Nov. 22
I recently spoke to Indiana coach Mike Davis. Last year, he did an amazing job guiding the Hoosiers in their run to the Final Four. It was incredible, beating Duke in the Elite Eight and a sensational Oklahoma team in the national semifinal.

	Point guard Tom Coverdale is the leading returning scorer for Indiana.

What about this year's Indiana team? The Hoosiers will miss Mr. Versatility, Jared Jeffries, an inside-outside performer who left after his second year, joining the Washington Wizards. Can Indiana replace Mr. Jeffries this season?

According to Davis, who doesn't back down in any way, the Hoosier perimeter game will be as good as any in America. Having a veteran point guard like Tom Coverdale, who can make shots from the perimeter and knows how to lead, plus Kyle Hornsby on the wing, who is automatic, gives Davis good reason to be confident.

The Hoosiers, who open their season Monday at the Maui Classic against Massachusetts, have also added diaper dandy Bracey Wright, whom Davis raves about. Wright is from Texas, where he was a teammate of Illinois newcomer Deron Williams. It will be fun to watch them go head-to-head when the Hoosiers and Illini meet.

Indiana is ecstatic about Wright, who should be an instant impact performer. The Hoosiers also have talent coming off the bench in Donald Perry, who possesses tremendous quickness and can create havoc on the defensive end, and another diaper dandy, Marshall Strickland.

The big question up front is simple: Can George Leach give them the shot blocking they expect, plus offensive play in the post? Will Jeffrey Newton be a more consistent performer? He showed potential with his performance in the NCAAs against Oklahoma.

Another important player on the baseline is A.J. Moye, whom Davis can use on the inside in a rotation with Leach and Newton. Also keep an eye on Sean Kline, who has improved over the summer.

This Indiana team will be up with the big guys in the battle for the Big Ten title. If the players have half the positive attitude and optimism that Davis shows, they will be tough to beat.

Hoosier basketball will be among the top 20 all season once again. Davis has weathered the storm early in his career as the replacement for icon Robert Montgomery Knight. Davis showed great passion and enthusiasm, and he is setting the tone for continued Hoosier Hysteria by bringing in talented recruits like Wright and Strickland.