Indiana loses another player as soph Crawford decides to transfer

Jordan Crawford is leaving Indiana.

School officials confirmed Wednesday that the rising sophomore has decided to transfer and leave new coach Tom Crean with just one scholarship player who is set to return for the 2008-09 season. Put another way, the Indiana team that won 25 games last season will be without its top 10 scorers, meaning the recovery from the scandal-ridden Kelvin Sampson era will likely be more difficult than anybody could've ever expected.

The lone IU veteran will be Kyle Taber. He averaged 1.3 points last season.

Crawford averaged 9.7 points last season.

A.J. Ratliff left the team during the season, and since then, Indiana also lost D.J. White, Mike White, Lance Stemler and Adam Ahlfeld through graduation, and Eric Gordon through early entry in the NBA Draft. Also, Eli Holman decided to leave, and Crean either dismissed or refused to reinstate Brandon McGee, DeAndre Thomas, Armon Bassett and Jamarcus Ellis.

Sampson, Crean and other Indiana officials are scheduled to appear at an NCAA infractions committee hearing in Seattle on Friday. The university already has imposed its own sanctions related to the allegations Sampson and his staff made improper telephone calls to recruits.

The Associated Press contributed to this report