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It is Friday. December 2nd, happy, December to
all y'all. It's Definitely, fully
basketball season. Now is Indiana with a huge win
this week. They take out the North Carolina
Tar, Heels in both Sports both men's basketball and women's
basketball. And now Indiana fully into the
thick of the robust part of the schedule.
We're going to talk about the game, coming up this weekend and
just some general thoughts and feelings on men's basketball.
Be sure to tune in to the women's basketball podcast here
on Crimson cast brought to you by Amanda Foster, that's
releasing right now. Every Day and man has got the
latest on all the things going on with the women's team and
would definitely recommend checking that out Scott.
Good to see you. Don't normally talk to you on a
Friday. This is an unexpected bonus
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A great to see you too. Yes, treat to talk.
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Indiana still undefeated a comprehensive Victory on
Wednesday is they take out the North Carolina.
Tar Heels, who were number one and have now lost three games in
a row. Indiana, just smothering North
Carolina in this contest defensively.
What you were there, we talked at halftime.
Did a normal little meet up on The Concourse.
We were not really concerned at halftime as much as we were just
angry at the inconsistency in the officiating.
More than anything else. Your overall reaction having
watched that game from beginning to end, And that consistency in
reffing, the quality of the second habit, wasn't gonna know
better than yeah. That didn't.
And that was I think you hit on the head of the comprehensive
Victory. The defense was awesome.
I have to drive home to Westfield.
I ended up watching the first half of the game that night
before I went to bed and watch the other half in the morning
whether you're gonna see you watched it while you were
driving. As I had to don't do that.
Please don't do that. It's got but not listen to our
friends, the assembly call. I was dragging on on Thursday.
Because of all that, no, it was a couple things, you know, the
the atmosphere was awesome. I texted earlier that it didn't,
I stand by that the buzz before the Purdue game last year was
like that was reminiscent of Kentucky.
There was something special in the air, it wasn't quite at that
level but it really got there to a fever pitch.
They did a great job with like having the band come out on the
court and play got a very fired up and then by once the game
started that was a pretty raucous atmosphere.
I hope that we can Can continue that it it again goes to show
and I feel like we said this once I'll say it again.
Doesn't take that long like three years ago we were in the
Archie are kind of the malaise called the Jimmy Carter year.
It's like the malaise of IU basketball you know a scant 24
months later and assembly Halls rocking like maybe only the last
three or four times in the last 20 years and that was a great.
Great atmosphere sit with my friend, Tom for the game.
His death will meet her on his on.
His watch went off. Like you're at 90.
Like, don't do this for over 30 minutes, it could do hearing
damage and we're both kind of eventually like you think like
oh my gosh like yeah we're really going to Rattle the team
and you think like, all right well, North Carolina plays.
It Duke like it would probably going to be more against like
the, you know, Morehead State's where no one shows up.
But all that said, from a game perspective, the takeaway is the
defense was stifling. It was, it was Unreal and in the
re watching Jay bilas kept on talking about the defense and
just how far out North Carolina took To get their offense going.
And you know what's, what's funny is?
Well, we don't have the three-point shooting to kind of
put a team away in a weird way. We are defense puts him away,
like there's moments in the second half, where, you know, it
was like a fight, you'll six or seven point game, it's like,
ooh, here's the North Carolina can make the run and then Xavier
Johnson just gets in the passing Lane steals, the ball and has a
layup. And so I still think that our
three-point shooting we can talk about that.
That's that was the only negative in this game in in
That, you know, it felt like we could have put North Carolina
away 17 times in the second half.
We just didn't not able to do it.
And again, North Carolina is not a dumpy team, but it felt like
we let them hang around because we couldn't have that like
nine-point barrage in three. Possessions that said it felt
like our defense was never going to let them get within six or
seven points. The defense is just is unreal.
I would also say to there's a really nice mix with this team
where they Really play some up-tempo as well.
Like, they do a lot on turnovers to turn defense into offense and
you can see Xavier try and fast break.
And the last thing I'll say is just the, you know, we talked a
lot about the combo of Xavier Johnson and Jalen Hood, safiye
no hood rufina look like you know, all he was advertised for
in this game but it was really cool.
Seeing both of them out there kind of switching off of who was
going to play full-court defense.
And you almost have this weird, you know, Allah not Wait, you
know, like 40 minutes of hell, or Kentucky, full-court defense,
but you have this moment where it was, like, I'm sorry, North
Carolina. Never got to bring the ball up
just easily. It's like Hood.
Sophina was either guarding full court or Xavier, is doing it or
they both were, it's like, we're almost full court pressing and
then we're running. I mean, it's a, it's a really
Dynamic team, it's a fun team to watch.
And I will just say that the defense, you know, North
Carolina scored in that game, you know, under a one-point
possession. They haven't done that the
entire season. It the defense is really the
takeaway from this. It's awesome.
And there's really no reason to think you're not going to see
that kind of defense for most of the Season.
Yeah, he would dig great takeaway that.
