Class of '66 Old Fart

From Dana O'Neil at ESPN NCAA charges Rick Pitino but not Louisville over dorm scandal Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino has been charged with failing to monitor a staff member in his basketball program, but Louisville otherwise escaped potentially serious penalties stemming from an NCAA investigation into allegations made by a former escort. The NCAA's notice of allegations, released Thursday, includes four Level I charges, with one to Pitino, two directed at former director of basketball operations Andre McGee and the fourth aimed at former assistant Brandon Williams. The university was not charged with any violations, including a lack of institutional control or failure to monitor, the two most egregious NCAA infractions. Pitino, however, could face a steep penalty. Although the NCAA did not say that Pitino was complicit nor is he charged with committing a violation himself, it alleges that the coach "did not monitor" McGee and failed to "spot-check" his program, including "actively looking for red flags." Pitino has repeatedly denied any knowledge of the accusations made by former escort Katina Powell. In her October 2015 book, "Breaking Cardinal Rules," Powell alleged that McGee paid her and other escorts thousands of dollars and gave them tickets to games in exchange for sex with recruits and players in the players' dormitory, Minardi Hall. The NCAA agreed, alleging that McGee paid some $5,400 to the escorts. The NCAA alleges that McGee's payments, made for at least 17 athletes and/or recruits, can be construed as impermissible benefits. What Pitino did or did not know might not matter. Under the most recent NCAA enforcement legislation, enacted in 2014, a head coach is presumed to be responsible for the actions of any and all staff members and can be held accountable for their violations, even if the coach is unaware. Not knowing what happened, in other words, is no longer a defense. The NCAA's stance is that the head coach should have known. However, Pitino can appeal the charges. Using case precedent, coaches charged similarly have faced multigame suspensions. Last season, Syracuse's Jim Boeheim and then-SMU coach Larry Brown each were forced to sit for nine games over violations. In a joint statement, acting university president Dr. Neville Pinto and athletic director Tom Jurich said they intend to dispute the charges lobbed at Pitino. "We believe that Mr. McGee acted furtively and note that the NOA does not indicate that any other university employee besides Mr. McGee had knowledge of these activities," the statement reads. "We are confident in Coach Pitino and we know he is and always has been committed to NCAA compliance." McGee, who had moved on to and later resigned from Missouri-Kansas City weeks after Powell's book was released, refused to talk to NCAA investigators. Williams, who was on the Louisville staff for one year as a program assistant, refused to turn over phone records. Refusing to cooperate with NCAA investigators, considered major breaches of ethical conduct, are typically dealt the harshest penalties. Acknowledging that violations likely did occur and in the hopes of mitigating further penalties, Louisville last season self-imposed a postseason ban, cut scholarships and reduced its recruiting access. The NCAA noted those efforts in its document, recognizing the "imposition of meaningful corrective measures and/or penalties." "These allegations underscore why it was appropriate for the University to impose strict penalties on our basketball program earlier this year," the university statement read. "... The penalties we imposed were among the most severe penalties ever self-imposed by an NCAA member." Earlier this month, Pitino said the school's self-imposed sanctions should be enough to satisfy the NCAA. The school has 90 days to respond to the NCAA's notice and dispute any of its findings. The NCAA will then have 60 days to review that response. That timetable, coupled with the Committee on Infractions meeting schedule, means that neither Pitino nor the university will learn of penalties until at least the spring of 2017. The university will hold a news conference at noon ET Thursday, when Pitino, Jurich and Pinto will discuss the NCAA notice of allegations. In conjunction with the university, the NCAA hired two consultants -- Chuck Smrt and Steve Thompson -- to lead the investigation and conduct more than 90 interviews.

