Sports

Hoosiers come home, host ’Dogs

When IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack walked onto the floor at Assembly Hall to observe men’s basketball practice last week, she could not even get to her seat before a whistle blew. IU coach Tom Crean stopped practice, blew his whistle and said, “Give it up for the champions,” referring to the women’s title in the Hilton Concord Classic during Thanksgiving week. Legette-Jack later described the moment in a statement as “bringing tears to her eyes.” Today, the champions have another test in front of them. After four straight wins on the road, including the latest against Miami in the Big Ten- ACC Women’s Basketball Challenge, the IU women’s basketball team returns to Assembly Hall at 7 p.m. today to defend its home court against in-state foe Butler. The matchup between the Hoosiers (5-2) and the Bulldogs (3-4) will feature two teams that appear very similar, starting with both programs having a clear inside presence. IU senior forwards Amber Jackson and Whitney Thomas have been nearly unstoppable so far this season. Jackson is averaging a little more than 22 points in the Hoosiers’ last three games and earned tournament MVP and co-Big Ten Player of the Week honors after leading the team to victory in the Classic.

Wittman dismissed from NBA's Timberwolves

MINNEAPOLIS — Former IU basketball standout Randy Wittman was fired as coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday, two days after an embarrassing 23-point loss at home to the last-place Los Angeles Clippers. Kevin McHale, vice president of basketball operations, took over as coach.

Hoosiers downed in NCAA Tourney

Mike Freitag had little to say. After Saturday’s 3-2 elimination loss to St. John’s in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament, the Hoosiers headed home, one match short of the College Cup.

Hoosiers hang tough in 70-54 loss against No. 5 Gonzaga

INDIANAPOLIS – Stopping short of calling it a moral victory, IU coach Tom Crean said his team played “as close to a full 40-minute effort” as they have all season.SLIDESHOW: IU men's basketball vs Gonzaga

Men's basketball defeated by Zags in Indy

INDIANAPOLIS – After being trounced by No. 17 Wake Forest on Wednesday, IU faced another nationally ranked foe Saturday – Gonzaga.

Swimming and diving competes during weekend in Georgia, Ohio

TALKING COLTS: Manning throws away Bengals for 6th-straight win

INDIANAPOLIS – Campus lore says you’re not supposed to learn anything new during dead week.

RUNNING THE FLOOR: Not too shabby

As the IU men’s basketball team exited the first-ever basketball court inside Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, the assembled thousands swathed in cream and crimson rose to their feet in applause.

Grapplers finish 9th in Vegas Tourney

The IU wrestling team fell on some bad luck in Sin City this weekend during the 27th Annual Cliff Keen Las Vegas Open.

Coach: ‘Ladies became women’ with win

Despite senior forward Whitney Thomas and sophomore guard Jori Davis going a combined 3-for-19 from the field and combining for just 15 points, the IU women’s basketball team overcame a four-point halftime deficit to defeat Miami (Fla.) 69-54 in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge. In the second half, the Hoosiers (5-2) outscored the Hurricanes 41-22 and shot 52 percent from the field.

Hoosiers hang tough, fall to No. 5 Gonzaga 70-54

INDIANAPOLIS – After being trounced by No. 15 Wake Forest on Wednesday, IU faced another nationally ranked foe Saturday – No. 5 Gonzaga.The Hoosiers kept the game close throughout, but eventually succumbed to the Bulldogs, losing 70-54.

Dunbar leads team to best season it has had in 6 years

The IU volleyball team made a 179-degree turn in two years under Coach Sherry Dunbar.The only last degree left to 180 is to make postseason play.

Soccer team prepares for national quarterfinals

IU senior midfielder John Mellencamp has waited his entire life for a chance to play in the College Cup. That chance might almost be here. “I think about it every night,” he said jokingly. “I have had a couple of dreams about it already. I want to end on that high note with a championship. With the characters of the guys on this team, I wouldn’t want anything less for these guys other than to win that championship.” The No. 6-seeded Hoosiers (14-6-3) will face the No. 3-seeded St. John’s Red Storm (18-2-3) at 5 p.m. Saturday in Queens, N.Y., in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament.

Pritchard getting ‘star treatment’

During seven games, IU’s offense has gone through freshman forward Tom Pritchard. As a result, Pritchard is leading Big Ten freshmen in scoring and rebounding – averaging 14.1 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. His success has not gone unnoticed.

A LOOK AT THE ROCK: Glass and I agree: Keep Lynch

RUNNING THE FLOOR: Closer than the experts think?

Risk and reward: Sommer goes from unknown to the World Cup

Momentum carries women's basketball into clash of conferences

Men's basketball faces another tough challenge in No. 5 Gonzaga

Gonzaga’s glass slipper no longer fits. Once an annual Cinderella story, the Zags have evolved into one of the top programs in the country. The northwest school that used to be regarded as the feel-good story of college basketball now has opponents worried sick about playing them. “There really is not anything that doesn’t concern us (about Gonzaga),” IU coach Tom Crean said in a Thursday teleconference. With a balanced scoring attack, talent at every position and “tremendous” chemistry, Crean said he thinks the Bulldogs have been one of the best teams in the nation for more than a decade. “I don’t think you’ll find any college basketball coach or player that has competed against them that wouldn’t refer to them as one of the best programs in the country,” Crean said. On Saturday, the Hoosiers (4-3) will try and create a feel-good story of their own when they face No. 5 Gonzaga at 1:30 p.m. in the Hartford Hall of Fame Classic in Indianapolis.

Club volleyball team’s history ranks among top

The IU men’s club volleyball team might not have the same record of dominance as the men’s soccer and men’s basketball programs, but its history ranks among the top of all IU sports. “Our alumni list is very long, and men’s volleyball is a club sport that goes back to the late ’70s, early ’80s,” said John McSorley, club president and senior. With history dating back four decades, the 2008-09 IU men’s club volleyball team is looking to carry on the tradition into the spring season.