Forget a Hoosier return trip

By Danny Sternfield Sports Central Columnist

Indiana University played for the NCAA Championship last season. However, based on the team's disappointing play this season, one might have forgotten the Hoosiers' amazing run to Atlanta last year.

Senior Tom Coverdale finished with 30 points, six rebounds, five assists, and four steals in an early-season win over defending champion Maryland. Playing in front of a packed Conseco Fieldhouse crowd and avenging last year's title game loss, Coverdale had IU fans raving and the media using such buzzwords as "senior leadership" and "gamer" to describe him.

But, now, as the veteran guard from Noblesville, Indiana, finishes a dismal regular season that has him shooting 38% from the field, one can easily forget about the guy that "was" after the overtime win over Maryland, a player touted as a National Player of the Year candidate by an obviously intoxicated Andy Katz.

It's completely understandable for fans to have forgotten all about IU's basketball team. What does it say, though, when the coach starts to forget?

As Indiana coach Mike Davis watched Iowa outscore the Hoosiers 47-32 in the second half of Saturday's game, Jeff Newton waited on the bench. And waited. And waited some more.

How does a coach watch his team blow a lead in a must-win game with arguably the best player sitting on the bench?

Regardless of the fact that Newton had four fouls, most of the packed Assembly Hall crowd was wondering why the 15 point, nine rebound per game forward wasn't in the game as the four-minute mark approached.

Indiana ended up needing Newton at the end of that game like Bobby Knight needed a change of scenery. "Newt," as he's often called, finished with 20 points, 14 in the final four minutes of regulation and overtime.

Major college coaches end up back in the high school ranks for pulling such a stunt.

Although Davis took away his team's chance to win at Kentucky by storming the court in protest of what he believed to be a questionable call, he's nothing if not honest.

"Really, I forgot about him at one point in the game," said Davis about the Newton mishap after his team barely nipped the Hawkeyes 91-88 to get to 7-7 in the Big Ten. "He got up and walked down the court like he was going to check himself in. I didn't tell him to go in. He went in on his own."

At least Davis says what's on his mind. After all, this is the same guy who decided that during last year's phenomenal run to the final game was an opportune time to let the country know that when the NBA comes calling, he's out of Bloomington quicker than you can say, "Hoosier Daddy."

This year's version of the Hoosiers has two extremely talented freshmen in Bracey Wright and Marshall Strickland. Although his 16.9 ppg leads the team, talk of Wright leaving for the NBA after this year has silenced after he missed a significant part of the season because of nagging injuries. Like many freshmen who come out of the gate strong, Wright has been challenged by the tougher, more physical conference season. It didn't help that he disappeared in some games, as well.

Even with a healthy back, Bracey can't carry a team like Carmelo Anthony of Syracuse.

While the "Forgotten One," Newton, has been Indiana's most consistent player, senior Kyle Hornsby seems to have simply forgotten how to shoot. George Leach is in and out of the dog house more than Tiger from The Brady Bunch, so you can forget about him.

Despite an average, at best, Big 10 record, the Hoosiers can lock up an NCAA bid with a win at Penn State on Saturday. Then again, don't forget about their horrendous 1-6 road record in league play.

After a recent win over Minnesota at home, Davis reminded everyone that his squad can play with the best teams in the country and that they can a make a run in the tournament like last year.

Remind me again -- I forgot.

Article courtesy of Sports Central.