Insider: Will IU, Tom Crean use remaining 2015 scholarship?

BLOOMINGTON -- That question has been floating around for the last three weeks, after Indiana secured a commitment from fifth-year transfer Max Bielfeldt on June 2.

It was lent little clarity by the news late last week that dynamic forward Thon Maker would not enroll midyear, but instead remain a member of the 2016 class.

Indiana was committed to pursuing Maker. Indeed, IU was one of the schools mentioned most prominently in his recruitment of late.

But given the uncertainty about Maker's final path to college, he never seemed a sure bet for IU -- or any school -- for this season.

None of that, though, answers the question posed at the top: What will Indiana do with its 13th scholarship? That remains unclear.

IU coach Tom Crean touched on the subject during his annual swing through Huber's Orchard and Winery in Borden earlier this month.

"What it has to be now is someone who would really make sense," Crean said, when asked about his open scholarship. "There's no rush."

That was June 3, one day after Bielfeldt's commitment. Crean added then that "we have nothing in the works. ... There's not anybody scheduled to come in right now, or anybody that we're really pursuing in a way that it would be in the near future."

It's worth mentioning that entering a season with 12 players on scholarship isn't unprecedented for Crean.

Ahead of the 2011-12 season, he handed his open scholarship to senior walk-on Daniel Moore, rather than filling it from outside his program.

And he's said before that he didn't necessarily intend to fill his final spot last season. Only when he saw the need for more help inside did Crean and his staff go searching for the player that turned out to be Emmitt Holt.

Crean said earlier this month that he's open to several possibilities, even to taking a transfer who would have to sit out this season (so, not a graduate exception a la Bielfeldt). But he said his program hasn't found a good fit in that category.

What would convince Crean to fill that 13th locker?

"If there's a player that fits us from a competitive standpoint," he said. "It's not as much need, but just coming in, that's going to bring something to the team. And not in a short-term, but somebody who can be good now, but somebody who could develop into being an even better player as we move down the line."

You can read between the lines there and suggest Indiana isn't looking for another graduate transfer. But Crean has never been one to shut off his options, so ruling anything out at this stage is probably unwise.

It wouldn't be shocking if he did nothing, and IU stood pat at 12 scholarship players. Crean has done that before.

What we know right now is that the Hoosiers have an open scholarship for next season, Thon Maker won't be the one filling it and there are no other names firmly linked right now.

So one more time, we return to the question: Will Indiana fill its open scholarship?

Just don't rule anything out yet.

"Recruiting is so fluid," Crean said. "It's never-ending."

Follow Star reporter Zach Osterman on Twitter: @ZachOsterman.