Hoosier guard ready for second chance

Before every home game, he is there. 

On the same court where he shot 9-of-11 and scored 29 points against Ohio State.
On the same court where he lost 10 games and won five.
On the same court where this season he hoped to help the Hoosiers return to national prominence.

He is in the same huddle, among the same candy-striped wearing teammates he played with, some for a whole season, some for only two games.

His injury came before any of the team’s big moments. Before Maryland, Pittsburgh and Kentucky. Before the Big Ten season. Before their first loss.

Before his injury he was supposed to be the veteran sharpshooter, in what was supposed to be season two of IU’s rebuilding year.

But before he could, sophomore guard Matt Roth broke his foot in Puerto Rico during the team’s three-game schedule with Ole Miss, Boston University and George Mason.  
After Roth broke his foot during a practice in Puerto Rico, IU coach Tom Crean came and talked to him about how he could help the team, how he could still be a leader.

After his surgery, he felt out of it.

“He was definitely frustrated at first because I mean he’s a big part of our team, and it’s no good when anybody gets hurt,” said his roommate and fellow sophomore guard Daniel Moore.

But a few days after the healing began, Roth was already getting used to his role as the newest assistant coach.

Even though he can’t help the team make threes like he used to, Roth said he tries to help with scouting and calling out plays. Unable to help the team physically, he has become more vocal.

“I can’t go out there and play, so I have to do something to help the team,” he said.
Roth said the worst thing for an injured player is to disconnect from the team and what they’re doing. Even if he doesn’t call himself a “player-coach,” he still acts as another voice calling to his teammates.

“I was able to stay engaged – that’s what you want to do,” Roth said. “Not necessarily being a player-coach, just being engaged, and making sure I helped the team progress.”

He’s been out almost three months but could be back soon. Roth has participated in warm-up drills with the team, but whether he takes part in tonight’s game against No. 13 Ohio State - or later - will be a game-time decision.

His teammates have been grateful for his presence. Sophomore guard Verdell Jones said the team was upset when it heard Roth would be out. But the team hasn’t abandoned their hurt leader.

“Even when he was on crutches we always brought him to the court and made him feel part of practice,” Jones said.

Moore sustained the same injury this past summer and talked to his roommate about the different stages of recovery.

“I think he knows it doesn’t affect me any more so that’s a positive thing for him,” Moore said.

If Roth is only able to come back for the Hoosiers’ last few games of this season, he’ll be able to play at No. 6 Purdue and Minnesota and at home games against No. 10 Michigan State and No. 11 Wisconsin. Either way, he’ll be glad to return.

“When you lose something in life that means a lot to you, you cherish it more,” Roth said. “You always hold it closer. It’s the same thing with basketball.”