Reserve Kline helps team despite criticisms, boos on home court

In five years at IU, senior forward Sean Kline -- an all-state selection coming out of high school -- has been more of a punch line than the powerhouse he was figured to be.\nTo put it simply, things just haven't gone his way at all.\nIn 2004, his season ended in West Lafayette when he tore his anterior cruciate ligament -- an injury that still bothers him. But at the start of this season, Kline came tearing onto Branch McCracken Court a different man.\nHe'd lost weight. He was confident again. His coach and teammates were saying he was playing some of the best basketball they'd seen him play.\nBut then the injury flared up again, and with the familiar soreness again came the faint echo of boos from the harsher of the Hoosier faithful.\n"Ahh let them boo," Kline said after Saturday's game. "I know my job -- what I'm supposed to do and what's asked of me. If I do that, then we're going to be a winning basketball team, and that's all that concerns me...\n"I could give a fuck."\nDuring IU's 62-49 win over Purdue at Assembly Hall Saturday, Kline provided IU coach Mike Davis a spark off the bench despite making hardly any impact on the stat sheet, attempting no shots and grabbing only a single rebound.\nKline entered the game with 5:12 left when the Boilers were trying to make a late surge to steal the game. They had just pulled back within seven points off two Gary Ware free throws.\nA 3-pointer from sophomore guard Robert Vaden then gave IU the 51-41 lead, and on the ensuing Purdue possession Matt Kiefer had the chance to quell an 8-2 Hoosier run with a layup. Kiefer's attempt could have pulled Purdue back into striking position, but Kline blocked his shot. Junior guard Rod Wilmont then hit a 3-pointer at the other end of the floor.\n"I was late on it, and I saw that (Vaden) had him buried in the post and he went up with it," Kline said. "I just came over as the second jumper and blocked the shot."\nWith the Hoosiers up 54-41, Kline made his presence felt again on the defensive end when he drew a charge on Purdue forward Ware after a Boilermaker timeout.\n"I was fronting (Ware) and I was playing pretty good defense on him," Kline said. "He started to hit me a lot and battle for position. I felt two or three hips, then just fell."\nDavis said Kline provides a defensive presence that his other big men lack.\n"Kline is going in and saying 'this is my role. I go in, I play with energy, I defend,'" Davis said. "He was the first guy tonight to front the post.\n"The first one to play with energy against a post guy and we have to get our other guys doing that," Davis continued. "We can't have both Ben (Allen) and Marco (Killingsworth) in the game and neither guy playing with energy on the defensive end."\nKline's performance came at the proper time, as a fan held high a sign that read "Air Kline."\n"I feel like I am waiting for a purpose," Kline said, "I haven't been fully healthy this year. It's good to come in and contribute. It's good to win"