Sports

Bears' defender may be out for rest of season

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris, who made the Pro Bowl a year ago, could miss the remainder of the season with a severe hamstring injury.

Track and field coach, director leaves program

Less than a month before the track and field season starts, IU coach Randy Heisler resigned as IU's director of track and field and head coach of the men's and women's program Dec. 2.

Hoosiers look to bounce back against in-state rival IPFW

In wake of an 82-47 loss at Bowling Green State University Wednesday night, the IU women's basketball team will complete its three-game road trip Sunday against IU-Purdue Fort Wayne.

Hot Rod

On Tuesday afternoon, his back pressed against an Assembly Hall corridor wall, Rod Wilmont was asked if he was in a slump. The senior guard began laughing. He knew better. Wilmont -- who scored just four points total in IU's previous two games -- tallied 20 points and 10 rebounds in the Hoosiers' 92-40 victory against Western Illinois University on Wednesday night in Bloomington. The double-double marked the first of Wilmont's career and helped the Hoosiers improve to 5-2 overall on the season. Wilmont said after the game that he and IU coach Kelvin Sampson took a unique approach to getting the senior guard's offense back on track. "Coach emphasized in practice for me to start getting back in the gym, like I was doing at the beginning of the season, and I went two nights in a row," Wilmont said. "Then me and Coach, before the game today, played Horse."

3 finalists selected for Heisman Trophy

NEW YORK -- Ohio State's Troy Smith and Notre Dame's Brady Quinn were selected Wednesday as finalists for the Heisman Trophy, along with University of Arkansas running back Darren McFadden. Smith is the heavy favorite to win the award when it is presented Saturday night in New York. The senior quarterback entered the season with plenty of Heisman hype and then backed it up with brilliant play for the unbeaten Buckeyes. Smith is fourth in the nation in passer rating (167.9) and has thrown for 2,507 yards and 30 touchdowns with only five interceptions, leading Ohio State to the national title game against Florida on Jan. 8 in Glendale, Ariz. Against IU, Smith completed 15 of 23 passes for 220 yards and four touchdowns. The Buckeyes beat the Hoosiers 44-3 on Oct. 21. Quinn, the senior quarterback, was fourth in Heisman voting last season and has thrown 35 touchdown passes in 2006. McFadden, a sophomore, scored 16 touchdowns and led Arkansas to the Southeastern Conference title game. Smith grabbed the lead in the Heisman race early this season. In Ohio State's first No. 1 vs. No. 2 game of the season, he threw for 269 yards and two scores against Texas in September. He was even better in the Buckeyes' second 1-2 game, throwing for 316 yards and four touchdowns in the regular-season finale against Michigan.

Judge sets Feb. 12 trial date for Pacers' Jackson

INDIANAPOLIS -- A new trial date has been set for Indiana Pacers guard Stephen Jackson, who faces charges for allegedly shooting a gun in the air several times during a fight outside an Indianapolis strip club. Jackson was in Marion Superior Court Wednesday as a judge scheduled a Feb. 12 trial. The judge also set the same trial date for Deon Willford, who was also charged in the Oct. 6 fight outside Club Rio on the city's west side. Only one trial will take place that day, and the state wants to try Willford first, said David Wyser, chief trial deputy for the Marion County prosecutor's office. Both Jackson and Willford have so far rejected deals that would have required them to plead guilty to the most serious charges, Wyser said. Jackson, who is averaging 11.4 points per game this season, has pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of criminal recklessness and misdemeanor counts of battery and disorderly conduct. Jackson was booked into jail Oct. 12 and has been free since then on a $10,000 bond. The criminal recklessness charge carries a prison term of six months to three years. Authorities say Jackson, already on probation for his role in the brawl with Detroit Pistons fans two years ago, got the gun from his car and fired it in the air before Willford hit him with a different car. Teammates Jamaal Tinsley and Marquis Daniels and a former Pacer were with Jackson at the club but not charged. Jackson's attorney, James Voyles, has characterized the incident as a fight. Jackson had stitches in his lip and other scrapes and bruises after the incident.