From WDRB, Fox network affiliate in L'ville. The next post is from ESPN that Pitino as been charged with "failure to monitor". CRAWFORD | NCAA alleges major violations against McGee, Pitino Posted: Oct 20, 2016 9:27 AM Updated: Oct 20, 2016 9:31 AM LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A year-long investigation into the University of Louisville men’s basketball program after a former Louisville escort alleged that she provided strippers and prostitutes for recruits and players has resulted in four alleged Level I violations -- the most serious the NCAA can levy -- including two against former administrative staffer Andre McGee and one against head coach Rick Pitino for failure to demonstrate that he monitored McGee, though the notice does not allege that Pitino had any knowledge of the violations. The program escaped, however, the most severe allegations -- charges of a lack of institutional control and failure to monitor the program. The university says in a statement that it will dispute the charge against Pitino, which could include an NCAA suspension and/or a show-cause penalty if upheld. The NCAA alleges that McGee, a former graduate assistant coach and director of basketball operations, provided impermissible benefits "in the form of adult entertainment, sex acts and/or cash at Billy Minardi Hall . . . or hotels to at least 17 then men's basketball prospective and/or current student-athletes, two then nonscholastic men's basketball coaches and one then men's basketball prospective student-athletes's friend. The value of the impermissible inducements, offers and/or extra benefits was at least $5,400." In all, the document details 14 strip shows, 11 sex acts and two declined sex acts. The NCAA, along with U of L representatives, conducted more than 90 interviews with current and former players and recruits, parents, coaches and others involved in the case. The Notice of Allegations was delivered to the school on Monday. U of L released the document Thursday morning, and is expected to hold a news conference later today. In a statement, acting president Neville Pinto and athletic director Tom Jurich said: "As parent and university leaders who care about every student who comes to the University of Louisville, we are heartbroken that inappropriate behavior took place here. It saddens us tremendously. We promised that if something was done wrong, we would be open about it, acknowledge it and correct it. . . . From the start, the NCAA Enforcement Staff had our full cooperation. Its staff and our investigators spoke to numerous Louisville employees and third parties, and the university produced every document requested by the NCAA. We are disappointed that former Director of Basketball Operations Andre McGee did not cooperate. These allegations underscore why it was appropriate for the university to self-impose strict penalties on our basketball program earlier this year." The statement also notes that the notice aligns with the results of the university's inquiry. It further points out that, "The NOA does not contain an allegation that Coach Pitino had knowledge of what took place in the dormitory. The NCAA does not allege a 'lack of institutional control' at Louisville, a very severe allegation. The NCAA does not allege that there was a 'failure to monitor' against the institution, also a severe allegation. The NCAA does not allege that Coach Pitino 'failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance,' a serious allegation. The NOA does contain a narrower allegation -- which we will dispute -- that Coach Pitino failed to demonstrate that he monitored McGee. We believe that McGee acted furtively and note that the NOA does not indicate that any other university employee besides Mr. McGee had knowledge of these activities. We are confident in Coach Pitino and we know he is and always has been committed to NCAA compliance. The entire episode is a deep disappointment to all of us who love this university." A Notice of Allegations is roughly akin to a complaint in a civil court proceeding. The allegations in the U of L’s notice are the result of interviews, several meetings with Powell and her attorneys, examination of her journals and records, and the examination of many records provided by U of L. They largely represent a collaborative effort between the NCAA, the school and its consultant, former NCAA enforcement staffer Chuck Smrt, president of The Compliance Group, a Kansas City-based firm that assists universities with NCAA issues. The school released a redacted version of the notice this morning, and expects to hold a news conference today., with athletic director Tom Jurich, acting president Pinto and university consultant Chuck Smrt expected to be in attendance. The allegations stemmed from claims by former Louisville escort Katina Powell that she provided strippers and prostitutes to men’s basketball players and recruits from 2010 to 2014. Any penalties U of L receives would be in addition to those already self-imposed by the school, which include the postseason ban enacted last Feb. 5 and scholarship reductions and recruiting restrictions put into place on April 6, including the loss of two scholarships, 30 recruiting days and two official visits over the next two seasons. The major questions still remaining, whether the school may have to vacate victories or even its 2013 NCAA championship, and whether Pitino could be subject to suspension, remain unresolved by the receipt of this notice.

Final preseason game for Troy and the Grizzlies last night and they beat the Timbervolves 101-94. Troy started once again and logged a total of 19 minutes. 10 pts on 2-2 FG's; 1-1 on 3's; 5-6 FT's; 6 reb; 1 asst; 2 stls; 1 TO; team was +22 while he was on the court. Regular season starts on the 25th; rosters have to be finalized on the 24th. Troy has certainly made a very strong case for making that final roster but now it's just wait and see. Yogi's final preseason game is tonight against the Knicks.

