You're listening to the back home network presented by home
field apparel. Welcome back to Crimson cast
emergency Edition. Friday morning.
January 21st, and the streak is over.
Indiana has defeated Purdue Wild game.
It is survival. Yes.
Yes.
Got Caulfield, and I joining you here.
We were both at the game, not sitting together, but in
different Vantage points of the Arena, so we wanted to get our
thoughts down in recorded form, before it wore off, and it still
hasn't worn off scott. We're doing this at about 9:20
on Friday morning and still. Buzzing.
As they say, how are you doing with the?
How was the drive home? Like, how you feeling?
Right now? I'm feeling really good.
Feeling very good drive, home was nice 37 or 60-69 being done
is fantastic. But no, listen to the assembly
called post game. It was it was fun.
It's funny. I was thinking about this.
You were going to talk about where this kind of fits in and
how important this win was, but it was a lot of things that I've
been feeling and I'm just one vantage point, you know,
middle-aged guy. Now, which is wild to say, but,
you know, it reminded me of kind of when you and I started this,
I would call you. We call each other all the time
and talk about stuff like an hour's.
Are we gonna stop and put this in the pot?
Yeah, and I would say the last five or six years.
I can't remember the last time I called you just to talk about
basketball because I've been like, you know, stuff would
happen like yeah. Well, there's always next time
we pods like I don't want to kill the ends like, with his
felt like I haven't had that moment.
Like I've got to call Galen and talk to him and feel like we
used to have that all of the time.
Because one of Things we always say, is that we got to stop and
just leave it on the Pod. And this is like, I haven't done
that in like five years. Yeah.
Now you called me as I read more, I was halfway to my car
and you gave me a ring yesterday and I mean granted I had stayed.
So I it's like yesterday, the first of all before we get to
all of that just to remind her that the Crimson cast podcast
and the family of crimson cast podcast is part of the back home
network, which of course is brought to you by home field
apparel your place to go. So for vintage College, apparel,
and more. I was wearing my bison hoodie at
the game yesterday and was happy to do.
So, actually in the postgame celebration.
I was over in the bleachers on the west and and lady was like
wow, that's a really nice hoodie.
So I was like trying to give her the web the dress and I was like
this is kind of an impossible thing to do right now, but man,
if you are out there and you were listening, you can go to
home TP. Yes.
Home feeling, backslash. Hope-filled.
Yeah, was, you know, one of those I really just need to get
The QR code embedded on the sweatshirt so that like, wow,
where'd you get that? Just be like, please scan me.
Ma'am. Please stand me up.
But yes, hopefully it'll Peril.com.
If you use the code home, 15% off your first order and that
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So be sure to check them out. Anyway.
Yes, I stuck around after the game.
Watching the revelry. I didn't charge the floor.
I was in a position where I probably could have, but I the
kids need that more than I do at this point.
And so, but it was great to watch and then, you know, coming
out of the game. You called me.
It was just a, there was just a Vibe, you know, among that crowd
coming out of there and it was great to see all the
celebrations. I mean, let's will talk about
the game a little bit. But I agree with you.
Like there was, there was so much to unpack from that game
from a, just a pure basketball perspective for this Indiana
team that we've talked about quite a bit, there up there
down. There's obviously something
special Brewing. With this program.
And one of the things that we talked about is like these sorts
of winds are. There are or can be I guess
maybe not our because we don't know until after the fact that
they can be catalysts for really good things happening.
And that's I think the vibe from the whole game from beginning to
end. I mean you texted me as I walked
into the arena and was like, you know, your words were something
along the lines of this is like a special crowd this crowd,
really, you know, it's one of those deals you can feel a good
crowd tonight was what you, you texted me.
And it's Like right. Yeah, I tweeted that out.
I mean I've been coming to game since 86 with a little bit of a
gap. I lived in Houston, but you
can't, you know, I've been there long enough and this is a skill
that I think that I have you can feel when the crowd is just is
electric. And there's there's games like,
you know, like the you and North Carolina game a couple like
couple of years ago. The crowd was really fired up
but there's like this this extra buzz when you get there.
It's like oh student sections full and it's like, I get there
like 25 minutes for game and it's like this place like it
had, well, I'm sure. Sure, we'll have a couple
Kentucky game comparisons, but it had that comparison like oh
the crowd is into and like there is just there's a fire up,
Assembly Hall. There's an excited.
Assembly Hall. And then there's like what you
saw last night where it's like, this is electric and it doesn't
get there all the time. And we haven't seen that in
seven or eight years. I get this funny you and I
mentioned something at the st. John's game.
It's like this. There's something here, like
there is a Sparks that were there.
That's like, I haven't seen that in the last night.
It, you know, it caught fire. Yeah.
