Byrd injured in game against Carmel, will miss game Friday

North Montgomery senior and Purdue men’s basketball recruit DJ Byrd received the bad news Wednesday morning.
Missing all the second half of Tuesday’s 80-45 loss to Carmel because of an injury, Byrd found out he had torn a cartilage in his meniscus in his left knee. Byrd will have surgery 7 a.m. today.
Byrd will miss North’s regular season finale Friday at Greencastle, and said he is questionable for the Chargers’ sectional opener March 6 against Danville or Crawfordsville.
Sophomore Andrew Airey will start in Byrd’s spot Friday.
Byrd spent most of Wednesday on crutches.
“When I woke up Wednesday morning I was in a lot of pain,” Byrd said. “But I have been icing it and that has been numbing some of the pain. The amount of pain I have just depends on how I move it.”
With the Chargers running a motion offense, North coach Scott Radeker said not much has to be changed with the Charger offensive scheme. The one thing the Chargers won’t have is a player who can create his own shot like Byrd could.
Without Byrd Tuesday, Radeker still saw on tape his players making good cuts to the basket, but missed inside shots.
“We are going to prepare the same way we do every day,” Radeker said. “We are going to lean more on him not playing, because there is more of a chance that he won’t play. We will just have to see how he progresses in the next eight days.”
Byrd said his knee felt sore before Tuesday’s game. While playing defense in the first half, Byrd felt his knee pop. He came out of the game, then he felt his knee pop again after he came back in. While shooting a 3-pointer late in the opening half, Byrd felt his knee pop again. With 1:06 remaining in the opening half, Byrd left and went straight to the lockerroom.
He finished the game with five points on 1-of-11 shooting from the floor.
Byrd found out about his torn cartilage Wednesday morning when he went to Dr. Robert Hagen in Lafayette. Hagen is the Byrd’s family doctor, having done his mom and sister’s ACL surgery’s and his dad’s hip replacement.
“You have no idea the sick feeling in my stomach,” Radeker said. “Just to see all the work that DJ put in during his high school career, and now he might not be able to play in sectional his senior year. But on the other side of the coin, it could have been a lot worse. And if DJ can’t play in sectional, that hopefully will motivate our kids to win sectional because we will have DJ back for regional more than likely.”
After this morning’s surgery, Byrd will begin rehabilitation with North Montgomery Athletic Trainer Isaac Hook.
“We are going to do what we can to get ready,” said Byrd, who averages 24.3 points and 8.7 rebounds per game “But I also have to look at the big picture and don’t want to push it either.”
Without Byrd, North senior Clay Pierce led the Chargers with 12 points, while junior Colin Maltsberger had 11 points in the loss to Carmel.
“We are going to have to put guys into different roles that they haven’t played before,” Byrd said. “But I’m confident that the other players will step up and play hard, and that’s all you can ask for.”

Big Ten teams don’t deserve media scorn

In the midst of Illinois and Penn State supposedly setting college basketball back 25 years with their atrocious game on Wednesday night (38-33 Penn State at No. 16 Illinois), the play of the Big Ten has been attacked by the national media over the last 48 hours or so.
Change that. The media has been dogging the Big Ten all season.
I am so tired of hearing the same rhetoric that Big Ten hoops is awful and that it doesn’t deserve the notion of being the second best conference in the country, ahead of the Big East and the Big 12.
Guess what folks, the Big Ten is good.
No, they may not be as flashy and full of potential NBA players like Duke and North Carolina, but the Big Ten has good teams.
Notice I didn’t mention the players, I put the team first.
That is what it’s about in the Big Ten. Good coaching first, getting the win at all costs second, the talent of the players down the line.
If the national media wants to pile on the Big Ten for not having a clear-cut dominate team, so what?
Michigan State, Purdue, Illinois and Ohio State are going to slug each other around so hard that by the time the tournament committee gets a hold of them, no matter what team is thrown in the way, it’s going to be a tickle compared to the hard pressure defense and in-your-face plays that are a staple of the Big Ten.
The road to the National Championship isn’t a fashion show or a beauty contest. It’s a boxing match.
The pretty boys with a glass jaw will fall to the wayside by mid-March and the bruised and bloodied dude that is missing a few teeth, has a black eye, smells bad and looks worse is the one that can take a few pops on the chin and dish it out twice as heavy.
Purdue has one guy with a broken back (Robbie Hummel), another wearing a face mask from a broken nose (Chris Kramer) and a few more than have twinges and tweaks.
Some even throw up in a bucket on one possession, then go and play face-to-face man defense the next time down the court a la Lewis Jackson in Tuesday’s win over Michigan State. Guess which puke-breath team won that one?
This kid sees his two mentors, Hummel and Kramer, playing with worse conditions, you don’t think that he’s learning how to be a leader ... as just a freshman?
You know he is thinking, “If they can play, so can I,” and he did, finishing with seven points, six rebounds, three assists and just two turnovers while playing half the game with the flu.
It’s not how pretty you are, its how ugly you get on the way to winning.

