2017 TOP STORIES: IU gives Crean the boot

  • Comments
  • Print
Listen to this story

Subscriber Benefit

As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
0:00
0:00
Loading audio file, please wait.
  • 0.25
  • 0.50
  • 0.75
  • 1.00
  • 1.25
  • 1.50
  • 1.75
  • 2.00
Crean Crean

March Madness took on a whole new meaning in Bloomington when, after nine up-and-down seasons, Indiana University Athletic Director dropped the ax on men’s basketball Coach Tom Crean.

The announcement came just as the NCAA tournament tipped off.

IU had not qualified for the tournament and was bounced from the first round of the NIT after Glass opted to send the team on the road to take on Georgia Tech, despite IU’s having a higher seed. The Hoosiers lost to Georgia Tech by 12 in a lackluster performance.

The week after the game, Glass called Crean in for a meeting—sources said to terminate him—but Crean told Sports Illustrated he opted to skip the meeting and instead departed to Florida for a vacation with his family.

Crean was heralded for rescuing the program after Coach Kelvin Sampson went afoul of NCAA regulations and was fired in 2008.

Crean developed such players as Cody Zeller and Victor Oladipo and took the Hoosiers to four NCAA tournaments after leading the program through a period during which it was saddled with heavy NCAA sanctions.

More recently, though, Crean was criticized for his failure to recruit Indiana high school stars and to develop the players—including Thomas Bryant—that he did land.•

Click here for other 2017 year-in-review stories.

Please enable JavaScript to view this content.

Story Continues Below

Editor's note: You can comment on IBJ stories by signing in to your IBJ account. If you have not registered, please sign up for a free account now. Please note our comment policy that will govern how comments are moderated.

Get the best of Indiana business news. ONLY $1/week Subscribe Now

Get the best of Indiana business news. ONLY $1/week Subscribe Now

Get the best of Indiana business news. ONLY $1/week Subscribe Now

Get the best of Indiana business news. ONLY $1/week Subscribe Now

Get the best of Indiana business news.

Limited-time introductory offer for new subscribers

ONLY $1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Get the best of Indiana business news.

Limited-time introductory offer for new subscribers

ONLY $1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Get the best of Indiana business news.

Limited-time introductory offer for new subscribers

ONLY $1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Get the best of Indiana business news.

Limited-time introductory offer for new subscribers

ONLY $1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In