No, it was, yeah. It was a Is an aura there were
like dueling or has of joy and violence in the crowd, which is
always to me. Those are the best Assembly Hall
crowds. Like you can go to other Arenas,
Mackey. Arena can get loud.
But Mackey arena is almost always just an aura of violence.
Like there's, there's, there's never the same like, there's
just this distant. It's hard to put assembly Halls,
Vibe into full context when it's at full voice.
And we haven't had it for a while.
I mean, I really feel like maybe the Michigan game from 2013 was
the What time that I can remember the energy being at
that level, and that was a Game Day game like crap, you know,
the students were in there for. Literally the whole day.
There was so much build-up and that was, that was a great
basketball game on the end of it, but you just and I feel bad.
I talked with some of my, my students and people that have
been around the program for maybe the last six or seven
years, and there's no frame of reference for last night's game
in terms of what they've experienced because The program
just hasn't been there. They have not been able to rise
to these sorts of moments. And so I'm just I'm excited that
everybody who had an experience that experienced it.
And for those Old-Timers like us, who used to experience this,
what felt like on a regular basis.
This was this was like the pointy edges of Assembly Hall
coming back a little bit. And so that was very exciting.
And there was, there was such great build-up for the game
coming in and we talked about this on the last podcast.
Scott like this was not an insurmountable foe.
If Indiana played with effort and all the way through the game
with the exception of like the first four minutes of the game,
the effort was there and that, you know, really is the big
difference in the last several years between Indiana and
Purdue. Is that, you know, Matt Painter
has gotten the right mix of players who come in and play
with, you know, frankly the passion and energy and
commitment that made Jean Katie's Purdue teams in the 80s
and 90s, so, Go to play against and what Indiana has lacked has
frankly been that level of you know, I do want to say, you
know, like effort but that's kind of what it feels like like
that that willingness to fight through things and take punches
and come back. That's really what not, you
know, it wasn't the man-to-man defense or the motion offense
that made Bob Knight's teams. So difficult to play against it
was that level of passion and commitment and that's what made
those Purdue Indiana game. So special.
This felt like tapping. Back into that vein, once more.
And, you know, for you can nitpick Mike Woodson on some
individual coaching decisions or rotation decisions here and
there, what? I don't think you can nitpick is
now twice in big games in conference at home, Ohio State,
and now Purdue we've seen Indiana.
Hit levels of resilience and commitment on the floor that we
haven't seen in a long time. Knowing that the effort goes
across the board. I mean, I almost want to just
mention everybody who played like, on the assembly, call
their talk, about the Hoosier hustle, war, and trying to pick
a between four or five, guys like that entirety like
everybody who stepped on the court last night, gave it their
all to the point that, you know, Woodson obviously had his team
in that second half and like, those are my guys, those last
three or four minutes. It was a rock fight and I
haven't seen a team. They were just coming up like
gasps like they were walking up before it not in a bad way, just
like they had given Everything they had and you can see it.
It's it was great. And that that's been the trouble
with these are Indian. This has been the trouble with
this losing streak, to Purdue is, you know, you can lose a
teams like, you know, Michigan state was like, alright, they're
really good. And we're playing tough, but
it's like we just don't have the horses over this stretch.
It does feel like, you know, the difference has been produced as
punched Us in the mouth metaphorically and we just don't
punch back. And last night, it felt like we
took the punches. Then we started punching.
In back and it's wild like, you know, my son, you know, my
great, my son, Grayson is five. He turns six.
This June. I'm like driving home.
Like this is the first time he's been alive for IU to beat Purdue
like, the streak is nuts. It's also been put on getting
those chronic Hoosier. It's like nobody beats US 10
times in a row, right? Um, yeah, it's but no it last
night. Was you saw that they like that
that team had just given their all and you know, but where do
Before we dig into the particulars of the game because
such a unique game. I will say this.
Yeah, I'm gonna go here. I'm so over the place reminds
like our Kentucky pops other place.
This is your point about Woodson, like he is doing the
macro things. So well, I guess there's little
in-game decisions. He still does the five out
substitutions or just kind of weirdo zhen be a tick.
So to speak that you see, there are a lot of drive and kick,
those things will come. Um, but macro wise, having
Woodson's got this all on, it's funny.
I have a tweet that I was going to send you.
I'm not picking on him, but it's like I love this.
There's a story by data O'Neill in the athletic about like pit
how pit, you know, the boosters wanted a new coach.
And now that the program is gone and then Seth Davis has the
thing of like when it gets to a point where coach fires his
fans. He's doesn't work out well for
the school, he leaves, but kind of this, this overarching feel
that's always like, hey fans. Don't fire your coach like you.
Just fall off the abyss and we heard a ton of that.
Like who does I you think they are firing Archie after 4 years.