Hoosiers struggle shooting in road loss

It was over as soon as it began. Throughout the first half, Bowling Green State University drained a barrage of 3-pointers on the IU women's basketball team en route to the Falcons' 82-47 shellacking of the Hoosiers Wednesday night. The Bowling Green loss moves IU's season record to 7-2. The Falcons made nine 3-pointers in the first half and took advantage of the Hoosiers' miscues all night. "We came out ready to play, though we didn't take a lot of shots," said IU sophomore forward Whitney Thomas. "They went up quick and with the position we were in, we couldn't come back." Prior to the game, IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack changed her starting lineup and inserted freshman guard Vanita Smart in place of sophomore Kim Roberson due to an injury Roberson suffered during warmups. As Roberson went up for a layup before the game, she hit her head and sustained an injury that required five stitches. Other details of Roberson's injury were unavailable at press time. Roberson chose Smart as her replacement in the starting lineup.

Stemler stellar in IU blowout victory

Lance Stemler must be seeing straight again. Hit with a concussion during practice more than a week ago, the junior forward missed IU's 54-51 loss to Duke University last Tuesday. Instead of trying to figure out Cameron Indoor Stadium with his teammates, Stemler was stuck trying to solve memory-based puzzles, hoping to prove to team doctors he was ready to step back onto the court. He made his case before IU's 74-57 win over the University of North Carolina at Charlotte on Saturday, but played just 12 minutes -- below his season average of 33.5 -- in the win. In the first half Wednesday night, Stemler had all the post-concussion proof he needed. Back in the starting lineup, the IU forward scored 14 points, including three 3-pointers on four attempts in the first half, to lead IU in a 92-40 blowout of Western Illinois University. Stemler played 20 minutes, considerably more time on the floor than he got against Charlotte, when he said that, even though the game was almost a week after his concussion, his legs were still wobbly and weak. "The first few minutes I was out there (against Charlotte) I felt good," Stemler said Tuesday. "But my legs were a little wobbly there just for the first few minutes just because I hadn't really ... I had done some running, but I was really limited on what I could do."

Ripken talks steroids, McGwire as Hall of Fame election draws near

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- The steroid scandal that tainted Mark McGwire's Hall of Fame chances is also threatening to tarnish Cal Ripken Jr.'s induction.

Big Ten picks former Disney executive to run TV network

PARK RIDGE, Ill. -- Former Disney and ABC executive Mark Silverman was named Tuesday as president of the Big Ten Network, slated to launch in August 2007.

Colts' Harrison ready to join elite 1,000-catch club

INDIANAPOLIS -- Marvin Harrison's mission statement has not changed: The next play matters more than the last one and the next cut carries more weight than some gaudy numbers.

IU travels to Bowling Green State to take on two-time defending MAC Champ

If the members of IU women's basketball team seem to have a little extra confidence early on this season, they've certainly earned it.

Senior Wilmont undaunted by recent 'slump'

Don't tell Rod Wilmont that he's in a slump. He'll just smile and laugh it off. The IU senior has scored just four points on 1-of-8 shooting in the last two games. But to Wilmont, that's no reason to discount his shooting and scoring abilities when IU faces Western Illinois University (3-4) at 7 p.m. tonight at Assembly Hall.

Midfielder earns All-American honors

Second IU championship ring from '76 season up for auction

Hoosiers' future looking bright

Thigpen gains national attention

Trio pulls in Big Ten honors

Coach Hoeppner receives contract extension through 2011

Coach Hep wants you. And IU wants Terry Hoeppner, too. During halftime of Saturday's radio broadcast of the IU men's basketball victory against the University of NAorth Carolina at Charlotte, Hoeppner announced he is receiving a two-year contract extension that will run through the 2011 season.

Sampson: D.J. needs a 'swagger'

IU forward D.J. White -- all 6-foot-9, 251 pounds of him -- lay motionless on the court as the buzzer sounded Tuesday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Hoosier big man fell to his knees with his arms extended in front of him as the realization of his team's loss sank in. It's been that kind of a year for the junior forward.