MSU/Purdue...the Showdown begins at 7 p.m.

You can smack talk here, I know there will be some Sparty fans from my old neck o'tha woods around here tonight. (I'm a Yooper, and yes, I went to the same school Izzo played bball at, so I am conflicted a bit)

I'll be on here around 6:30 from the court to give my views. Boilers are 2.5 point favs at home tonight...interesting.

Here are some keys:

• Who will win the rebounding battle?
• Can JJ be effective against the big guys MSU has. Suton/Gray are big dudes.
• Will this be a low scoring affair since two of the premier D men (CK and Travis Walton) are going to be shutting down some key players.
• Can Robbie find his touch?
• Will the Boilers be able to go 8 or 9 deep (meaning can Calasan, Green and Riddell step in for a time or two)
• Will the Paint Crew be able to keep the Mackey rockin' and keep the team up, even if they start slow? It didn't happen against Duke.

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*&^%^&%$#@# INTERNET

The server died on press row. We are live now, sorry about that.

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OK, the Boilers are looking good, I have them even in rebounding, which is a MSU strong suit.
The Spartans have been sloppy with the ball, but Purdue has been equally bad with the handle some times. The Hummel threes were electrifying, yet Bobby Riddell got a bigger responce overall.

Getting pics up in minute...be back with more

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Today has been hectic, on and off the court. Thanks for hanging with us...get ready for the start of the half
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HUGE steal by Kramer to start the half. This place is loud, but it will get louder with each possitive possesion for the Boilers and negative ones for MSU
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Smooge with all the time in the world...Purdue builds biggest lead, now up 10. This was a 2.5 fav, but they are on fire. Izzo calls time just 97 seconds in...roh oh Raggy...
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Erin Andrews must paint her pants on. Damn!!!!
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Delvon Roe quiets the Paint Crew for a moment, but JJ comes back. The tempo is picking up, State's going to try to wear out the Boilers with their speed.
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Keys for second half:
• Get Walton in foul trouble, PU doesn't need him around to torment them...this game will go the distance. Hummel just added a steal and E'T gave them the biggest lead of the game (39-28).
• Keep letting the Spartans shoot. It's not pretty. You can tell when it leaves thier hand it's going to be off. Just a bad shooting night for Sparty.

Hummel has been a beast, mostly just as a presence. His first two shots really made the spartans think twice of leaving him open. He is a huge factor in this game right now.
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Marcus Green, a steal, a miss, a steal a make...that's called being productive off the bench!
To continue on Marcus. He has SHOWN UP!!! This place is nuts...at least I don't have a headache...hmmm, my normal female fan isn't behind me screaming...could be why.
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Big Ten refs...catch the excitement. It's life a good episode of LOST...You never know what's going to happen!!!
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I had written Keaton Grant off after he started in a slump, broke out briefly and slipped back in. He's hitting some shots finally...but I won't say he is out of his clump yet.
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MSU fighting to stay within 10. Right now the Boilers need to make a stand for the next three minutes, hold to 10 and makes sure that they demoralize Sparty. Of course, MSU is doing a good job on their own.
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JJ with the block...don't call it a jump ball. He stuffed Suton! Hummell is just millimeters off his shot, which means he's close to well. I will be interetsed to see how he feels tomorrow
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7:28 - 59-45 Purdue: Kramer gets away with a kick...purdue will have the ball, this is balls to the walls time for the Green and White...they need a stop to get back in this. Looks for for Boiler Nation right now.
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Purdue hits 60 points. I never thought that would happen in a game like this. Key stat: Purdue has never won when they give up 64+, looks like a good sign for them in this game as well
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Moore twists his knee with 6:47 left. Left knee, Grant comes in for him. still a 14 pt lead for the Boilers...they need to slow down...NEVER MIND! JJ with a JAM and a half!
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MSU with its 20th turnover, Kramer is pumped...the game is over. Let's stay healthy now kids..get ready to pound IU.
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I'm not sure on putting Hummel back in, maybe if it was a 6-8 pts lead...Kramer is proving he STILL is the best defensive player in the Big Ten.
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Game, set, match. The subs are in...Purdue will win. Thanks for joining us...