Like this is why. Now?
This is why like we're here. We're seeing it and I get so
tired of that Narrative of liked a fans, just be happy with what
you have, be happy that you're where you're at to know like we
needed to be rejuvenated and goddamn like Mike Woodson sister
cool cat he's doing the right thing.
I mean this season, we're not going to win the title.
Like we're not going to win the Big Ten but this is this does
feel like Like a real turning of the tide.
Well, you know, it's your point about the coaching change is an
important one, and I think that the, the from the outside world,
there's Indiana basketball looks like every other basketball
program. I get that.
But when you look at it from the perspective of a longtime
follower of the program or someone that's trying to buy
into the hype, what's been missing from IU.
Not just during the Archie Miller era, but frankly during
the last three seasons, maybe you know of the Tom crean era
really last four seasons, I guess with with a couple of
small exceptions was the feeling that IU basketball could
establish. Among its fans.
That this is a special way of playing basketball that these
players have bought into the Mystique and to the overall.
And look, people, you can point and say, well, look, I use just
not that special, but they were. And if you look around the
country at the programs that I, you used to count themselves in
the ranks of the Kentucky's, the Dukes, the Kansas has the North
Carolina's. You still see that Mystique in
how those players approach play. In their games.
Yes, they might have a bad season here or there but there's
a reason why those programs have a different feeling around them.
And yes, I you has not been in that category.
I mean, you know what, we're seeing people criticize the
students for rushing the floor and it's like, well, you just
get over. Well, well, here's the thing,
though. You look at that and you can
say, well, are you, you know, you can't call yourself a
big-time program and I'd say the answer is, that's correct.
IU is not a big-time program right now and they haven't been
for a while and I have no problem with rushing the court
in this game. It was an exciting game.
It was back and forth. There was such a drop-off went
to Purdue took a two point lead with under a minute to play.
Everybody in the building is looking at this and saying I
have seen this movie before and I am about to get my heart
ripped out. And so then for Indiana to come
back score, the last five points of the game and pick up the
victory. What made that important?
And and you know, why? My Woodson deserve such a huge
amount of credit is, I don't think we see the last four or
five Indiana teams be able to do that against Purdue, you know,
maybe against other teams in the conference.
But in this particular game were emotion and will matter more
than execution. I don't think you get to see
Indiana doing that. And for the fans.
Yes, you know, 25 years ago, which is where a lot of our fans
are still stuck. You wouldn't rush the floor for
or a win in the conference against Purdue at home.
But this fan base, this especially the students.
Right now. This is like 1973.
This isn't like 1993. This is a program that has been
in the wilderness for half a decade if not more than that.
And so this is the kind of thing as we saw with the Kentucky game
in 2011, as we saw with the Penn State football game last year.
This is one of those games that if you're doing things the right
way. Mmm, probably you're going.
To win. The question then becomes
long-term. Can you sustain it?
But let's not worry about that right now because I think with
basketball the feeling you get off of this team is.
Yes. It's a flawed team from a roster
construction perspective. Yes, you've got guys that can
show up and have great games and then disappear in the next one,
but it's a team that's cobbling together a mentality and an
attitude again for, you know, for the so, I saw somebody
mentioned yesterday. I forget where this team kind of
reminds you of the first K Samson team, which A lot of
people have forgotten about but that team kind of drew a line in
the sand on defense and in terms of Will and execution and for
the first time in like five years back, then you were like,
wow this team is good to get behind this team.
Really feels like it cares and it's like willing to do what it
needs to do. To pick up these gritty types of
Victories. And so a lot of things to unpack
there and we won't know the ramifications for a long time,
but it feels like something momentous is starting to take.
Place. And this is the type of game
that helps to illustrate that. The other thing that I will say,
I was thinking about this driving home.
I don't want to get back onto the Archie thing.
But this is what really frustrated me with the Archie
era is, it was like, I felt like I was kept on being told by just
wait, like, we're, installing this pack line defense.
It takes time, you know, it takes time and to me offense
does take time like on the offensive side.
You need guys who have skill, who can shoot.
Like there's some things that can't be taught just in an
offseason, but Just like we need to remember this moment right
here. Mike Woodson took over this team
less than a year ago. They are the 11th best adjusted
defense in the country s best in only only in the in Big Ten only
second best only because Illinois has got up there but
they're ready. Second best in the Big Ten like
this is one of the top 15 defensive teams in the country.
We did that in nine months. So like this idea that you know
whenever if and whenever we have an X coaching search for
hopefully we're never in the wilderness again.
D of echo needs two or three years to install this defense,
like no. Like if you know what you're
doing and you're putting the effort and you install the right
defensive tactics defense should be able to show results the next
season. Yeah, and I mean, look, I think
something that it's important to keep in mind the, you know,
look, Archie Miller didn't do a bad job necessarily of
individual defensive instruction because Mike, Woodson did
inherit some pretty good players.
