Indiana University Men’s Basketball’s Markus Burton Named to Bob Cousy Award Watchlist The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the 20 watch-list candidates for the 2027 Bob Cousy Award. The annual Bob Cousy Award, named after the Class of 1971 Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic and Holy Cross guard, celebrates its 24th year by highlighting the top point guard in NCAA Division I men’s college basketball.
Included in the nominees is fourth-year guard Markus Burton, the 2023 Indiana Mr. Basketball, who earned two All-ACC selections and ACC Rookie of the Year plaudits in three seasons at Notre Dame. He averaged 19.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.8 steals in 33.2 minutes per game in 69 career games (68 starts). He scored double figures in 63 career games, topped the 20-point barrier 33 times, and scored 30-plus points in four contests. Burton averaged 19.7 points and 3.7 assists per game in his last seven games against ranked opponents (six away from home). The Indiana Hoosiers will open the season at 7 p.m. ET on Monday, Nov. 2, against Eastern Illinois at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
BOB COUSY POINT GAURD OF THE YEAR AWARD PRESEASON CANDIDATES*
Markus Burton, Indiana
Elliot Cadeau, Michigan
Jason Crowe Jr., Missouri
Silas Demary Jr., UConn
Donovan Dent, LSU
Quinn Ellis, St. John’s
Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State
Boogie Fland, Florida
Aden Holloway, Alabama
Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State
Nigel James Jr., Marquette
Acaden Lewis, Miami
Chance Mallory, Virginia
Tahaad Pettiford, Auburn
Miles Sadler, West Virginia
Jackson Shelstad, Louisville
Jordan Smith Jr., Arkansas
Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt
Dedan Thomas Jr., Houston
Robert Wright III, BYU
*Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point in the 2025-26 season
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting in each of the three rounds starting on Friday, October 30. In February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2027 Bob Cousy and Nancy Lieberman Awards will be narrowed to 10, then to five in March. In late March, the five finalists will be presented to Cousy, Lieberman, and the Hall of Fame’s selection committees, where winners will be selected. The selection committees for the Bob Cousy and Nancy Lieberman Awards are composed of top men’s and women’s college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.
The winners of the 2027 Cousy and Lieberman Awards will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with the four other members of the Men’s and Women’s Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Jerry West and Ann Meyers Drysdale Awards (Shooting Guard), Julius Erving and Cheryl Miller Awards (Small Forward), Karl Malone and Katrina McClain Awards (Power Forward), and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Lisa Leslie Awards (Center). Previous winners of the Bob Cousy Award include Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas (2026), Braden Smith, Purdue (2025), Tristen Newton, Connecticut (2024), Markquis Nowell, Kansas State (2023), Ja Morant, Murray State (2019), Jalen Brunson, Villanova (2018), Trey Burke, Michigan (2013), Kendall Marshall, North Carolina (2012), Kemba Walker, Connecticut (2011), and Jameer Nelson, Saint Joseph’s (2004).
ESPN College GameDay picks site in heart of the Indiana University campus for Saturday ESPN’s College GameDay will make its third-ever trip to Bloomington and first from an on-campus location when the Indiana football program hosts Minnesota on Saturday. The show will air for three hours from 9 a.m. to noon ET from Showalter Fountain in the heart of the IU campus. Rece Davis, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban and Kirk Herbstreit will host the show for ESPN. Showalter Fountain is a central landmark on campus, and it has historic connections to IU Athletics. The fountain sits at the center of the Fine Arts Plaza. Created in 1952 by sculptor Robert Laurent, its centerpiece depicts the Birth of Venus, with the goddess surrounded by five fish that spew water.
One of the fish was stolen when the IU basketball team won the national championship game in 1987. It was replaced decades later but has been stolen multiple times since. In January IU removed the fish from the fountain in anticipation of a repeat offense if the football team were to win the title. The fountain — including all five fish — is back to its full glory and set to hit the national stage on Saturday. Showalter Fountain is located at 1211 East 7th Street in Bloomington. College GameDay begins at 9 a.m. ET on Saturday, Oct. 31. Later in the day No. 4 Indiana (7-1) takes on Minnesota (5-2) at Memorial Stadium (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS).
Indiana University Qiarterback Josh Hoover expected to be fine for Minnesota Indiana had quarterback questions in the week leading up to the Michigan game. They continued throughout the tight contest in Ann Arbor. The staff saw ominous signs at practice ahead of the road trip. With starting signal caller Josh Hoover nursing an injury he suffered against Ohio State, there were clear signs IU might struggle through the air. “In practice last week the pass game wasn’t very good,” IU coach Curt Cignetti said Monday. “I expect it to be better this week.” Cignetti said he expects Hoover to “be fine and better this week” when the Hoosiers host Minnesota (3:30 p.m. ET/CBS). I
ndiana has not disclosed the nature of his injury, but he could be seen favoring his shoulder area at times on Saturday. Hoover will need to be sharp against a Minnesota pass defense that ranks No. 11, allowing just 165.1 yards per game through the air. Opponents have thrown eight touchdown passes against the Golden Gophers and seven interceptions, and Minnesota has 15 sacks on the season. Cignetti says his receivers will need to be better Saturday as well. “We didn’t separate at receiver in this (Michigan) game, and, you know, we obviously didn’t throw the ball very well or very often, and a lot of that was because of type of game it became,” he said.
