Creek, Abell move on in The Tournament

Both Mo Creek and Remy Abell left Indiana’s basketball program after the 2012-13 season to continue their college careers elsewhere. Seven years later, the former Hoosiers have reunited in The Basketball Tournament.

Creek and Abell are teammates on Sideline Cancer, one of 24 teams participating in this summer’s $1 million winner-take-all challenge. Seeded No. 22 in the bracket, Sideline Cancer tipped off its run on Sunday with a 93-91 walk-off victory over No. 11 Team Hines. Abell scored 17 points, while Creek added 13 points and two assists in the winning effort.

The highlight of the contest? That would be former Central Michigan point guard Marcus Keene’s game-winner in the face of former Wisconsin forward Ethan Happ. Delicious.

A walk-off winner, you say? Yep. The Tournament is playing with the Elam Ending, a rule that calls for the game clock to be turned off in the final minutes of the fourth quarter as the teams play to a target score. It’s great fun, and it could be the future of basketball. Count this blog as a fan.

Anyway. Creek, who finished his career at George Washington, and Abell, who transferred from IU to Xavier, aren’t the only former Hoosiers in the field. Jordan Crawford has latched on with four-time TBT champion Overseas Elite and Luke Fischer, meanwhile, is playing for Golden Eagles, a squad made up of former Marquette standouts.

Sideline Cancer will be back in action on Tuesday afternoon at 2 against No. 6 Challenge ALS. You can catch the game on ESPN.