I mean, that was the big thing for me is that the way that I
you plays defense really travels well and yeah, you know, you
look at if you look at adjusted defensive efficiency marks which
you know that you can kind of go back and forth between the raw
numbers in the wrong numbers. This was the second best
offensive Runs for an opponent in terms of raw numbers, you
know, but the, this was adjusted wise, the second-best that
Indiana's played defensively like only against
Bethune-Cookman who they just absolutely walloped has.
And the, all the adjustment. For those of you who aren't
aware is you take the raw numbers.
Then you essentially filter them through how the opponent
normally plays. And so holding, as you said
North Carolina to under a point per possession and holding them,
I think most impressively to such a low low effective field
goal percentage. That was the thing that got me
in that could have actually been better.
I mean, on the game North Carolina was fifteen to forty
one from to and that included some layups by Armando baked cod
at the end. When Indiana was just trying not
to foul in North Carolina. Shot 27.8% from three.
Like the only thing frankly that kept North Carolina in this
game, was the parade to the free-throw line that they were
allowed by the absolute inconsistency of the officiating
that We're seeing. So I think, you know, even
though those with those three star real quick with those 3s
two of them like one was a bad shot that banked in there is
another one early in the first half where it was just
phenomenal defense. And I will say that I said to my
buddy, Tom, like, multiple times during the game as North
Carolina was taking a shot, like, that's great defense.
And the ball goes in like this is where there's really not a
stat for the probably is I just it's way Advanced, but I would
say that you know of North Carolina's 65 points, I would
say 20 225 maybe even 30 of those points.
Any less than 24 points came where we were playing excellent
defense and North Carolina just made a better play.
Which to me is like, that's all you can ask for.
Like, I again, there's 13 in that first half where it's like,
we just had a hand in the face. Perfect Defense, perfect
rotation. It's like, well, some shots you
got to live with. Yeah, that's, that's, that's the
thing. And that's where the stats don't
always shine through the other big stat.
I think that I was impressed by 13 combined blocks and steals
for A in this game, North Carolina.
I want to manage seven and Indiana with a 7:47 assist to
turnover ratio. North Carolina's was 5 to 10 so
there just wasn't and you know? And look I do think I don't want
them. Not trying to pour cold water on
any of this. I do think by the end of the
season. A lot of the initial height for
North Carolina's going to die as people realize that this team
really isn't as good as everybody assumed that they were
now. You know, that's the media's
fault. Quite Frankly, because they were
the ones that took that short tournament burst and assumed
that they were going to extrapolate it over the course
of the whole season. There's been a lot of there was
even it was a whole ESPN story. The day after the Indiana
Victory about ship, is it time to panic about North Carolina?
And the answer is probably. Yes, but they're not completely
hopeless. And I mean that neutral Court
game, they had against Alabama, over the weekend that went to 4
over X and it's a really good Alabama teen.
So, this is not a totally incapable North Carolina team.
They're probably about a six, seven, eight seed at At the end
of the day. But I think right now this is a
really big win for this IU team because they are perceived as
being very good and it's a nice warm up to the actual good
teams. That Indiana is going to be
playing here over the next few weeks and into the Big Ten
season. So, you know, you like it
shouldn't. I don't want to get into the
officiating, but the thing that Shone through for me with the
officiating is this is that there is moments last year.
The Purdue game is a great example, where Trace Jackson
Davis does not get, Jackson Davis does not get in foul
trouble, but yet in that game he automatically I think got two or
three fouls in the first half and then all of a sudden it's
you know Logan dunk them time and you need otherworldly game
from Rob fennessy to you know get you through in this game.
You had traced Jackson Davis with three fouls.
We're not going to talk about whether they're real or not but
like he had three fouls. You had Jordan Geronimo with
four fouls. You have Malik renew with three.
Fouls, you had race Thompson. With three, fouls your basement
Our front line was always in foul trouble from like the
10-minute mark on but it never felt like we had that moment
where it's like, oh God, we got adjust your grip, the steering
wheel with our grip, the steering wheel with our, you
know, our reserves to see if we can make it through five
minutes. Like, there was always lineups
out there, where it's, like, I'm comfortable with what we have.
And to me, that was really nice to see is like, you know, again
last year if you had race Thompson?
Trace Jackson, Davis, both and foul trouble in the first half.
It would be like, oh, this is gonna be a rough second half,
but it's like, no, we're able to throw in Geronimo.
Renew. They both had some foul trouble
and it's a Galloway can take spots.
Like, you really did see that Frontline depth, the ability to
rotate and guys, and not lose a lot.
Thanks to the rest calling a ton of fouls on our big men.
Someone texted me. Pictures.
Is my friend Steve texted me about this after the game.
And it was it was a good observation that this was the
type of officiating at Indiana would likely see in the NCAA
tournament, you know? And and this is the I believe
vitiating that is hurt. A lot of Big Ten teams in the
NCAA tournament, where it's like, wait, why are we not
calling this both ways? Eat / do, Zack ET, right?
What? And so the fact that Indiana was
able to not just survive this but still win comfortably.
I think is a really good sign and part of it is the depth at
Indiana is exhibiting. I mean, nine guys, that played
at least 11 minutes in this game.
