By Jared Poertnerjpoertner@heraldt.comMarch 13 2009
INDIANAPOLIS — Following Indiana’s season-ending loss to Penn State Thursday night, several players who are rumored to leave before next season said they plan to remain with the team.
The lockerroom was open to the media for a limited amount of time after the game, but Devan Dumes, Malik Story and Matt Roth were directly asked if they plan to play basketball in Bloomington next year.
All three said they do.
“I have every intention of being back next year,” Roth said.
Said Story: “I’m going to be here. A lot of people say I’m not going to be here, (but) I love my teammates, love my coaches and love this place.”
Tijan Jobe and Nick Williams also indicated they plan to return next year based on comments about the future of the team and their own involvement.
Looking to the futureDespite the fact this season was the worst in Indiana history, some of the Hoosiers seem to have already put it behind them and are looking to the future.
“All we can do is go up,” Story said. “I think that we’re going to surprise people by how much we turn this around from this year to next year.”
Williams echoed similar thoughts.
“I’m really excited with the guys coming in and with the guys we have now,” Williams said. “I know we’ll be much better.”
Kyle Taber, who played in his last game as a Hoosier Thursday, said Tom Crean is the coach to return the program back to prominence.
“He’s going to continue to build it,” Taber said. “It’s going to be one of the top programs again. There’s no doubt in my mind he’s going to take it to the top.”
Tijan dunks, thanks fansIt took 31 games for the fans to see what they’ve waited to see all season: a Tijan Jobe dunk. Jobe has been showered with chants of love from the fans all year, and the dunk set off a roar in Conseco Fieldhouse that wouldn’t normally happen when trailing by 18 points.
“Before I say something, I just need to thank the fans,” Jobe said. “Because they’ve been with us from day one until now. We have wonderful fans, and we appreciate what they do for us.”
As for the dunk, like the fans, Jobe has had to wait a long time. He said “it felt good,” but he couldn’t celebrate the play too much because the Hoosiers were losing. He’s heard the fan chants all season — when on the bench that is, he’s “focused” when on the court he said — and enjoys them.
“Oh, yeah, I like it,” he said. “Everybody likes people chanting your name.”
Crean gets first technicalCrean was whistled for his first technical foul as Indiana coach. Crean appeared to be yelling at referee John Hughes early in the first half about a possible carry by Jamelle Cornley. Immediately following a Cornley basket in which he was fouled by Verdell Jones, Hughes called the technical on Crean, giving the Lions three free throws (one for the personal foul, two for the technical foul).
Finkelmeier starts againBrett Finkelmeier, who got his first career start Sunday at Wisconsin, was given the nod to start against Penn State. Crean credited Finkelmeier’s defense for the extra playing time he’s received. His defensive assignment was to guard Talor Battle, the Big Ten’s leading scorer. Battle was limited to just three points, but he did have six assists. Finkelmeier scored two points and had a pair of assists in 25 minutes.
http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/stories/2009/03/13/iusports.qp-9859928.sto
