If the Slipper Fits
ATLANTA -- The IU men's basketball team has been in this game five times before, but none of the Hoosiers' current players have. This will be the first national title game in school history for Maryland.
ATLANTA -- The IU men's basketball team has been in this game five times before, but none of the Hoosiers' current players have. This will be the first national title game in school history for Maryland.
Following a month of winter training, the IU men's swimming team finally got the chance to get back into the pool for competition Saturday in a home dual meet against Ohio State. While the Hoosiers ultimately fell to the Buckeyes, 133-110, the team set six season best times and 14 personal best times.
The fact that Bob Knight's new book will be released today, the week of the Final Four, is not surprising. After all, Knight is college basketball's most infamous coach, and the Final Four is its most exciting moment. What is surprising is that the team Knight once coached is back in the Final Four, on the shoulders of new coach Mike Davis. Whether the resurgence of IU basketball will rekindle interest in the program's past -- and Knight's book -- is yet to be seen.
The Little 500 has been no stranger to controversy this year, and the women's race was no exception. Gamma Phi Beta rode in the race unofficially and was not counted in the final standings after being told on race day one of its riders was ineligible.
After one of the most successful years that the IU women's basketball team has had in recent history, senior Heather Cassady was supposed to hang up her sneakers at the end of her career as a Hoosier. But fans haven't heard the last of Cassady, who hopped on a plane for New York City late last week to participate in the New York Liberty's training camp. "We are just obviously proud as parents and family," Cassady's father, Pat, said. "Heather is just thrilled, but nervous, ready and looking forward to it." The 5'7" point guard who helped lead the team to a Big Ten Championship Tournament win and the first round of the NCAA tournament is now setting her sights on the future, which could hold a career in the WNBA.
A 1-3 start in conference play has left the softball squad in 10th place in the Big Ten standings and trailing in its quest to reach the Big Ten tournament.
This is the first time junior Greg Schaefer has wrestled a full season, and he is making the most of his opportunity. After going 17-11 (6-1 Big Ten) last year, Schaefer is off to a fast start. He has put together a 15-2 record as the Big Ten season approaches next weekend. But the Big Ten conference is considered the toughest in the nation, with a majority of the teams ranked in the top 25. Because Schaefer has more experience under his belt, he realizes what lies ahead.
The formula for success at IU last season wasn't an effective one: Score at least 40 points or lose. And that formula seemed to be the case again early this season. The football team won only one of its first six games, and the lone victory was a 63-32 offensive onslaught against Wisconsin.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Hamchetou Maiga's 17 points and 17 rebounds led Old Dominion to a 74-70 overtime upset Monday night of Purdue, last year's runner-up in the NCAA tournament. No. 2-seeded Purdue lost in the second round one day after defending national champion Notre Dame did. Seventh-seeded Old Dominion (27-5) will play No. 3 Kansas State in the Mideast Regional semifinals on Saturday in Milwaukee.
At Big Ten Media Day in October, Wisconsin men's coach Bo Ryan feared he would begin the season with more track and field athletes than basketball players.
Despite seemingly constant controversy, protests from other riders, legal action the day before the race and a pulled sponsorship, Team Major Taylor lined up outside the first row of Saturday's Little 500 and raced to a ninth-place finish.
After the final results of the men's and women's Little 500 qualifications Saturday, the statement that on any given day, any team can win couldn't be more true.
The IU women's basketball team might have to accomplish a little more success before Hollywood gets rights to portray coach Kathi Bennett and company in a feature-length film. When asked what actress would play her, Bennett said, "We've got to get to the Final Four first."
By halftime Saturday, the Hoosiers had managed to grab a 46-35 lead over No. 9 Illinois. Three-point shooting had staked IU to that 11-point lead, but the Hoosiers knew defense would be the key to maintaining that margin. "We came in the locker room at halftime and told each other defense is what's going to win it for us," Jarrad Odle said. "If you come out and play defense, you don't have to rely on your offense. Once we kept doing that, we knew we were getting control of the game."
The IU women's golf team has found a new home in Texas. After winning the GTE "Mo"morial in Houston last weekend, the Hoosiers notched a second win, this one at the Baylor/Iowa San Antonio Shootout Tuesday.
Junior Jennifer Schaffer, who felt the brunt of Friday's first crash on Lap 6 of the 14th women's Little 500, is resting comfortably after a horrific pile-up in turn 1. Schaffer, who started the race for Alpha Phi, suffered fractures to her pelvis and wrist.
Four wins in its last five games proved the football team started heading in the right direction this season, but it didn't convince Athletics Director Michael McNeely to keep Cam Cameron as head coach. McNeely fired Cameron Wednesday afternoon. Cameron finished his five-year tenure at IU with a 18-37 (12-28 Big Ten) record and no bowl appearances. The lack of improvement over the past five years led to McNeely's decision. "Five years is an important measuring standard for a program to demonstrate a high level of competitiveness and consistency, both on the field and in the classroom," McNeely said. "It is not an either-or proposition.
The women's swimming and diving team qualified three more competitors for the NCAA Championships in Austin, Texas.
SAN DIEGO -- Emotions ran high in IU's locker room after its first round game against Kent State Thursday. But they weren't positive emotions. IU lost 77-73 to a team almost everyone thought they would beat. Kyle Hornsby almost cried. Jeffrey Newton sat in silence. Dane Fife vented to the media.
CHICAGO -- Even the announcement that IU is seeded No. 4 in the NCAA men's basketball tournament couldn't cheer up the Hoosiers after they lost 63-61 to Iowa in the Big Ten championship game. "Some of the coaches had a sigh of relief," junior center Kirk Haston said. "And the players are pleased that we finally got the respect we deserve." The Hoosiers haven't been ranked in either the AP or Coach's Top 25 polls all season. But the NCAA tournament selection committee ranked IU in the top 16 teams in the country by making it a fourth seed.