Zach Osterman - Indianapolis Star Nearly 100 percent, Juwan Morgan ready to step up BLOOMINGTON – It didn’t take much to separate Juwan Morgan’s shoulder by the end of last season. Something as simple as deflecting a pass would jar it loose, crumple Morgan to the floor and pull him out of the game. Offseason surgery to correct a problem that dated to high school has given IU’s sophomore forward a newfound comfort and -- even though he’s still awaiting full clearance -- more confidence on the floor. “I’m very close, probably not more than a week, maybe less, off from being back 100 percent,” Morgan said at team media day Wednesday. “There definitely is a freedom, just being out there and not having to worry about, ‘Oh, I can’t do this because it might come out,' or 'I have to be careful with this because it might come out.’ Being able to do everything 100 percent, it feels good.” Injury caused him to miss nearly half of IU’s non-conference schedule, before he became a mainstay off the bench during Big Ten play. Morgan appeared in all 18 games during the Hoosiers’ run to an outright regular-season title and averaged 2.4 points and 2.1 rebounds per game as a freshman. But Morgan’s shoulder kept giving him trouble, knocking him out of games against Iowa and Maryland, limiting him in March and eventually requiring surgery. That procedure – and his subsequent rehabilitation – dictated the extent of Morgan’s summer workload. Now, just more than three weeks out from the Hoosiers’ season opener against Kansas, he’s finally close to full strength. “Beginning (rehab), I wasn’t able to do a lot of things, like passing with a left hand, I’d have to pass with two, or crossing outside my body with my left (arm), it was harder to do,” Morgan said. “But now, with all the treatment and rehab, it’s pretty much there.” For an Indiana team that must replace Collin Hartman (knee surgery), Morgan’s health is critical. He was one of the Hoosiers’ best rebounders a season ago, even in limited minutes. He shot 24-of-30 from the free-throw line and 5-of-11 on 3-pointers. At times, when IU coach Tom Crean was trying to spell point guard Yogi Ferrell, he would make Morgan responsible for bringing the ball up the floor. “Juwan wasn’t handling the ball by accident,” Crean said late last season. “That’s what we do in practice.” As much as he could, Morgan polished his ball handling further this summer. “Every day, I’m working on it,” Morgan said. “Last year, it was probably like one or two drills I would get in at point guard. Now, it’s like running the whole offense, running the whole drill at the point guard position.” Morgan is part of a deep, talented Indiana frontcourt, perhaps the best in the Big Ten. Alongside fellow sophomores Thomas Bryant and OG Anunoby, he’ll need to be more than just a useful reserve. After a promising freshman season and necessary offseason surgery, Morgan said he’s ready. “People are going to see a very big difference in my game, and just how hard I always go,” Morgan said. “It’s just gonna get taken up a level.”

Agree with Wayne from the perspective that as outsiders looking in, there doesn't seem to be any Plan B. And once you've gone 'all in' on a couple of recruits how do you pick up the phone and start making 'oh by the way' calls to the kids you clearly indicated weren't your priorities? Hopefully we still land Wilkes; personally I'm not all that warm and fuzzy on Preston but that's beside the point. There does seem to be a glass ceiling in our recruiting that we just can't seem to break through. Maybe Wilkes will be the breakthrough we're all looking for.

