Firings irk Butler coach
Indiana let Crean go on Thursday
Indiana University made public the decision to part ways with men’s basketball coach Tom Crean within minutes of the tipoff for Thursday’s slate of games in the NCAA Tournament.
At the same time, the Butler Bulldogs, who share the state with the Hoosiers, were in Milwaukee for an openinground game.
Coincidence? Maybe.
But the announcement sure stole some of No. 4 Butler’s thunder after it eliminated No. 13 Winthrop, 76-64, at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.
After the game, Bulldogs coach Chris Holtmann was asked for his thoughts on the decision regarding Crean, who had been at Indiana for nine seasons but failed to reach the big dance twice in the last four years.
“Did that happen?” Holtmann said after a reporter asked him for his reaction during his postgame news conference.
Holtmann didn’t care about the news cycle. He was upset that another coach had gotten fired.
“I don’t know what to say to that,” he continued. “I’ve got a lot of respect for Tom and how his team plays. I had one of my closest friends lose a job not too long ago at Illinois, and listen, we all get into this knowing the deal.
“Do I disagree with those decisions? Absolutely. Absolutely I do. Am I biased? Do I disagree with the decision at Illinois? Absolutely. They don’t care.”
Holtmann was especially upset about the firing March 11 of Illini coach John Groce, who compiled a 95-75 record in five seasons. The two are good friends and it bothered him to see one of his peers let go.
“I know how hard that guy works, and I know how committed he was to his players, and I believe he was really close to turning the corner,” Holtmann said. “We know what we bargain for in this whole deal. Everybody wants to be here now, and when you’re not here, people get upset.”
Some reports have mentioned Holtmann as a possible candidate to fill Crean’s job.
Phase one: This isn’t the last you’ll hear of Middle Tennessee State.
At least that’s the Blue Raiders’ plan.
Last year they knocked off Michigan State to become the first No. 15 seed to win an NCAA Tournament game.
They followed up that upset with a 75-50 disaster against Syracuse in the second round.
This time, they didn’t come to the tournament just happy to be there.
“I loved our team last year,” coach Kermit Davis said. “I just think our depth and our experience and the amount of games we’ve won, the teams that we’ve beaten on our schedule (makes it different).”
On Saturday the Blue Raiders will face Butler, another defensive-oriented team that wins a lot despite not being one of the big dogs.
“I took this program over 15 years ago,” Davis said. “My biggest goal was trying to get our program to be like Butler. The stability, what they’ve done, all those things that are important. I think it’s going to be a heck of a basketball game.”
Missing piece: Former UW-Milwaukee guard Akeem Springs sported a boot on his injured right leg as he got around on crutches at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on Thursday afternoon.
Springs, who transferred to Minnesota after UWM coach Rob Jeter was dismissed after last season, tore his Achilles’ tendon during the Big Ten tournament.
His new team, the Golden Gophers, entered the NCAA Tournament seeded fifth but fell to No. 12 Middle Tennessee State.
“Akeem is one of our main leaders, so of course it’s going to leave a big impact,” forward Jordan Murphy said after the game. “Volume shooter. I think he’s a good threepoint shooter. It’s going to affect us in some way. Other guys have to step up. I mean, we tried our best without him.”
Foul language: The way Minnesota coach Richard Pitino came bursting out of the huddle to berate an official made it seem like he had been the victim of an uncalledfor technical foul.
The Gophers had just scored and called a timeout when Pitino got teed up.
“I yelled at the ref and he gave me a technical,” Pitino said. “I deserved it.”