According to a media source, the buzz in college basketball circles is that Indiana coach Kelvin Sampson will be fired Friday for violating telephone restrictions and then lying to both the school and the NCAA. Our source says that the school is looking to act quickly with Sampson because if he were to guide the 13th-ranked Hoosiers to the Final Four – it’s entirely possible with talent like DJ White, Eric Gordon, and a cadre of role players – it would be much more difficult (nearly impossible) to fire him. If the school doesn’t cut the cord with Sampson Friday, it is possible that he could gain traction among fans via victories (the Hoosiers host Michigan State Saturday, and Purdue Tuesday) despite his misconduct.

Greg Couch of the Chicago Sun-Times already has a column out hinting at some of what we’ve said, with this great line: “every day Sampson is at IU is another day without credibility.” Jeff Goodman of Fox Sports “guesses” Sampson won’t last through the season. We suspect more details about Friday’s firing will surface once tonight’s game against Wisconsin is complete. [It's gone final: Wisconsin 68, Indiana 66 on a late Brian Butch three-pointer.]

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