From Alex McCarthy Hartman, McSwain bond during rehab Freddie McSwain immediately had something in common with his roommates when he moved to Bloomington. He moved in with senior forward Collin Hartman and junior guard Josh Newkirk, both of whom have battled back from knee injuries in the past. McSwain also has a past of knee injuries, and unfortunately for him and Hartman, history quickly repeated itself. Both McSwain and Hartman have had knee surgeries in the past month. Newkirk has remained healthy so far this year after having microscopic knee surgery last summer. While McSwain’s injury isn’t quite as serious as Hartman’s, the two have bonded during their recoveries. “It’s been good,” Hartman said, before laughing and amending his response. “It’s been bad and good. You hate to see a teammate be in the same situation or the same rehab, but he’s doing great.” Hartman didn’t give details as to what his injury was and the timeline for his return is still uncertain, but he talked optimistically about the season ahead, hoping for a speedy recovery. When he tore his ACL after his freshman season, he returned to the court sooner than many expected, and while each injury is different, he feels confident in his ability to bounce back quickly again. McSwain has also been involved in practices so far, spending time with IU head coach Tom Crean and working on the weaker areas of his game. McSwain, who strung together highlight-reel dunks and high-flying rebounds at Neosho Community College in Kansas, is looking to become more of a scoring threat on the perimeter. “I’ve been doing a lot of shooting with coach Crean,” McSwain said. “He really likes to shoot the three, so that’s what I’ve been doing. I’ve got into defensive drills…getting back to trusting my leg again.” McSwain, whom Crean has described as resembling an NFL tight end, hopes to help Indiana on the boards while also being a stopper defensively. Crean also said McSwain came in and immediately stood out in the weight room, where he quickly became one of the top performers. Hartman also noticed McSwain’s explosiveness before McSwain underwent the minor knee surgery. McSwain was a late arrival to campus as he still had academic work to finish up this summer, so he missed valuable time, but Hartman said McSwain’s done as well as could be expected. “Obviously having missed the summer and coming in and being thrown into this program, it’s tough for guys to transition,” Hartman said. “He’s doing a good job, focusing in.” McSwain, just like any other player on the team, is still growing in terms of being a vocal leader, Hartman said. McSwain said he’s focusing on rehabbing and on improving his consistency on the court more than anything else so far. Hartman, always affable and good-natured, was laughing as he chronicled what has been a rough couple months for his family’s health. His mother, who has had numerous knee surgeries in the past, had another procedure recently, and his brother had his wisdom teeth taken out the same week. “The insurance company is like, ‘What is going on with you guys?’” Hartman joked. It’s been an interesting experience for Hartman to experience rehab both in person with McSwain and from afar with his mother. He’s been able to help both parties keep their spirits up during their recoveries, which in turn has kept him from overthinking and worrying too much about his own situation. Hartman has also spent time bringing along the fully healthy newcomers as well as McSwain. True freshman wing Grant Gelon in particular singled Hartman out as a mentor so far, mostly from the standpoint of knowing the plays and the system better than just about anybody. It’s been a priority, Hartman said, to impart that knowledge to the newcomers, but the most important ideal he’s pushing to them is about taking advantage of their opportunities. “I think that’s one of the biggest things for me,” Hartman said. “The least I can do is help these guys get acclimated much faster than I did my freshman year, so that they don’t waste a year as I somewhat did just because I was a deer in the headlights.”

A little something to maybe lighten our collective somber mood. Terry Hutchens ‏@IndySportsHutch My first interview experience with Devonte Green was challenging. I asked him nine questions and he answered them in 12 words total. Terry Hutchens ‏@IndySportsHutch 10m10 minutes ago It was probably just bad questions on my part. I'm kind of new to this you know.

And plenty of video evidence that the Colts are 2-4 and in last place in their division. Do you think Pagano ever actually listens to what he's saying?

Jeff Rabjohns ‏@JeffRabjohns 51s52 seconds ago Indiana forward Collin Hartman (knee) says it's possible he plays this season. More: Zach Osterman ‏@ZachOsterman 11m11 minutes ago Collin Hartman declines to specify injury but reaffirms it's possible he can return this season.

So close and yet so far. Have to feel for CTC and the staff for the 'all in' effort they invested in trying to land Waters.

Well ain't you the life of the party!! LOL

Fluff piece in the Indiana Daily Student on TB: http://www.idsnews.com/article/2016/10/thomas-bryant-looks-to-improve-on-freshman-campaign

