You're listening to the back home network presented by home
field apparel welcome back to Crimson Cask ale and Claudia
Scott Caulfield joining you once again, it is Monday the 23rd of
January, we're having to be joining you folks.
Once again, a pretty Good week last week for IU Athletics, IU
basketball, men's basketball in particular and that's what we're
going to talk about today as the Hoosiers on a three-game winning
streak because of course they are.
And they've got a couple of games coming up this week that
are pretty important in the big scheme of things are talked
about what we've seen since we last podcast with each other.
And what we're expecting going forward, Scott as always, good
to see you. How are you doing doing?
Well, doing very well. Awesome.
Yeah. Before we get into the meat of
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with the women's team, some big games for them this week and
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the pit stuff looks absolutely awesome.
I gotta say, I don't think I'll buy any of it myself, but if I
was in the market for a non-denominational college,
basketball or college football shirt, I might consider getting
something from the Collection. So and it's kind of, its kind of
supporting Xavier, Johnson didn't like it's like a retro
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No trophy, no, a little bit. Yeah.
It's because he's from Pittsburgh, you know, so it's
intentional. We're just kind of like, hey,
you know, Steel City, we're big with you, folks.
I guess it's technically also supporting Archie Miller after
the fact, right? So, yeah, I guess, yeah, John
Miller, then yeah, well Miller's, right?
Just the yeah, and John Calipari, who's also from just,
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first order Scott. Let's start off with this.
This is one of those first world problems.
Probably something the audience isn't that?
Arrested in. But I'd like to note given the
trajectory of the podcast. The last few weeks it is hard to
do an in-the-moment podcast about a college basketball.
Team that is not fully settled and where it's going and where,
what it is, actually, all we can do is essentially React to what
we see and give estimated guesses.
We are not, the only ones with this problem.
I would hate to be a Yukon podcaster right now.
You would have spent two months. Thing that you weren't ranked
number one and talking about how you were clearly the superior
team in college basketball. Only to watch your team attain,
the number one ranking and then lose five out of six.
And and finally after you know, have to right the ship against
Butler of all teams, there's other teams like that out there
where you're just like, you know, this is hard.
Look around, look around the Big Ten when Iowa is like that
Wisconsin's like that Michigan's.
Like that mean, basically almost every team outside of probably
Occurs in Purdue in the big tennis had an up-and-down
schedule so far this year. Yeah.
And I mean, even if you were a Rutgers podcast, you'd have to
explain, like, how did we lose it home to Iowa by 11?
Like, you know, these kinds of things are difficult.
So I only say that because, you know, we've been sitting, I
assume a Rutgers podcast Maya is like, if it was like playing
them, it would be your six and a half hours with 20-minute breaks
where you don't talk and just like it must be excruciating to
go to. I mean, it's in that I hate
playing Rutgers. They are just no fun to play.
Without that must be what? Like, a Rutgers podcast.
What do you, like? Just like heavy metal music,
what's the 20 minute? What's the podcast equivalent of
aggressively fouling? The person you're podcasting
with just that of that. We just air horn.
I like that. So yeah, I we might have to
Institute that on the show here as we move forward just like
Scott doesn't just says something.
I don't like I'll just like jump in with like the cosmic American
music or something is I nope sorry you have to make Point
later, something like that. But no, I, you has had a really
good last week. They had a really bad previous
week, and it's interesting because right now, I was texting
with you and a couple of other people prior to the Michigan
State game. This was after Illinois, which
was a surprise, which will delve into.
But it's like I have no clue at this point.
What to expect out of this IU team?
You know, this is a team that at the time was three and four and
you look at the schedule and it's like I could legitimately
Ultimately see this team going 12 and 8, maybe even 13 and 7 in
conference. I could also see them going 8
and 12 in conference. Both of those seem like equally
possible outcomes and when you look at the way that this team
has played recently, you know, I try to look at things other than
just Twitter for fan reaction and I really don't look at the
message boards because those tend to have like kind of a
poisonous culture to them, but I do look at some other online
sources rent at college. Basketball threads are actually
really informative in terms of like, trying to take a
temperature on certain fan bases, including IU.
And it's interesting because one of the things I was reading on
there in the aftermath of the win against Michigan.
State is the narrative on this team look like it kind of jumped
the gun when you go back. Now in retrospect and look at
the three losses that they had to start conference play in
January, where it's like well okay they lost by two at Iowa
and I was actually pretty decent right now like you look At this
Iowa team and it's like that's that's a team that can do some
damage. They picked up some other really
big wins including that aforementioned win against
Rutgers you lose by one to Northwestern.
Yes. It was not that close of a game
but still, it's like you're a couple of free throws away and
then you get born out by Penn State, but it's a game where
they set a record for most three-pointers hit.
And clearly, there was something kind of intrinsically wrong with
the way that IU is approaching things, Mike Woodson in the
postgame, press conference after the Michigan State.
Game said, you know, essentially not making an excuse, but
clearly, we lost two starters. And we were negatively affected,
mentally, and it took us a while to get our mojo back.
I think it's a bit of an over simplification, but it's not so
much of an over simplification because it's hard to reconcile
how lost this team looked in that Penn State game with how
together. They've looked in these three
wins in a row that they've had at home against Wisconsin and
Illinois at home against Michigan State.
These are three games Think a lot of people might have picked
us to lose all three of them before the season started and
win the previous three. So maybe this team is actually
back on track or maybe they're not, I'm not totally sure where
I stand on this. How do you feel about it at this
point? It's like I feel like the rest
of the year is going to be always like, well, well, next
game will give us the answer and then the next game happens like
well the next one after that, that will really be the answer
and let you just keep going with that.
There are clearly trust issues that will never go away with
this. I always think about that is all
what's it? And unfortunately, like from a
very big picture that is that is real like you go on these losing
streaks in the team looked adrift and I, you know, I feel
like we were very honest about our feeling at the time.
But, you know, there is a month there where they just looked
like they weren't playing great basketball.
And that's those are true facts. Like nobody watch those three
games against Iowa, Northwestern and Penn State, and would say
that's and that's a team that looks locked in and it's just
you having some bad breaks. But this is unfortunately than
you and I started, you know, We'd espiral into like what was
the last time we finished 500? Like what's our record since 92?
Like it's just there's there's a long history of baggage of kind
of unrealized expectations across multiple coaches
presidents years. Not going to go into that now
but like that is real. Like whether or not you like at
Indiana where there are expectations and you have
multiple years of not meeting those expectations, it starts to
become a weight that lifts that gets heavy very quickly after
two or three game losing streak. You, you don't feel like in AI
you football season. For example, II Football, does
it have? Like my God, we haven't even
been on. It's a cartwheel that happens.
