Indiana-Northwestern Preview

2/23/2008 11:11 AM

By CHRIS ALTRUDA
STATS Editor

Three-quarters of a million dollars may have ended the distraction surrounding Indiana with regards to now ex-coach Kelvin Sampson. It almost created a new one before the Hoosiers' Big Ten game Saturday at Northwestern.

Interim coach Dan Dakich will have all his players available for his first game as the Hoosiers play the Wildcats at Welsh-Ryan Arena.

No. 15 Indiana (22-4, 11-2) and Sampson reached agreement on a $750,000 buyout Friday, seven days after the NCAA reported the coach committed five "major" violations and noted he failed to meet the "generally recognized high standard of honesty'' expected in college sports and failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance within the program.

"While I'm saddened that I will not have the opportunity to coach these student-athletes, I feel that this is in the best interest of the program for me to step away at this time,'' Sampson said in a statement released by the university. "I wish my players nothing but the best for the remainder of the season.''

The terms of the buyout - $550,000 of which was provided by an anonymous donor - also included a key provision that Sampson could not file a lawsuit against the university, and athletic director Rick Greenspan appeared relieved both sides were able to reach an agreement allowing them to move forward.

"It was a decision that was reached quite honestly in both parties' best interests," said Greenspan, who hired Sampson in March 2006, two months before the NCAA penalized him for making 577 impermissible phone calls between 2000-04 while coaching at Oklahoma. "There was not a great appetite on either party's part to be involved in potentially contentious litigation that I think this helps the team, the players, the university heal quicker.

"And I think it gives coach Sampson an opportunity at the hearing in Seattle come June to make his case as he sees fit."

Sampson, who has said he has never intentionally provided false or misleading information to NCAA investigators, will appear before its Committee on Infractions to refute the allegations in the NCAA report.

Dakich is a familiar and comfortable name to the Hoosiers fan base, having played under Bobby Knight from 1982-85 and serving as an assistant under the all-time winningest men's Division I coach from 1985-97. He returned to Indiana this season after coaching Bowling Green for 10 years, and that experience - plus the lack of any past brushes with the NCAA - was what appealed to Greenspan in naming him interim coach.

While Dakich has the support of Indiana's administration, it was uncertain if he had the support of all his players, who wanted fellow assistant Ray McCallum to take over. Six players - most notably Big Ten player of the year frontrunner and starting power forward D.J. White - did not participate in Dakich's first practice on Friday afternoon.

Most of the players, though, did return for an evening walkthrough, and they were all on board the team bus Saturday morning as it left Bloomington.

"I think our young men are respectful and respectful of Indiana University," Greenspan said. "They have a chance to have a special season, and my hope is that as we heal emotionally and get accustomed to the staff, they'll continue to play for that special season."

Fellow starters Armon Bassett, Jamarcus Ellis and key players Jordan Crawford, DeAndre Thomas and Brandon McGee also skipped afternoon practice Friday.

Perhaps the biggest name among the Hoosiers players - likely Big Ten newcomer of the year and freshman sensation Eric Gordon - was also the most quiet. Gordon is averaging a conference-best 21.7 points, has already set a single-season school record with 542 points and averaged 24.3 points in three games since the school announced its second probe of Sampson last week.

He had 22 points, going 13-for-15 from the foul line, as the Hoosiers defeated archrival and No. 14 Purdue 77-68 on Tuesday. White had 19 points and 15 rebounds despite playing with a hyperextended knee, and Bassett made all four of his 3-point attempts and added 16 points.

Northwestern (7-17, 0-13) has lost six straight, including a disheartening 53-51 loss at Iowa on Tuesday. Craig Moore had 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Wildcats, who blew a 14-point second-half lead in losing their 18th straight Big Ten regular-season contest.

Gordon and White combined for 55 points as Indiana pulled away for a 75-63 victory Feb. 3 at Assembly Hall, its fourth straight win over Northwestern.