STAYING HEALTHY-Indiana’s Big Ten availability report generated buzz last week. How could a team be seven games into the season, coming off physical games against Nebraska and Ohio State, and have not a single player even questionable to play? Cignetti said it’s part the way his team practices, and part just good luck. Recognizing the luck factor, he literally knocked on the wood lectern as he responded to a question about his team’s overall good fortune with health. “You try to control what you can control, and there are some things outside of your control, like losing those two corners in the first quarter of the opener, and Khobie Martin,” Cignetti said. “But we try to keep them healthy in practice and still prepare them, which I think we do a good job of. We’ve just had some good fortune. “Look, this is our ninth game in a row, is it? So everybody that has played significant snaps is hurting somewhere, but they’re all able to play.”
RED ZONE DEFENSE KEEPING IU IN GAMES-Indiana has only allowed two touchdowns in 10 red zone trip by opponents over the last three games. With the offense struggling in those contests, allowing field goals rather than touchdowns has allowed the Hoosiers to pull out two challenging road contests, and stay within striking distance against Ohio State. On three of the 10 red zone trips, IU didn’t allow any points. “Timely plays and getting 11 guys to do their job,” Cignetti said of his defense playing with it’s back against the wall. “We got good players. We are good up front. Our front seven, eight, we’re hard to run against. “We got all 11 doing their job it’s pretty tough. The goal is always to hold them to a field goal which our defense did a tremendous job of.”
SPECIAL TEAMS PRAISE-Every yard and point counted at Michigan. And punter Billy Gowers and kicker Nico Radicic delivered for IU. Gowers punted seven times for 316 yards at Michigan. His 45.1 average was a season high. And after missing two field goals against Ohio State — 40% of his career misses in one game — Radicic made 22 and 34 yard field goals. “Billy Gowers I thought was tremendous,” Cignetti said. “Nico was too with two field goals.”
Indiana Pacers’ Ben Sheppard to undergo surgery for a torn meniscus on Wednesday Indiana Pacers guard Ben Sheppard will undergo surgery for a torn meniscus on Wednesday. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle offered the update on Sheppard before Indiana’s game with the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night. Sheppard appeared in the Pacers’ season-opening 123-120 victory at New Orleans but hasn’t played since. The 6-foot-6 guard averaged 7.1 points per game in 65 games last season. Ivica Zubac managed to walk into Fiserv Forum without a walking boot, one night after the 7-footer sprained his left ankle during a 136-109 triumph at Brooklyn, Carlisle said. Carlisle said Zubac had a slight limp and didn’t offer a timetable for the center’s return. The Pacers also played Monday night without Andrew Nembhard due to a back issue.
Indianapolis Colts coach Shane Steichen continues to show faith in QB Daniel Jones by keeping him the starter Shane Steichen still believes in quarterback Daniel Jones. The Indianapolis coach thinks Jones can still win games in bunches, lead the Colts out of the deep midseason hole they’ve dug and, yes, even regain the form that he used during a terrific start last year. The numbers tell a different tale. Jones is completing a career low 59.6% of his throws, and among seven-game starters, he’s tied for the fewest TD passes (four) and has the lowest passer rating (69.4) in the league. He has thrown at least one interception in six of seven games and only three players have more than Jones with seven. It has been bad enough, fans are clamoring for a change. But instead of making a switch, Steichen is risking his job by doubling down on Jones. “He’s our starting quarterback — unless I let you guys know differently,” Steichen said Monday after studying the footage from Sunday’s 16-10 loss at Minnesota. “But he will be our starting quarterback.”
While the Colts (2-5) have played poorly so far — sometimes on offense, sometimes on defense and the last two weeks on special teams — Jones has struggled mightily since returning from a ruptured right Achilles tendon. He had only 108 yards passing against the Vikings and sealed Indy’s third straight loss by getting picked off when he threw into traffic on the Colts’ final drive. Steichen’s options are limited. The backup, Anthony Richardson, hasn’t made a regular season appearance since Oct. 5, 2025. He hasn’t made a start since Dec. 22, 2024 and is now facing a misdemeanor charge for possession of marijuana.
Third-stringer Riley Leonard has only one start in his first 24 NFL games. “No, it does not, not at all,” Steichen said when asked if the legal issue would factor into a decision about Richardson. “I’ve had private conversations with Anthony and I’ll keep those private.” Can Jones right this ship? A week ago, general manager Chris Ballard was fired and team co-owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon said then she needed to make a midseason change because the work of fixing this team needed to start immediately. Naturally, other teams started inquiring about potential trade candidates. But Irsay-Gordon also said the team’s stated goals — making the playoffs and contending for a title — also had not changed. So even though Steichen continues to insist Jones gives Indy the best chance to win now, if things don’t change Ballard may not be the only one out of a job. It’s a risk Steichen is willing to take. Steichen was asked Sunday whether he was worried about his job security. He responded: “I’m worried about getting ready for the next game.”
