Hoosiers Host Athletes in Action

October 30, 2001 (Updated on October 31, 2001)

Playing Against Some Competition
After three full weeks of practice Indiana will face competition for the first time this season when it hosts Athletes in Action in an exhibition game on Sunday, November 4 at 1:30 p.m.

Tickets Available
Tickets are still available for the the contest and can be purchased for $23 on the main level and $16 in the balcony. To purchase tickets call 1-866-IUSPORTS or click here.

On the Radio/iuhoosiers.com
The game can be heard live on the IU Radio Network with the pregame show beginning at 12:30 p.m. Don Fischer will call the game on the network which features nearly 50 different radio stations throughout Indiana. He will be joined by former Hoosier Todd Leary. Leary will serve as this season's color analyst. Fans can listen to the game live on-line and follow it statistically as iuhoosiers.com will featured live updates this season.

Inside the Series
Indiana owns a 4-1 mark against Athletes in Action in the last five meetings. Last season the Hoosiers posted an 84-74 victory. Jared Jeffries led the team in scoring with 27 points as five different players scored in double digits. Jeff Newton scored 14 points while Jarrad Odle netted 13 points. Dane Fife added 12 and Kirk Haston had 11. Fife played all 40 minutes while Jeffries saw 37 minutes of action. Newton came off the bench for 32 minutes of action.
In 1999 the Hoosiers posted a 100-85 victory. Kirk Haston tallied 16 points while Kyle Hornsby and Jarrad Odle each scored 13. Dane Fife chipped in 11 points. It was game that saw just one starter play over 20 minutes.
In 1998 Indiana posted a two-point overtime victory 97-95 as four of the five starters played 30+ minutes while in 1997 Athletes in Action won 94-77. In 1996 Indiana was victorious 108-89.

Athletes Have Been in Action
Athletes in Action will be playing its sixth game when they face the Hoosiers. They opened their tour on October 24 with a 99-93 victory against Mount Vernon Nazarene. Six different players scored in double digits, including three who came off of the bench. Damian Long (Harvard '00) led the way with 16 points while Derek Grimm (Missouri '96), John Woods (Missouri '99) and Josh Hall (Warner Southern '99) each added 15.
AIA defeated Kentucky Christian 108-94 on October 27. Hall led the way with 18 points while Grimm netted 17 and Eric Dunn (Oregon '91) added 16.
Prior to meeting the Hoosiers Athletes in Action will face Air Force on October 31, Alabama on November 1 and Bradley on November 3.

35th Tour for AIA
The Athletes in Action Men's Basketball team will take part in its 35th annual Division I pre-season college tour this season. They will play 12 games in 15 days.
AIA is led by Ronnie Grandison (New Orleans '87) who recently completed a 10-year NBA career and David Daniels (Colorado Christian '93) who is entering his eighth season with AIA. Daniels represented Canada in the 2000 Summer Olympics.

Preseason Polls
In the National Rankings
Dick Vitale-17th
Slam-17th
Street & Smith's-17th
Lindy's-24th
The Sporting News-33rd

In the Big Ten Rankings
Basketball America-3rd
Street & Smith's-3rd
Big Ten Media/Coaches-3rd
Athlon-4th
The Sporting News-4th

Individual Honors
Jared Jeffries
o Athlon second team All-American
o Athlon first team All-Big Ten
o Street & Smith's first team All-Big Ten
o Lindy's first team All-Big Ten
o Big Ten Media/Coaches first team All-Big Ten
o Lindy's 4th ranked small forward
o The Sporting News 7th ranked power forward
o The Sporting News first team All-Big Ten
o Wooden Award National Player of the Year Top 50
o Naismith College Basketball Player of the Year Top 30
Tom Coverdale
o Athlon second team All-Big Ten
o Lindy's third team All-Big Ten
Dane Fife
o Athlon Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year
o The Sporting News Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year
Sean Kline
o Street & Smith's Freshman All-Midwest selection

What Is Coming Back
Indiana averaged 70.8 points per game last year and welcomes back 47.1 of those points this season. Jared Jeffries is the team's top returning scorer as he poured in 13.8 points per contest last season. Jeffries is also the team's top returning rebounder as the Big Ten Freshman of the Year pulled down 6.9 boards per game. Tom Coverdale is the team's top returning assist man as he dished out 4.8 assists per game with 163 of them, the fifth-highest single season total in IU history.

Jeffries Excels Against AIA
Sophomore All-American candidate Jared Jeffries led the way with 27 points against AIA last season. His 27 points scored is the second most career points against AIA by any active Hoosier. Dane Fife leads the way with 31 career points in three games. Jeff Newton tallied 22 points in two contests.

Road Warriors
When the Hoosiers open the regular season they will be logging their frequent flyer miles. Indiana opens the 2001-2002 campaign on November 18 at Charlotte. The Hoosiers return home following the game and promptly depart for Alaska on Tuesday, November 20. They will take part in the Great Alaska Shootout November 21-24 (three games) and return home on November 25. Then just two days later it is back on the road and back to North Carolina, this time to face the Tar Heels on November 28. The road swing finally comes to end with game number six on December 1 at Southern Illinois.
The six-game road swing covering 14 days will encompass over 8,600 miles.
The last time the Hoosiers opened a season with six in a row on the road came in 1994-95. Indiana traveled to the Maui Classic, Notre Dame, faced Evansville in Indianapolis and Kentucky in Louisville before opening their home season on December 9. They posted a 2-4 mark and finished the season with a 19-12 overall mark and an 11-7 record in conference play, good for third place in the Big Ten standings.

From Oil to Shoes
Indiana's next exhibition opponent will be Nike Elite which was formerly known as Marathon. The two teams will do battle on November 14 at 7 p.m.

Injury Update
Mike Roberts suffered a right ankle injury on Tuesday at practice and will miss 2-4 weeks. Sean Kline is recovering from a strained pectoral muscle and is listed as questionable for Sunday's game.

Indiana University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Tom Coverdale

Tom Coverdale

Tom Coverdale

Tom Coverdale

Dane Fife

Dane Fife

Dane Fife

Kirk Haston

Kirk Haston

Kyle Hornsby

Kyle Hornsby

Kyle Hornsby

Kyle Hornsby

Sean Kline

Sean Kline

Sean Kline

Sean Kline

Sean Kline

Jeff Newton

Jeff Newton

Jeff Newton

Jeff Newton

Jarrad Odle

Jarrad Odle

Jarrad Odle

Mike Roberts

Mike Roberts

Mike Roberts

Mike Roberts

Mike Roberts

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