Sports

Three-headed monster solves MSU's Taylor

INDIANAPOLIS - Senior Dane Fife submitted his request to guard Michigan State's Marcus Taylor early this week. Friday in the quarterfinal round of the Big Ten Tournament in Conseco Fieldhouse, he got his wish. Then split the duties three ways. Fife, with help from junior Tom Coverdale and freshman Donald Perry, hounded Taylor, the Big Ten's leading scorer and top assist man, all afternoon as No. 21 and fourth-seeded IU (20-10) won 67-56 over the fifth-seeded Spartans (19-11). Taylor scored a game-high 20 points but was just 8 of 18 from the field and committed six turnovers with only two assists.

Independents Rule Race

The 52nd running of the men's Little 500 came and went in the tradition of past years without emphasis on the controversy that led up to the race. Saturday The Corleones won the race with speed, humor, and an almost two-lap lead over the majority of the competition.

Buckeyes riding high before Saturday showdown at home

Ohio State Head coach Jim O'Brien wouldn't say that he is surprised to be tied with IU at the top of the Big Ten standings. But going into tomorrow's showdown with the Hoosiers at Value City Arena in Columbus with the conference lead on the line, O'Brien said he is happy with what his team has done so far.

Spurrier introduces his style to 'Skins

ASHBURN, Va. -- Steve Spurrier took the field in chilling fog and drizzle Tuesday for his first practice as an NFL coach. The Fun 'N' Gun is definitely not in Florida any more. "Sort of like playing golf in Ireland," said Spurrier, who exchanged his trademark visor for a black baseball cap because of the weather.

Cyclists ready for women's Little 500

After competing in the biathlon, street sprints, qualifications, Individual Time Trials, Miss-N-Out and Team Pursuit, it's time for the women's teams to take to the track for the event that matters -- the women's Little 500. The women's teams jumped onto their bikes for the first time competitively in the fall with the biathlon. Next was the street sprints. The series took a mid-semester break until January. Since then, bikes have been making continuous circles around Bill Armstrong Stadium's track in practice and series events.

Recruits hoop it up at first practice

Sean May has a knack for dodging questions about where he will play college basketball next season, but early Saturday morning at IU's Midnight Madness, the Bloomington High School North star couldn't escape.

Hoosiers get hot in Florida weather, finish 3rd

The women's golf team's play in its first two tournaments was a lot like the Bloomington weather. Both were inconsistent. Some days it seemed like spring, and sometimes the team practiced indoors for days in a row. Likewise in their tournaments, sometimes the team shot season-low rounds and sometimes it struggled.

IU joins five ranked teams in championships

In their last dual meet of the year, the unranked Hoosiers took the 21st ranked Purdue Boilermakers by surprise, winning in convincing fashion. Now, the Hoosiers hope it's time to take the rest of the conference by surprise when the Big Ten championship meet begins today at the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center and continues through Saturday. "We need to make this the best meet of the year to date," Coach Kris Kirchner said. "We need to be swimming faster than we ever have before."

Sophomore uses 'natural gifts' to lead team

Looking at the box scores of IU's water polo matches this year, one name consistently appears under any offensive category statistic.

A tale of two teams

As a co-host of the Big Red Classic at Lake Diamond Golf & Country Club in Ocala, Fla. March 9-10, IU was optimistic they would be swinging into contention for the tournament title. Instead, the Hoosiers struggled to their worst finish since the season-opening Badger Invitational in September. IU placed 14th in the 16-team tournament.

Team drops first game

The Reebok Lady Stars brought its celebrity-studded lineup Wednesday night to Assembly Hall, much to the dismay of coach Kathi Bennett and the IU women's basketball team. WNBA standouts Katie Douglas and Ukari Figgs scorched the defensively-troubled Hoosiers, as the touring team of former college and professional players outlasted IU 84-83 in an exhibition game. Besides showing that Purdue products Douglas and Figgs can still knock-off IU, the night game proved to Bennett that her team needs to improve its transition defense, sloppy passing and ability to put away opponents. "They're very experienced," Bennett said about the Stars, who in recent weeks have pasted Butler 112-81 and Valparaiso 68-56. "They've been there, they know it and can play really loose."

Live football updates on www.idsnews.com

Starting this weekend, the IDS and WIUS student radio will present a special Web site for IU football fans to "watch" the games and track statistics as the game unfolds.

Hoosiers shock Badgers 63-32

MADISON, Wis. -- So this is what good defense looks like. This here, just past midfield, senior Sharrod Wallace running step-for-step with Wisconsin's Lee Evans and breaking up Brooks Bollinger's bomb on the first play of the game, is how pass coverage is supposed to go.

Weather allows 2 of 3; 2 losses

Player of the Week

IU has the Big Ten Player of the Week routine figured out. For the fifth consecutive week, the Player of the Week has been either a Hoosier or someone from a team that played IU (16-7, 8-2 Big Ten) during the week for which he was awarded. This time, senior forward Jarrad Odle gobbled up the honors, after posting back-to-back double-doubles in No. 22 IU's victories over Iowa and Louisville. Against Iowa Feb. 5, Odle shut down Hawkeye forward Reggie Evans for the second time this season, holding the 6-foot-8 Evans to eight points on 3-of-11 shooting. Meanwhile, Odle scored 13 points and grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds.

Hoosiers hope to add more qualifiers

After their best-ever Big Ten conference finish in Ann Arbor, Mich., last weekend, the IU women's swimming team looks to qualify more swimmers for the NCAA Championships this weekend at the Indiana Open. Sunday's event is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. at the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatics Center. The Hoosiers play host to other competitors in the last-chance meet for swimmers to post qualifying times for the NCAA Championships. The NCAAs will be held March 21-23 in Austin, Texas.

Hoosiers fight for bowl contention

Oh, how things have changed. Less than a month ago, the odds of IU repeating its streak of losing seasons were pretty high. Then came Northwestern and Michigan State, and suddenly the routing of Wisconsin didn't seem like such a fluke. Instantly, speculation surrounded the Hoosiers about a possible bowl game appearance, and senior quarterback Antwaan Randle El's name was thrown back in the Heisman mix. And now, IU is favored Saturday in the 12:10 p.m. televised game against Joe Paterno and Penn State. At Happy Valley. In front of more than 100,000 Nittany Lions fans. IU is picked to win.

Davis signs contract

Almost a year after being named head coach for the men's basketball team, Mike Davis signed a formal four-year contract Friday. The terms of the contract include an annual salary of $225,000 beginning July 1. His annual income will reach about $500,000 a year with outside income and bonuses tallied up. This contract is binding until May 2005.

Hoosiers cut down the net

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- IU coach Mike Davis knew what he wanted to do with the ball as soon as he got it from sophomore Jared Jeffries at the close of the Hoosiers' 81-69 win against Kent State Saturday night at Rupp Arena. Davis jumped through two rows of media and headed for the one man he seems to be unable to thank enough for having given him his first shot as a head coach -- IU president Myles Brand. Both Brand and his wife, Peg, were in attendance for both of the Hoosiers' wins in Lexington and they helped kick off the celebration Saturday night after IU won the South Regional. "He said, 'I appreciate all that you've done, thank you and here's the game ball,'" Brand said. "Coach Davis did a tremendous job. I'm proud of him; I'm proud of all the coaches and our student-athletes."

'Glad to be back'

INDIANAPOLIS -- The billboard across the street from the speedway looks like a greeting for a long-lost friend: "Look who's back in town."