Players compete with former coach on their minds

EVANSTON, Ill. – A little more than 24 hours after their coach resigned, IU players Armon Bassett and Jordan Crawford faced questions about their own futures. \nWould Crawford, a freshman guard, stick with the Hoosiers past this season with Kelvin Sampson no longer at the helm? And what about Bassett, the sophomore guard recruited by Mike Davis, coached by Sampson and now faced with the future of a third coach in Bloomington?\nNeither player directly addressed his future after IU’s 85-82 win against Northwestern on Saturday. Both players declined to say whether they had considered transferring out of IU.\n“I’m just going to finish out the season,” Bassett said. “When the end of the season comes, I’ll weigh my options, and we’ll see what happens.”\nCrawford said he has given little thought to his own future.\n“I don’t really think about that,” he said. “I’m really just thinking about focusing on the Big Ten championship and finishing out the season.”\nBut has he thought about transferring?\n“I’m just thinking about the season,” he said. \nWith senior forward D.J. White and freshman guard Eric Gordon likely bound for the NBA draft, Bassett and Crawford, probable leaders of next year’s team, face uncertain futures. \nThe only certainty they have is that they miss their coach.\nSampson resigned Friday evening following a week-long investigation that centered on the NCAA’s five alleged major recruiting violations.\nMost IU players wrote the letters “KS” in marker on their shoes during IU’s game against Northwestern. \nBassett doesn’t remember who had the idea for the tribute. \n“I think one person did it,” he said. “I don’t know who did it first, but everybody kind of just followed.”\nFreshman center Eli Holman, sidelined by a wrist injury, wore a blue dress shirt and red tie while he sat on the bench – the same attire Sampson wore to every game. \n“He wasn’t just like a coach, he was like a father to us,” Gordon said. “We miss him.”\nSeveral players did not show up to IU’s practice Friday, the first without Sampson. \nIU interim coach Dan Dakich understood why his players were absent and called it a “non-issue.” \n“The only thing I heard in the press conference (before) was Eric saying how Coach is a father figure and now for whatever reason, he is no longer there,” Dakich said. “That’s a difficult thing. ... Kids needed time and needed space, probably still do. It’s tough.”\nThough many fans feared the team was on the verge of a mutiny, Dakich said he never doubted the players would show up. \nBassett, one of the players who missed practice, said they never thought about quitting the team – they just had a lot to think about and missed practice.\n“We’re sorry about that,” Bassett said.\nThe goals for the team haven’t changed, Bassett said. They still want to play for a Big Ten championship. Their hearts are just a little heavier. \n“It’s just been tough,” Gordon said. “A decision has been made, and we couldn’t do nothing about it.”