EvilleHoosier

Louisville looked good today, but they also lost to Kentucky Wesleyan in an exhibition game.  Need X and Reneau to stay out of foul trouble.  Get a victory and get some positive momentum going.   Really need to win this one and the next two (Harvard and Maryland at home) because the next three after that will be tough at Michigan, Auburn on a neutral court, and Kansas at home.  This team has enough talent despite being a poorly constructed roster.  Just need to stay healthy and find a way to get Mgbako acclimated to the college game sooner than later or hope that Gunn continues to build on his play from tonight, but ideally both. Just need somebody to start hitting and get this team more than 3 made threes a game.

I think Mgbako needs to be the back up 4 and I would prefer to shorten the bench and have one of Ware or Reneau on the court at all times.  Start them both, bring in Mgbako off the bench for one of them.  I'd start X, Galloway, Cupps/Gunn, Reneau, and Ware. Bench would be whichever of Cupps/Gunn and Mgbako.  Everyone else would play only if multiple core guys are in foul trouble.  I'd also use X off ball more and see if he can stay out of foul trouble and score the ball since we don't have a lot of options scoring- wise from the perimeter.  

This was an impressive win.  Michigan is more talented than their record shows. They have a possible lottery pick in Howard and Bufkin has been rising in recent mock drafts.  Hunter Dickinson has been right up there with the best bigs in the conference the last 3 years.  The guys could've folded when Michigan made their run to a comfortable lead on us, but they refocused on defense, chipped away and found a way to win.  Everyone on the floor to close out regulation and OT really stepped up in the clutch and made winning plays.  

No excuse to lose at home to Iowa.  The team is a lock for the tournament, but are still playing for favorable seeding.  Just getting there isn't enough.  Need to be in a position to win a couple games and being in the 5/12 matchup is not the way to do that.  This was like the Penn State game, but worse since this was at home.   They cannot allow another performance like this on senior day.  Can't let TJD go out like that in his last home game.   Plenty of time between now and Sunday to get everyone back on the same page and rested up physically and mentally.   

Despite not adding a jump shot to his game, he has improved in so many other ways.  His shot blocking, passing, rebounding have all improved and he's added the ability to push the ball in transition after a rebound.  He is good for a bad pass or two a game, but he is a net positive playmaker when considering his assist numbers.  He deserves a successful finish for the team so he can rightfully be considered among the all time greats.  I think he should be in that conversation regardless.  In my lifetime of watching the Hoosiers (last 30 years or so) top 5 is probably Cheaney, Henderson, Yogi, TJD, Guyton.  

1 minute ago, btownqb said:

Race is shooting 90% from the line in conference play and 75% for the season. 

This is one of many reasons why he is starting and playing more minutes than Reneau.  Race is a veteran, better defender, and can make free throws in the clutch.  Reneau is really good right now and will be a better player than Race probably as soon as next season, but in close grind it out game situations, Race is the better option right now. 

Loved the energy and confidence everyone brought today.  Really good to see Malik continue to be able to score against just about anyone.  Would've liked to see Banks get some more minutes in the 2nd half but completely understand why Woody went with the guys he did with Purdue chipping at the lead. JHS was a killer. 

 Hope this win gives the team the confidence it seemed to have lost in the Maryland game.  Keep it rolling and get revenge on Rutgers, take care of business at home, and get another road victory somewhere along the way, and most importantly get healthy and stay healthy, and we'll be in good shape going into March all things considered.

Got the W. That is all that matters.  This was a road game and we were without our coach. 

1 hour ago, Proud2BAHoosier said:

OK gang, living down here is southern Indiana, we here in Evansville are tired of the dismal showing of the Purple Aces year after year.

But...... Guess who is tied for the OVC lead?? Why it's the newcomer, the USI Screamin' Eagles!!!

How about that in their first year of Div. 1???

Go Eagles!!

I've watched 3-4 of their games on ESPN+. They shoot a lot of threes and are a fun team to watch. Isaiah Swope from Newburgh is playing really well recently averging around 20 ppg over his last 9 games.  

Our last two games have probably been our best defensive showings of the season.  This team may just be finding their identity.

34 minutes ago, thirdgenhoosier said:

Question for those that know more than I do.  In the off-season there was some chatter about Geronimo learning to play the 3.  And he has been kinda disappointing so far this year.  Yet he played great today by doing what he did at the end of the year last year.  Crashing the class and playing more of a four.  Is this a fair observation?

Yep. He is best suited to play as an undersized 4 or 5 and hopefully he understands it would be in his best interest and the teams to continue to play the role he did today. He plays bigger than he is with his wingspan athletism.  He is a good shot blocker for being 6-6 and is a much better rebounder than what he has shown this season (with exception of today).  He actually had a better rebound rate than TJD and Race last season.  If he can get back to playing to his strengths on a consistent basis, stays out of foul trouble and doesn't let one mistake dictate how he plays the rest of the game, he will help this team out tremendously.

