Ben Allen leaving IU after 2 seasons

Junior center Ben Allen will transfer from the IU men’s basketball team, coach Kelvin Sampson said in an IU Athletics Department statement.\n“We appreciate Ben’s efforts at Indiana, and we wish him nothing but the best in the future,” Sampson said in the release.\nAllen averaged 0.8 points and 1.5 rebounds in 24 games last season as he struggled to adjust to playing more in the post. Allen played inside more often last season as the tallest player on the team, and even gained 36 pounds of muscle to become more of a post presence. \nDuring his freshman season, Allen saw action in all 31 games, displaying good three-point range. \nAllen’s best game came early in his freshman season against Indiana State. The Melbourne, Australia, native scored 21 points on 8-10 shooting, including 5-6 from beyond the arc in a road loss to the Sycamores.\nAllen missed several games last season fighting mononucleosis. He returned to action Dec. 22 against IU Purdue University Indianapolis to score four points in 11 minutes.\nIncoming freshman Eli Holman, a 6-foot-9-inch center from Richmond, Calif., and transfer DeAndre Thomas, a 6-foot-8-inch forward from Florida’s Chipola Junior College, are expected to play significant minutes in the Hoosiers’ frontcourt.\nHolman was the 80th-ranked prospect in the incoming class of 2007, according to recruiting Web site www.rivals.com. \nThomas helped lead Chipola to a runner-up finish in the NJCAA tournament last season with fellow Hoosier Jamarcus Ellis. Thomas was ranked a three-star recruit in the same class on www.rivals.com.