Anyway, so those are real things, you know, I will go back
and look at it like yes. You could say one of two point
loss to Iowa, one point loss to Northwestern, but it in the
context of the Season, really, you know, from that Rutgers game
on, they just didn't they had a month of really bad basketball?
They didn't look great in the losses.
They were getting pretty well thumb.
Upped and then you know, some of the Northwestern game was not a
one-point loss. People will forget that in five
or six years, that was really a much more lives.
Just the way they were losing where they looked out of it.
They looked out of sorts and, yeah, at that point, it didn't
look like there was a lot of adjustments and it didn't look
like things were changing and things were definitely point in
the right direction and recent history.
Was, it didn't seem to be a way out of it.
Everything has changed and so things are better.
I don't think you'll suddenly we're going to win.
Big Ten, but I do think that, you know, what you've seen in
these last three games is a team that's playing with just a lot
more intensity. I will say, I think that,
looking back what I have realized is, there was probably
a jack Trace Jackson Davis injury or something that was
holding him back. From being his full potential
were at least right now, it looks like he's playing at a
much more hundred percent type level.
I do think that the injuries hurt this team, I don't think an
excuse has and, you know, kind of a month-long Swoon, but you
have to take the other side that, you know, the thing that
Archie could never do was kind of wake his team up and get out
of the malaise and you do have to hand it to Woodson and this
staff and this team that they seemingly have got up off the
mat and look very competitive. And to me the Michigan State
game was the key one because I don't think Wisconsin is
awesome. So that's a good win but it's
not like the Wisconsin years past were suddenly going to go
my God they're in the Big Ten like I think they're going to
struggle to get in the tournament the Illinois game
wallets at home. While was a road game, something
about like that Illinois. Team looked like we did during
our malaise, like they just looked kind of offense, like,
maybe we caught them at a weird time, not, you know, but then
that Michigan State game for me was because, you know, it's at
home, but it's like Michigan state is always a solid team.
They just are They're going to be in the tournament.
They're going to finish the third or fourth in the Big Ten,
maybe second. And that that's a well-coached
team that year in year out, you beat Michigan State, you've done
something. And so to me, it's like that
was, that was the key linchpin, to all of this.
And then looking ahead things, you know what?
We'll talk about that in a second, but I feel better now.
And it feels like things have kind of at least turn and you've
had three straight games of a lot of effort.
And again, it's something we're able to see under Archie.
Also, just Preparing for this. I know that you know, because
you know everything but for our listeners out there, if you
don't, I don't know everything. But anyway, go on what the last
time. We had a three-game winning
streak in the Big Ten, there's like 20 19, right?
Yeah. It was oddly enough after that,
you know, 12 losing 12 or 13. We finish the year on a
four-game winning streak to win the to finish off the Big Ten to
basically get us into the NIT. But it's it is wild, just take a
moment that we had. Full seasons that we all just
live through of college basketball where Indiana was not
able to string together three straight wins in the Big Ten.
So that's I hate to say that's that's an accomplishment and
that's something that you're going to have to do multiple
times if you're going to be a leader.
But no, I think to me the big thing is that, you know, each of
these games had a little bit of a question mark.
The Michigan State one was like, not only did we look good.
We kept that intensity over but we won and we kind of throttle
them. I mean, we beat them by Teen
really owes 15, it could have been 17.
So, that's where I'm at and I'm I'm starting to feel like all
right, maybe they've turned the corner, I'd love to know what
happened, but doesn't really matter because they fixed it and
we seem to be better. And now in a weird way, it's
like, all right, races slowly open coming back was awesome.
He's obviously going to take, you know, a couple weeks to get
back. He'll probably never be at 100%
this season, but you know, it'll take a couple weeks, but he's
kind of on that trajectory maybe to get ex back.
And then he gets to choose Three were maybe he's able to play at,
you know, pretty close to his full strength by, maybe March
the tournament time, you know. So there's not, I don't say a
light at the end of the tunnel, but it's like it, you can kind
of see like. All right, this is a good team
and we're going to be adding more pieces as we go.
So those are my overall thoughts.
Yeah, yeah, no. I mean, you mentioned a bunch of
things there I wanted to touch on first of all.
Yes, it traced Jackson Davis in, I think it was the postgame
press conference. It might have been the Illinois.
Game press conference said that this week, this past week was
the first week he had practiced since the beginning of December
which that's that's that's pretty heavy.
Like that's a clear indicator that there's there was something
legitimately wrong and you know it's nice to get confirmation of
that and one of our big complaints and not just us.
I think anybody that covers this team and tries to talk about
them intelligently as you don't ever get the background.
So you don't even know if there's something necessarily
wrong. And look there's reasons why His
do that. I get it, but it makes trying to
give accurate appraisals of why people are doing the things or
not doing the things that they should be doing.
It gives you a lot more context real quick.
I'm just jumping in for one second that it is.
Just I mean it's amazing that if that's the case you look at his
numbers. Like when you go back 30 years
from now, is look at his numbers.
You'll be like, oh, we missed two games against Kennesaw State
deal on, but like, you would not realize that he was really into,
like he didn't have great numbers against Truckers
Nebraska Arizona Kansas but still put up double figures and
then after you know Iowa Northwestern Penn State, he
still put up Thirty eighteen, fourteen eighteen thirty five,
thirty one. So it's just like to his credit
what? Like we could all see that he
wasn't at a hundred percent but even him at like 60 70 percent
is still amazing. And it's wild that people in the
future, will look back and just be like, they'll anyway, just
it's just like as a credit to him.
He's able to put up 30 points against Iowa, where he's
obviously battling something. Yeah, absolutely.
And know it. - that's well taken point and one that is important
for people to keep in mind. So, there's that.
There's also your question about or your statement about the, the
loss of the starters doesn't really fully adequately.
Explain the Swoon. And it's true because, you know,
I mean, race Thompson was around until the Iowa game, but it also
is important to remember that. Just the missing starters.
Don't even tell a full tail because Jalen Hurd Ruffino also
missed several games during that.
That time period starting with the Rutgers game which is really
one all the problems came in. And what's fascinating to me
about this Renaissance that we're seeing out of IU is the
way that it's manifested itself. We've done a lot on this podcast
of looking backwards and cutting off the first half of the Season
or first seven games. Now, we've got enough data in
the can where we can effectively do that in January and what's
fascinating is on torvik, which has been very harsh on.
I you, when looking at that, Period.