Defensively what he's done though, is put a system in that.
Those players can work in a lot more.
Organically than what they seem to be able to do in that pack
wine. And that's one of those things.
I think we'll always kind of scratch our heads on.
But to me, it's not so much that Woodson has gotten them to buy
into a system as much as it is that Woodson's gotten them to
buy into a mentality. And I think that that honestly
is the big difference even on offense and this is not a great
offensive team. It's probably not going to be a
great offensive team, but they've been able to buy into a
mentality that at least at And I think look increasingly.
I think you'll probably see them playing better on the road as
they start to get more confidence from games like this.
It it's less about the X's and O's and more about the mentality
of how the players are viewing going into the game and
themselves. And look, you know, we I, you
know, when we talking about this team and the way that they're
put together, one of the things I brought up after the last game
and it was really the result of a bunch of games together was
robbed fantasy. Hasn't been playing anywhere
close to what you would think that he'd be able to play and
you know up until last night you look at his stats and you're
like, I'm so confused as to why this has been such a struggle
and Rob fennessy deserves all the credit in the world because
essentially out of nowhere, he came in and had his best game as
an Indiana, Hoosier. Yes, he's had games that were
slightly better from an offensive rating perspective,
but the overall game, He play offensively defensively,
especially in that first half. He saved Indiana from what
looked like it was going to be an embarrassing, you know,
experience in the first four minutes and completely change
the game. The game was never the same for
either Indiana or Purdue from the moment that Rob fennessy
took that first like three-pointer.
It was just suddenly like, oh wait a minute.
That's what Indiana supposed to be doing.
And you know, you know the we heard in the postgame press
conference. And I think fennessy talked
about a to maybe on television that Woodson pulls him aside
before the game and says, you know, you may not have anybody
in your corner, but you've got me in your corner that resonates
in a way that it just seems like we haven't seen in Indiana for a
while like this this sense of you mentioned of coach or, you
know, fans firing their coach, the distance that you would get.
From Miller in the obviously from the inside.
But also even from crane who had a tendency to every time things
weren't going well point the finger at the Players sitting on
his bench like you're not getting that sense out of
Woodson. He's really managed to get this
team mentality and so a guy like Rob fennessy who looked like his
confidence was crushed. Look like he was just not going
to be capable of starting it up. Again comes out and against you
know, the biggest rival that Indiana's got A team that he
grew up right down the road from had his best game as an Indiana.
Hoosier that all credits her obstinacy, but that's also a
culture and atmosphere thing and it just feels very different
vibe Wise from what you've seen from Indiana recently finished
his first shot one of his first, I think it was his first year
when it was for a few threes was like, a step back, three like
hijabs depth in step back, like very confidently, hit a three.
And we're thinking like, oh, that's okay, McGraw tribes here
to play. And yeah, I had heard the same.
Thing, you know, we saw it on social media about the woods and
quote. But to me, it's like, damn, like
I just I'm all in on Woodson now.
Like he has that quote, before the game, which he says to Rob,
but then he backs it up in the most insane.
Not insane. Like Rob's playing a great game.
Rob has an insane first half a very good second half.
Even he's playing great defense. They put IV on him.
They say he had one of the best athletes in the country
defending him, and then went in the Crucible moment we're down
by two. Not only does Woodson.
Call the play for Rob. I'm calling the play for you to
win the game to go up by three. He misses the shot and he's
like, you know what, we're going back to you.
I'm running like he it's one thing to say it before the game
and you can mean it. It's a whole nother thing when
it's nut crunching time and the game is on the line and I'm
going to you not once but twice, you're my guy.
I got an All-American down there, who hasn't played most of
the games, like I'm going to you and like you are.
It's done. Then I saw the video afterwards
where he's in the locker room. And again, like Woodson's just
so fucking cool, like just under hands the ball to him like
sorry. Sorry, f word like under.
Hey, is it? So I'm just gonna let it go.
Let it go. Let it stand this time.
Okay, he's like, you got your teammates, but like, you always
got me that you got me. And like, how do you not like
for the recruiter in the building last night?
Like you just sign up. Now, do you just say like, can I
just start playing now? What I mean?
Like, it's such a big moment and just say it's It's putting your
money where your mouth is like such good coaching.
And the thing with Woodson that I love is even in that moment.
He was obviously fired up leaving the game.
You could just see he's which is got the confidence.
Like I trusted you man. Like I had faith in you.
Like he kind of had that feel, but hey - was fun, but like,
let's go do it again. And the last thing I'll say I
told you on the phone last night.
