The X-Factor

Ask IU senior guard Rod Wilmont if he has a reputation among his teammates for his willingness to shoot, and he'll say no. Ask him whether he deserves one, and you get a different answer, with percentages tacked on for good measure.\n"Yes," he said Thursday at Assembly Hall, laughing along with the 10 media members interviewing him. "Ninety-five percent of the time I think I'm open. The other five percent it's going in the post to (IU forward) D.J. (White) … I want to win bad, and I want to do what I have to do to help my team win."\nWilmont may like the long bomb -- he launched 17 3-point attempts at Penn State on Saturday, Jan. 13, and another eight Tuesday vs. Iowa. At least in IU coach Kelvin Sampson's mind, though, what Wilmont lacks in shooting discretion he more than makes up for in the way the Hoosiers' identity starts and ends with the gritty forward's play. \n"Rod's not afraid," Sampson said. "He's not a highly skilled kid or a prototypical guard. But he's tough, and he's not afraid."\nSampson identified Wilmont as the one player who embodies his team's identity, not only for his playing style but for the way he has adapted to a new coach and new expectations. \n"Our society is built around figuring out what's wrong, what a kid can't do compared to what he can do," Sampson said. "Rod's shot selection is not always good. But what Rod has taken pride in, and this is kind of where you're refocusing a kid, is rebounding. … Rod's an aggressive kid, and you have to let him make a mistake." \nWilmont's been backing up his coach's praise in recent games. His effort against Penn State included 25 points (including seven threes), but Wilmont also grabbed 12 rebounds, setting career highs in both categories. Against Iowa on Tuesday, he notched 15 points (on just three-for-eight from the 3-point line) and five rebounds. \nOn Jan. 10, Wilmont contributed to IU's win over Purdue almost without scoring -- he made only one field goal but grabbed 10 rebounds. \n"I can do other things to help the team win," Wilmont said. "I've been working on my game for a long time and the shots are falling. I've got to keep on \nbeing aggressive."\nWilmont and guards Earl Calloway and Errek Suhr are the only seniors on Sampson's first IU team, seniors Sampson called a "blessing" and a "godsend" on Thursday. Those seniors are also nearing the end of their careers, Sampson said, and are feeling a sense of urgency he hopes can filter down to the rest of his team. \n"Seniors should (take ownership of this team)," Sampson said. "Rod's in the twilight of his career. There's not two months left. You can't say 'Oh, we'll be playing deep into March.' Who knows? So seniors have to embrace today and hold their teammates accountable."\nWilmont said the lurking end of his career hasn't hit him yet, but that it would by the final home game of the season -- senior night. His coach said he wishes Rod wasn't a senior. \n"I love him," Sampson said. "I love coaching him. I wish he were a junior, I'd love to have him on this team next year. He never takes a day off and he lets you coach him too. He likes for you to get on him. He never reacts, his body language is always great -- he loves to be coached. He's a special kid"