New Tuesday Profile: Creasy Clauser

ARNIE AURELLANO
Journal Review
NEW MARKET — Creasy Clauser is far from a typical high school senior.
She’s one of the most decorated student runners in Southmont High School and Montgomery County history. She also plays varsity basketball, plays the clarinet in marching band, concert band and pep band, performs as a drum major, and is involved in Key Club, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, National Honor Society, Science Club and the student ambassadors.
She manages to do all of it while maintaining a top 10 GPA among Southmont seniors. Oh, and she has a state High School Heisman sitting on a shelf in her bedroom.
All of which begs the question: When does she sleep?
“I get seven and a half, eight hours of sleep at night no matter what,” said Clauser, who gets up five days a week at 6:15 a.m. “That’s more than a lot of people my age get.”
That seems like an accomplishment in itself, given her daily grind. It’s all just business as usual for Clauser, though. If anything, her years of involvement in sports and extracurricular activities have taught her how to organize.
One look in her student planner reveals a neatly arranged, though heavily packed, day-to-day schedule, with every weekday having time allotted for at least one afterschool activity.
“This week is actually a light week,” she chuckled.
So why does she continue to push herself during a time when many kids her age are winding down their high school years, kicking back, and taking a little senior break?
“The reason that I do everything is that I really like being involved,” Clauser said. “I can’t stand not doing something. If I was sitting at home, I would go crazy.
“I don’t really think it’s that hard,” she said. “I’ve learned how to be a really good time manager. I can multi-task. Honestly, I guess I just really like being busy.
“My mom even said sometimes that I overexert myself, but you know, that’s just who I am. I love to push myself.”
Clauser, who is named after her maternal grandmother — Creasy is her grandmother’s maiden name — has seen that drive pay dividends on the track. A four-season veteran of the Mounties’ track and cross country teams, Clauser has received many accolades over the years for her running, culminating in a second place finish in last year’s 800-meter dash at the state tournament.
According to her, she owes it all to her parents, Brenda and Allan Clauser.
“My parents pretty much made it possible for me to do whatever I wanted to do whenever I wanted to do it,” she said. “They were very supportive, and they always have been.
They put a lot of good morals in me about hard work and effort.
“In the beginning, they pushed me a lot. They had me join a lot of different activities and sports teams so I could find out what I liked. Once I started running, they just got behind me 100 percent. They helped push me so much, and the work ethic that they gave me is something that made me a better runner.”
Her father, Clauser said, was a big influence in her decision to become a runner.
“My dad was the one who got me started in seventh grade. He was a runner all through high school.
He was always saying, ‘You’ve got to be a runner, you’re built to be a runner, you’ve got to run.’ I hated running, hated it with a passion. I just refused. Sometimes, I cried when we ran laps. But my dad just kept encouraging me, and I tried out for track in seventh grade and just absolutely loved it.”
Clauser said she gets some of her competitive nature from her dad.
“I hate to lose. I hate it, she said, smiling. “I’d do anything to win.”
Always a gracious competitor, Clauser also credits her coaches for her development as an athlete.
“Our head coach, Coach (Marvin) Walters, he’s been amazing. I don’t know how he keeps doing it. He’s been such a good influence and I’ve learned so much from him.
“Also, (Southmont track/cross country assistant) Coach Lindsay Carlile, he’s been the best person in the entire world for me. He gets inside my head and he knows how to motivate me to go faster. I couldn’t be where I am without him.”
“I’m more of a guilt motivated person,” Clauser said, smiling. “Coach knows that.”
Clauser also praises Reasley Thompson, the girls basketball coach at Southmont, for doing his part in helping her develop athletically.
“Coach T is awesome,” she said. “We had a rough start to our basketball program here. I didn’t have the same coach two years in a row since I started until he came along. He’s been so supportive of me since he’s been here, again, pushing me, helping me get better. It’s just easy to see that I wouldn't be the player I am if it wasn’t for him.”
Despite all of her athletic and extracurricular achievements, Clauser never neglects her other commitments.
She maintains a 4.0 grade point average on a weighted scale, good for sixth in the senior class. Her favorite classes are AP biology and calculus.
She also sets aside time during some of her mornings to tutor.
Outside of school, she always makes sure to keep her Sundays open for her church activities — a faithful member of New Hope Christian Church, she is involved in the Youth Leadership Council and attends youth group meetings every week.
Clauser said her busy schedule sometimes gets in the way of her personal life. She recently had to bow out of seeing a movie with friends because her schedule is packed so tightly. Still, the easygoing Clauser knows that life can’t be all work and no play, and she makes time accordingly to relax and unwind.
“I love Guitar Hero,” she said. “Right now, my favorite song is ‘Rooftops’ (by Lostprophets).”
While the end of basketball season will afford Clauser a little more free time, she’ll soon be adjusting to a new schedule. A couple of weeks ago, she committed to Rose-Hulman Institute of technology, where she’ll study biomedical engineering and continue her on-track efforts.
She said she will “probably join the band” and get involved with the college’s faith and fellowship organizations, which, according to her, were a big draw to the school.
“Rose-Hulman has a really nice chapel with regular Sunday service, which I found helpful,” she said.
“And they’ve got two or three fellowship organizations in Terre Haute and a few more on campus that I want to get involved with.”
Clearly, Clauser has every intention of taking her busy schedule with her to college
“I wouldn’t know what to do with myself if I didn’t,” she said.
Out of all the things on her plate, though, it doesn’t take long for her to pick out her first love.
“Track. Definitely track,” she said. “Band is a really close second, but if I had to pick one, I’d have to say track.
“I’m a runner. I just love being out on the track, going as fast as I can.”

