The Tipoff

Let’s check in, shall we, on the Hoosiers and Boilermakers. Two programs headed in different directions? That’s about to change.

Some schools’ student sections go all out in the name of free-throw diversion. Waving arms, jumping as one, a man wearing next to nothing (see Duke University’s “Speedo Guy”)—not much is off limits. And then there are the giant heads in Assembly Hall’s Crimson Guard.

The Big Ten’s first African-American player to appear in a game marks the 65th anniversary of his not-so-subtle feat.

As the season begins Friday at Assembly Hall, not only are fans excited, but so are former players. With so many talented and experienced athletes on this year’s squad, look for IU to try a lot of different lineups early in the season. Here are a few things that I and my fellow former Hoosiers talk about when we’re discussing how far this team can go.

Their roles will need to be more significant and their learning curve will be steeper, but the five freshmen for Purdue are actually as good as IU’s vaunted incoming class. What gives IU the edge this year is its veteran supporting cast. (Who would you take, Cody Zeller or Sandi Marcius?) But the Boiler newbies come into this season with their own pedigree.

Everyone remembers the shot. IU down by one. Six ticks left. Jumper, 16 feet out, Keith Smart fading, fading left to the baseline. There’s a lot of catching up to do. Here’s what Smart and his teammates are up to now.

Yogi brings so many things—his change of speed, change of direction, his ability to shoot the three, his ability to play in transition, his ability to shoot the pull-up. Now he’s adding the ability to explode around people, and he’ll continue to get better at that.

Test article for Time Limit

His first business venture was a magazine called Student at the age of 16.[3] In 1970, he set up an audio-record mail-order business. In 1972, he opened a chain of record stores, Virgin Records, later known as Virgin Megastores. Branson’s Virgin brand grew rapidly during the 1980s, as he set up Virgin Atlantic Airways and expanded the Virgin Records music label.

“The IU culture actually started to change back in the spring of 2011. The players we had started to mature. Work ethics that had been substandard got a lot better. I think what they started to absorb was that there was going to be real competition for playing time. It’s been fun to watch.”

Wry, folksy, animated, and, of course, salty, Bob Knight had the crowd snorting and guffawing at the Gathering Place in Greenwood last night, for A Knight to Remember, a fundraiser benefitting the Greenwood Public Library. Here, a few of the highlights.

All right, Indiana fans—let’s be realistic about things here. Before you anoint this year’s team as National Champions in the preseason, you should come to the realization that it’s just not going to happen. Sure, there will be plenty of wins and a high tournament seed, but that’s about the extent of it.

The Sporting News ranks his Indiana Hoosiers the No. 1 team in the nation, as does the first USA Today/ESPN poll of this college basketball season, just released on Oct. 17. In the 2011-12 campaign, Zeller was the co-Big Ten freshman of the year, helping IU to a Sweet Sixteen showing in the NCAA tournament. Here, our November 2011 prelude to his success.