Indiana

DJ White: NBA Draft Profile

Jeff Fox — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 08:56:56 -0700

D.J. White

Class: Senior

Position: PF

Height: 6’9”

Weight: 251lbs

Accolades: Second Team All-American – AP (08), Second Team All-American – CHN (08), Second Team All-American – USBWA (08), Big Ten Player of the Year – coaches & media (08), First Team All-Big 10 – coaches & media (08), Second Team All-Big 10 (07), Big Ten Freshman of the Year (05), Big Ten All-Freshman Team (05), Honorable Mention All-Big Ten – media (05), Fourth Team Parade All-American – high school (04), Alabama Gatorade State Player of the Year – high school (04), McDonald’s All-American – high school (04).

Scouting Report: One of the best, most experienced low-post players in the NCAA this past season.

Strengths: Strong in the post – knows how to use his big body. Good back to the basket moves – good baby hook. Very good rebounder. Good shot blocker. Long arms. Very accurate shooter – over 60% his senior year. Good passer out of the double-team. Double-double machine. Great turnaround jumper. Good face-up J. Extremely consistent his senior season.

Weaknesses: Has had past injury issues – missed almost all of sophomore year due to injuries. Not super athletic or quick. Doesn’t have very deep range on his jumper – only hit one three pointer in his college career.

Projected 2008 Draft Range: Late first round – early second round pick.

Consensus: D.J. White had a superb senior season and should go into the NBA pre-draft camps and workouts on a roll. He doesn’t have the off-the-charts athleticism, quickness or hops to make him project as a potential NBA superstar, but he should be an effective pro and could be a nice pickup for a team in the second round.

Stats: DJ White Stats

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NBA Draft: To Go or Not To Go

Jason Brubaker — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 07:18:16 -0700

The 2008 freshmen class may go down in history as one of the most talented classes of all-time. They breathed life into dormant programs (Kansas State), filled holes for dominant teams (UCLA, Memphis), and filled highlight reels (USC). In many case, they lived up to their extraordinary hype, and benefited not only their schools, but themselves, in their time on campus.

But with the season over, and the NBA lottery picks becoming clearer by the day, many of them are facing a tough decision right now: stay or go? The money is hard to turn down, but more than a few of these kids could use at least another year of college seasoning before they bound off to the pros. Here’s a list of who should be in and should be out of this year’s draft…although I doubt any of them will ask be asking my advice.

Definitely should

- Michael Beasley, F Kansas State: This one is a no-brainer. Beasley’s combination of size, athleticism and ball-skills have all but assured him of being the #1 pick in June. Beasley dominated the paint for the Wildcats, leading them to their first NCAA Tournament win since 1988. He finished third in the country in scoring at 26.5 points per game and first in rebounding with 12.5 boards per game. Better yet, paired next a to a solid big man in the NBA, Beasley will be able to showcase even more of his highlight-reel athleticism, as he won’t be confined to the paint as much. He hasn’t declared his intentions yet, but everyone knows he’s as good as gone. With his talent, Beasley has the chance to be a very special NBA player for a very long time. Latest Word: Going

- Derrick Rose, G Memphis: Again, practically a no-brainer. Rose has terrific size and athletic ability for a point guard, and his understanding of how to run a team has improved throughout the season. On an explosive team, Rose has learned when to look for teammates and when to look for his own shot, not as easy when it sounds when that team is also eyeing a national title. Rose has been at his best in the NCAA Tournament, being named the South Region’s MVP, while averaging just over 20 points and 6 assists per game. He is likely to declare, and shouldn’t fall out of the top three, possible even challenging Beasley for the top spot overall depending on the draft order. Latest Word: Going

- Kevin Love, F/C, UCLA: Love is slightly different than Beasley and Rose in that his stock is all over the board right now. While everyone loves his basketball IQ and toughness, others still say his lack of athleticism will hurt in the NBA. However, he’s shown tremendous leadership in the NCAA Tournament, putting the Bruins on his back and doing whatever is needed for the win. Another year in college isn’t going to give him a 40-inch vertical, and the risk of injury is always a concern. Love provides great intangibles, and with his post-season play fresh in scouts’ minds, he could become a high lottery pick, despite the doubts. Latest Word: Going