If you set the new cut off at January 1st which basically
encompasses all the big ten games they played from Iowa
forward, this is the 23rd ranked team in torvik during that
period. It's the 14th best offense in
all of college basketball during that period.
But it's only the 96, the best defense during that period.
Now, you know what's interesting about that is a lot of that is
just efficiency margin and like, even in this game against
Michigan State, Michigan state scored above a A point per
possession. But Indiana won by double digits
which I think is, it's in a really important thing, and it's
something that we've had to recalibrate early's.
I've had to re-calibrate my expectations of this team
because I thought they were going to be an awesome defensive
team that would get by on offense.
And maybe if we were lucky that, get somewhere in the top 30,
maybe Top, 40 on offense. It's been the opposite.
This is actually a legitimately scary offensive team, you've got
Trace Jackson Davis who is putting up.
Keep calling them likes, 1970s numbers on Twitter.
This is the it's like when you you look at the IU record book
and you see that Steve Downing like went for 49 and 25 in a
game in 1972 and you're like well that would never happen
today and yet I would not be shocked if Trace Jackson Davis,
threw down a 49 and 25 at some point or he's Mike Woodson at
that. Game at Illinois was a similar
kind of thing back in 1979, like that's the level that Jackson
Davis is playing at, and then you add in In but Indiana has
pretty reliably gotten to other players into mid double figures
like 15 points or better and it changes game to game like in
this last game tomorrow, Bates comes off the bench after having
essentially not contributed in the game against Illinois and he
scores 17 points. He's 5 for 6 from three tray
Galloway, who certainly had his struggles offensively, he scores
25 or excuse me, 17 points he's 3 for.
From three, he's 245 from to, he's 4 for 4 from the free throw
line, they do all of that in place of Jordan, orgy, I keep
getting his name wrong today, Jalen Hurd, she Fino and Jordan
Geronimo, both who have less contributions in that game than
they had in the Illinois game. But like those roles keep
rotating new guys, find ways to get open and score, and it
essentially means that IU has been able to thrive as almost an
offense. First team that's playing enough
defense. To get by rather than having to
do it the opposite way. And that is that is such a huge
change Scott from what we've seen the last six years.
That it's really hard to get your head wrapped around, but it
does represent to me some tactical flexibility and some
operational flexibility from Woodson and this was exactly
what we were lamenting with Woodson.
Like two weeks ago that that didn't appear to be a parent.
So I don't know what the explanation is per se but
clearly a switch was flipped with this team.
And ironically, it's kind of most obvious on the Defensive
end where the effort and the in your face - of the defense, and
the ability to make adjustments, is so much better yet.
It's not actually showing up in the efficiency there, but it is
showing up on the offensive end. Yeah.
No, the defense is it really shows up as effort?
Like it's one of those, our defense is really good even
though the numbers may not show it and the other thing is kind
of confounding is after years of rightfully.
So talking about, you know, why the hell can't we get a shooter
here and yet we don't have it, Jordan Halls where it's like,
I'm 100% sure. That guy's hitting a wide-open
three. We're really pulled up.
We're 19th in the country, in three-point shooting percentage.
This is a big sample size. Yeah, I think what I'm I think
we should take more threes but you were shooting 38% tomorrow
Bates. You know.
It's taken. Fifty eight.
Threes. This year is shooting 42% from
three. Yeah, you know.
It's so sick. Those jail and Hooch pheno.
So, I mean, yeah. I mean Miller cop is still at 52
percent, 45 percent tray Galloway's.
A 52%. Yes, I know I know it's like and
this is and its allies. I'm 30 shots.
That's not and it's not a ton but it's not.
Yeah. We, you know, it's also like
we've become a real Good three-point shooting team in the
top, 20 in the country. And so I'm with you our offense.
But for those who watch the game, I'm 100% with you.
That it's like the defensive intensity is what kick-starts
the offense, like no question on this team and that's what was
perplexing in the Swoon, is the defense just didn't seem to be
locked in and therefore our offense was struggling and then
we were seeing all the same issues we saw in previous years
so no, I'm With you. The last thing I'll say like,
it. Tres Jackson Davis is at this
level, it's unreal, but like, when you pull up his Ken Palm
page, it's in yellow where it has, like, where do you rank
nationally? In this category, he damn near
has yellow. Under every single statistic,
they keep track of outside of Steel percentage.
Free throw attempts and made. He's not there yet.
But I mean, 71% pretty good for a, for a big guy, that's it.
I'm not expecting Trace to get, you know, seven your be
nationally ranked and steals like everything else.
He is nationally ranked at every other metric that can pom keeps
track of it is. Yeah mind-boggling how good?
And how efficient he has been. And this, this is kind of like,
it does feel like right now. You're starting to unlock some
things that like, you saw it, two games in a row, Illinois was
like, all right, we're going to single cover Trace.
It's like, okay, he's going to torch you like You can't unless
you maybe have as a key D. You know, he has struggled
against some of the bigger bigger centers.
But if you single cover Trace Jackson, Davis with someone
who's 610 or lower. He's going to torch you.
So you saw Michigan State. It's like, all right, we're
going to double and we're going to double from a bunch of
different ways from the shooter side from the weak side.
And it's like, if we're shooting 42% from three, your screw.
They're like fine. He'll he will.
He's a great passer. He passes out of the post, he
will hit the open guy and it's like, so if those two things are
happening, It now becomes the matchup problem.
I think we were all expecting to see this year.
Yeah, absolutely. And and clearly there's, there's
a health element to it but it's also it, right.
It feeds into the three-point shooting because you need to
have players that can knock those shots down.
And look, I'm with you. On the one hand in terms of, I'd
like to see a shoot more threes, but I will also say that when
you have the ability to knock down those shots, but your
funneling most of your offense through a post player like Trace
Jackson Davis, it is less than Orton.
I mean and this is where yes, I'm you can pick and choose your
samples but UCLA whose final four Contender like a really
good team, they actually have a worse three-point percentage in
terms of total number of shots than Indiana does.
Like Indiana. It's 29.4% of Indiana shot
attempts, or threes UCLA is 27.7%, you know, they're 350th
in the country on that and and so you don't have to shoot a
lot. Threes as a proportion of your
total offense and still be a good team.
Now, it means you have to be a lot more efficient in terms of
shooting twos but Indiana has been able to do that both,
because of Trace Jackson Davis and also because of Jordan
Geronimo, Malik renew as of late.
You know, why you get so many quality looks around the basket
that it to some degree has negated the need to live and die
by the three. You know, that's a, that's a
luxury. And if Indiana could continue to
shoot at a, Right now, they're in a 38.1% clip on the season
over the course of the last three weeks.