You've unfortunately had this Aura of you and I go to a Pacers
game and Oladipo blows his knee out like every where you're at.
Bad happened. Gator Bowl, Outback, Bowl.
Ya know. It's beautiful.
It's going to boil. We're getting smoked.
Hey, we're going to Iowa and, you know, you're getting, we're
getting destroyed. I'm on that too, true.
Yes, but you, you know, you just hammered the fittest.
See stats for this game. Maybe you broke the curse, like,
maybe we are now in the alternate reality.
You broke the Matrix. Like let's go Galen keep
breaking the Matrix. If this is the results, it's one
of those deals where look I know I said this before.
I didn't take any pleasure out of pointing out the problems
that, you know, and is back court.
In general, is really struggled at At times but Indiana's
backcourt won the game for Indiana, and I'm so thrilled.
I realize, you know, when I talk on the podcast, I don't speak
out of malice. I try to give as objective of a
Viewpoint, an analytical of a viewpoint on Indiana, basketball
or Indiana football. As I can.
There's a call it like I see it mentality and look like, people
don't want to agree with me on things.
I understand. I don't think you could make a
justification for the struggles that that either Rob or, you
know, in certain I think, I think Xavier Johnson's way over
criticized by the IU fan base. But you know what, he was huge.
He was absolutely huge last night and he, I think part of
that mentality, that Junkyard Dog mentality is, what gets us
him against. Sorry, like yes, the gotta get
pretty well. You're right.
No. No, absolutely.
Well, I was going to say was nothing Thrills me more as an IU
fan. Historically been watching
players who have struggled or who have tried to fight through
things and had difficulty figure out a way to make it happen on
big stages. You know, whether it was Todd
Lindemann, having, you know, that wild end to his career
where he suddenly like became this reliable center after
basically, like two and a half three years of being like, why
is this guy on the on the roster?
You know, you saw it over and over again, I think in the night
air on way Patterson again in the NIT.
Yeah, let's do. I mean, those moments.
Are you remember them in ways that help to build out the
character of Indiana University basketball?
As an entity is something that you have an emotional attachment
for and I'm thrilled for robbing.
A, not to Rob, to me, is a kid that is obviously having
struggles with confidence and to watch him come through on the
biggest stage like this. And there's that great picture
from the Cuban Center, you know of him in the middle of all of
those fans. It's that's the kind of thing
that causes a player to be remembered long after they, you
know, take off the uniform. For the last time but they
become part of Indiana lore and robbed of all people, you know,
as someone I was I was texting with the other day about Rob you
here's a kid who did it the way everybody wants them to do it.
Like he came to IU out of Purdue territory.
He stayed for four years, whereas, you know, other players
transferred out when you know, when Archie Miller left or
before that a guy who has, yes, had some struggles but stuck
around Round and here on the biggest stage, that we've seen
Indiana basketball on in quite a while, had his best game as an
IU player, and that is a truly special thing.
And, and look the whole backcourt like as much as my
real quick. Yeah, when Robb thing that is,
you know, it's weird to think that some of, like your students
in college were like nine, ten years old, when the Kentucky
game happen, so they may not note to me.
That game was still probably more significant just based on,
you know, the absolute depth that we were in.
It's like There was a moment there where you're like staring
into the abyss like we're you know 1 and 30 in the Big Ten or
something. It's like this might never come
back. We got it back and there's like
a historical rivalry is Kentucky and there was a, you know,
last-second shot feel to that Kentucky game.
But you know, well Watford was there, you know, Watford, I feel
say like there's something about this game that's different in
like again, significantly. I think it's important.
Maybe not as important, Kentucky game, but there's something just
came out, remember different. It's like, I feel like, I've
been so connected with finna, see his whole career, for all
the reasons you said, like, I feel like he's a player that
most of the fan base. We want.
It's like it's almost like the tough love, but we want him to
be this player because we see it in there and we see it.
It's just like we want to unlock it.
And as you mentioned like, you know, this is you have this
historically, where you see these players go through this
and like, this will always be remembered.
Is that that fantasy game? I think there's something even
more connective to it because I feel like most, Fans have gone
through a journey with finna, see that, maybe they didn't go
through with like, Watford, you went through with that team, the
team that beat Kentucky, and that they had a great run after
that. But this will always have a
special place. I think at IU fans Hearts
because it's like we were with fantasy this whole ride and we
got to, you know, he got to enjoy that and God bless them.
And that picture is fantastic, but I feel like for all of us on
the team and we love the team. I really am really like this
team a lot, but it's like, if I could pick one player to have
this happen to them. Year, like, it would have been
robbed fantasy, and I think a lot of fans are in that boat.
So I think that's where it's special.
But again, if you're putting this is why it's a seismic win
is like, this is transformational for all those
students in the building there. It's like they now have their,
you know, their Rob gate. Yeah.
