Crean: Academics still in question for IU players

Seven IU basketball books lay stacked in two piles on the coffee table of new IU head coach Tom Crean’s office. He said he is trying to brush up on his history.\nBut among monitoring his team’s academic situation, recruiting prospective Hoosiers, spending what little free time he has with his family – still in Wisconsin – and trying to buy a home in Bloomington, the past will have to wait. \nAddressing the future, the upcoming final exams and the open spots in the 2008-2009 roster, just a few things are on Crean’s mind. \nThe coach has made it clear that the academic situation, something he once called “not good,” is his main priority. IU is already down one scholarship for next season due to the infractions committed by former head coach Kelvin Sampson. If the team falls short of the 925 bar set by the NCAA’s Academic Progress Report, Crean could lose more.\n“I hope we’re not losing more scholarships; recruiting with 12 is (already hard),” Crean said. “We’re very conscious of what we’re trying to get done here so that our point total APR is at a workable area, but (we’re) with no real knowledge of that yet.”\nThe futures of sophomore Armon Bassett and junior Jamarcus Ellis returning to the team, as well as the number of scholarships Crean can still offer, both rely on the Hoosiers’ academic standing. \n“The APR is at the front of all this,” Crean said. “You can’t make quick decisions, rash decisions, things like that. We don’t want to be in a tough situation.”\nThis week, the team isn’t allowed to hold workouts, as the players are preparing for next week’s final exams. Crean said most of the players are consistently going to Assembly Hall and working hard academically.\n“The ones that are trying to do the right thing school-wise are in here every day taking care of what they’ve got to take care of academically,” Crean said.\nThe former Marquette coach said there were “very few” players who didn’t have to significantly turn things up academically, but he said “a lot of them are.”\nIn regards to Bassett and Ellis, he did not indicate whether he has spoken with either of them, but he did say the two have “made (him) aware” that they would like to be back. No names have been mentioned, however, as far as who has been struggling in the classroom this semester.\nAs for recruiting, Crean is not yet allowed to recruit on the road, but he is still doing whatever it takes within the rules to round out next year’s squad. \n“We’d love to have another inside player or two but for sure one if we can get the right guy,” he said. \nCrean also would like to get “one more really good player,” perhaps a point guard. \n“We’ve addressed some needs so far, real needs I think, with more to come,” Crean said.