OG is on this list. Top Collegiate Small Forwards in the Nation Named to Watch List SPRINGFIELD, MASS. – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today the 20 watch list members for the 2017 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award. Named after Hall of Famer and 16-year professional basketball player Julius Erving, the annual honor in its third year recognizes the top small forwards in Division I men’s college basketball. A national committee comprised of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates. “Julius Erving is unquestionably one of the most respected and gifted athletes to ever play the game of basketball,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “Before he was the professional super star known as Dr. J, he was an outstanding small forward at UMass. The young men on this watch list have shown glimpses of Mr. Erving’s skillset and we look forward to watching them develop this season.” Julius Erving attended the University of Massachusetts and averaged 26.3 points and 20.2 rebounds per game, making him one of only six NCAA men’s basketball players to average more than 20 points and 20 rebounds per game. After two seasons, Erving made the jump the American Basketball Association and was the league’s most recognizable player when it merged with the National Basketball Association in 1976. During his professional career, Erving won three championships, four most valuable player awards and three scoring titles. In 1996, he was named a member of the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team. “I’m excited to be a part of this process as we set out to identify the top small forward in the college game this year,” said Julius Erving, a 1993 inductee of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “These student-athletes have worked tirelessly to earn their places on this elite watch list and I know they will continue to improve throughout the season. It’s anyone’s award to be earned.” By mid-February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2017 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award will be narrowed to just 10. In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Erving and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. The winner of the 2017 Julius Erving Award will be presented at the ESPN College Basketball Awards Show presented by Wendy’s in Los Angeles, CA on Friday, April 7, 2017. Broadcast information will be released at a later date. Previous winners of the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award include Denzel Valentine, Michigan State (2016) and Stanley Johnson, Arizona (2015). For more information on the 2017 Julius Erving Award, log onto www.HoophallAwards.com. 2017 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award Candidates Evan Bradds, Belmont Kelan Martin, Butler Jaron Blossomgame, Clemson Terry Larrier, Connecticut Jayson Tatum, Duke Dwayne Bacon, Florida St. OG Anunoby, Indiana Deng Adel, Louisville Justin Jackson, North Carolina VJ Beachem, Notre Dame Jae'Sean Tate, Ohio St. Dillon Brooks, Oregon Tres Tinkle, Oregon St. Vince Edwards, Purdue Dikembe Dixson, UIC Kevin Hervey, UT Arlington Jalen Moore, Utah St. Josh Hart, Villanova Markis McDuffie, Wichita St. Trevon Bluiett, Xavier *Players can play their way on to and off of the list at any point in the 2016-17 season*

From this morning's Indpl. Star Let It Out column: I'm confused! Are we still sucking for Luck?

Any port in the storm!

Lot of naysayers when Moren was hired, but I'm impressed with the job she's done.

2016-2017 Player Profile: De’Ron Davis Indiana ran a marathon in its recruitment of four-star forward De’Ron Davis and won the race. The Hoosiers began tracking Davis as a freshman at Overland High School when he was ranked as one of the nation’s top five players. And even when Davis slipped in the national rankings, the IU staff was still there as other schools tapered off. “He was able to build a relationship with them through adversity,” Danny Fisher, Overland’s coach, told Inside the Hall this summer. “When you have an opportunity to do that, it’s real.” Indiana’s persistence with Davis paid off last November when the Hoosiers won his commitment after it appeared Mississippi State may swoop in and nab him at the last minute. Davis cited his long standing relationship with the Indiana coaching staff as the primary reason behind his decision. “They knew what kind of player I was, they knew what I could bring to the program,” Davis explained. “Family always sticks together and I’m a big family guy. That really stood out at me. As a senior at Overland, Davis led Overland to a second straight Class 5A state title. He finished his prep career with 442 blocked shots. He didn’t arrive in Bloomington until late August as he worked to finish up academic requirements in Colorado, but Davis should immediately find himself in IU’s rotation. At 6-foot-10, Davis could back up Thomas Bryant or play alongside him at times, depending on the opponent. “He’s been great. Always willing to learn, asks questions and listens,” Bryant said last week at Big Ten media day. “He listens when we tell him he needs to do something. He tries, he works very hard.” Assuming he’s 100 percent healthy – a wrist injury in the spring and an Achilles injury this fall are two setbacks he’s had to deal with – Davis is a player that should continue to improve as the season moves along. Despite the injury to Collin Hartman, the Hoosiers have some depth up front with Bryant, Juwan Morgan and OG Anunoby, which should allow Davis to come along at a comfortable pace. Bottom Line: Davis was an important recruit for Indiana for several reasons. Indiana put a ton of time into him going all the way back to his freshman year of high school, when then-assistant coach Steve McClain began laying the ground work. While he wasn’t ultimately a five-star recruit, he has a chance to be a difference maker. He’s got excellent footwork and fundamentals for a player his size, but will need to improve his explosiveness and athleticism. Indiana’s defense should benefit from having Davis around the rim as he’s an above average shot blocker and rebounder. Quotable: “I think at the end of his freshman year, midway through his freshman year, we’re going to see a completely different player. He’s truly going to see what he’s capable of. It’s going to make everybody go back and look at those rankings and say ‘how did we miss on this kid?’ Because De’Ron is a kid who gets better through adversity and when he’s challenged.” – Fisher on Davis and how he expects him to develop this season.

around 8:45 this morning.