Well, they've done. They've got a game, they'll
remember and, yeah, I'm so happy for the students.
I mean, fans in general. I'm really, I'm happy for the
whole fan base. The whole fan base need this.
But these students in particular not just that they've watched
Purdue beat Indiana five times in a row.
So a senior this year. A grad student this year would
have not seen Indiana having beaten Purdue if they'd stayed
through. But especially for this group of
seniors who lost the second half of their sophomore year and
pretty much all of their junior year to covid and is had
certainly their senior year disrupted quite a bit by it, to
have the building full and the electric and actually have a
happy ending to this particular game is, you know, I'm so
thrilled for them. So happy.
And that look, when we talk about some people, complain
about the energy and Assembly Hall, not being the same.
You know, why? Cuz there haven't been that many
big wins in Assembly Hall in the last decade.
Yes, obviously 2013. There were some big ones and
you've had some speckled here and there but that is not going
to sustain the energy of a fan base and look you and I were
both in school in the late 90s. There were some big wins that
happen during that time, but the energy in that building didn't
come from 95 to 89, it came from 73 to 93.
Like that was the that was, we're kind of, we didn't realize
it at the time, but we were kind of riding the vapors of that.
And I felt that a lot of, a lot of the relatively medium sized,
Big 10 games were not the electricity, wasn't there, an
assembly hall when you and I were going.
Yeah, absolutely. And so, this is the kind of
thing, and this is the big question.
Like there were a couple of big wins at home for IU under Archie
Miller, that obviously beat Michigan State that year that
they swept Michigan State kind of inexplicably.
Um, the other been one or two others, but this kind of wind
felt different, and if you can put more of these sorts of wins
together, it, that's that's what helps to rebuild the ferocity.
And the, you know, the adherence to the brand that IU basketball
fans from 25 30 years ago are like, well, this is, of course,
that's Indiana. Basketball.
You have a whole generation to generations of fans who haven't
had those experiences or if they've had them.
They've been bookended by troughs by these, by these
depths that, take, whatever Joy, they gained out of those few
fleeting moments out of the equation.
So anyway, I was going to say something earlier because I
wanted to get into the statistics, aren't a little bit
work. You have to wrap up here
relatively soon. But before we get into that,
just a reminder that Crimson cast is brought to you in part
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It's a great thing. If you're a sports fan and you
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The power rank.com /. AC again, the power rank.com /,
AC go check it out. Anyway, let's talk about some of
the statistics and I mentioned the point guards, the guards in
general, but the point guards in particular, a mole.
Aligned group for this IU. Team were the reason Indiana won
the game. Everybody knows about Rob
fennessy 20 points in this game. And, you know, he was in 20 in
was at 26 minutes 20 points. 4 rebounds, 4 steals Xavier
Johnson was the only reason Indiana didn't fall down by like
12 points. In the first couple of minutes
of play. He finished with 18.
He shot a lot. I think he was 7 for 17 from the
More. But again, four rebounds 2
assists a steel and you play the entire second half by the entire
second half played 32 minutes. Trey Gowdy.
Also was the only one who didn't look tired.
Like at the end of like a nap. Yeah.
He look like he could play another half.
Yeah, Trey Galloway, 24 minutes, eight points, but that really
doesn't tell the full story of Galloway.
He had two blocks. He had two steals.
He was a pest, he managed to get Jane IV to commit, you know, a
misdemeanor on the floor. Or, I mean it was one of those
games where you look at Trey Galloway.
We talked about this a couple days ago after that, Ohio, State
game. That's like Trey Galloway
provided a spark in the Ohio State game that changed the tide
of things here. It was a little bit different
because Rob fennessy, provided the spark.
Betray Galloway was the one blowing oxygen on the fire.
Once the spark was, was actually committed and it's ridiculous.
I think, especially in the second half like Galloway's
effort on defense was was right up there and In the second half.
Yeah, I was fortunate because I was I moved down seats in the
first half and so I got to watch the last 32 minutes from more or
less the floor watching Galloway talk to his teammates and urge
them on. You realize how important
emotionally and mentally, he is to the makeup of this team when
those three players Johnson finna, see and Galloway are all
playing the way that they play last night.
This is a very difficult team to play.
Against and I it you know, I don't know if it's something
that's sustainable. We still have need to see them
do it. Multiple games home in a way,
but that looks really exciting for the prospects for the rest
of the season. When you think about how spotty
the guard play has been over the course of the last several years
paraphrasing. Something they talked about in
assembly call, but you know, Galloway is the player.
We haven't had in these Purdue games, and you think about it,
like when you and I grew up we always had like, you know,
whether it was Brian Cardinal or you know, lucre It's like you
had the guy where it's like I love him on my team.
