Former Indiana University Basketball Manager and Michigan Head Coach Dusty May headed to the NBA According to multiple national reports, Dusty May is leaving Michigan for the NBA. The former IU basketball manager is finalizing a deal to be the next head coach of the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks are 27% owned by famous IU billionaire alumnus Mark Cuban. There could be significant fallout in the Big Ten. Michigan’s 2026-27 team was already on campus and working out. The Wolverines were thought to be a legitimate contender for back-to-back national titles. Michigan’s losses could extend beyond May. When a head coaching change occurs, players have a 15-day period in which to enter the transfer portal – a period that begins five days after the new head coach is hired or publicly announced.
May was a manager at IU under legendary coach Bob Knight from 1996 to 2000, at the same time as two other managers (Joe Pasternack and Mike Schrage) who also became Division I coaches. He’s at least the second former IU manager to become an NBA head coach, including Lawrence Frank. May and Frank are part of a long list of former Knight disciples who went on to become head coaches in the NBA, including Quinn Buckner, Isiah Thomas, Mike Woodson, Randy Wittman, and Keith Smart. May’s profile grew to national prominence in 2023 when he led Florida Atlantic to the Final Four. He was hired by Michigan in 2024 and led that program to the 2026 national championship after just two seasons in Ann Arbor.
2027 Linebacker Cain Brackney flips commitment from UCLA to Indiana University Football Class of 2027 linebacker Cain Brackney has flipped his commitment from UCLA to Indiana football, he told On3 Monday. This move was forecasted by various outlets as he took official visits to Indiana and Michigan. Brackney becomes Indiana’s 16th commit in the class of 2027. He’s the third linebacker in that group, joining Jalaythan Mayfield and Garyon Hobbs. 247Sports ranks Brackney as the No. 106 linebacker in the class of 2027, behind both Mayfield (No. 16) and Hobbs (No. 34). At 6-foot-1, 220 pounds, Brackney recorded 102 total tackles last season at Tulsa Union High in Oklahoma as a junior. He added 12 tackles for loss, two sacks, two QB hurries, an interception that became a pick-six, a pass defended, and a forced fumble. Brackney is transferring to Bixby High in Oklahoma for his senior year. That will be his third school of his high school career, as he attended Cherry Creek High in Colorado for his first two years. In addition to IU, Michigan, and UCLA, Brackney had other offers from Baylor, Arkansas, Iowa State, Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, SMU, Colorado State, and Tulsa.
Indiana University Men’s Basketball to play 2026 Exhibition at Ford Center in Evansville IU basketball will play an exhibition game against Western Kentucky in Evansville on Sunday, October 25, it was announced Monday morning. The exhibition contest will be at the Ford Center at 4 p.m. ET. Broadcast information will be announced at a later date, and tickets will go on sale later this week. The Hoosiers last played in the Ford Center in November of 2011 against Evansville. IU won 94-73 in the first-ever game at the venue. The Ford Center has a seating capacity of 11,000. The exhibition game against the Hilltoppers is the second confirmed exhibition game for the 2026-27 schedule. One week earlier, Indiana will play North Carolina at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Western Kentucky, a member of Conference USA, finished last season with an 18-14 record and No. 167 in KenPom. The Hilltoppers are No. 105 in Bart Torvik’s projections for the 2026-27 season and are led by coach Hank Plona, who is entering his second season in Bowling Green. Other known dates for IU’s 2026-27 schedule include Eastern Illinois on November 2 at Assembly Hall, Bellarmine on November 5 at Assembly Hall, Syracuse on November 9 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Kentucky on November 20 at Lucas Oil Stadium and Bowling Green on November 27 at Assembly Hall.
Here’s the series history between Indiana and Western Kentucky, which the Hoosiers lead 2-1: 12/28/1967 – Western Kentucky 110, Indiana 91 in Dallas
12/14/1984 – Indiana 80, Western Kentucky 57 in Bloomington
12/29/1993 – Indiana 65, Western Kentucky 55 in Indianapolis
Indiana Fever rally from 13-point deficit to defeat Phoenix Mercury Caitlin Clark had 24 points and nine assists, Kelsey Mitchell scored 22 points, and the Indiana Fever overcame a 13-point, first-quarter deficit to beat the Phoenix Mercury 86-77 on Monday night. Indiana scored just six points in the first quarter, tied for its fewest in any quarter since 2018 and its fewest in the first since 2016. The Fever responded with a 35-point second quarter — the second-most they’ve scored in a quarter this season — to tie the game 41-all at the break. Clark scored 15 in the second quarter. The Fever outscored Phoenix 30-11 in the third and held off a late charge in a chippy fourth that saw six technical fouls handed out between the two teams. Myisha Hines-Allen was ejected after picking up her second technical foul. Clark and Mitchell made 16 of Indiana’s 27 field goals, including six 3-pointers.
