Coaching carousel: Tom Crean refutes link to Missouri

With the coaching rumors firing away, Indiana head coach Tom Crean finally responded to some of the rumors.

Indy Star’s Gregg Doyel reached Crean for comment following a report of “mutual interest” between IU’s coach and Missouri.

"No, that's not true," Crean told Doyel as he was preparing his Hoosiers for Thursday's Big Ten tournament game. "I'm doing nothing but coaching this team.

"Normally, I don't comment on my job or any other open job, or on any speculation at all — and going forward, this is the only time I will do it, here to you — but I want to put that to rest. I'm coaching my team. I love coaching here."

Dave Matter of the St. Louis Dispatch first reported of the mutual interest between Crean and the Tigers.

Interviews could start next week once candidates are finished with conference tournaments. Sources have confirmed mutual interest between Missouri and Indiana coach Tom Crean, who could be coaching for his job this week in the Big Ten tournament. The Hoosiers, the 10 seed in Washington, play 7 seed Iowa at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

In another story on Thursday, Matter offered a bit more insight on the Crean-Missouri link.

Is Crean on the top of Sterk’s wish list? Was told Wednesday the Crean buzz might be somewhat overblown, but here’s a comment from a well-placed source: “If Crean is not the hire here, he or MU has done a good job fooling everyone.”

What we do know is that Crean and the Hoosiers are still alive in the Big Ten Tournament, for now. After that, it appears anything is possible.