Isn't that the standard kind of management response just before the ax falls?

Albers take on Waters. Tremont Waters sets announcement for Wednesday — it won’t be Kentucky Tremont Waters, a 2017 point guard from New Haven, Conn., will announce his college decision at 4 p.m. Wednesday. Waters, who stands 5-foot-11 and is the No. 37 player in the 2017 class, is an incredibly important recruit for Indiana, which is seeking its point guard of the future. There are technically 7 schools on Waters’ list — Duke, Kentucky, Indiana, UConn, Georgetown, Kansas and Yale — but the list of real possibilities is shorter than that. A source close to the Waters recruitment told me that Kentucky “has been out of it for weeks” and will not be Waters’ choice on Wednesday, despite the fact that UK coach John Calipari visited Waters three times, according to his father. Waters’ father said the list had been narrowed down to four schools but declined to specify. My educated guess is those four are Indiana, Kansas, Georgetown and UCONN. As of Tuesday afternoon, 247 Sports’ Crystal Ball gave Indiana an 80% chance to land the four-star Waters. Kentucky was in second, but their percentage dropped steadily after I tweeted that UK was out of the running. Your guess is as good as mine on this one, I’m not even going to offer a prediction. I’ll say Indiana, Georgetown or Kansas, in that order. But I do think it’s a little bit closer than the Crystal Ball would suggest. Indiana assistant coach Chuck Martin has headed Indiana’s recruitment of Waters because of his ties to the East Coast. Indiana prioritized Waters over Indianapolis native Paul Scruggs long ago, so Wednesday’s announcement is a big one for Tom Crean and the Hoosiers.

From earlier this year, ESPN's list of 2016 transfers and it's staggering. I don't like how commonplace it's become but it is what it is and you just have to accept the fact that each season you're likely to have a transfer or two. http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/14390188/college-basketball-transfer-list

L’Hommedieu shines in goal as women's soccer freshman Cameron Drummond - Indiana Daily Student Several of the 11 true freshmen on this season’s IU roster have contributed significantly to the team’s resurgence on the field, but one freshman in particular has stood out. Freshman goalkeeper Sarah L’Hommedieu has starred in net for the Hoosiers this season and started 16 of the team’s 17 matches. In total, L’Hommedieu has been in goal for more than 1,500 minutes this 
season for IU. She has credited this high amount of playing time with helping her adjust to her first season playing college 
soccer. “Obviously, as a freshman, you are not used to playing with some of the people that you have in front of you,” L’Hommedieu said. “Getting to know the way that people play, their strengths and how I can fit into that equation helps me become more comfortable playing with them.” L’Hommedieu’s confidence has grown as the season has progressed, and it did not take her long to make an impression. In IU’s first win of the year at Butler, L’Hommedieu recorded a career-high eight saves for her first career shutout. L’Hommedieu has reached the eight-save mark on two other occasions this season, but the initial performance against the Bulldogs signaled to her she was ready to be the starter. “The Butler game was our defensive breakthrough,” L’Hommedieu said. “We discovered that we are really good as a group back there.” Just two days after the Butler match, the Hudson, Ohio, native shut out Northern Colorado, 3-0, at Bill Armstrong Stadium. The weekend display earned L’Hommedieu two weekly honors from the Big Ten as the conference’s Defensive Player of the Week and Freshman Player of the Week. The Freshman Player of the Week award was given to L’Homemdieu for a second time Oct. 11 after she made a combined 15 saves against No. 16 Penn State and 
Rutgers. The Hoosiers were able to claim a point apiece from their matches against the Nittany Lions and Scarlet Knights, two teams that made the Final Four of last season’s NCAA Tournament. L’Hommedieu playing a significant role in both games. “The coaching staff and the rest of the team has full confidence in Sarah,” IU Coach Amy Berbary said. “You can just see her getting better every week. She trains so hard, and I give a lot of credit to my assistant Sergio Gonzalez. He is always pushing her and has helped get her to where she is.” Gonzalez is praised by not only Berbary but also L’Hommedieu when it comes to his affect on her play this season. Gonzalez was a big factor in L’Hommedieu’s decision to enroll at IU a semester early in spring 2016. L’Hommedieu said she was very skeptical about arriving on campus early and forgoing the final part of her senior year of high school but placed a great deal of trust in Gonzalez. “I talked to Sergio a lot, and he has a record of training excellent goalkeepers,” L’Hommedieu said. “I thought that if he thought I needed to come early, that’s what I had to do. It’s about trusting the coaches, and obviously it’s paid off for me, like he said it would.” L’Hommedieu’s 79 saves this season lead all Big Ten goalies and has her tied for the 37th-most saves nationally. Her 0.775 save percentage lags behind the majority of conference goalkeepers but is largely a product of the high number of shots she has faced this season. However, like her fellow freshmen, she tries to focus on the future and approach every day the right way instead of dwelling on stats or past results. “Every day is a new joy for us freshmen,” L’Hommedieu said. “We are just happy to be playing for IU and happy to be representing our school.”

