Team after leading the Hoosiers to the NCAA Championship game. The 6-2 senior ranked second on the tour team with a season average of 11.9 points per game and was third in the Big Ten Conference in assists (4.81 apg) and seventh in steals (1.54 spg). \nMany teams this season felt the sting of Coverdale's strong play.\n"He certainly contributed to our misery in Bloomington," Illinois coach Bill Self said.\nCoverdale was asked over dinner by Mike Davis if he wanted to go to Europe and agreed.\n"It's another opportunity basketball's given me to see the world and travel. I am looking forward to it," a grateful Coverdale said. "There will also be some free time for sightseeing."\nDuring the NCAA Tournament Coverdale sprained his ankle, but he said this is no longer a big issue.\n"My foot is pain-free." Coverdale said. "I'm playing on it, and it's getting stronger."\nSelf will be leading the team in the international tour, which consists of five games played between Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands Aug. 8-18. Self said is eager to work with Coverdale.\n"I wanted to work with either Newton or Coverdale," Self said. "Coverdale is a true point guard, does his team a service, and he's a competitor. He has great leadership ability, and is the best natural leader on the (Big Ten) team."\nThe Big Ten coaches corporately decided last year that the coach from year to year would go from youngest to oldest. IU's Mike Davis coached last year. This year, Self, the second youngest in seniority, volunteered to go to Europe. Illinois, because Self is the coach, will be allowed to take two players. \nThe other nine Big Ten schools are contributing a player each as well, creating a 12-person roster.