And I know I know Purdue hates him and like vice versa.
Like that was always like the hey of cargo as our team.
Like I would have loved him and I'm sure that I would have hated
Luke record was the other way around.
You know, we had the will Sheehy for a while where it's like, we
just I love having him. So I knew he'd Rupert.
Drew drove, Purdue fans, crazy. Women had that guy in like six
years and he looks like we got tree Galloway and like he's that
guy who just is going to drive them crazy Xavier Johnson, kind
of fits in that category a little bit, too.
Like he is just he's he's up in their Grill and like it is, we
just haven't had that edge. And those guys who do those
kinds of things where you need them to win games, like this to
me the test statistic that the boggles my mind is you have
three turnovers for the team. As a whole one is a team turn
over the other two are traced Jackson Davis the think they
were bad passes. That's it.
Like Rob didn't see, no turnovers Avery Johnson notice,
nobody else. He turnovers because I would
have told you Galen Trace Jackson.
Davis is going to have two turnovers for fouls, and play 11
minutes. How you feeling my feeling good?
I'm feeling good. I'm good.
Well and the fascinating thing about that, this is it's not
just a complete shocker in terms of this year's team only 3
turnovers, which I mean that's been the Bugaboo that and free
throw shooting which unfortunately wasn't great for
Indiana in this game there, but It was the lowest turnover
total. One of our listeners went
through and looked at this since 2011, for this Indiana team a
game. I think that they won against
Wisconsin that year, that is amazing and especially against a
Purdue team. Now, you know, Purdue is weird
in that, they are the best offensive team in the country on
most nights. Not last night.
They're not terrible defensively, but they're only
about top 70, top 75 like frankly.
This hopefully this doesn't come back to bite me, but if you're
Read about Purdue winning the national title or even getting
to the final four this year. They're going to have to become
a significantly better defensive team if they want to have any
shot because right now they they kind of resemble the Indiana
team from 2012 where you know, I think you know, if you look at
Purdue's overall numbers in can pom their first and offense
their 70th in defense, that's not going to win a title.
But even with that, Purdue over the course of the season has As
done, you know, that it's not like they've done a tremendous
job in forcing turnovers, but their opponents are still
turning the ball. Over on 15% of possessions,
Indiana just didn't turn the ball over and it was in part
because I think when Trace Jackson Davis went out, it was
almost like a flip, like a switch was flipped where it's
like, wow, we really got to take care of the basketball because
every possession matters so much more and while Indiana didn't
hit all of their shots, what they You do often simply put
them in a position where they could sustain only getting four
points out of Trace Jackson Davis and not have the great,
the greatest shooting night in the history of IU basketball and
still figure out a way to win the game.
Another historical thing that I've just been thinking about
and look through it. You have to go back to 2013,
which is the number one ranked team here to find a season where
your this deep into the season. Where theoretically we could
have won every game. Game, if you look at the, you
look at our four losses, they're all games me.
Iowa was a 9 point spread, but we are definitely in that game.
Every other game was a couple points, you know, what was
double overtime like this team could be 18 and up and you think
about like had Galloway not gotten hurt.
How does that affect one of those loss of me?
You look back just, you know, going back up the hill last
year. We got blown up by Texas in
December, you know, 20 that, you know, every two years ago.
We got blown out by Wisconsin, early in the year, you know, in
nineteen, you go back, we get blown up by Duke game.
I think you were at You look all the way back through the Archie,
are to the create like it's been 2013.
Since we've been this far into a year where there's not a game
where you're like we couldn't have won that game.
Right? And that it I think that does
Bode very well. This team hasn't gotten its
doors blown off this team as Bid And every single game and
they're learning how to win which you know, I know you said
it, you feel like I stole a bit like it.
I'll give you credit. Like, it does feel like we're on
the precipice of this team being able to make a slight little
run. I mean, you got And Penn State
at home, Maryland on the road. You come back to home in
Illinois. I mean, there's, you know, you
could win up with up to that Illinois game.
And even after that, it's not too frightening after that
either. Yeah.
It's it's one of those things where in those in the span of a
season, you're going to have games where you don't play that.
Well, whatever. But it is, I think you really do
bring up a good point. Like the only game that you
would look at and say well that got away from them was Iowa and
even that like you say is a game I think.
It if this team continues to grow and we've talked about
this, maybe that's a game that if they play it in late,
February or early, March, they're able to figure out a way
to maintain what they're doing. There's a lot of basketball left
to be played. I think you're still going to be
some games where this Indiana team does things where you're
like, oh, well, I don't what, what, what happened, but as we
use it, that it's not like free throw shooting.
Like there's still things that are going to trip this team up
as we're not going to have games.
