Tom Crean
Indiana University Men's Basketball Coach
Coach Crean is giving us
Season "Rap-up."
BY PAUL SHEPHERD - Times Correspondent | Posted: Monday, March 15, 2010 12:00 am
INDIANAPOLIS | Ohio State's William Buford, Jon Diebler, David Lighty and Evan Turner logged some heavy minutes in helping the Buckeyes win the Big Ten Tournament in their three games in three days at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Buford played 129 of a possible 130 minutes, coming out with 1:25 left in OSU's 90-61 win over Minnesota in Sunday's championship game. Lighty played all but two minutes in the three games, Turner all but three and Diebler 120 of the 130 minutes.
Diebler was the 3-point threat of the tournament, knocking down 11 of his 25 attempts from long distance during the three games. The 6-foot-6 junior guard is Ohio State's career leader and single-season holder in made 3-pointers.
"One of the greatest kids I've ever coached (and) one of the hardest workers I've ever coached," Buckeyes coach Thad Matta said Saturday. "I go back to his freshman year when he shot 29 percent from (3-point range), and every time he'd shoot, if he missed, everybody went crazy, and we just kept his mind right. All he wants to do is win."
Three Boilers move up: Purdue junior center JaJuan Johnson moved into 31st place all-time on the Boilermakers' scoring list with 17 points in Saturday's 69-42 loss to Minnesota in the semifinals. Johnson (1,164 points) moved past Stephen Scheffler (1,155) and Jerry Sichting (1,161).
E.C. Central grad E'Twaun Moore moved into 10th all-time on the Purdue field goal attempts list with his 14 attempts Saturday.
Senior guard Chris Kramer logged his 3,610th career minute played to move him to sixth all-time.
IU seniors exit quietly: The Indiana basketball youth movement was in full effect in its opening-round loss to Northwestern on Thursday.
Excluding walk-on Steven Gambles, Indiana's only two seniors -- Devan Dumes and Tijon Jobe -- combined for just 17 minutes in their final college basketball game. Dumes finished with two points in 11 minutes and Jobe, who started the game, played just six minutes and committed four fouls.
Freshmen Christian Watford (35 minutes) Derek Elston, Jordan Hulls (34 each) and Bobby Capobianco (16) combined to play 119 minutes on Thursday.
Indiana coach Tom Crean expects those players to have improved significantly when they take to the court next season as sophomores. Crean hopes the Hoosiers take a big step forward as well, after finishing the season with a 10-21 record.
"Every program I've ever been in, year one to year two is such a big jump," Crean said. "Our team will look different when you add the spacing element that (injured players) Matt Roth and Maurice Creek bring."
More information about IU Basketball http://iuhoosiers.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/ind-m-baskbl-body.html
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