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CNN Live At Daybreak

Hoosiers Will Overcome Key Injury If They Hope to Win NCAA Tournament

Aired March 26, 2002 - 05:25   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CHAD MYERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, you know what we've got going for you right now? We have basketball.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, yes.

MYERS: More basketball coming up. We're talking March madness this morning and not too many people picked Indiana to be in their final forum to -- maybe a lot of folks in Indiana did, but probably not around the rest of the country.

But as Tom Rinaldi of CNN "Sports Illustrated" reports, the Hoosiers will overcome a key injury if they hope to win the NCAA tournament this weekend in Atlanta.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM RINALDI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: If the official status is questionable that seems fitting because the question the Hoosiers are hearing over and over again is whether junior guard Tom Coverdale will be able to play Saturday on a bad left ankle. Coverdale has actually injured the ankle twice already in the tournament, against Utah the opening weekend and then again Saturday against Kent State. Shooting 50 percent from beyond the arc and running the Hoosier offense, Coverdale's importance to Indiana is beyond question.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's really our leader and just one of our fiercest competitors. I mean if we lose anyone in our rotation right now it's drastic. I mean you don't replace people this time of year.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm just going to do anything I can to play in this game because this is the type of game you dream about playing in and to be able to be in the final four, and if I had to sit there and watch and just sit on the bench and watch it, it'd be too painful. So, you know, I'm doing everything I can to be able to play.

DANE FIFE, INDIANA GUARD: We fully expect Big Red to be ready to go, not necessarily a hundred percent by any means. But he's our, I mean he's our main guy. I mean he's been a key this whole season and I don't, I think it'd make it a lot more difficult to beat Oklahoma without Tom.

KYLE HORNSBY, INDIANA GUARD: If, and the key word is if, Cov doesn't play, we're going to need somebody that can keep their composure and be able to take the pressure that they're going to try to put on us, especially if Cov doesn't play. They're going to really try to put pressure on the perimeter. We're going to need somebody with a lot of composure. I know Donald is just a freshman, but he's the guy we're going to look to to really do that.

DONALD PERRY, INDIANA GUARD: I think it's many games that, you know, I came in playing timid and just like shying away from the ball and just trying to let other guys just, you know, take over or whatever. But I mean I see now, you know, I can't play that way. I mean I've got to just, I've got to play like I normally do.

RINALDI: Coverdale's status puts the spotlight on a Hoosier freshman, Donald Perry, as his possible replacement. Perry did not commit a single turnover while facing some game time in the big 10 tournament and in the Hoosiers run to the final four he has averaged five points a game. Still, Coverdale's efficiency and, in particular, his defensive leadership, would be sorely missed come Saturday.

In Bloomington, Indiana, I'm Tom Rinaldi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MYERS: And you can bet if he's even 90 percent he'll be playing. Indiana plays the Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday right here in Atlanta.

COSTELLO: Have you got tickets?

MYERS: No.

COSTELLO: Oh, neither do I. We're no one.

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