Short-handed Hoosiers host doubleheader

Almost two weeks removed from its last matches, the IU men's tennis team hosts a doubleheader today at the IU Tennis Center. The No. 63 Hoosiers are looking for their biggest win to date when they face No. 61 DePaul in the morning match before doing battle with Eastern Kentucky at 5 p.m. \n"I think it's probably better to play them (DePaul) first, so we're fresh," junior Dara McLoughlin said. "(The) second match isn't as tough, so I think we'll be alright."\nSince their last matches Feb. 3, IU coach Ken Hydinger has had his team playing hard at practice, "spending a fair amount of time on doubles," among other things, he said.\n"I think we've got some good work done, but we'll tell a bit more (in the DePaul match)," Hydinger said Monday. "(Today is) going to be a tough match. ... DePaul is going to be a good test for us."\nAfter starting the year ranked 71st in the Fila Collegiate Tennis Rankings, the Blue Demons (6-2) come to Bloomington 10 spots higher, thanks in part to a 6-1 upset of then-No. 30 Arkansas. \nThe Hoosiers must cope with the absence of junior Thomas Richter and a wrist injury to senior David Bubenicek, the team's top player.\nRichter, the No. 3 singles player and half of the No. 1 doubles pairing, is home in Germany for personal reasons.\n"(Richter) won't be here for these matches, so we're going to have change our doubles combinations and go with a new singles lineup, so that's going to be quite an adjustment for the team," Hydinger said. \nBubenicek, meanwhile, is still recovering from the sprained ligament in his wrist, an injury he sustained a couple weeks back. While he hopes to heal and return to No. 1 singles, he may play at No. 2 again, as he did in the Marquette and Northern Illinois matches.\n"Whatever will work for our team. That's the most important thing," Bubenicek said.\nThese matches, namely the contest with DePaul, will be key for the Hoosiers as they enter a tough stretch in their season.\n"We're playing progressively stronger teams, and this will be a continued step in that direction," Hydinger said. \nAfter today, the next four matches, none of which are at home, are all against top 40 teams -- No. 34 Kentucky, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 32 South Alabama and No. 23 Clemson.