Hard to blame them

- Jerryd Bayless, G, Arizona: Bayless is an undersized shooting guard in the mold of Monta Ellis or Ben Gordon, so he’s definitely skilled enough to play in the league next season. However, as with all undersized shooting guards, scouts questions his play-making ability and willingness to set up his teammates for shots. With Coach Lute Olson scheduled to return next year, meaning the return to an up-tempo game, Bayless should get more of an opportunity to showcase some point guard skills, even with talented freshman Brandon Jennings coming in. However, if Bayless does declare, he shouldn’t fall out of the lottery, and could go top-10, due his lethal scoring ability. Latest Word: Going

- OJ Mayo, G USC: Mayo’s game has been picked apart more than anyone’s in this class, probably because he has been a national name since he was a 7^th-grader averaging 24 points a game for the varsity team at Rose Hill Christian in Ashland, Ky. At his best, Mayo is a terrific athlete capable of carrying a team on his back with his scoring ability. However, he still struggles with shot selection and decision-making, although these improved throughout the season. A bit undersized for the “2” in the NBA, Mayo likely needs to show some improved decision-making with the ball before jumping into the draft, but he’ll still be a high pick should he declare. His game could use another year of seasoning in college, but it’s hard to fault him if he does leave. On the right team with some veteran teammates, Mayo has the potential to develop into a great NBA player. Latest Word: Going

- Eric Gordon, G Indiana : For much of the year, Gordon showcased the explosiveness and scoring ability that made him one of the most highly-sought after recruits in the country. However, his play noticeably tailed off late in the year, as he struggled with shot selection and defense. The Hoosiers’ play mirrored Gordon’s, as a promising season ended with a whimper in a first round loss to Arkansas in the tournament, no doubt some of due to the Kelvin Sampson fiasco in February. Like Bayless, Gordon likely needs to show more point-guard skills, but he’ll still be a high lottery pick, so it’s hard to tell him to stay. Considering the uncertainty regarding the sanctions at IU, Gordon might be better served to make the leap and spend a couple years developing with an NBA team instead of on a depleted Indiana roster. Latest Word: Going

Need to come back

- DeAndre Jordan, C Texas A&M: Let’s see…7.9 points per game, 6 rebounds per game. Does that sound like a lottery pick to you? Me neither. Jordan undoubtedly has the potential to be a very good pro, given his size and athleticism. But no one can argue that has plenty of work to do before he gets to that point. Projected to go somewhere in the 6-12 range, Jordan is likely to leave, but I have a hard time believing he wouldn’t be better served spending another year in College Station honing his game and his work ethic than spending two or three years on the bench in Seattle or Memphis. Jordan will need plenty of coaching at the next level, and there’s no guarantee he’ll ever develop to his full potential if he leaves early. Jordan has virtually no offensive moves, and relies solely on his athletic ability to score points. With the right coach, he could follow the Andrew Bynum path to success in the league. However, he’s just as likely to become another Stromile Swift if he leaves now – a talented athlete who bounces around teams because his skills never developed. Latest Word: Going

- Bill Walker, G/F, Kansas State: Walker’s biggest problem to date seems to be between his ears. A ridiculous athlete, Walker could play right now in the NBA based on his hops and speed. However, a quick temper has hurt him this season, as he grows visibly frustrated when things don’t go his way, and he takes himself out of the game mentally when that happens. When focused, Walker has a developing perimeter shot and lethal slashing ability, evidenced by his 22 points against Kansas, 31 against Xavier, and 30 against California. However, he also took himself out of games by losing his temper, notably with one point against Texas and nine in a rematch with Kansas. One more year would certainly help Walker mature a little, and he could raise his stock to become a guaranteed first-round and possible lottery pick. Latest Word: Probably

