Mahalo, Maui

LAHAINA, Hawaii – Tanned from a week of vacation and tired from three straight days of basketball, Tom Crean said he was proud of his team as he left the Lahaina Civic Center on Wednesday.

Following back-to-back blowout losses to No. 8 Notre Dame and a veteran Saint Joseph’s squad, the Hoosiers avoided an upset to tournament-host Chaminade and held onto a late lead to get their lone win at the EA Sports Maui Invitational.

IU’s first-year coach smiled as he left the media room of the high school-sized arena packed with die-hard fans.

Above him, No. 1 North Carolina and No. 8 Notre Dame warmed up on the court, set to take part in the tournament’s championship game.

Crean stopped as he left the gym’s media room and thanked a tournament official for the great week, vowing to return.

“Some day we’ll stand out there when you’re passing out that trophy,” he said.

SUNDAY: ALOHA, MAUI INVITATIONAL
The tournament’s eight coaches sat with leis around their necks at a press conference table outside the Maui Westin, the Pacific Ocean at their backs. Crean sat next to his close friend and former Big East rival Mike Brey, coach at Notre Dame.

“I’m so glad Indiana got this guy out of our league,” Brey said half-joking. “I just didn’t want to see him again so soon.”

Minutes later, the two coaches posed next to surfboards for a photo-op followed by a free-throw shooting contest for charity. As Crean explained, when you’re on the island and you’re working, you work hard. Outside of that, hey, this isn’t Indiana: It’s Maui.

“We needed binoculars to see how far Tom Pritchard and Kyle Taber were out in the ocean the other day on their boogie boards,” Crean said. “I think they’re having a good time.”

MONDAY: ‘WE’RE NOT GUARDING LUKE WITH ONE PERSON’
The Hoosiers’ game planned for Notre Dame All-American forward Luke Harangody and held the big man to 14 points (well below his season average), but the depth of the Fighting Irish made his production irrelevant, as the Hoosiers lost, 88-50.

IU trailed by 21 at the half and couldn’t muster a run against Notre Dame. Despite the IU fans in attendance far outnumbering the Notre Dame faithful, one memorable quote stood out as freshman guard Malik Story toed the free-throw line for his first attempt.

“Nobody knows who you are!” an Irish fan screamed.

After the game, Crean told reporters who they were: “a brand new program” facing unprecedented challenges.

“Obviously we’re in a learning process,” he said. “We learned a lot today.”

TUESDAY: A MESSAGE FROM THE MAINLAND, THREE YEARS PROBATION
The much-anticipated announcement from the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions overshadowed the 80-54 drubbing Saint Joseph’s handed the Hoosiers.

Saint Joseph’s coach Phil Martelli attributed the loss to “older against younger.”

After the game, Crean was cornered by a dozen reporters who questioned him about the NCAA’s decision to accept the University’s self-imposed penalties and give the school only three years of probation.

It proved the self-reporting system works, but Crean couldn’t help but put the sanctions in perspective.

“This is what gutting a program and starting over looks like,” Crean said following the loss and the NCAA’s announcement.

As for former IU coach Kelvin Sampson and assistant Rob Senderoff, the NCAA levied a five-year “show cause” against Sampson and a three-year penalty against Senderoff.

Sampson issued a statement through his agent, partially accepting responsibility and partially reflecting his deep disappointment.

“It is time to move on,” it read.

WEDNESDAY: A WIN IS A WIN IS A WIN
When one of the top programs in college basketball history is up by one point with 4.7 seconds left against Chaminade, you know it’s a season like no other.

After the Hoosiers opened the game on a 16-2 run, the Silverswords made a spirited comeback in the second half and had a chance to win the game on the final possession.

“We learned that the game is never over in the beginning,” Pritchard said afterward.

While there weren’t many Chaminade fans in attendance, the strong North Carolina contingent that was waiting for the next game cheered fiercely against the Hoosiers.

“DE-FENSE,” the Tar Heels screamed.

With less than five seconds on the clock, Pritchard hit one of two from the free-throw line. When the second one rimmed out, Chaminade guard Noah Gottlieb raced down the left side of the floor as the clock winded down and heaved a hurried 3-point attempt that would have buried the Hoosiers in last place for the week.

The shot fell short: air ball.

Following their celebration, the Hoosiers came up with a new chant.

“Let’s go Irish!” the IU fans chanted at the Tar Heels who had made their allegiances known.

“There is no price tag you can put on experiences like this,” Crean said after the game. “We’re not going to be a team that’s blowing a lot of people out.”

The Hoosiers escaped with an 81-79 victory and were headed back to Bloomington with more than just a tan.

“These guys worked so hard, and I’m glad they are going home with a win,” Crean said.