Indiana Men's Basketball: Scholarship Numbers Don't Add Up; Someone Has to Go

It is well documented that the Indiana University men's basketball team, one of the most storied programs in all of college sports, is enduring its worst season ever. There are a variety of reasons for this, dating back to the firing of Bob Knight and culminating with the Kelvin Sampson cell phone scandal.

Now, I could sit here all day and discuss the lack of morals, inattention to academics, and "win at all costs" philosophy displayed by Sampson, but rather than dwelling on the past, I'm choosing to look to the future.

Tom Crean was handed the reins of a broken program and asked to put it back together piece by piece. He salvaged a respectable recruiting class entering his first year as coach, but out of necessity, he also handed out eight scholarships in the process.

The staff currently has another large class signed for next year. Combine the scholarship players from this year's team that will be back next year and the incoming signees for next year, and the numbers don't add up.

By NCAA rule, teams can oversign by one scholarship to protect themselves in the event of a transfer or a player leaving early for the NBA.

The Hoosiers have taken advantage of this clause and have 14 players signed for 13 spots. In other words, a player that is currently on scholarship will not be around next year. But who?

Definitely Back: DUMES, PRITCHARD, RIVERS

Devan Dumes, Tom Pritchard, and Jeremiah Rivers will not only still be around next year, they'll also be starters.

A glaring weakness of this year's team is its lack of experience. Of the nine players getting the most minutes, only one was on the team last year, Kyle Taber. Dumes, Pritchard, and Rivers will bring the leadership and experience needed to win in the Big Ten.

Safe for Now: ROTH, STORY

Matt Roth and Malik Story are the two most interesting players on this year's squad. While they have both proved to be offensive assets, their inconsistency keeps them on the chopping block.

Early in the year, Matt Roth looked to be the prime candidate while assessing which player does not fit into Crean's system. However, in recent games, Roth has displayed his lethal long-range shot. Most recently, Roth went 9-11 from behind the arc against Ohio State.

Can't help but compare Roth to Steve Novak, who played under Crean at Marquette. Lacking an all-around game, Novak specialized in the three-ball, much like Roth. Now all the Hoosiers need to do is find their Dwyane Wade.

Malik Story, like Roth, has been inconsistent. He has looked like the best player on the floor at times, and other times he has looked lost. The thing about Malik that has caught the attention of the coaching staff is his tremendous upside.

Story has demonstrated exceptional athleticism and offensive ability, which is something that the Hoosier team is lacking. Hoosier fans may have to endure the head-scratching, questionable decisions at times, but Story is going to be a regular contributor for the next four years.

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