Junior Forward
Ian Crosswhite’s career as an Oregon basketball player is over.
The junior forward was permanently dismissed from the men’s basketball team for a violation of Athletics Department policy, head coach Ernie Kent announced Tuesday.
Crosswhite had been suspended indefinitely from games and practices since last Wednesday.
Kent added that Crosswhite will retain his scholarship through graduation. The Castlecrag, Australia, native, who redshirted during the 2001-02 season, is majoring in political science and is on pace to graduate in summer.
“It’s disappointing from the fact that you spend an enormous amount of time and energy with one player, developing and bringing him along, hoping he would have the opportunity to grow and have some success here,” Kent said. “We had some goals set for him this year and certainly next year that I thought were attainable for him.”
Attempts to contact Crosswhite by e-mail were not immediately returned.
Crosswhite averaged 8.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game this season and started 17 of 19 games. His numbers declined to 5.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game during Pacific-10 Conference play. His best game of the season came Dec. 4, when he scored 16 points and grabbed
11 rebounds during a 75-65 win against Vanderbilt at the Papé Jam in Portland.
Crosswhite’s departure leaves Oregon with only two juniors — Brandon Lincoln and Matt Short — to helm the young team. The team’s lineup, which has included more playing time for the
likes of Chamberlain Oguchi
and Adam Zahn, has
been much shorter
and quicker in the
7-footer’s absence.
“We’ve all seen this as an opportunity to step up,” Zahn said. “(Crosswhite) is a great player and a great leader and we need to come in and fill his shoes.”
Kent said the team will look to recruit a junior college player who could step in and contribute immediately next season, rather than look for a young player who would have to sit and wait behind all of the Ducks’ talented young players.
“If we find the right kind of fit we will go and do something,” Kent said. “Otherwise we will continue to develop what we have and come back and be a much stronger basketball team
regardless next year.”
When at the top of his game, Crosswhite could knock down perimeter shots, create his own shot inside and beat
defenders his size off
the dribble.
A scouting report on ESPN.com said Crosswhite is “one of the best low-post scorers in the nation” and “has an excellent chance at developing into a NBA player.”
For his career, Crosswhite played in 83 games, scored
856 points and grabbed 389 rebounds, averaging 10.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per contest. His
57 career blocked shots ties him with Jerry Adams for seventh all-time on Oregon’s career list.
