About // Advertise // Archives // Contact
RSS Facebook Twitter
QuickLink

CBSSports.com: Fifteen guys for 13 spots: Indiana’s delicate scholarship situation

Two players who want to play for Indiana next season will not be playing for Indiana next season, unless one or two guys give up their scholarships and pay out of pocket to wear cream and crimson. The controversy around this issue is with fifth-year senior Matt Roth, though. Roth finds himself most likely out of a gig wearing the candy pants because he’s not only graduated, he has his master’s from IU as well. There is no school left for him — he merely has a year’s worth of eligibility to use. He was honored at IU’s Senior Night last winter.

With what’s likely to be the final year of competitive organized basketball he’ll ever play, Roth would rather not leave his alma mater for another school with not nearly the chance of reaching the Final Four that Indiana has.

Roth’s case is intriguing because there’s a lot of loyalty tied to his scholarship. He signed with Indiana before Crean was the coach, back when IU was just seeing the flames of its grease fire start to spread and mutilate the program. Despite the unrest, Roth didn’t ever seek to transfer, has been a very good student and ideal teammate for the Hoosiers. He suffered a foot injury two games into the 2009-10 season, so he sat out, and because of that, he’s earned a final year on scholarship, getting a fifth year to play out four seasons — standard NCAA protocol. Roth could leave IU and transfer to another school without a one-year wait. But after doing what he has at the school and potentially being part of a title-winning team, who has a desire to leave? Of course, the choice will be made for him.

2012 Run-N-Slam: Jaquan Lyle video, Q & A

by in Recruiting | May 8th, 2012

Evansville Bosse and Spiece Indy Heat guard Jaquan Lyle is a consensus top 20 player nationally in the 2014 class and holds offers from Illinois, Indiana, Louisville, Kansas State, Marquette, Memphis, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Providence, Purdue, Tennessee and Xavier.

Lyle and Spiece Indy Heat finished the 2012 Bill Hensley Memorial Run-N-Slam just 2-2 over the weekend in Fort Wayne, but a more slender Lyle was effective distributing the ball and scoring in transition and from the perimeter.

We’ve compiled over three minutes of high definition quality video of Lyle from pool play games against I-90 Elite, Ohio Varsity and Mac Irvin Fire in the embedded media player below:

Our Q & A with the five-star guard is available after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

2014 Illinois forward Malek Harris excited by IU interest

by in Recruiting | May 8th, 2012

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — He’s only been hearing from Indiana for a little over two weeks, but it hasn’t taken long for 2014 Orland Park (IL) forward Malek Harris to become intrigued with the Hoosiers.

The 6-foot-7 forward, who averaged 10 points and eight rebounds as a sophomore at Sandburg High School, caught the eye of the IU staff at the Spring Showdown in Merrillville.

Shortly after Harris’ exposure at the event, he had a conversation with Tom Crean.

“When I talked to Coach Tom Crean, he said that he liked the way I play, my versatility, the way I play hard and my court awareness,” Harris told Inside the Hall. “He liked a lot of the little things I was doing. Of course I’m happy. It’s one of the best schools in the nation.”

Harris missed the Bill Hensley Memorial Run-N-Slam with a sprained ankle, but attended the event to support his Illinois Wolves teammates.

His strong play so far this spring has resulted in a recent offer from a Big Ten program and interest from several other high major programs.

“Iowa just offered me,” he said. “Miami (OH) and DePaul, I’ve received offers from them. Purdue, Louisville, Nebraska and Illinois (are showing interest).”

Harris said he plans to call down to Bloomington this week to set up an unofficial visit for later this month. While the interest between both sides is still relatively new, it’s clear that attention from one of college basketball’s bluebloods is exciting for Harris.

Continue reading this post »

James Blackmon Jr. getting stronger during recovery

by in Recruiting | May 7th, 2012

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Just eight weeks after undergoing successful surgery to repair a torn left ACL, 2014 Ft. Wayne Luers guard James Blackmon Jr. is beginning to see significant progress in his journey back to the floor.

The 6-foot-3 guard, who committed to Indiana in September of 2010, was averaging over 25 points and five rebounds per game as a sophomore before hurting his knee in a loss to Indianapolis Tech on Feb. 4.

“Right now I’m just working with my trainer every day after school,” Blackmon told Inside the Hall on Friday. “It’s been eight weeks, so I can do a lot more things like start shooting in the gym and stuff like that, so it’s getting better everyday.”

Because he’s still very limited in what he can do on the court, Blackmon is putting in extra effort in the weight room which could end up being a blessing in disguise for his physical development.

“Upper body weights is what I’ve been doing a lot, so this injury could actually help me some,” he said. “I’ve been getting stronger with the upper body and lifting a lot.”

Blackmon watched his Spiece Indy Heat teammates from the bench at this past weekend’s Bill Hensley Memorial Run-N-Slam and he admitted it was tough not being on the floor for one of the spring’s premier events.

“I mean it’s real hard, because you always want to be out there,” Blackmon said. “But I’ve just been letting it go, and just thinking if I work hard, I can be right back out there with my teammates.”

The future Indiana guard is not expected to play at all this summer, although he could resume non-contact basketball activities in as little as two weeks.

Continue reading this post »

HD Video: Trey Lyles at 2012 Run-N-Slam

by in Video | May 7th, 2012

It was a disappointing early exit for Spiece Indy Heat in the Gold Bracket of the 2012 Bill Hensley Memorial Run-N-Slam, but 2014 IU commit Trey Lyles continued his strong play this spring that’s helped solidify the junior-to-be as a top 10 prospect nationally.

We’ve compiled over three minutes of high definition quality video of Lyles from pool play games against I-90 Elite, Ohio Varsity and Mac Irvin Fire in the embedded media player below:

More from the 2012 Run-N-Slam:

· Jabari Parker has high praise for IU commit Lyles
· 2013 Detroit guard E.C. Matthews hearing from Hoosiers
· Notebook: Hensley Memorial Run-N-Slam: Day One

2013 guard Monte Morris impressed by IU on visit

by in Recruiting | May 7th, 2012

Monte Morris took an unofficial visit to Indiana on Friday, and he left impressed by nearly everything he saw.

Morris, ranked No. 48 in the Class of 2013 by Scout.com, got to see a workout involving current Hoosiers Victor Oladipo, Will Sheehey and Jordan Hulls. The Flint, Mich. guard said he liked the campus and the student culture, but he was most impressed by Indiana coach Tom Crean.

“It was graduation time, so he took a lot of pictures and talked to a lot of people, maybe that he didn’t even know,” Morris said. “They were just congratulating him on the great season. Like everywhere we went, ‘great season, Tom. Can we get a picture?’ And he was taking them. He’s not one of them coaches that thinks he’s better than everybody. That showed me a lot.”

Morris said he arrived in Bloomington around 2 p.m. Friday, and got to tour the campus as students were finishing up with their final exams. As he looked around, he said he imagined himself being a student at Indiana.

“Everybody seemed so happy to be on campus,” Morris said. “That was cool to see.”

Morris has not yet received a scholarship offer from Indiana, but he does have offers from Illinois, Georgia Tech and USC, among others. He said he hopes to make a decision by the end of the summer.

“Right now, I’m still trying to take it all in.,” Morris said. “Indiana’s a great school and everything, but I still have a couple more visits to take. Once I take those and have something to compare the schools on, that’s when I’ll have a better idea.”

Here’s a look at Morris from the 2012 Bill Hensley Memorial Run-N-Slam. (Footage provided by our friends at UMHoops.com)

ITH on Twitter

Resources

Recruiting

Comments


Page 5 of 560« First...2345678...Last »