- Anthony Randolph, F LSU: Randolph has the skill level to compete right now, but he is painfully thin and needs to add strength before trying to bang down low. Randolph, who is listed at 6’11” and 220 pounds, has solid post moves and the quickness to beat defenders off the dribble. He also has a solid jumper, and plays with a high intensity level. He’s an intriguing prospect right now, and some mock drafts have him going as high as the top seven. There’s no guarantee another year on campus will dramatically improve his size either, but like with Jordan, I’d like to see him spend another year on campus improving and playing than hunkered down at the end of an NBA bench. Randolph would be wise to look at the minutes Brandan Wright has received this year for Golden State instead of vying for a championship ring with UNC before he makes his decision. Latest Word: Going

- Blake Griffin, F Okalahoma: Griffin has a solid game right now, and there’s no question he’ll eventually be a good pro. But with some nagging injuries this year, as well as some erratic play at times, another year of school could help Griffin improve his consistency. Griffin is a tremendous athlete who has his motor running at all times, but his game could use a little polish before he heads off to the pros. Some have compared Griffin to Carlos Boozer for his physical style of play, not a bad comparison, but still a little premature. One more year to fine-tune his game, and Griffin could find himself as a top-5 pick in the 2009 draft. Latest Word: Staying

Tom Crean To Accept Indiana Job

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 18:38:51 -0700

At the bottom of every sunken ship is a hidden treasure.. or at least that's what Tom Crean hopes. The nine-year Marquette coach is set to become the new Indiana Hoosiers head coach. The demise of Kelvin Sampson and the team's struggles under Dan Dakich are well documented, and it will be up to Crean to resurrect this once proud program. Unfortunately he'll have to do it without the help of DJ White & Lance Stemler (seniors), Eric Gordon (NBA Draft), and perhaps neither of Armon Bassett and Jamarcus Ellis (dimissal/suspension/who knows). This would leave freshman Jordan Crawford as the major only contributor with more than a 50% likelihood of returning. Even worse than the aforementioned departures is that top recruits Devin Ebanks and Terrell Holloway have requested to be let out of their letters of intent. On top of that, the Hoosiers are down one scholarship next year due to Sampson's "mistakes." All in all, Crean has some work to do.. but his impressive resume at Marquette suggests he can be successful. In nine seasons, Crean went 190-96 including a Final Four appearance in 2003. That great run was largely due to the dominance of Dwyane Wade. Without Wade around, Crean has never advanced beyond the second round.. including this season when Stanford knocked them out of the Big Dance. While Crean faces a can't win situation next year.. it seems like his Marquette replacement will inherent a can't lose situation. Team leaders Dominic James, Jerel McNeal and Wes Matthews are all juniors, and barring unlikely NBA Draft campaigns, should return for another go around.

Picture of the Day: Eric Gordon Following IU's Loss

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 09:04:00 -0700

Thanks to our friends over at Icon Sports Media, we now have access to thousands of great college basketball photos to use on the site. Each day, CHN will feature a Picture of the Day, which might include a newsworthy, funny, or simply interesting subject. At the bottom will be a caption or headline that might be informative or amusing. The possibilities are endless!

Indiana's Eric Gordon

Following Indiana's early exit in the NCAA Tournament, Eric Gordon was obviously a bit down.. but I'm not sure what the Federal Prison poster was doing in the Hoosiers locker room.. perhaps it was in homage to Kelvin Sampson?

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Coaching News: Change at UAPB and Other Tidbits

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 10:17:49 -0700

A rundown of some of today's coaching news: - UAPB head coach Van Holt resigned after six seasons at the helm. The Golden Lions finished 13-18 this year, and Holt's overall record was 50-124. This record might not look good but consider that UAPB was 4-51 in the two seasons before Holt took over. - Besides the firing of Barry Hinson and Tim Welsh over the weekend, other relatively prominent firings in recent days include Toledo's Stan Joplin (just one season removed from being MAC Coach of the Year) and TCU's Neil Dougherty. - Yesterday I noted that Hinson was a candidate for Mercer's opening, and the Macon Telegraph reports the other interviewee so far has been Oklahoma assistant Bob Hoffman. - According to the Springfield New-leader, Michigan State assistant Mark Montgomery and Texas assistant Rodney Terry are possible replacements for the Missouri State job. - Multiple outlets in Chicago reported yesterday that former Bulls coach Scott Skiles will be interviewed for the Indiana job, but he is by no means the front-runner for the position.

