Friday night's Midnight Madness festivities ended IU's nine-week preseason individual workouts. IU coach Mike Davis credited the program and summer workouts for noticeable improvements in the Hoosiers' physique coming into the 2004-05 season during Media Day, which preceded the event.\n"We feel like our guys are in great shape," Davis said. "You can see a difference in their bodies when you see them up close. They've really put some time in, and we have a lot of new faces out there -- from our coaching staff to our personnel."\nTwo of those new faces were Auburn transfers Marco Killingsworth and Lewis Monroe. Killingsworth and Monroe both said they worked harder during those nine weeks than they did in their previous three years at Auburn.\n"Coming from Auburn, we'd lift weights but we wouldn't really lift," Killingsworth said. "We used to run down there, but we didn't run like we do here."\nWhile both participated in Midnight Madness, both will have to sit out this season because of NCAA rules regarding transfer players. The pair will each have one year of eligibility remaining for the 2005-06 season.\nKnowing that, Killingsworth has set out to take advantage of his year off. Davis said the redshirt senior has been an example to the rest of the team, especially the guards, through his work ethic, shooting 800 to 900 shots a day.\nSophomore guard Roderick Wilmont has caught Davis' eye through his preseason workouts. Graduate A.J. Moye made 33,000 shots prior to last season. During the six-week span from the beginning of school to Midnight Madness, Wilmont has made 32,000 baskets. \n"To be short only 1,000 after six weeks is telling you where (Wilmont) is as a basketball player," Davis said.\nWilmont said his increased work ethic came from a meeting at the end of last season with Davis. Wilmont said Davis told him if he wanted to play this season he had to work hard this whole summer and preseason. \n"Now, I really know what it takes to become a good player," Wilmont said. "And hopefully, all that shooting I've done will be seen in the games."
Perry suspended\nSenior guard Donald Perry was suspended indefinitely Friday, Davis announced. Davis said Perry was suspended because of a violation of team rules.\n"We're going to evaluate it, and hopefully get Donald back as soon as possible," Davis said.\nPerry was present at Midnight Madness and sat at the end of the bench in street clothes. The Louisiana native started 13 of 28 games in 2003 while averaging 3.3 points per game. Perry will not practice or participate in team activities until the suspension is lifted.
Hoosier leadership\nDavis said he hasn't named a captain yet and won't name one until the first exhibition game against Bellarmine Nov. 4. The fifth-year coach said if he was to pick leaders right now, it would be Errek Suhr and Marshall Strickland.\n"We're going to base (the captain) on guys who are showing leadership," Davis said. "That has nothing to do with age or how much you play. It's the guys who we felt show leadership and really work hard. We'll probably pick two or three guys for that position."\nDavis credited Strickland with improving the most during the offseason.
Hardy participates\nAs of Thursday night, neither Davis nor freshman James Hardy expected him to participate in Midnight Madness. Hardy is a freshman on the football team and went to IU football coach Gerry DiNardo's office Thursday to have a paper signed for two-sport athletes. Hardy said he asked DiNardo if he could participate in Midnight Madness, and much to the Fort Wayne native's surprise, DiNardo granted his request.\n"I just sat down and talked to him about it. At first he said 'no,' but then he changed his mind," Hardy said.\nHardy participated in the dunk contest during the festivities. Hardy said as soon as the football season is over, he will join the basketball team.
Quick shots\nLawrence North High School junior Greg Oden was one of several recruits present at Midnight Madness. Besides visiting with the media and the IU coaching staff, Oden also spoke with IU president Adam Herbert before the festivities began. Davis said if he had to do it right now he would redshirt freshman Lucas Steijn. Steijn was a crowd favorite during Midnight Madness as each time he touched the ball a chorus of "Luuuuuccccc" was shouted from the crowd.\n-- Contact sports editor John \nRogers at jproger@indiana.edu.