What’s working-Run blocking. The Colts determined the best way to slow Minnesota’s pass rush was to run right at the Vikings, and the offensive line did a solid job. They opened enough room to produce 154 yards and 4.7 yards per carry. Jonathan Taylor led the team with 95 yards, but finished just short of the 100-yard mark — again. What needs help-Special teams. For the second consecutive week, this unit proved the difference in a six-point game. Kicker Spencer Shrader entered Sunday with a perfect mark on field goals this season. That streak ended when he missed 56-yarder wide left and a 48-yarder wide right.
Stock up-Adetomiwa Adebawore. Everyone is starting to learn the name of this fourth-year defensive tackle. His breakout season continued at Minnesota where he finished tied for third on the team with five tackles, had two sacks and broke up one pass. He has already matched his single-season career high with four sacks. Stock down-Sauce Gardner. The veteran cornerback started October by promising to improve his effort after calling his performance in London embarrassing. He finished the month on the inactive list with an injured calf. In between, he didn’t play like the All-Pro that Indy expected when it sent two first-round draft picks to the New York Jets last November.
Key injuries-Indy’s already thin secondary took two more hits Sunday. In addition to not having Gardner, cornerbacks Justin Walley (knee) and Cam Taylor-Britt (groin) both left early at Minnesota. The defense also played without LBs C.J. Allen (ribs) and Bryce Boettcher (groin) and the offense was without TE Tyler Warren (groin). It’s still unclear whether Warren will play this week and when WR Alec Pierce (heel) might be activated off injured reserve. Key number 9 — Indy has lost nine straight true road games since beating the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium 38-24 on Oct. 19, 2025. Next steps-The Colts desperately need the offense to start firing on all cylinders, and it starts with Jones cleaning his play. Defensively, the tackling still needs to get better. Otherwise, Indianapolis’ road losing streak might hit 10 next week at Jacksonville.
Taylor University Wienen’s Basketball Meets Purdue Fort Wayne in Exhibition Taylor went toe to toe with NCAA Division I Purdue Fort Wayne through the opening quarter and carried an 18-16 lead into the second period before the Mastodons pulled away for an 88-64 win in Monday’s exhibition at the Gates Sports Center. All 15 active Trojans saw the floor, and nine reached the scoring column. Trailing 9-5, Celina Blount buried a pair of 3-pointers to tie the game at 11. Kendall McLaughlin’s three gave TU its first lead, and Madi Allen’s free throws capped an 8-0 run for a 16-11 edge. The Trojans made 3 of 4 from deep in the first quarter, forced five turnovers and held PFW 0 for 4 from beyond the arc. PFW answered by hitting 12 of 16 shots in the second quarter. Kaycie Warfel’s second three cut it to 28-26, but a 13-0 run sent the Mastodons into halftime ahead 43-28, and they led 65-43 after three. Kaycie Warfel led TU with 13 points on 3-of-6 shooting from deep. Shay Hawk scored all nine of her points in the fourth quarter, Allen added eight points, five rebounds and three assists, and Blount finished with eight points. The Trojans shot 52.4 percent (11-21) from three-point range and 13 for 13 at the line, but PFW shot 59 percent and capitalized on turnovers. TU (1-0) returns to action Friday at RV Olivet Nazarene for a 6 p.m. ET tipoff in Illinois.
Taylor University Footballs David Worlds Snags MSFA Weekly Recognition The Mid-States Football Association announced its weekly awards on Monday, with David Worlds being named the MSFA Mideast League Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in No. 25 Taylor’s 70-19 throttling of Defiance two days prior. Worlds capped a stretch of 42-straight points for the Trojans during the rout, returning a punt 74 yards to the end zone for a touchdown that extended TU’s lead to 49-7 early in the third quarter.
Worlds has been a key contributor for Taylor this season in the defensive secondary, as well as in the return game on special teams. The senior currently has 25 tackles and four pass breakups from his cornerback position, while averaging 13.2 yards per punt return. Worlds ranks No. 2 in the MSFA Mideast League with those 13.2 yards per return, and ranks No. 13 in the NAIA with 119 punt return yards through eight games. The MSFA weekly honor is the first for Worlds, as he follows Jedidiah Galvin, Reid Messer, Justin Schroeder and Cooper Sloan in earning a weekly MSFA honor this season.
Worlds was also joined by Jaynie Halterman (women’s cross country), Margo Hernandez (volleyball), Jakob Karlson (men’s soccer) and Kaycie Warfel (women’s basketball) in being named an Athlete of the Week by the MSFA or Crossroads League on Monday. With those five honors, TU Athletics now boasts 29 such awards this fall. Worlds and No. 25 Taylor (7-1, 2-0 MSFA) will return to action at No. 9 Indiana Wesleyan in a noon start on October 31.