Latest from Albers: Kris Wilkes has done nothing wrong. He hasn’t spoken out of turn, hasn’t demanded attention from the media, hasn’t asked for tons and tons of hype. This isn’t his fault. And yet that attention from the media and that huge helping of hype is there because, well, people will read it. It doesn’t matter how insignificant, how false, how baseless an update — if fans will read it, writers will write it. And fans — especially fans of Indiana and UCLA basketball — will read absolutely every word written about a recruit they’re involved with. The national narrative in what has become the Wilkes Saga (through no fault of Wilkes) is that UCLA is the leader. That started last week with a post from a writer based out of Indianapolis. Said writer, whom I won’t name, also said one hour before Robert Johnson’s announcement that Indiana was out and it was down to Virginia and North Carolina. The UCLA narrative continues now because of an ESPN Insider story today calling UCLA the leader. These reports have Indiana fans in a state of panic, but they shouldn’t. And I’ll tell you why. First of all, it’s embarrassing that you have to pay for the ESPN article written by Jeff Borzello, who has never had a positive view of Tom Crean or Indiana and thus has zero insight into their program or recruiting. The piece contains zero substance. None. Borzello claims that UCLA leads Indiana and Illinois because Wilkes likes the Indiana connections (Steve Alford, Ed Schilling), and he loves the fact that Alford would let him play the 3. The only quote used in the story is one that any recruit would say about any school he is considering. I won’t post the actual quote since it is a premium article and you have to pay to read Borzello’s work of genius, but it is something along these lines: “I love the school. The coaches are great. I like the campus, etc. etc. etc.” Borzello’s story provides no information that would suggest UCLA is the favorite. He likes the Indiana connections and wants to play the 3? Um, there is no better Indiana connection than playing basketball for — wait for it — INDIANA. And Crean is as good at developing players like Wilkes as any coach in the country. Crean would certainly be willing to use Wilkes at the 3 if he defined positions, but he believes in position-less basketball, and has had a great deal of success with that philosophy. If Crean was going to plant Wilkes on the block and make him play there on every possession, Borzello’s “update” would make some sense and carry some weight. But that’s not the case at all. I’m not saying Wilkes won’t end up at UCLA. What I am saying is these articles about UCLA being the favorite are absolute garbage and you, as Indiana fans, shouldn’t worry about them. Somebody is clearly feeding the national media this UCLA narrative, and I have a strong suspicion who that somebody might be. But I’ve been saying Indiana will land Wilkes for several weeks now, and that remains the case. Is it a done deal? No. As I reported earlier this week, the real reason Wilkes is attracted to UCLA is the opportunity to be in Los Angeles, train against pros in the offseason, and jump to the NBA after one year, which I’m told he believes is a possibility. But my belief remains that Wilkes will be a Hoosier because Crean has done the best job recruiting him, has recruited him longer than anybody else, and has the best track record of developing players like Wilkes. Wilkes will not be at Hoosier Hysteria on Saturday because he will be out of town for something completely unrelated to recruiting. Indiana also still has an in-home visit remaining with Wilkes. No decision has been made, and it could still be a couple weeks before Wilkes makes an announcement. I’m simply writing this piece to tear ESPN’s “update” to shreds so you don’t have to worry about it. At the end of the day, though, you get to decide who you believe.

Hunter's offers to date.

From Rick Bozich: The 20 player Jerry West Award (shooting guard) watch list includes James Blackmon Jr. (IU).