Hutton: Drew, Vujic meet again today

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TAB MUG HUTTON Andy Lavalley/Post-Tribune ptmet

It’s been 13 years since Scott Drew pulled in an epic recruiting class — for Valparaiso University standards — while working as an assistant for the Crusaders.

Among the players that enrolled that year — the season after they made the Sweet 16 — were Milo Stovall, Lubos Barton, Greg Tonagel and Ivan Vujic. The class was ranked in the top 20 by some scouting services. Vujic, a 6-11 center and Barton, a 6-8 point forward, were the jewels of the class.

Barton was from the Czech Republic and Vujic had come over from Croatia to play junior college basketball for Vincennes. Barton was a typical under-the-radar talent that only a few Division I recruiters knew about that Drew snared. The Crusaders had cornered the Euro market back then. It was a perfect fit for VU. Drew could sell the small-town, family atmosphere of the campus and the team and they could virtually guarantee playing time. Drew’s line then was that they hardly knew the difference between Duke and Valparaiso in Croatia.

Vujic is notable for this reason: He was the first big name recruit, outside of Bryce Drew, that Drew had won an all-out, American recruiting battle for. Everybody — Indiana, Michigan, Oklahoma and Miami of Florida — was after the high-energy left-hander who ran the floor like a deer and played with the intensity of a cobra.

“He was one of the most sought after junior college players in the country,” Scott Drew said.

Vujic was playing with a future four-time NBA all-star in Shawn Marion. IU wanted both Marion and Vujic, but he was worried. He didn’t want to sit on the bench. The Hoosiers would get neither. Marion decided to go to UNLV.

Vujic decided to sign with VU for three basic reasons: Drew was relentless about recruiting him; Vujic appreciated that he knew he’d get immediate measurable playing time at VU; the Crusaders already had a track record with Croatian players. Both Marko Punda, a 6-6 forward and Zoran Viskovic, a 6-11 center who was instrumental in VU’s Sweet 16 run, were on the team. Vujic was sold.

“All the phone calls and all the mail he sent me,” Vujic said. “He spent more time than any coach watching me play. I was happy with the program.”

Today, the two meet again in the strangest of situations as coaches. Drew is the head coach of Baylor, undefeated and ranked eighth in the country and Vujic is in his fourth season as an assistant for Northwestern. After a stint playing in Europe, Vujic returned to VU as an assistant for Homer Drew for a season before leaving for DePaul to work for Jerry Wainwright for two years. He jumped over to Northwestern four years ago.

The Wildcats are flying high — perhaps higher than they’ve ever flown before-after winning their first seven games.

After Ohio State, the Big 10 is fairly wide open.

Wisconsin and Purdue perhaps are a cut below the Buckeyes while undefeated Indiana could surprise.

For the Wildcats, who have already defeated Georgia Tech on the road, LSU and Seton Hall, this is a pivotal season. They have a chance to earn an NCAA bid, which has never happened. The Northwestern website boasts that Baylor is the highest ranked nonconference team to come to Welsh Ryan Arena in 22 years. Last year, the Wildcats made the final eight of the NIT tournament.

They are a senior-laden team and today is a big day for them. It’s big for Baylor too, which so far, has defeated a string of forgettable opponents. That’s Ok. They still have the Big 12 conference to compete in.

“Baylor is loaded,” Vujic said. “It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be a great atmosphere. I know Scott’s whole family will be there.”