Indiana

Will UCLA’s Mick Cronin be the next Indiana basketball coach? Here’s what he said

Published

1 year ago

February 16, 2025

Press Room

Will UCLA’s Mick Cronin be the next Indiana basketball coach? Here’s what he said

Mick Cronin may be fed up with UCLA and the issues he faces on the West Coast but playing in the Big Ten. Though his admiration for IU didn’t appear to be strong.
Cronin is a solid candidate, four years removed from a Final Four, and could bring the core of his roster with him.
Indiana and UCLA have similar history, and present-day angst trying to get back to national championship contenders.

Mick Cronin got to take a test drive as a coach on the sidelines at Assembly Hall, and he lead his UCLA team to a victory, though not without drama. Two stories programs dreaming of yesteryear to varying degrees met as Indiana basketball hosted the Bruins in a Big Ten Conference game.

One coach, Cronin, seems unhappy with his arrangement, and could very well replace the man who stood on the opposite sideline. In fact, IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel wrote as much after the Bruins beat Indiana, led by Mike Woodson who is stepping down at season’s end which, for the moment, appears to be a minimum of six games — five regular season and a Big Ten Tournament opener.

Only 15 teams in the 18-team league will descend on the Circle City for the event March 12-16 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Hoosiers (15-11, 6-9 Big Ten) are 1 ½ games up on Northwestern and Washington, which are tied for 16th, and three games up on Penn State. But IU’s road could cause them to miss the tournament: vs. Purdue, vs. Penn State, at Washington, at Oregon and vs. Ohio State.

“I just think it’s tough to do that stuff during the season. The whole thing has gotten so crazy, and I don’t like to see that. As far as me, I would never comment on a coaching situation. It would be wildly inappropriate,” Cronin said, while continuing on. “I’m the son of a coach and the way that I look at it, Mike Woodson is the coach at Indiana. He was a national champion and I happen to know him and his staff. I have tremendous respect for their kids and their team. To me, no one should say anything that distracts from what they’re doing. I think it would be wildly inappropriate, mostly because of my respect for coach Woodson. He’s over there coaching his team. That’s my stance.”

Regardless, the Hoosiers will be looking for a new coach with a hope of returning to the glory days. Their last Sweet 16 was in 2016 and they’ve only been to the NCAA tournament twice since, both in Woodson’s first two seasons. IU’s last Elite Eight was in 2002, the year Indiana lost to Maryland in the national championship game.

Indiana is starved for success, longing to win its sixth national championship. It claims fame to the last undefeated national champion, which was 49 years ago. Of course, UCLA has won 11 national championships, including seven straight from 1967 to 1973. Three of those were undefeated seasons, plus another in 1964. And Cronin even led the Bruins to a Final Four four years ago.

The parallels are similar, and Cronin said so Friday.

“To be a great program you have to have great tradition and the backbone of support of all the guys in your tradition that played. I’ve got guys like Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar] and Mike Warren and Jamaal Wilkes, the tremendous support of guys at every game,” he said. “You need tradition, support, your fanbase, and your former players. I don’t know the answer to what’s intact here, but I know my mentality. I walk out and see coach (Bob) Knight like I walk out at my facility and see coach (John) Wooden.”

But UCLA (19-7, 10-5) is in severe financial debt and Cronin has stressed the burden travel has been on his team, and he equated it to NBA teams struggling with similar travel. Friday’s win over IU was this season’s Bruins’ first in the Central or Eastern time zones.

He’s a popular name on hot boards, and is included in IndyStar’s hot board. So, too, was Brad Stevens, the Boston Celtics president who made a statement saying he’s happy in his role. Should athletic director Scott Dolson have Cronin on his list of coaching candidates, here’s what UCLA’s big whistle said about the rumors.

“Some people would be happy because some people want me fired. When you’re a coach, you have to check your ego,” Cronin said. “They booed John Calipari at Kentucky. They wouldn’t have booed Bob Knight, if he walked in here, I can promise you that. That’s just the way it is. I’m well aware that I might be on a board for a job, but somebody might want me to lose my job. We got beat on Tuesday, go ahead and check on those boards.”

A trend of hiring coaches who can bring players with them fits Cronin. It’s a strategy that already worked out for Dolson when he hired Curt Cignetti to lead Indiana football, which made its way to the College Football Playoff with a host of James Madison transfers. Even Cignetti had to deny he was lobbying for someone Saturday.

But Cronin has a winning background: won the Ohio Valley and reached two NCAA tournaments in three seasons at Murray State, made nine straight NCAA tournaments and won two American Athletic Conference regular-season titles at Cincinnati and has continued success at UCLA with the Final Four in his second season and winning the Pac-12 in 2022-23.