Indiana is shooting 43% from three, which is ninth in the
country. If they do, if they can maintain
somewhere between 38 and 43 percent on the three attempts
that they're getting, if we could get Miller cop to take a
couple of stand and shoots because I think that would
actually increase that percentage a little bit.
Now, you really put opposing defenses into a conundrum
because Tracy Jackson, Davis has demonstrated We'll go out and
get 25 and 15 on you every night if you don't double him, but if
you double him as Michigan state was doing, now you've got
traitor, tomorrow Bates, who has just decided I'm gonna if I'm
open. I'm just going to take three.
I can beat 27 feet away from the basket.
I'm going to take it and it's got a decent chance of going in
trade Gap, aggressive trade Galloway.
I've been very critical of trig Alloy on this podcast,
aggressive tray, Galloway on offense at Roy Galloway.
That's looking for shots and takes them.
Decisively is a very dangerous weapon.
We're A Gallo is gotten into trouble is by not being
decisive, by trying to facilitate everything else all
the time, a decisive Jalen Hood. Shh.
Fino is very dangerous. Decisive Miller cop.
I'm assuming would be dangerous if we ever saw it, you know, and
then Xavier Johnson, he's very decisive.
Like he knows it. He has this very nice innate
sense of when to shoot and hit. That's a 37% three.
Three, point shooter that I you just doesn't have right now if
they get him back and if his mechanics are Despite the injury
then that adds even more to the mix.
And it sets up a team that if they can maintain defensive
intensity and score at this caliber suddenly resets the
entire level of expectations. This is where we have read.
Yes. Xavier I'll jump in with is
again, I have no idea on the rehab, like, you know, breaking
a foot is just that's a tough injury for a basketball player,
especially a point guard. But what we saw yesterday is
Jalen Hood, should we do is definitely battling some sort of
injuries just didn't look right, you had trig Galloway and
tomorrow bait playing point. I don't want that every game but
you were mentioning, you know, Xavier Johnson three-point
shooting and for a while there he was our best three-point
shooter parts of last year parts of this year just to systole and
you know, and I think people forget that that there is a
world that if Jalen Hurd Shafi, do can just stay healthier kind
of get through some of these midseason bumps.
If you're able to rely on, You Know, Tamar Bates and Galloway
as your kind of backup point guard.
There's a world where maybe Xavier Johnson can play a little
earlier or a little bit more as just kind of a spot up, you
know, three-point shooter just kind of play the to I'm that's
not his best role but it's like it's something I never would
have thought of a 30 month or two ago that will just bring
them in as like your to guard. It's like no Xavier is your
point and he ideally would be your point guard.
But I'm just thinking for a guy who's coming off a foot injury,
it's really easy to say hey we're just going to put you in.
Its kind of the the Miller coprolite go in the corner, it
just hit. A couple threes.
And so like it, all of these things open up just different
aspects of the offense. If you're able to have kind of a
nice, good backup point guard like like they did against
Michigan State. It's, I mean look so much of
this team. I feel like People don't know
how to feel or think about it. And I count myself in that
because you know, every time you try to build trust or start to
build trust with this team, it feels like the bottom drops out.
Now it's hard watching them. Dismantle Wisconsin.
In the second half, then watching them dismantle
Illinois, for the entire game on the road.
And that's it. That's a top-level win.
I mean that they're, they're not going to be a whole lot of wins
in the entirety of college basketball, that travel as well
as winning at Illinois, will because I don't like, I don't
know, 90s. Go away.
And then to come home and have a couple of separate circumstances
in the Michigan State game, where it looked like, it might
be getting away from you and then to completely take over the
game in both cases and dominate like that illustrates to me a
team that they'll have struggles and independent moments and not
going to win every game, the rest of the way.
But they don't look afraid and they don't look uncertain
anymore and you know going back to what you were talking about
with Galloway and Bates playing the point.
The fact that Woodson has felt comfortable saying, you know
what, Jalen, atrophy know. We're going to move you to a
Knopf ball roll. We want Trey Galloway triggering
things because you provide us with an offensive skill set that
shouldn't just be all about you, handling the ball constantly and
then in this Michigan State game, you know, bait your hook
Jaffe. No gets hip-checked.
He goes down. He's clearly not.
Right. And they hadn't played that well
up to that point and Woodson was confident enough in bringing in
bait. And playing Bates and Galloway
that he told Hood sophina who's been a stalwart been a starter
the whole season that he's been eligible.
You're going to sit on the bench for like the next 10 minutes
while we play these other guys. And I, you was able to take a, I
think a small deficit in the second half and turn it into a
double digit Advantage without him out on the floor, that tells
me that the offense has a much better sense.
Now, both individually and collectively of what it can do,
what it needs to do. The level of communication is so
much better. Better.
You know being there in person yesterday and watching them
direct traffic back in the back court.
You know saying okay, you need to go there to start the playoff
and I'm going to dribble to this spot and then watching
everything. Go around that, watching them,
adapt to how Michigan State dropping down.
A defender on Trace, Jackson, Davis and figuring out what they
needed to do. I mean, so much of what was
built yesterday was built without Trace Jackson Davis
hitting a lot of shots. He was he was his percentage was
really bad for the first 25 minutes of the game.
And in this, a lot to start the game that he's probably He
normally hits. So my point in all of that is
I'm not as worried now, as I was a week ago or 10 days ago about
this team, but that's because what we're seeing out of this
team looks so much more focused and maybe they had to get their
asses kicked in Happy Valley to be like we really have to
dedicate ourselves to paying attention all the time, do the
small things because that's the ultimately what's deciding the
wins, and the losses, and that's what's putting in this Biz, in a
position where we can't win. You know, if they've actually
turned that corner, that's the first time in IU teams, turn
that corner since 2016. Yeah, that's the thing.
You know, that, that would that season did not start off.
Well, people forget that that team seem to get the message
early, you know, after they lost out in Maui and got blown out, I
think by Duke and it took us a while and nobody trusted that
Team all the way up, through the end of the Big Ten season when
they won the Big Ten title. But even then like you know as
much Is people started to trust that team, then they lose in the
first round of the Big Ten Tournament.
They get blown out by North Carolina in the sweet 16.
It's like you know it's hard to get your head fully wrapped
around what that team did this team.
I think has a higher ceiling than that team did because it's
so stocked with natural basketball Talent.
You know, you've got five stars and four stars up and down the
roster. It's what we were talking about
a couple of weeks ago when it's like, why?
