Published: April 02, 2008 11:13 pm         

Crean bringing the love back to IU basketball

BLOOMINGTON — When Tom Crean had to explain to his players and the Marquette University administration why he was leaving the school after nine years, he kept coming back to two words. “It’s Indiana.”

The 42-year old Michigan native was introduced as the 28th men’s basketball coach at Indiana University on Wednesday morning and spent his news conference extolling his love for the Hoosiers’ program.

When Crean was growing up, he remembered celebrities coming to nearby Central Michigan University for Special Olympics events and there was no bigger celebrity in his mind than former IU All-American Kent Benson. Crean thought of the 1976 and 1977 NCAA title games — Indiana over Michigan and Marquette over North Carolina, respectively — as major influences on the budding basketball fan. And his first coaching clinic outside of central Michigan was a trip to a Bob Knight clinic.

The former Michigan State assistant said that Assembly Hall was always one of the loudest and toughest arenas for opposing teams. Crean was approached by former South Carolina coach Eddie Fogler, who served as a consultant to the search committee. He said that it was not a business decision or a legacy decision, but rather a decision from the heart.

He knows the history of the program, but his biggest concern is the future. Crean is the third coach in the tumultuous eight seasons since Knight was fired in September of 2000. That time frame has seen Mike Davis get hired on the eve of the 2000-01 season, the Hoosiers go to the 2002 NCAA championship game, the 2003-04 team fail to make any postseason tournament for the first time since 1976-77, Davis’ departure, the hiring of Kelvin Sampson, a recruiting war for Eric Gordon and Sampson resigning under a cloud of possible NCAA violations.

And Crean steps into a situation with AP All-Americans Gordon and D.J. White likely heading to the NBA, starters Armon Bassett and Jamarcus Ellis kicked off the team and several players contemplating transferring. Top recruits Devin Ebanks and Terrell Holloway have clauses in their letters of intent that allow them to be released from their commitments if Sampson is no longer the coach.

“We are not going to be overwhelmed by the challenges, we are going to have to embrace them,” Crean said.

Crean added that it will take time to address the challenges, but it looks like he will be given that time. He signed an eight-year $18.24 million contract that pays him an average of $2.3 million per season.

Crean was under contract to Marquette through 2016 and was reportedly paid about $1.6 million per season.

Jordan Crawford said he would wait until the coach has individual meetings with the players before deciding if he will transfer. Eli Holman is planning to return to California this weekend and will talk with parents and friends before coming to a decision.

Crean met with the players before the news conference and Holman said that Crean was direct and confident in dealing with the players.

“He didn’t beat around the bush and everyone liked it. He’s confident and opened up everyone’s eyes about what he is trying to do here,” Holman said.

Crean said he expects his players to be tough and in top physical condition and once that happens, he expects to have his team get out on the fast break, shoot from outside and work in the lane. He noted that one of his best post players at Marquette was 5-foot-10 guard Dominic James. He also expects his players to be tough defensively.

“Michigan State did a very good of that against us, so hopefully we can do that to other teams,” Crawford said.