Today's Poll: What is the Biggest Bracket Surprise?

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 22:22:20 -0700

2008 NCAA Tournament Capsule: Indiana

Joel Welser — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 19:55:48 -0700

Indiana

Big Ten

by Joel Welser

Last NCAA Appearance: 2007, Second Round loss to UCLA

Coach: Dan Dakich (First NCAA appearance)

Probable Starters:

Armon Bassett, Sophomore, Guard

Eric Gordon, Freshman, Guard

Jamarcus Ellis, Junior, Guard

Lance Stemler, Senior, Forward

D.J. White, Senior, Forward

Key Role Players:

Jordan Crawford, Junior, Guard

DeAndre Thomas, Junior, Forward

Mike White, Senior, Forward

Kyle Taber, Junior, Forward

Why They Can Surprise:

The Hoosiers may just have the two most dominating players in the Big Ten in Eric Gordon and D.J. White and what a great inside-outside combination those two have become. Gordon, just a freshman, is a superb scorer. Not only does he knock down 40 percent of his shots from long range, but he does an amazing amount of damage at the free-throw line. He gets to the line over eight times a game and it certainly boosts his scoring total when he hits over 85 percent of his attempts from the stripe.

White is the presence under the basket. The 6-9 senior is an efficient scorer and a huge presence on both ends of the floor. His superb rebounding skills make the Hoosiers one of the best rebounding teams in the nation.

Why They Can Disappoint:

And what makes the team’s rebounding ability particularly surprising is the fact that they do not really have a great power forward to help out D.J. White on the glass. Lance Stemler has started a handful of games at the four spot this year, but he is more of a shooter off the bench type of player. Mike White has the most experience and does a decent job on the glass when he gets the opportunity. The most intriguing power forward possibility is DeAndre Thomas. The 6-8 forward has slimmed down to a smooth 295 pounds and certainly has the body to clear space under the basket. Thomas has seen his minutes decrease during conference play, but he will still play an important role off the bench, especially if D.J. White runs into foul trouble. The late season departure of Coach Kelvin Sampson does not inject confidence in the team either. Yet, they have had some time to come to terms with the situation and it should not have a huge effect on the players in the heat of the battle.

Who To Watch:

Finding a third scorer on any given night to compliment D.J. White and Gordon will be very important for the success of the Hoosiers. Luckily, they have three great candidates who usually do step up and put up some big numbers. Armon Bassett, Jordan Crawford and Jamarcus Ellis will do a lot more than just score though. All three have gotten into the habit of finding their teammates. Bassett shoots better from beyond the arc than he does inside of it and Ellis is one of the best rebounding guards in the conference.

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Picture of the Day: Penn State Upsets Indiana

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 08:25:31 -0700

Cornley Celebrates Penn State Upset

Didn't Penn State fans rush the court when they beat Michigan State a month ago? Yes. Haven't the Nittany Lions won 5 home games in a row? Yes. So why did they rush the court again? Because its become the most overused antic in college basketball.. Still, I like this picture because the guy lifting up freshman Talor Battle is not a random student but injured forward Jamelle Cornley.

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Seven Day Stretch: Few's Future & Officiating Issues

Rob Carpentier — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 07:30:39 -0800

The “Curse” seems to have finally been eradicated…at least for a week. Davidson, Marquette, American and even Indiana had pretty good news last week. Does that mean that teams can stop worrying about the Seven Day Stretch or will it be a double-strength whammy this week?