Why is why are these injuries like so devastating for a team?
That is so otherwise talented and there.
Is a collective will and a collective effort level that
that was not where it needed to be, but that looks like it's
there now. So it causes you to kind of
reset, like, what expectation should I have?
What, where is it safe? Where do I not feel like I'm
going to get hurt again. Yeah, no it that 2016 team.
You know, it's like, you know, Max bill fell was getting 43% of
possession. I'm not saying he's a bad
player, but it's like yesterday when Tamar Bates is hitting the
shots, you're like, yeah, this is a five-star recruit like this
is You know, kind of in his sophomore year, I think you
should be averaging 19 points a game but this is kind of what we
should be getting out of him. And he's a prime example of or I
still have trust issues because you look at it like he's only
once in his only two years we're almost halfway done with his
career at IU. Only one says he had
back-to-back games where he scored double-digit points like
this is where he does need to come back and go 546 from three
against Minnesota, but like this is a great next step or it's
like, all right, can you replicate Eat some of like can
you get to 10 points? Have you know a similar effect
on the game, you know? And not just kind of know show
your next to but I'm with you that that was what was so
frustrating with that Swoon was that it was all there it even
without race and even without Xavier.
It's like this is still a really talented team.
The team that should be beating Northwestern that shouldn't just
be getting destroyed by Penn State.
Like this is still a team to me, I was more frustrated because I
was so high on the team, I'm so high on the This team has that,
it shouldn't be playing that way.
But if, if this is the kind of, you know, effort and intensity
that we're going to be seeing, it does reframe things because
now, when you look at the schedule, it's like, all right,
you know, I've heard there's a couple places, you know, re it's
like oh, you know, every every road game, the Big Ten stuff,
and we don't play well in the bar and say, all right, but like
if we're good that's like that's game.
You went like it's just move on like the barn.
Yes, it's been tough but like if you're gonna be a top-tier, big
tent Team, not every road game. Can be hard, like there has to
be some you win, but like that's a game you should win.
Ohio state is a very good team, but you're at Assembly Hall.
You're now going on a fight, you'll possible four-game
winning streak like, that's a game you can win, and then at
Maryland again, it's a tough Big, Ten wrote all-big, ten,
real games are tough, but that's not the toughest environment.
That's not a team that again, if we're playing at this level, I
think you could be looking at us with a six-game winning streak
going into that that to game homestand against Purdue and
Rutgers. And as I look at, The rest of
the schedule outside of the Michigan State, Purdue
back-to-back home games. Sorry, sorry.
Michigan State Purdue back-to-back Road games.
There's no other road games in the schedule where I'm like,
that's I'm automatically chalking it up to a loss and
honestly, the mission. I know, we just beat Michigan
State. It's just we played so bad in
East Lansing. I just, I can't be like, oh,
we're going to go in there and beat them, but outside of that
it's like, you know, we hold serve at home, we got our road
win back. It's like, I think we can win a
couple of these Road games, like I definitely see a path for
Above 500, possibly back to the feel.
Fifth fourth place finish in the Big Ten, like it's all there,
it's lining up. And honestly, you have a nice
little Runway here going into that Purdue Rutgers home to game
home stand. Yeah, it's interesting because,
you know, obviously torvik can, and Ken pom kind of do their
calculations differently but you know, the tortex got Indiana
projected at 10 and 10 and Conference which would be a six
and six finish the rest of the way Ken Palms.
Got it 11 and 9 you know, but I think what's Interesting about
both is, if you look at where Indiana's projections land on
torvik right now Indiana's, got if you count one of the games
that were Indiana's favored by 1.1.
They've got one, two, three, four games that are less or five
games. Sorry that are less than 2
points, projected difference, one way or another and that's
essentially what Ken pom has as well, you know?
So, basically what happens is with these calculations you
Looking at the probabilities based upon relative offensive
and defensive efficiencies and like putting this into a
simulation in factoring and where the games at, how are
these teams going to do? And, and what I look at is this
right now, Indiana at four and four in conference on can pom.
I would say, you know, a win that's rated at two or more
points is likely and a lost. Its rated at two points or more
is likely right now, Indiana has six likely wins on the schedule
and one likely lost. That's the game at Do they've
got three losses that are projected by just a point and to
winds that are projected by just to point.
So you're really looking at one of those situations where if
Indiana wins those six games that's 10 wins in conference.
Now of the of the six remaining games, can you perform above
expectations to where you pick up half of those because now
you're talking about like 13 and 7 in conference as opposed to
talking about ten, it was Big Ten that could be.
Good place for all. We know it could be, you know
and and looking at more of a shorter term scale.
Indiana right now has five games coming up that are really
fascinating because there's a real opportunity here for
Indiana to close the gap. Actually, and may even put a
little bit of gap between them and people behind them because
you look at it, they play Minnesota this week, and that's
on the road there. I use projected to win by 10.
I'd be shocked if they won by that many Just because you know,
Minnesota, while they are, and this isn't even a barn thing
Minnesota's not so bad that they don't show up in every game they
want at Ohio State. They were relatively close on
the road and Ann Arbor this past weekend.
They only lost by four. But then again, they've also
gotten obliterated by Purdue. They got obliterated by
Illinois. So, it's hard to tell with that
team. You've got Ohio State at home
and they just one, but they've also been in quite a swoon.
You've got Maryland on the road. I've given up.
I throw my hands up, trying to figure out that Maryland team,
and then you've got Purdue and Rutgers.
You're not, you're going to get up for both of those games at
home at this point, given the history with Purdue and then the
situation with, with Rutgers, and they've been kind of the
Bugaboo for this IU team for a while.
But you, if you could win if you win, you know, you're right now,
projected to win three of those games.
Could you be, could you make it for, could you pick up, you
know, a win. Are your projected to lose that
Maryland and lose at Purdue you could win both of those.
You might lose. You might not win all five but
if you won four of the five, suddenly you are 8 and 5.
And as you said suddenly the only team you play in the top 30
right now of Ken poverty earlier this a the top 25 account pom is
that game at Purdue? It does open up a bit down the
stretch but so much of it really depends on.
Can this IU team sustain the level of effort?
They're giving and what we've seen in these last three games
and then let the natural Talent start to shine through and then
start to get some of these other pieces back where you can play
you've got race Thompson, but you don't have to play him, if
he's not having a good night, you can play Malik renew or you
can play Jordan Geronimo, things like that.
That's what I'm most interested in right now.
And that's the thing. Ultimately only any of us know
because we still haven't seen a large enough sample size out of
this team to know that that's the mentality that they're going
to bring to the table. There's also This.
