Kline to start for injured White tonight

If there is a blessing to the injury of sophomore forward D.J. White, it's the timing. \nJust two days after the announcement that White will miss at least six weeks with a broken foot, the No. 23-ranked Hoosiers welcome the Division II University of Indianapolis Greyhounds for their final exhibition game. Fifth-year senior Sean Kline will take White's starting position after scoring 13 points in IU's last game against St. Joseph's College (Ind.).\n"(Losing White) is disappointing because he was playing so well," coach Mike Davis said. "But at the same time, Sean Kline is playing very well. He is a fifth-year senior, so you are not replacing a sophomore with a freshman; you are replacing him with a fifth-year senior."\nStarting Kline will give IU four seniors among its starting five -- three of whom are in their fifth year. Fellow fifth-year seniors Lewis Monroe and Marco Killingsworth will start at point guard and forward, respectively, while senior Marshall Strickland will start at shooting guard. Sophomore Robert Vaden, playing small forward, will round out the starters.\n"(The exhibition games) definitely help," Monroe said. "We have a chance to get everybody out there, and win or lose, it doesn't count. It gives us a chance to work things out and try some new things and find out what works."\nFinding the proper way to replace last year's Big Ten Freshman Player of the Year is certainly a priority for Davis tonight, but he said the No. 1 objective is staying healthy.\n"I just want to get everyone through this game," he said. "If we can get through this game healthy, I don't care what the score is."\nDavis said he would "love" to be able to sit the starters for the entire second half and give the less-experienced players some quality court time. Featuring three transfers and three freshmen (two from foreign countries), playing time will be a hot commodity for the IU bench.\n"We just need guys to step up and play well while people are out," Vaden said. "I got some good experience last year, and it really helped out, and I think it can help these guys too."\nUnfortunately for IU, White's injury will force freshmen forwards Ben Allen (Australia) and Cem Dinc (Turkey) to speed up their transitional period as they adjust to Hoosier basketball. Davis said he has been particularly impressed with Allen's play recently, and nobody has been shy about touting the raw, physical abilities of Dinc.\nAnother option in combating the loss of White will be a smaller lineup, pinning Vaden at power foward, Davis said. The Hoosiers are just as deep at guard as they are at forward with juniors Earl Calloway and Errek Suhr and sophomore A.J. Ratliff, who is expected to return from a thumb injury in a couple of weeks. \n"I played some (power forward) last year, so if Ben, Cem or Kline can't play I would have to step in," Vaden said. "I have some experience down there, so I don't think it would be a problem."\nTip-off for tonight's game is scheduled for 8 p.m. at Assembly Hall.