Boiler debut new uniforms

Video at the bottom, includes thoughts from Chris Kramer and Keaton Grant...

Live from Purdue/Penn State

Welcome from a soggy Mackey Arena this Wednesday evening. Jon Sicotte courtside for Penn State and Purdue. Log in, make comments and tell us how good the Boilers can do tonight. They are 10.5 point favorites against a Nittany Lion team that they lost to earlier this season.

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Expect a 3 guard, two post set to start the game. Robbie Hummel is in uniform, but that doesn't mean much since he has suited up for the last two games as well. Right now expect JJ, Calasan, Moore, KG and CK to start. Jackson and Marcus Green will sub in frequently.

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Players hit the court. CK has a new mask, more form-fitting, he also also switched to a black headband to secure it instead of gold...a possible good luck charm?

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Starting lineup: LewJack, E'Twaun, JuJuan Johnson, Chris Kramer and Keaton Grant.

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Good pace to start for the Boiler, leading 5-2 early, 5-5 now. JJ and LewJack almost connected for a Top 10 SC nominee...maybe next time. JJ looks toygh on the boards. He's playing with instensity and Purdue is now up 7-5.

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A three by KG and a first-possesion turnover, a good start...3-0 Purdue 18:36
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13:21 to go, tied at 9. Bobby Riddell makes his way into the game. Good to see the bench opening up for the guards. It may hurt the overall talent of the team for a few minutes, but it could help down the stretch.
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A great defensive stand, but once again, an offensive rebound by Penn State. Calasan takes another ill-advised 3-pointer, it goes in though. The big man likes the long ball. He's a 30.6 percent 3-point shooter, so it's scary when he lines one up...but 14-11 Boilers thanks to the shot. 11:47 left in the first.
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An ugly set of bad shots, but a good defensive stand before Calasan tried -- and failed -- on a 3-point attempt. Coach Painter talks about poor shot selection, I wonder who he is talking about?
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A turnover and sweet behind the back save by LewJack leads to a bucket by Smooge. PSU tried to take the momentum away, but Purdue effectivly gets it back. Down two (22-20, 5:41)
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4:13, 25-22 Boilers. Bobby Buckets comes up big. A defensive stop on one end, Purdue takes its time to set up a shot and Bobby Riddell makes a currently, game-changing three to take back the lead.
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Purdue will head to the half with a lead. It's been a rough and tumble Big-Ten first type of first half. The Boilers will have to take it a step better in the second half to win.
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The fans demand, he delivers. 17:15 35-28 Purdue, Bobby Buckets rains on the Lions.
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A 9-2 run to start the second half, 4:01 total. The shots from Riddell and Calasan have woken up the crowd. Not like that needs much to spark the Paint Crew. It's looking good right now. The defensive pressure could be stepped up a notch if they want to drive out the Lions.
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With that layup, Riddell is outscoring JJ in the game, 11-7. Just saying. Now his third trey in the corner...um, the Lafayette faithful are loving this. The Bobby Buckets chants are going during the timeout. (Note, 11 points is Riddell's career best, his former best was 10 against Chicago State on Dec. 6, 2005)
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A strong start blew the lead up to 18 points, but Penn State is still fighting, now 49-33 with 11:33 to go. The Boilers have stuck to the hard defense and the refs are letting them play, to the shagrin of the Boiler faithful, but that's Big Ten basketball.
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Key stat, PSU leader Talor Battle's line so far: 0-7 from the field (0-4 from 3) and five assists. That helps. JJ is a monster on the boards still, now couting at 11 with 12 points to lead the team.
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Mid-game grades:
Bench - B+ (Bobby Buckets has been electricfying, Nemmy is doing well (despite his three-point shooter delusions of granduer), Green has been ineffective for the most part.
JJ - 14 and 12, good line, he's been solid, he gets the A
LewJack - great on D, has been making good drives...a solid B+
KG - just seems to be there, but it's OK, because the rest of the cast is doing well...C+
CK - solid, does what he does, be a pest...A-
E-Twaun - making PSU watch him makes him valuable, he's shooting well....B+
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Taking stupid shots could be the downfall, they need to take 20 seconds to set up a shot at this point.
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3:34 to go, I didn't think this would be a "cover" game for the Boilers (for you gamblers out there), but that's all that is left to wonder in this game. Penn State, unless they come out of this TO on fire, will fall and the 2-game skid will be over. Great job by the Purdue bench in this one.