I mean this is one of those things that really doesn't
matter, but it does that, you know, there's a world.
I mean, look at the real quick just, you know, produce next few
games, they play Michigan, the Michigan, say it home Penn State
at home in Indiana, they could very well still be, you know,
unbeaten ranked number one in the country.
But what we have in front of us is if we can win the Minnesota
Ohio State human. The next three on a six-game
winning streak Which would be one of the logging suddenly that
game against Purdue. You talk about an electric
atmosphere. You're bringing a number one.
Not that a loss would change that totally, but it's like it
would if this team goes, 6 & 3, & 0 and they're on a six-game
winning streak. I do think you're at an
electricity level that's higher than last year's Purdue game
like you're probably hitting Kentucky level you know,
atmosphere that's going to be one of the toughest
environments. Assembly Hall will ever put out
in the last 15 or so years. When you rank number one Purdue
team and an IU team on a so they that is on the table as well.
And it's not it's kind of nothing but it's not nothing.
But there is something there that like that is something that
I think you know should be in the least in the back of the
mine is like that would really amp that game up and make
Assembly Hall just even that much harder to play a plus as a
guy, who's going to the game? I'd love to see a great
atmosphere for that. Gave that be fun.
Well, it's gonna be interesting because You look back at Uni,
when you look at the way that IU has won those sorts of games
before, you know, they won the Purdue game last year.
That was, that was a weird game in that, I you didn't get
contributions out of most of their regular people trace
Jackson. Davis had a horrible game that
it that that game partner Stewart foul trouble.
Yeah. Parker Stewart, didn't
contribute, which I guess wasn't that unusual and there were a
couple of other things where we're not getting ahead of
ourselves but I guess you know. Point is, when you think about
the way that Indiana had to win games like that last year, it
always felt like someone had to come out of the woodwork and do
something surprising like Rob finish, he did in that game.
What where I would be excited if you know if Indiana can pick up
just a Minnesota win, even going into the Ohio State game at
home, on a four-game winning streak with a bunch of guys who
have a gotten quality minutes, and be a bunch of guys who now
realize that the weight of the world isn't on their shoulders,
if they can't contribute with, The exception of Trace Jackson,
Davis. I guess who want seems to want,
he wants the smoke there now. It's like you're going to be
able to go into that game. Knowing you've got seven or
eight maybe even 9 players who could theoretically make
contributions and, you know it and if one or two of them
doesn't you've still got a bunch of other people who can and
that's essentially from my perspective as their games get
tougher. That's the attitude that in And
is going to have to have as they go through things.
That now, the nice thing about what just occurred is that I
think I'll Indiana's, only got one more week exchange, where, I
guess there's a couple of them sorry where they've got to play
essentially three games in a week.
They've got that at Michigan at Northwestern Illinois, combo,
the 11th 15th and 18th two Road games there too, right?
I guess they do the same thing in next week so just ignore
everything I just said, but But you know, the the my point is it
actually, it bolsters, my point rather than taking away from it,
which is that this is essentially going to be down the
stretch as much as we hear coaches, rightfully complaining
about the scheduling in the Big Ten and how how difficult it is
for teams to regroup and how they have to constantly play.
All these games, Indiana is more suited to do that.
Now, then I think they were at the end of their big winning
streak in December because, you know, now, Malik renews It looks
like over his mini bump in the road.
Jordan Geronimo suddenly looks like a functional player.
Yes, I know. He got into a lot of foul
trouble in the Michigan State game.
I don't think that was entirely his fault tomorrow.
Bates, looks like he can contribute more, you know, and
Dre Galloway. Looks like he can contribute
more than he has, and that. And now, Jalen, atrophy know, I
think looks a lot better overall.
Yes, he's still got some deficiencies.
He doesn't tell his defensive positioning.
Is that great, A lot of the time, but He's not afraid to
score, he's not afraid to put the team on his back when
necessary and he's also not afraid of being in an off ball
position. All of those things are going to
help as Indiana has to go through this churn of the
February schedule. You know, this is always been a
rough time or not. All the, not always, but in
recent times it's been a rough time.
The last time, Indiana finished a February with a winning record
in the Big Ten was 2018 and they were four and three, if you look
at the records at Indiana's had since 2017, In February, in
2017. They were two and six in
February with a five-game losing streak, they were 2018 in excuse
me, they were four and three and 2018, they were two and five
with a five-game losing streak in February and 2019.
They were three and four and 2020.
They were three and five in 2021 with a three-game losing streak.
And then last year, they were two and five in February with a
five-game, losing streak. So, but I feel right now and
I'll probably, Maybe I'll regret these words later, but I feel
like right now, the way this team is playing right now, there
are they're probably better prepared to go into February
than they have been in the last several seasons.
And that's been desperately needed, that's been one of the
biggest issues that needed to be fixed.
We'll see what happens. But at least it looks like
Woodson's put the team in position to potentially fix that
as they head into this February. No, I about to say the same
thing to like it's about right now, like we're still We're
still gonna be so can't be like I I have faith that we're still
a little bit you know, scared to trust but I hear you and the
thing with, you know, it's kind of like in my mind where we're
at now is between you know, Jordan Geronimo Trey Galloway
and Tamar Bates is like you just need two of those three guys to
kind of show up and it's been kind of a rotating of, you know,
one of may not show up but even the Michigan State game.
I wouldn't say that Jordan Geronimo didn't show up at stat
line wasn't great, but when he played, he was Active.
He was on the offensive boards, a he was causing, you know,
problems for Michigan State. He just wasn't having as good of
a game as tree Galloway and tomorrow, Bates.
And I can as long as two of those three guys are kind of
coming in and playing. Well, I agree with you and what
it also opens up. I'm not you're going to roll
your eyes if you want to hear this.
But it's like I do think what it also then helps out as, you
know, in this Swoon against Northwestern just for example,
you know, CJ gun played 15 minutes, Play well but it's like
this is where now to your point of the weight of the world on
the shoulders, like that was kind of at a point where it's
like, all right, we need something at a Siege a gun and
then Northwestern game and it's like he wasn't quite ready to
provide it because he's a freshman.
It's like it hasn't happened there.
Now we're at a point where like he played the Michigan State
game, have you know five minutes to points like great like over
143 maybe next time that 30 go down.
It's like this is where if he pops that it's a great this is
all gravy. It's like that's where suddenly
now it's no longer. Anger like we need CJ gun to
actually bring something. It's like throwing for a couple
minutes and if he's hot that's awesome.
If he's not, we're going back to our bread and butter but honest.
