Rivalry reignited: Sampson to lead IU against Purdue

It’s the black and gold versus the cream and crimson. One team has a controversial coach. Both teams are battling for conference supremacy. \nSound familiar?\nAfter years of ho-hum contests, the IU-Purdue rivalry finally means something again. The No. 15 Hoosiers host the No. 14 Boilermakers today in the pair’s only matchup of \nthe year. \n“It’s the biggest Indiana-Purdue game I’ve ever been a part of,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said during Monday’s Big Ten teleconference. Before taking over the Boiler program, Painter was a player in West Lafayette and an assistant to legendary coach Gene Keady. \nFor IU coach Kelvin Sampson, the game might be his last IU-Purdue rivalry in his brief tenure in Bloomington. The University is investigating Sampson’s role in five major recruiting violations as alleged by the NCAA. IU Director of Athletics Rick Greenspan will issue a recommendation to IU President Michael McRobbie regarding Sampson’s future by Friday.\nSampson is 1-1 against the Boilermakers heading into today’s game. \nIf their coach’s status \nwasn’t troublesome enough, the Hoosiers will host the Boilers with a hobbled team captain, senior forward D.J. White. \nWhite hurt his left knee during IU’s 80-61 win against Michigan State on Saturday. An MRI on Sunday revealed White had a strained left knee and not a torn ACL, as some had feared. \nInitial reports suggested White might be sidelined for Tuesday’s game. During his teleconference Monday, Sampson said White was “iffy” at best.\nBut later that evening, Sampson’s story changed. He told listeners of his weekly radio show that he does, in fact, expect White to play against Purdue.\nSampson even interrupted himself as he read an audience member’s question to clarify White’s status. \n“If D.J. is unable to play,” he read from the question, and then interrupted with “D.J. will play,” the emphasis on the will. \nAfter the show, Sampson told members of the media that White did not participate in any live drills during Monday’s practice. \n“I think he’ll be alright,” Sampson said. “Dr. (Larry) Rink, Tim (Garl) and D.J., I’ll leave that up to them if D.J. can go.”\nEven without White in the lineup against the Spartans, IU managed to dominate. IU had a three-point lead when White left the game. The Hoosiers ended up cruising to a 19-point victory.\n“You’re not going to replace D.J. with one guy,” Sampson said. “It would take an incredible team effort.”\nFour Hoosiers scored in double figures to help IU beat Michigan State.\n“They proved their worth the other night,” Painter said.\nPurdue sits atop the Big Ten with a 12-1 conference mark (21-5 overall). With an IU win, the Hoosiers (21-4, 10-2) would tie the Boilers in the number of conference losses. \nTwo standouts from Purdue’s freshman class, Robbie Hummel and Scott Martin, were impermissibly contacted by the IU coaching staff, according to the NCAA report. Hummel, Martin, E’Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson make up Purdue’s star freshman class and are all four-star Indiana recruits who picked the Boilers over IU. \n“I think they’re all great, and they’re all great in different ways,” Sampson said of Purdue’s freshmen. \nAfter IU’s win Saturday, junior forward DeAndre Thomas tried to downplay the rivalry game.\n“They are just another team,” Thomas said. “We just have to go in and prepare and play hard and focus on Tuesday.”