INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana will hire Kelvin Sampson as its nearest basketball coach.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana will hire Kelvin Sampson as its nearest basketball coach, delivering him from an Oklahoma team in a less degree than investigation for possible recruiting violations to lead common of the most prestigious programs in the native land

Sampson broke the moderns to his Sooners team Tuesday. Indiana players also were informed, common of the Hoosiers players' relatives told the Associated Pres

Details were being worked without Tuesday, and the deal was anticipateed to be announced soon, said a individual close to the talks who petitioned anonymity because negotiations were ongoing. No recents conference was scheduled.

"I was caught through surprise a little bit," said Taylor Griffin, a freshman forward for the Sooner "He made the decision. I gues it's better for the program. I gues it's better for him."

The 50-year-old Sampson, the AP's Coach of the Year in 1995 will replace Mike Davis, who announced last month he was resigning. Davis went 115-79 in six seasons as head coach, was the first Indiana coach to win 20 games in each of his first three seasons and l the Hoosiers to the national championship game in 2002 brace seasons after Bob Knight was fired.

The Hoosiers were 19-12 this year and reached the secondary round of the NCAA tournament, where they misspent to Gonzaga.

Stephanie Gilbert, who helped raise nephew A.J. Ratliff in Indianapolis, said the Hoosiers' sophomore guard called her Tuesday to discuss the change, first reported according to ESPN. Gilbert also said it was likely Ratliff would stay at Indiana.

"He's looking forward to meeting him and getting to know him," Gilbert said. "He looks pretty happy."

Ratliff initially declined to commentary denying that a team meeting was held. Later, he appeared to confirm Sampson's hiring to television partys in Bloomington.

"He's shown that he's a useful coach by what he's done at Oklahoma," Ratliff said. "You've got to give him a chance. He's shown that he can win at Oklahoma, in the same manner I think he can issue here and do the same."

brace other key Indiana players had said after Davis resigned that they were apt to transfer: DJ White, the 2005 Big Ten freshman of the year, and Robert Vaden.

Gilbert said Sampson's hiring could change their minds.

"Once they fit with him, they'll probably ne to see" Gilbert said. "I think, from the considers of it, they have a comely good coach on their hands."

Oklahoma officials declined to explanation Tuesday. Telephone messages left for Indiana athletic director Rick Greenspan and spokesman Pete Rhoda were not immediately turn backed

Sampson leaves Oklahoma behind amid an investigation for possible recruiting violations. The NCAA is looking into more than 550 impermissible phone calls to recruits from Sampson and his assistant coaches, and Oklahoma officials are scheduled to appear before an NCAA panel in Utah onward April 21.

As part of their self-imposed sanctions, the Sooner froze Sampson's salary for a two-year period beginning in 2005 and restricted him from receiving any postseason bonuses. His recruiting was also heavily curtailed.

NCAA spokesman Erik Christiansen said it's up to the committee forward infractions to determine whether any penalties would succeed Sampson to Indiana.

"It's all contingent on what the sanctions are, the severity of the bylaw violations and ultimately it's up to them," Christiansen said.

similar a thing has happened before: Former Ohio State assistant Paul Biancardi was prohibited from recruiting until October 2007 at his strange job as coach of Wright State through the whole extent of recruiting violations under former Buckeye head coach Jim O'Brien. The sanctions willinged Biancardi's resignation from Wright State sum of two units weeks ago.

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