Monique Billings finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds for her first double-double of the year for Indiana (10-7), which snapped a two-game skid. Aliyah Boston was held to eight points on 2-of-9 shooting. Clark has the most consecutive 20-point, five-assist games in WNBA history with six. Kahleah Copper scored 20 points for Phoenix (5-12), and Alyssa Thomas had 19 points, five rebounds and nine assists. Thomas became the fastest player in WNBA history to record 500 assists with a franchise, surpassing Clark in four fewer games. She also moved to 13th on the WNBA’s career steals list. Indiana and Phoenix will meet on Wednesday Night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Several Indiana Natives Hoping to Hear their Names Called During the NBA Draft This week’s NBA Draft marks the unofficial start of the NBA season. With it, multiple Indiana natives are hoping to get their own start on their professional careers. “It’s every kid’s dream to be able to prepare for that phone call and hear their name called,” former Louisville guard and Pike grad Ryan Conwell said. “I just worked so hard, and I’m just thankful for the people around me that helped me get to this point.” “It’s a surreal feeling being a kid that was a little under-recruited throughout his whole high school college career and then making it to, I guess, the big stage, so it’s definitely cool,” former Miami (OH) and Carmel star Peter Suder said.
Purdue All-American guard Braden Smith is ready to prove himself in the Association, despite all the conversation about his height. The Westfield native is confident he has what it takes. “I always knew I’d be able to play,” Smith said. “I feel like I’m smart enough to play. I have the IQ to play. I can pass, I can score, I can do all those things for any team out here that needs that. For me it’s just when and where and how. Their time spent playing in the Basketball State — whether that be high school or college — has made them ready for the next level. “I really think Indiana basketball is some of the best basketball in the country,” Conwell said.
“It’s a basketball state, and sometimes you play in the biggest gyms in the country in high school, and they’re packed out for sectionals, regionals, semi state. So it just prepares you for those kinds of moments,” Suder said. “At Purdue, we were consistently top five in the country, so we played against a lot of great players, great teams,” former Purdue forward and Sellersburg native Trey Kaufman-Renn said. “Just playing in big time environments against big time players prepares you.” For Conwell, he’s taken a lot from his relationship with fellow Pike grad and former NBA All-Star Jeff Teague. “Jeff has definitely been an inspiration and role model for me, even since I was young,” Conwell said. “Just being able to chat with him as I grew out of high school and college, he definitely gave me some wise words of advice, and I’m really thankful that he’s been there to support me.”
Representing their Indiana communities on the big stage would also mean a lot. “It would be unbelievable,” Smith said. “Just having that community around me, like I’ve been really fortunate and really lucky to be around a great group of people in my Westfield area, when I was at Purdue… Obviously, I’d be very proud to be able to represent Westfield.” The NBA Draft begins Tonight at 8 p.m. with the First Round on ESPN and ABC and the Second Round is Wednesday Night on ESPN at 8 PM.
Indianapolis Colts Offensive Lineman recognized by fellow NFL players Indianapolis Colts offensive guard Quenton Nelson has been a vital part of the franchise since the team picked him sixth overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. Nelson has played eight seasons in Indy, being named to the Pro Bowl in each of those seasons. His fellow NFL players know just how impressive Nelson has been. On Monday, it was revealed that Nelson was voted the 99th best player in the league entering the upcoming year. The “NFL Top 100” is voted on by the players and the list of rankings will be slowly unveiled in between Monday and Sept. 4.
“The No. 6 overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft has been a Pro Bowler in each of his eight NFL seasons. However, this marks just his fourth selection to the NFL Top 100 squad and his first since 2022, when he cracked the top 30 at No. 28 — his highest career selection. Nelson garnered an 84.7 overall grade from PFF in 2025, which was fourth among 81 qualified guards. An exceptional run blocker, the three-time All-Pro helped pave the way for a Colts offense that finished in the top 10 in points and yards.”
Nelson allowed just one sack all 2025 season. The other three times he made the “NFL Top 100” was in 2020 (No. 29), 2021 (No. 33) and 2022 (No. 28). Nelson is entering the final year of his current contract. He spoke earlier this month about how’s not going to worry about his contract status. His only concern is football. “It’s really out of my control,” Nelson said. “That’s with the people in this building and my agent. Worrying about it or thinking about it isn’t going to help me accomplish any of my goals. I leave that to them. I’m just here, I’m all ball.” The Colts being the 2026 regular season on Sunday, Sept. 13 against the Ravens. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. EDT inside Lucas Oil Stadium.
Indianapolis Colts to Report to Training Camp July 27th Indianapolis Colts rookies will report to training camp on Monday, July 27 and veterans will report to training camp on Tuesday, July 28 in Grand Park in Westfield, the NFL released on Monday. The complete Colts training camp schedule has yet to be released, but the dates for their joint practices with the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots have been set. The Colts and Patriots will have a joint practice on Tuesday, August 11 in Foxborough, Massachusetts ahead of the Colts’ preseason opener on Thursday, August 13 against the Patriots at Gillette Stadium. The Colts will host the Falcons for two joint practices on Wednesday, August 19 and Thursday, August 20 ahead of the preseason game on Saturday, August 22. The joint practices will be in Westfield, and the Colts will host the game at Lucas Oil Stadium. This will be the last year that Colts training camp will be in Grand Park. The Colts open the regular season against the Baltimore Ravens at home on September 13.