Seven Day Savior (Team): Indiana Hoosiers

Considering what the players on this team went through over the course of the past ten days, the fact that they have gone 4-0 since the Kelvin Sampson/NCAA news broke is highly commendable. The Hoosiers defeated three of the top five teams in the Big 10 Conference, and even though those victories took place in the cozy environs of Assembly Hall in Bloomington, it was and is impressive, nonetheless. Indiana was able to beat both Purdue and Michigan State as the Sampson issue was front page news. That says a great deal about the character of the kids on that squad, many of whom Sampson recruited or had to talk into staying when Mike Davis was fired. Let’s remember that these are, at best, young men in their early 20’s, with many of the players on the squad under 20. It took a lot of maturity to get past the controversy swirling around the team and to focus on the business of actually playing the games. While it’s true that some of the players threatened to miss the game against Northwestern last Saturday, the bottom line is that they didn’t. Kudos to the Hoosiers.

Admittedly, there is a close second this week; the Kent State Golden Flashes. Their win over St. Mary’s in their BracketBuster game last Saturday night was a huge boost to Kent State’s at-large bid should they not win the Mid-American Conference Tournament. There are more than a few bubble teams from the “power” conferences that are hoping that Kent State wins the Mac Tourney.

Seven Day Savior (Player): Al Fisher, Kent State

If I don’t give the team award to Kent State, I can certainly give the player award to one of its players. Fisher, a junior guard, scored 28 points in the win over St. Mary’s and won the MAC Player of the Week award for the second week in a row. Fisher, who started his collegiate career at Siena, is a quick and smart point guard who plays a pass-first game, but knows how and when to score when the Golden Flashes need someone to step up. While he leads the team in both scoring and assists, Fisher’s biggest games have come in some of Kent State’s biggest wins, including St. Mary’s, George Mason and Illinois State. Fisher has all the qualities of a young man who will step up in the NCAA Tournament and break the heart of fans of a big school.

News of the Week: Northern Illinois Returns to Competition

The Huskies returned to game action this week for the first time since the disastrous shooting at the school that took place on Valentine’s Day. Six students died in the attack, including the shooter, and the campus has been struggling with the event ever since. Although the scope of the shooting was much less, in terms of numbers, than what happened at Virginia Tech, the strain on the school community was enormous and will be for some time to come. While athletics aren’t all that important in the grand scheme of things, they can provide a necessary distraction in times of stress as well as a rallying point for a community in need of something to get its mind off of a tragedy. The Huskies lost their home game against Western Michigan, but chances are that many NIU supporters don’t care. For Northern Illinois and the people directly related to the school, it probably was more important that the team simply played the game. As with any difficult situation, a return to normalcy helps to get past it. This week, the lives of those people at NIU became a little bit more normal.

Game of the Week (The one you DON’T know about): Pittsburgh at Syracuse

Once again, Jim Boeheim’s Orange find themselves skirting dangerously close with the wrong side of the bubble. Unexpectedly, now Pittsburgh is getting to the point of having to worry about the bubble, albeit not very much. In Syracuse’s case, the struggles the Orange have endured were somewhat expected considering the injuries that Syracuse has had to deal with this season. Pittsburgh also suffered injuries, losing starter Mike Cook for the season and guard Levance Fields for a large portion of the season, however Pitt has lost their last two games with fields back in the line-up. The Big East will probably get up to eight bids come Selection Sunday and Syracuse, (definitely), and Pitt, (maybe), will be fighting for one of the final ones. The game at Syracuse on Saturday will go a long way towards either team feeling much more comfortable about which side of the bubble they will come down on. Pitt is looking for a decent victory, especially on the road, while Syracuse needs wins badly. In the case of the Orange, their profile is looking quite a bit like last year’s and last season they missed the NCAAs.

