Saturday, November 27, 2004
The great White hype
was less than impressive in Indiana's first game. If D.J. lives up to expectations, Mike Davis may get to coach Marco Killingsworth in a game. But if White falters, Marco may be looking at his third coach in three years.Ever since he signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Indiana University, freshman D.J. White has been heralded as a player who could make a difference. A 6-9 forward from Tuscaloosa, Ala., White was a consensus top 15 player in the 2004 recruiting class. He was the Alabama Player of the Year, a McDonald's All-American and believed to be the Hoosiers' answer to an undersized front court.
Then came White's numbers in a season-opening 56-52 victory over Indiana State on Tuesday night: 19 minutes, four points and one rebound. Both baskets were dunks...One of the most obvious [mistakes] was on out-of-bounds plays under the IU basket. Three times, Marshall Strickland couldn't get the ball in and all three times he motioned to White after the play, as if to say the freshman forward needed to come down the lane and position himself inside.
"I don't have an excuse. I just lost focus out there," White said.