We had three to run for numbers. I'll keep pointing back to this
and it's something that I talked about on the podcast.
Last last time, the defense being the calling card.
For this team is really starting to pay dividends because if you
look at the the two games Indiana's played at home,
against top, 25 competition against Ohio State, their
defensive efficiency in that game was 73.3, which is insane
like that. Is that as for against the top,
25 opponent or an Ohio, State's case?
I think they were top 15 to only allow them point.
Seven, three points per possession.
It's pretty nuts in a Good way, and now against Purdue at home,
the best offensive team in the country.
The defensive efficiency rating for that game was 82 which means
that produce scored about eight tenths of a point every
possession that they used that is the type of defensive effort.
Not just scheme, but effort that Indiana fans have been waiting
for for a long time. And while they've reached some
Pinnacles other ways defense, still speaks to the soul of the
The IU fan base and it's the most reliable way of going about
things. He's going to have names like
tonight where your best player scores for points and is in foul
trouble the whole time. How do you sustain, how do you
survive? And that I think is woodsen's
approach to things starting to shine through with this team
where they realize that they can now they realize they can win as
we talked about without Trace Jackson.
Davis having a good game and figure out things on offense and
then rely on their defense to bail them out of situations.
I think one player that really deserves special mention.
Michael dirr who came in. Yes, played 24 minutes in this
game. Now.
This is a Michael dirr who on the course of the Season.
His previous high in minutes, was seven or 16 minutes against
Louisiana Lafayette, and it wasn't just that he played that
amount of minutes. He scored Four Points.
He had two blocks. He had two steals, but he shut
down. Purdue on the interior.
Zach. Edie was just not able to
operate against first, Michael dirr try.
The on Williams was not really able to operate against anybody,
but especially against door was not able to do that much.
And again, I point to Mike Woodson on this where it's like
and even he made a little reference to it in that post
game, Locker Room video that hopefully some of you have seen
but, you know, he's looking at dirt and he says, you know,
great game. I know you haven't played that
much, you know, but this is this is this is why we do this to be
able to sit there and come in and make a contribution.
That is Again, you can that's a cultural thing, where a guy who
plays infrequently normally gets like three four minutes in the
first half can come in and just do a particular job.
He didn't score a lot. He wasn't really looking for his
own shot. He was in there to shut down
Purdue's interior and my hats off to him and to Mike Woodson
for having and the whole coaching staff really for having
him in a position to be able to do that in the first place.
Yeah site. Yeah.
I know. We're hitting the time with her.
The one thing. I agree.
Every I mean, Want to T, played so good.
Such a big win. Anyway, final thoughts on things
before we wrap up. Scott.
That was awesome. I mean, like you said, hats off
to the entire coaching staff, hats off to see him hats off for
the fans. Like this was this, you know, I
was thinking this like, this is, this is why we do this podcast.
This is why I've had tickets for years.
Like you go there for experiences like this, and we
just haven't had these for the last five, six, seven years.
And We got one and it was fantastic.
I think you know, it's you're not going to be able to
replicate that crowd on Sunday, but I think it's going to try
and it's going to be fun to see what we bring together.
Like it definitely is going to be a fun crowd on Sunday better
than had, you know, Purdue one. And I'll tell you this last
thing, I'll say just all over the board.
You know, I wear my seats are I'm in a nice spot, but I can,
you know, the team, the opposing team comes at me in the first
half. It was wild to see You know, IV
went out. Purdue didn't want any part of
that, like, you just, they looked a little bit scared and
tentative. Like, they looked like a and I
you team that I'm used to see a couple years like a team that
just wanted no part of that. They got, then I got it
together. They played well in the second
half, but it was, it was remarkable seeing Assembly Hall.
Do that to a team again? Because I haven't seen that in a
while and I'd like it was like roles were reversed for a while.
But now it's great. You know, as I you fans, as hold
our head high, we got a good, we got a good teeth.
We got a good team. I think we're definitely We're
on the right track. So, you know, this is this is
why we do this. This is why we're all invested
like this. And this is why Indiana has the
fan base that it has. Yeah.
Well, we'll see. Let's take a couple days and
just take a breather go for the team, can get their heads
re-centered on Michigan, who comes in over the course of the
next couple of days, they'll play hopefully on Sunday of this
weekend, but big win. Obviously, for Indiana knocking
off produce 68-65 at home and moves the record of 14 and 4 and
5. And 3 on the season.
Anyway, thanks to you all for joining us.
Thanks to home field apparel. Thanks to the power Rank, and
thank you to the Indiana Hoosiers.
Men's basketball team and the women who knocked off Purdue
earlier this week as well. Just to get a really great week,
all things considered. We'll catch you.
Folks on the flip side, bring back the Bison.
So long, everybody.