No. I mean like it's it's it's it
takes it. It puts him in a spot where he
can be successful that and just you know, got in particular is
an interesting case because people have been clamoring for
gun to play, right? And his stats.
He's not ready. I'm not saying that.
He's not, he's not ready to make major contributions of minutes
and I wish people would stop saying that he's somehow like
the the, the answer to Problems that Indiana was having like CJ
and at this is not a dump on CJ gun thing.
It's just an illustration of like some guys aren't ready yet.
CJ gun is hitting eight percent from three this season. 9, if
you round up, he's 2423 on Three's, he's 48 percent from
two. He's, he isn't, you know, the
nice thing about gun and where he does provide value for IU.
Is that he's not turning the ball over very much at all and
if he can come in and And what he's done in the last four
games, you get past that Northwestern game, he played
nine minutes against Penn State, nine minutes against Wisconsin,
eight minutes against Illinois, five minutes against Michigan
State. He didn't take a lot off the
table in any of those games and he spelled Galloway, Bates, Hood
Shafi know. So they could get a few minutes
rest and then come back in and be fresher.
That's ultimately, the best case scenario right now for CJ gun
and that is, he desperately needed thing that Indiana has
not had In any numbers over the course of the last several
years. I think, especially in the
backcourt. I mean, you look at last year,
they were asking, Anthony Leo to do that.
And Leo, just isn't physically capable right now because of the
injuries, I think to do it, you know.
But like Rob fennessy would come in and try to provide that, but
it really, it was almost like he was getting relied on too much
and there wasn't a clear hierarchy of like how all this
was supposed to fit together and that was me like point you
mentioned like the Purdue Ooh, win.
Last year was because fantasy had a great game which he did
but it's like fantasy was getting 33% of minutes last year
like he was he was getting, you know, 19% of possession that he
wasn't a random role player. He was our backup point guard
who is getting almost 20% of possessions going through him.
It's like that's somebody. You should be having good games,
not that. We hope it's like that's where I
just look at. Like this is where you're kind
of putting now gun in that spot where he's able to pop, that's
just a complete bonus. Whereas last year you're looking
at guys who needed to pop it. That's because our guys were
basically kind of important players on the team now.
I'm with you as and I preface everything, the way you do look
as they are playing now, assuming they continue to play
this way but like we saw like they got out of the Swoon, I'm
always nervous like is is that going whatever caused that are.
We sure that we put that to bed and that's not going to be
coming back because it seemed to be across everything.
Like the coaching seem to be a little bit slow like that.
I think it was the The Illinois game or like we go down 40 and
then what's it called? A quick timeout, like, yes,
like, that's great. Like this booth could have been
helpful three games ago, it's like everything seems to have
changed and like that's my only fear is that it got it went so
kind of static and soaked comatose so quickly across
everything like is I'm I just I'm always going to be a little
bit worried this year until it doesn't happen again and that's
going to be kind of where I'm at but I will.
I end on a positive note, if they continue to play this way
with this intensity? Yeah, I don't think, you know,
1112 even 13 wins. The Big 10 is off the table.
The last thing I'll say, also, I think ending on a positive note
is there's clearly not. I, I mean, look Purdue keeps
winning these games, real close. I mean, you know, they got a lot
of help from the referees and that Maryland game.
I mean, they probably would have won anyway, but the way that
game was officiated, did not help.
You know, they barely beat Michigan State on the road.
They barely beat. Oh, hi, he suddenly had no
fouls, only had no foul rocket know.
It's amazing that the Ed has been no Pals eat.
He's been called for one point nine thousand per 40 minutes,
which is not only 200 and third in the nation, its fewer fouls
than like most of produced guards are getting called.
For it's it's an 8:30, fans are listening.
Like remember this, when you get em you lose in the sweet 16 What
he has three quick fouls. Like just remember this like
this is why you're not being prepared so look but I think
Purdue is done enough that and they look pretty deserves.
A lot of credit. They have they have a great
offense and they have a very good defense and you look at the
rest of their schedule. There's some trip up games.
It's going to be interesting to watch what happens with
Dickinson versus ET in the Michigan game.
That comes up this Thursday. I think Indiana is going to be a
really tough spot for them to try to win.
They got us going to go to Maryland, but by and large, Like
they look like they're going to Coast to about a 15 and 5 16 and
4 record. It's really hard to see what
they do because the Big Ten has prostrated themselves to the way
that Purdue plays basketball. This slow methodical game where
it's impossible for their leading offensive.
Player to commit a foul. I would win a lot of games doing
that too. I think everybody would so
congratulations to them. They also randomly don't play at
Rutgers, they seem to be truckers like everybody else but
they don't play their there, but either.
But my larger point is if you take Purdue off, And just say,
all right, produce going to win the regular season title in the
big time. That's fine.
There's no reason at this point. Why Indiana can't be second
third or fourth in conference? Because right now, Indiana is
one game out of second place in conference as of when we're
taping this, which is Monday early evening, Rutgers is 5 and
3 Michigan's 5 & 3, Wisconsin's, 4, and 3.
Michigan. State's 5 and 4.
And then Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Penn State are all four and
four and there is no clear. Clear.
See didn't to that. Second spot even Rutgers who has
played very well Rutgers. You know, it's funny.
You look at the the numbers Rutgers has been about as good
as Indiana slightly worse and they've done it.
With one of the worst effective field goal percentage is on
offense in the entire nation. Like they're shooting 44.3%
effective field goal percentage which is almost impossible to
do. Like you have to almost try to
be that bad at shooting. It's hard to see that.
Sustaining even though their defense is as good as it is.
So I say all that to say that despite now the season started
to the door, how January started, I guess in the Big Ten
Indiana is still in really good shape and to some degree,
they're able to be in good shape.
While being below the national radar, they weren't ranked again
this week, they were 27th if you were counting the also receiving
votes, which is a great spot for them to be in.
I think if they have another really good week, they'll
probably get ranked again. Which, you know, whatever if in
their lower, reaches the top 25. It's not that big of a deal, but
there's no reason why Indiana can't position themselves?
Well, get a double by or at least a single by in the Big Ten
tournament and be in a position where they you know they're
there at. I don't know 21 and nine or 20
20 and 10 going into the NCAA tournament or something around
that point. The other thing I'll say is that
nationally speaking there are no onions.
Like Invincible teams none and everybody's having some kind of
issues Houston just lost at home to Temple.
I still think Houston's fine Tennessee.