Seven Days Under the Radar: Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks

This is a team that is truly under the radar. In the last twenty years, how many teams that have gone 22-3, including a win over Oklahoma, and have had an RPI of 47 or better been this inconspicuous? The Jacks aren’t in first place in their conference, but they have defeated the conference leader, (Lamar), in their only meeting this season. They have won at SMU and San Diego, the latter a pretty difficult victory for any team, as well as the win in Norman. They have two solid “go-to guys” in junior guard Josh Alexander and junior forward Matt Kingsley, both of whom average around 16 points per game. If you think the Jacks are good now, they lose only one senior of consequence and only three players overall. This team is going to be tough if they make the Big Dance, and they will be even tougher next season. Imagine the sleeplessness in Big East, Big 12 and Pac-10 countries if the Jacks go 24-4 and lose in the Southland Conference title game. That will make for a very interesting Sunday night.

Seven Days on the Hot Seat: Mark Few, Gonzaga Bulldogs

Alright, so Few isn’t really on the hot seat, but there is now a very real possibility that he will leave Gonzaga at the end of the season. Here’s the deal; right now the heat on Oregon’s Ernie Kent is enormous, especially after his Ducks blew both games on their L.A. road trip last week. Oregon had double-digit leads in the second half of both games. The likelihood of Kent’s dismissal after the season is quite high. Multiple big money donors have already made it clear to the Oregon athletic department that they want and expect Kent gone. The newspapers in Oregon are now openly talking about replacements for Kent. The name at the top of the list is Few’s. Few is obviously a good coach and recruiter. He knows the kind of players he needs for his system and he knows the recruiting scene in the Pacific Northwest. Few has stated in the past that Oregon would be one of the very few, (no pun intended), jobs that would get him to leave Gonzaga. The reason that this hasn’t garnered more attention yet is because Kent does have an opportunity to save his skin. If Oregon gets to the NCAA’s, then he will gain a reprieve. It doesn’t matter if he gets there as an at-large or by winning the Pac-10 Tournament, (which the Duck accomplished last season), just as long as he gets there. If he and the Ducks see their bubble burst, expect Gonzaga to be looking for a new coach in the spring.

Seven Days of Head Scratching: Officiating

It started long before the blown call by the Big East officials at the end of the Villanova/Georgetown game; a call that handed the Hoyas the victory. It started long before the inconsistency that was seen throughout many of the BracketBuster games last weekend. The officiating this season has been among the most inconsistent that I have seen in the last decade. There was a time not so long ago when I would watch a full week’s slate of games and be shocked to see one or two blatant screw-ups on the part of the zebras. Now it seems as if I see at least one per game. Even certain conferences seem to have more of an officiating issue than others. The Pac-10 is notorious for having the most inconsistent set of refs in any of the “power leagues”. The joke around the Pac-10 is that you’ll know what kind of game you’ll get from the refs if you know what “mood” they’re in before the game. Say what?!? These goofs on the part of the officials go beyond simple blown calls; calling a charge when it should be a block or missing a travel. Now officials are starting to make calls against the rule books of various conferences. That came to a head this past weekend when the officials in the Big Sky contest between Montana State and Idaho State refused to use video monitors to determine when a time-out had been called at the end of a key conference game. If the officials had gotten the rule right they would have awarded two technical foul shots to Idaho State. There would have been barely enough time for Montana State to have gotten a shot off to tie or win the game if ISU had made even one of the free throws. As it was, Montana State won in overtime. The Big Sky Conference noticed the blunder and called the officiating crew to the carpet, suspending each official for one game. This should be used more by conferences to be sure that the officials are at the top of their games. Nothing needs to be said about specifics when it happens, and I understand that conferences are reluctant to do this sort of thing because it admits error. However, as time has gone by, officials have become more and more emboldened to become part of the game focus rather than calling the game. Remember, the best officiated games are the ones when you don’t remember the refs.

Picture of the Day: Dan Dakich

Shawn Siegel — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 09:58:36 -0800

Picture of the Day

Dan Dakich

Hoosiers fans.. meet your new head coach: Dan "The Man" Dakich. Alright, no one calls him that.. but if he leads IU back to the Final Four, he'll be known as the Man for a long time.

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