Teams embrace atmosphere in Indy

INDIANAPOLIS | Freshman Marshall Plumlee walked onto the court set up inside Lucas Oil Stadium on Thursday and took a deep breath.

Indianapolis to host historic coaching rematch in NCAA tournament

INDIANAPOLIS | Louisville forward Chane Behanan flipped on the television in his Indianapolis hotel room Saturday morning to see his coach — albeit with fewer wrinkles and less salt and pepper in his hair — standing on a sideline surrounded by Kentucky blue. He watched again and again the fi…

Louisville birddogs Ducks on defense, advances to Elite Eight

INDIANAPOLIS | Some of it was Hoosier crimson to be sure, but the crowd at Friday's opening game at the Midwest Regional had a definite red bend.

Dawson's defense keeps Duke guard off his game

INDIANAPOLIS | With three region natives already advancing to the Elite Eight, Lew Wallace graduate Branden Dawson had work to do if he wanted to become the fourth.

Louisville's press already troubling Oregon's offense

Oregon forward E.J. Singler says even with six players on defense, the Ducks can't replicate Louisville's press.

Sweet Sixteen brings meeting of the minds to Indy

Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo says he was sitting at the breakfast table filling out brackets with his 13-year-old son when he noticed the Midwest Region remained largely blank.

Northwest Indiana natives help power Michigan on the hardwood

CHICAGO | Spike Albrecht poked Glenn Robinson III and told him to look out the window as the Michigan bus barreled down the Borman Expressway on Wednesday afternoon.

Friends grieve NFL's latest tragedy

Kyle Yelton remembers the hot summer weekend back in college when he and three friends stopped at his parents' house in Chesterton on the way back from a road trip to Ohio.

Penn State sanctions shaking Big Ten

CHICAGO | Tim Beckman stepped to the podium, looked into the camera and declared that he did not step foot on Penn State's campus this week.

UIC coach Stew Robinson remembers Hollywood close-up in 'Season on the Brink'

Stew Robinson remembers John Feinstein sitting on the sidelines for every practice of the 1985-86 basketball season. He remembers looking up from the court and seeing Feinstein in the stands for each game. Feinstein had earned the trust of legendarily temperamental Indiana coach Bob Knight, …

REGION COLLEGIANS: Dumezich repeats as All-American

Texas A&M junior Mel Dumezich was named a Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-American for the second time in as many years, the organization announced.

Region Collegians: Shields honored for weight room work

College baseball

Merrillville man reunites with Sox skipper at children's hospital

Ryan Reithel spent much of the 1991 baseball season riding for an hour in his parents' car from their Merrillville home to a Chicago hospital, where he was being treated for Burkitt's lymphoma.

Region Collegians: Hobart grad picks up 100th career win as softball coach

College baseball

'Stars' skaters shine beyond Olympic gold

Ekaterina Gordeeva laughs when fans approach her and her bouncy blonde 10-year-old daughter to comment on how Daria has grown.

For love and the game

INDIANAPOLIS | Candlestick Park was a wet, muddy mess when Zak DeOssie snapped the football to Steve Weatherford for a game-winning, Super Bowl bid-clinching, 31-yard field goal in overtime. The ball slipped low to the ground, and securing it against the bluegrass would be easy as balancing …

Hoosier, Illini players bond on Giants O-line

INDIANAPOLIS | James Brewer painstakingly decorated the New York Giants' offensive line room for Christmas, carefully crafting holiday décor and even building a faux fireplace to adorn one wall.

Ninkovich's long journey has stop in Super Bowl

Rob Ninkovich remembers well the day New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton told him his only hope at an NFL career was to become a long snapper.

Region-born Weatherford gives back to downstate hometown

INDIANAPOLIS | Steve Weatherford, like every member of the Giants, has been busy this Super Bowl week. Between press conferences, practices and team meetings, there's hardly time to grab lunch with teammates or step outside the team hotel.

Chicago native talks about life on the practice squad

It's Super Bowl Media Day, and Britt Davis stands on the sidelines at Lucas Oil Stadium — the same place he'll be for Sunday's game. Davis has spent the season as a wide receiver for the Patriots, but as a member of the practice squad he has yet to take the field.

A Super opportunity for young scribes

INDIANAPOLIS | Sam Beishuizen walked out of Lucas Oil Stadium on Tuesday afternoon with a white towel slung over his shoulder.

From 'Touchdown Jesus' to the Super Bowl: ND grad feels the excitement

Not long ago, Sergio Brown was tackling opponents on Saturdays at Notre Dame Stadium. Although he started as a senior and had 50 tackles, he went undrafted when his college career ended in 2010.

Fans welcomed into the fold for Super Bowl Media Day

INDIANAPOLIS | Mike Copper has followed football since his days growing up in Valparaiso. He played basketball and later coached it, but remained a steadfast Colts fan.

Super Bowl Media Day serves entertainment, with a side of sports

INDIANAPOLIS | It would be one hour before the first Patriot stepped onto Lucas Oil Stadium turf, yet rows of cameras already had lined the podium where Tom Brady was scheduled to speak at Super Bowl Media Day.

Illlinois' Weber wants consistency from Brandon Paul

Brandon Paul leaned back, closed his eyes, and rode the wave of students carrying him across the Assembly Hall court.

REGION COLLEGIANS: Xavier to honor football team

Saint Xavier University will hold a special assembly on Jan. 17 to honor its football team, which won the 2011 NAIA National Championship last month with a 24-20 victory against six-time national champion Carroll (Mont.) College.

A better Boozer?

Carlos Boozer may near nirvana when he warms up in the Bulls' United Center locker room.

Bulls sail past Grizzlies in home opener

CHICAGO | Playing five games in eight days could have left the Bulls gasping for energy during their home opener Sunday against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Back in the Bull pen: Bulls open at home to high expectations

CHICAGO | Derrick Rose was a high school student when he saved enough cash for his first trip to the United Center. The Denver Nuggets were coming to town, and Rose wanted to watch Carmelo Anthony play.

Are you ready to Rumble?

The tickets are printed, the basketballs inflated, the nets hung and the teams ready to, well, rumble, as The Times annual Region Roundball Rumble begins today at East Chicago Central High School.

Rumble returns to Civic Center for Jan. 2 session

The Times Region Roundball Rumble is returning to its birthplace in the Hammond Civic Center.

The long way back: Robbie Hummel back to form after two ACL tears

February 24, 2010. Robbie Hummel drives home from the airport after a road game at Minnesota. His roommate, graduate assistant Bobby Riddell, rides shotgun.

Boitano tackles Fighting Irish in South Bend ice show

Start with a state-of-the-art hockey rink on a football crazy college campus, then add an Olympic champion figure skater and a renowned 1970s rock band. Recipe for disaster, or a delicious combination? Brian Boitano aims to find out today.