Hoosiers don't plan to phone it in

For those confused by what's happening with Indiana basketball these days, here's a helpful guide:

Gordon & Ellis aren't a law firm, they're the Hoosiers' new high-flying guards.

Ice Miller isn't a clutch-shooting point guard, it's the Indianapolis law firm charged with sorting the truth from the fibs when it comes to Kelvin Sampson and Co.'s phone-call issues.

Ice Miller recently delivered its official report on Indiana's rule-skirting venture, which gives the NCAA's infractions committee something meaty and contradictory to consider as it evaluates Sampson's second problem in as many years.

Until the NCAA weighs in, though, Indiana plows full-steam ahead into its most highly anticipated season since Bob Knight owned Bloomington, Ind.

When the Associated Press poll was released Friday, the Hoosiers showed up at No. 9. That's the program's highest preseason ranking since 1994 -- and just three spots shy of its top rating at any point in the last 15 seasons.

That's what teaming fourth-year center D.J. White with freshman guard Eric "E.J." Gordon can do for a school.

White, whose enormous talents have been compromised in recent years because of injuries, finally delivered last summer in the Pan-Am Games.

The 6-foot-9 White, who recently turned 21, led Team USA with 16.8 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, even though several countries featured professional veterans far older.

"I think it helped out a lot. That was probably the best I've played," said White, who also got to scrimmage with NBA players. "It proved to me that I think I can play at that next level."

"D.J.'s a terrific player," Sampson said. "But big guys are as good as your guards. D.J. can't carry the team by himself."

That's where Gordon, who likely would have been an NBA lottery pick if the rules had allowed him to go straight to the pros from Indianapolis' North Central High School, comes into play.

While sophomore Armon Bassett (9.5 ppg, 3.0 apg) holds down the point, the celebrated Gordon should take the defense's focus away from White.

Of course, Sampson focused first on the other half of Gordon's game.

"The thing that's jumped out to me about him so far, he really defends the ball," Sampson said. "Eric can score in the full court. He can score in the half court. Make 3s. He gets to the free-throw line. He can pass. He's pretty good."

Gordon piled up 24 points in 32 minutes during Indiana's 121-76 exhibition victory over North Alabama on Sunday.

In Gordon and junior-college transfer Jamarcus Ellis, a Chicago native, Indiana has a pair of wing players who aren't afraid to put it on the floor and head to the basket.

There's also lesser-known freshman guard Jordan Crawford, who lit up North Alabama for 30 points in 22 minutes by hitting 6 of 6 3-pointers.

Sampson felt his guards' limited offensive arsenal was Indiana's No. 1 problem during last year's low-scoring ride to a 21-11 season.

"At this time last year that I really thought there was a chance we could get shut out some nights," Sampson said. "I didn't know where we were going to score. I was trying to figure out, 'Who's going to penetrate on this team? We've only got two guys who can dribble.' "

That won't be an issue this season unless the NCAA decides the impermissible phone calls make this season one giant turnover.

Presuming that doesn't happen, though, the Hoosiers will chase every trophy and championship banner available.

That includes a trip to the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates on Nov. 23-24 as the headlining act for the second Chicago Invitational Challenge.

"You never know how it plays out," White said. "Hopefully we're at the very top when it's all said and done."