They have a great defense and sometimes their offense just
doesn't work, you know, Alabama is, you know I think a really
good team. They might be my pick for the
best overall team in the country right now, but we've seen as I
mentioned at the top of the podcast with UConn, we've seen
with Marquette, we've seen with Kansas whose on a two-game
losing streak. You know we've your gets hot and
they lose. Yeah.
There's there's just There's so much churn right now.
And there's so many teams that have big question marks that I
look at Indiana. And I say if they can play, like
they played the last three games, and I think it's a decent
enough. Sample size moving forward, and
they add their pieces back. And now they're younger pieces.
Have all of this experience to go along with their older pieces
coming back. That's a team that's in a pretty
good position and I'm not predicting like anything, big
level, but I'm just saying be careful to Discount.
Indiana even, New Indiana fans. When you look around the country
Indiana's in pretty good shape, with what they've done this
season taken in totality. They don't have any bad losses.
I mean, really, they haven't the one game that would be kind of
an embarrassment, is the gain that Penn State.
That's a place where a lot of teams are going to lose this
year. So just don't get too harsh on
this Indiana team and let's see how things play out because
they've at least positioned themselves.
Now, where you do have permission to believe again that
this team has A high ceiling and it's almost kind of hilarious,
how down than that. The national median college
basketball decided to get on this Indiana team will, maybe
they'll be right? Ultimately, and we were down on
them as well. Maybe, maybe that part of the
podcast will be right, but it doesn't necessarily have to be
that way, given how they've resurrected themselves the last
week or so to other things in the Big Ten?
Just as you were talking, I pulled up the Big Ten Conference
on Ken pom and again projections or not but you know anything but
I've never seen this. So at the top you have Purdue
projected at 16 and for Rutgers protected at 13 and 7 at the
bottom you have Nebraska projected at 7 and 13 and
Minnesota, 3 and 17, everybody else they should be clean slate.
Almost everyone else is 10 and 10, except for Indiana Illinois.
Who are projected 11 and 9? Yeah, that's like, that's the
entire conference. Just kind of like a shrug Emoji.
Like, I don't know. We'll figure it out and it's
funny because I kind of thought about this this morning, I was
talking with another friend and just like, you know, you know,
Indiana in the tournament is kind of kicking around, looking
around the Big Ten. It's like, all right, for news
in the tournament Rutgers is going to be and they'll be under
seated. I guarantee you they'll be like
a seven seed and shouldn't be. But then like just just to kind
of again, I'm not saying any of these things are true, but just
as looking at the Big Ten, not be kind of illustrating on your
point. You know, you look at the rest
of the big Ten's like right. Michigan.
I can see a world where they don't make it.
Like I mean, they're they're struggling.
Wisconsin, I'll do that. Seems good like Michigan State,
I think will make the tournament.
I think Indiana will Illinois. Probably Iowa, I don't know,
Penn State maybe like Northwestern Ohio State, Ohio.
Like it's like you look around. It's like this, could it won't
be, but it's like this could be a 5 bid League this year.
There's just, there's a lot. I'm not saying that will be, but
if there's a lot of question marks in to your point outside
of Purdue, which sucks, we got to play him two more times.
But again, that game in Assembly Hall is going to be electric no
matter what. So that's going, it's like,
that's a big Advantage for Indiana, the rest of the team's
know schedule, like there's no one.
I'm really scared of ya. I mean, I'll say this right now,
if the tournament draw were held today, Michigan would not make
it their best wins away from home are a neutral site win
against Pitt and a road win at Minnesota and they have no other
choice schedule is bizarre ons, it's awful, you know, I think
Wisconsin is probably going to be in good shape.
They've got a couple of nice Road wins against Marquette and
Illinois, but they've got to start winning some games
because, I mean, right now they've lost three of their last
four. And they've got some pretty
difficult matchups in terms of location, coming up the rest of
the way. Um, Michigan state will be fine,
but, but even Michigan State. I mean, you look at their
resume, like their best. When there's a Kentucky team on
in a neutral site in over double overtime, that probably is going
to make the tournament. Least, it's things stand right
now. I mean, Kentucky might work
their way back into it but that's not the best way is
probably Rutgers at home or Penn State on the road.
Yeah, so point being yes and you look at Indiana and Indiana's.
Got I don't think any concerns in that area would they've got
to True Road victories. He's that will travel really
well, and I think what's going to be interesting for this
Indiana team is, what else can they add to the resume?
The rest of the way in the conference?
They get two shots at Purdue. They get a shot at Ohio State,
who's regarded. Well, they have another shot on
the road against Michigan State. They get Michigan twice.
They get Northwestern again that then they could, you know,
essentially make up for the loss that they had in a win a game.
That would ironically help them more towards seeding, if they
were to win at Northwestern than winning at home against
Northwestern would've. So I think Indiana's.
I say it's a great Point. Our resume is is probably might
be second best in the Big Ten. That's a great Point.
Yeah, so something to keep in mind and think about obviously
Indiana needs to take care of business and they'll do that
story. You gotta continue winning,
that's a big and you start off against a Minnesota team that by
every metric, this game against Minnesota on Wednesday is the
easiest game remaining on Indiana's schedule.
It's a Minnesota team that doesn't score and does a pretty
poor job of Defending. They are particularly bad.
Pending to point, excuse me, defending the three-point shot
and that probably feeds in well to what Indiana is doing.
They also have tended to put their opponents in position
where they can get a lot of assists on made baskets and
that's what Indiana does really. Well, that's where it's got to
start. You win that game.
It's another road Victory, which that's always big in the
conference and now you're 5. And for your above 500 going
into a home game against Ohio State, a team that you should be
able to beat. If you're serious about having a
winning record in this, Conference and that is that's a
spot. I don't think anybody expected
to be in coming out of that Penn State game on, you know,
Wednesday, January 11. So we'll enjoy seeing what goes
with all that, but that's kind of where we're at right now and
there's not a whole lot else to say at this point other than
it's been a wild ride so far. This January.
Let's see where it takes us the rest of the way.
Yep, a great anyway. That'll wrap it up for us here
in Crimson cast. Thanks to everybody for
listening in. Be sure to check out the women's
basketball show with them. An of foster that will be coming
up on Tuesday as the ladies with a couple of big games this week
taking on Michigan and Ohio State, Ohio State Games, huge
home game against the number two team in the conference or excuse
me, the country. So, we'll see what happens with
all that. Anyway for Scott, I'm Galen
thanks to all of our friends at the back home network.
Thanks to our presenting sponsor home field of peril and thanks
to all of you for listening and we'll be back later on this
week. As we talk more, I use Sports,
we'll catch you. Folks on the flip side, bring
back the bicycle. Ian song, everybody.