I hate the throw it in to TJD offense, but it's time to go to that for a few possessions closing this half out.  Maybe it will get better looks for the other guys.  

1 minute ago, NotIThatLives said:

Uh, if we finish 10-10 we are easily in the tournament and that means finishing the season winning 9 of the next 15.  We would all call that salvaging the season, with X and Race out indefinitely. 

10-10 we are definitely in. I was referring to if most or all are within a game or two either direction. It was more wishful thinking that we could get to anywhere close 9-11 the way we have been playing, but in the scenario with the current trend holding up in the conference where anyone can just about beat anyone and most most teams finish between 11-9 and 9-11, 9-11 could still mean last place. 

5 minutes ago, IUFLA said:

Minny takes down Ohio State in Columbus...

Maybe every team is going to finish 10-10 in the league...

Let's see them seed that for the BTT? 🙂

Would it be better for all the teams to be within a a game or two of .500 either direction or do we want some teams with just 4 or 5 wins so we don't finish last? 

28 minutes ago, Artesian_86 said:

Coach Woodson's take about last night...... Obviously,......he's frustrated, as he should be. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPZRWju0R2Q&t=287s

I think the last question was about the over-helping and Woodson said the players must think that is playing aggressive defense and guys were doings things they didn't go over in practice or the walkthrough.  Pair that with TJD's comments after the Northwestern game, about guys not following the game plan, and it doesn't sound too good. 

4 minutes ago, IUCrazy2 said:

https://www.midmajormadness.com/platform/amp/2021/5/20/22408100/ben-mccollum-rumor-northwest-missouri-state-coach-ncaa-tournament-candidate-division-i-basketball

Woodson isn't going anywhere but he has a shelf life.  I think we need to think outside the box we are in for our next hire.

Woodson was an outside the box hire

Things would be better with Race and X no doubt, but how much? I think we still would have issues guarding the 3.  X would keep his guy in front of him, but what about everyone else.  They'd still over-help and close out late. We may win against Iowa and Northwestern, but we lose this one. Also, we got handled at Rutgers with both X and Race healthy.

We need tougher players and a coach that recognizes it and does something about it whether it is Woodson that figures it out or someone else. 

1 minute ago, Zuckerkorn said:

Yep.  A good coach would have his team making substantial improvement by now.  Loved Mike as a player and he seems like a cool guy but this garbage is all too familiar.  My feeling is he needs to do whatever necessary to put a much better team on the court next year or be shown the door.

It is becoming clear that we will need a massive talent upgrade to overcome coaching deficiencies

Kopp closing out on a shooter with his hand down

Kept a team under 40 points in a half for the first time in 3 games

1 hour ago, IU Scott said:

Have to wait to the spring to see what the 23 class looks like. Last two years we got Bates and Reneau in April

You are right it is still early and Woodson can still can sign a guy late like Reneau or Bates, but neither have been immediate help.  Reneau looked good early, but has since struggled and Bates is playing well in year 2. Need guys who can help immediately with what we are losing and unless someone opens up their recruitment late because of a coaching change, there really aren't many options.  I'm not too optimistic about Woodson going after transfers since he could've have done it last year to further upgrade the talent on the roster, but chose not to. We could've used a perimeter defender like a Dexter Dennis that was available in the portal last year.  Not sure how close he was to transferring here, but we definitely could use a player like him right now.

24 minutes ago, Mike said:

Can Woodson survive not making tournament this year and next?Would a 2024 top 5 rated class safe him for another year?

Definitely not 2 years in a row and even if we get some big time recruits in 2024, future classes could be impacted by not making the tournament 2 years in a row, but I guess who really knows with all the NIL stuff.

2 hours ago, Inequality said:

https://247sports.com/college/indiana/Article/Hoosier-Hysterics-Podcast-Earl-Calloway-Brian-Evans-202575511/
 

Brian Evans shares his thoughts on current IUBB starting around the 20 minute mark and extending for roughly 50 minutes.

One point made during the segment that really stood out to me was about recruiting.  I think it was Ward who said that Woodson is going after some big names in the 2024 class, then asked are we supposed to wait around until then.  I've been worried about this.  It really looked like this staff was going to recruit at a higher level with what they were able to bring in for 2022, but 2023 isn't anywhere near the same level and there is no realistic option left. I like Cupps and Newton, but we needed to add a 5 star level player to the class, but weren't abel to. We will be losing our pre-injury starting 5 more than likely assuming JHS keeps playing at a high level.  Woodson will need to get some big time transfers to get anywhere close to having a competitive team next season.  If by miracle, this team somehow meets or gets close to the preseason expectations that were put on it,  the fans might tolerate a slight drop off next season.  If the season ends in another bottom half of the Big 10 finish, injuries or not, I don't know how anyone can have confidence in the direction the program is heading in with the roster we are projecting to have next season.