Swingman Ratliff will not finish season with Hoosiers
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana swingman A.J. Ratliff will not finish his senior season with the Hoosiers.
Ratliff missed the Hoosiers' last two games, but coach Kelvin Sampson said Tuesday those absences were not a disciplinary move. The parting comes after a turbulent season in which Ratliff was declared academically ineligible for the first semester, then slowed by a sprained ankle in December.
"Both of us agreed that it was in his best interests to focus on himself and to work through his personal issues," Sampson said in a brief statement released by the athletic department. "We wish him the best."
This season, Ratliff averaged 11.3 minutes in nine games, 1.7 points and 1.3 rebounds for the Hoosiers (20-3). He fell behind newcomers Eric Gordon, Jamarcus Ellis and Jordan Crawford in the Hoosiers' rotation and struggled to fit in.
Ratliff was the state's high school Mr. Basketball in 2004, but was slowed by injuries during his first three seasons.
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