Dylan Andrews, who was 1 for 7 from the field and a two-year starter, iced the game with free throws and would fit into that category. Four starters do, too, and reserves in 7-foot-3 post, Aday Mara, and Chicago native Sebastian Mack could give Cronin a core to build around in Bloomington, easing the learning curve and roster management.

“We’re playing at Assembly Hall — you don’t just come to Indiana and win a game like that,” Andrews said. “It was a gritty win. It’s just a credit to my team, to my coach, credit to everybody. This is a big win for us.”

Was the Valentine’s Day win love at first sight? The carousel will continue turning until there’s an answer.

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Indiana

Young male dead after shooting on Indy’s northeast side

Published

11 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

Young male dead after shooting on Indy’s northeast side

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Police say one “young man” is dead after a shooting at the 1200 block of Rue Rabelais at about 7:19 p.m. according to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

That is near the intersection of 56th Street and Binford Boulevard.

Police say the victim was taken to Riley Hospital where he later died. Investigators say they are still working to identify the victim.

There was no known information about a suspect. Police did say that they believe this is a targeted incident.

There was no other information immediately available.

This story has been updated with information from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

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Indiana

Mother and boyfriend accused in death of 4-year-old boy found in closet

Published

23 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

Mother and boyfriend accused in death of 4-year-old boy found in closet

This story contains descriptions of distressing circumstances involving children.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – A mother and her boyfriend were accused of causing the death of a 4-year-old-boy found dead in a basement closet on Monday.

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department arrested Angel Lovely, 37, and Nicholas Bergdoll, 36, on preliminary charges of neglect of a dependent causing death. The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office by Friday had not filed formal charges.

A sibling found the 4-year-old dead on Monday, according to investigators. Lovely and Bergdoll were in the home at the time but told police they were asleep when he died.

Born premature with cerebral palsy, the 4-year old couldn’t walk, was nonverbal, and ate through a feeding tube. Lovely claimed she would rarely put the child in the closet, only “when he won’t stop screaming” or when she “needed a break.”

But when investigators interviewed Lovely’s three other children, they said that the boy “stays in the closet all day,” and that “mom locks him in the closet” and “does not pay attention to him.”

An exact cause of death hasn’t been determined, but the child was found with blood in his mouth. Lovely said he’d been aspirating.

One of Lovely’s children told investigators they heard the 4-year-old gagging but didn’t say anything because it wasn’t unusual.

A neighbor living on Monticello Drive, Michelle Johnson, told News 8, “It’s horrible. It breaks my heart.”

Johnson had seen the other children outside the home but never knew there was a boy in a wheelchair living there. She said if she suspected they were being neglected, she would have called police or the Indiana Department of Child Services.

“We’re supposed to be a village and raise kids together,” Johnson said. “That’s really heartbreaking.”

Bergdoll told police, according to the investigators’ report, that he didn’t agree with putting the child in the closet: “I am not going to tell her how to f****** raise her kids.”

“I’m sickened,” IMPD Public Information Officer Tommy Thompson told News 8 in an interview.
“Think about putting yourself in that situation. Every day, do you want to be in a closet? Locked up, no light?”

Court records show the Department of Child Services had removed the boy from Lovely’s care because of medical neglect, but she regained custody last year against DCS recommendations.

Thompson, the neighbor, hopes the tragedy can be an opportunity for others to speak up when they see a child who can’t speak up for themselves. “Maybe you’ve got to make that tough phone call. Reach out. The city has resources.”

Johnson wishes she would have known what was happening so she could have said something. “Children don’t have a voice and we’re supposed to be their voice.”

Help is available for victims of domestic violence, child abuse, and sexual assault. Below is a list of suggested resources, both national and local:

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Indiana

Police arrest suspect in Westfield homicide

Published

1 day ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Police arrest suspect in Westfield homicide

WESTFIELD, Ind. (WISH) — Police have arrested someone in connection to a homicide earlier this month in the Hamilton County city.

In a Friday night social media post, the Westfield Police Department announced the arrest but gave no details, including who was arrested or what preliminary charges the person may face.

“Due to the active nature of this case, limited details are available for release at this time,” the post said.

As WISHTV.com previously reported, James “Matt” Lushin, 47, was found dead shortly after 7:25 p.m. March 12 with trauma at his home in the 3900 block of Westfield Road, also known as State Road 32.

Social media posts from the scene showed police tape and emergency vehicles at a red brick house between Shady Nook Road and Gray Road.

Lushin’s obituary said the Kokomo native was a key partner with the real estate investment company, FLF Property. The obituary also said, “Matt was also a respected and accomplished member of the international poker community. He traveled the world competing in tournaments and built an impressive and successful career.”

Police have previously said the death was believed to be isolated, posing no ongoing threat.

Officials have not released a specific cause or manner of death.

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