Nine guys, that scored at least two points.
Nine guys, that grabbed at least one Rebound that blows my mind
like and you think about it. Indiana got very little
offensively out of Malik renew. They got very little offensively
out of Jordan Geronimo. They get very little offensively
at a race Thompson, and I got very little offensively out of
Miller cop, you know, all but what 11?
So what 60-66 of the 77 points came from four players.
And you know, and you didn't file anybody out, I mean, the
most fouls that anybody got for Indiana were for Jordan Geronimo
and again going alongside what you just said this is not
something Indiana could have sustained against last year or
the year before that or the year before that, the team was so
top-heavy. The fact that there's nine guys
and really want to get down to brass tacks.
You could, if you had to probably bring in either Kayla
Banks or Logan, dunk them and survive for five or ten minutes
with them playing really solid defense and hopefully not taking
anything off the table from an offensive perspective.
So I was really pleased to see all of the That, you know, an
Indiana comes out of this game, still in the top five in
effective field goal percentage. Despite, you know, I mean they
shot fine. But they, you know, I mean, they
almost shot 23 percent from three but 228 of 49 from to 57
percent for the team 50 points. I think total in the paint or 56
points total in the paint, it is really a fascinating thing to
watch this. Indiana offense, not need the
three-point shooting it. As you know, it is something
that if they get the wrong opponent, or if they have the
wrong kind of game, it will be a problem.
But they've gotten three point shooting in other games and I
am, you know, the fact that so much of Indiana's kind of
centrifugal force is around these little triangles that
they're forming with Tres Jackson Davis and a wing.
And either Xavier Johnson, or Jalen Hood Ruffino and their
Swing it back across. If things aren't working their
ability to come up with new wrinkles, those are all things
that will travel well again to kind of over use that phrase,
the fact that plus their defense has already demonstrated now in
two different situations where they're playing, you know, add
Xavier tough road environment team that caught fire from
outside to some degree, North Carolina, team with certainly a
lot of talent that really gives me a lot of Hope as far as what
this team ceiling might actually be Yeah, I you know, I I do
think that you saw like, you know, Jalen Hood should be no
had a much better game shooting from three, you know, Xavier
Johnson went 0 for 3. I think most games he hits one,
maybe two of those, you know? And then you you just do hope
that if they was great about this team.
And again, I do think I was telling this to my dad the other
day. Like, in the end, the flaw of
this team is probably three point shooting.
It's going to catch up with them on some games.
Might be what catches up with them in the tournament, but
where were in such a different spot than in previous years were
three point shooting was also, an issue is like when you go to
the Ken Palm page and just look on the left side and it kind of
has all of the stats it'll last year.
A lot of stuff was even even last year's team.
A lot of stuff was in red. You like, you know, bad
free-throw, shooting not a lot of Steel's.
They gave up a lot of Steel's, like a lot of red, red
indicators here. And there, like for this team,
everything's in green. Like it's one of these things
where they could just increase three-point shooting by 3 to 4%.
Through the year, which is a huge.
I don't think it's going to happen, but it's like, then
suddenly we're talking about a team that could make a run to a
final four. Like everything else is right
about this tea, like, everything else is fantastic.
The only thing is really the three-point.
Shooting is not where it needs to be, but with the defense, I
still think you can have a. I still think this season is
going to end where I thought it would, which is first.
Second, third, in the Big Ten, probably edging toward first
second. The Big Ten and Having a real
shot at, you know, making the sweet 16 and making some noise
from there. And I think you can do that
without great three-point shooting because this team has
Elite level defense, like just Elite level defense.
Yeah, and you know, they look it's going to be interesting to
see how that interacts with what they're going to see elsewhere
in the conference. But, you know, I think you look
across the conference right now at who the top teams are and
what they're doing. And it's an interesting group in
that speaking of the media, big tents down, you know, every year
big tents down big Ten's down, the narratives are just an
escape of my new favorite. One is like, you know, and look
even Brennan, I you Alum is working inside the hall.
He, you know, I have a lot of respect but he wrote a power
pole for the athletic and he's at Maryland 10th.
And he's got Maryland 10th because they beat the hell out
of Louisville. Who last I checked is a hideous.
Hideous basketball program, hard to hard to overcome the
narratives right now it's interesting though because like
you've got Purdue who is not an elite, three-point shooting team
this year, they're shooting 33.3%, which is what Indiana
shot last year. They're taking more 3s
significantly more as a overall aspect of their offense than
Indiana is, you've got Illinois. Who looks pretty good?
That's a fairly good three-point shooting team.
At 35 Point, I think eight percent but that's actually
worse than what Indiana shooting so far this year from three,
you've got Maryland, who's not shooting the three well at all
right. Now, 31.8%.
So it's like, will this come back to bite?
Indiana, I mean, it could, but Indiana shooting betters from
three right now than Iowa. When was the last time that we
could say that. So, these are some things to
keep in mind. Try not to look at these
statistics in a vacuum, I guess would be my message to you folks
out there. You know, try to think about how
it looks holistically. When you get right down to it,
you know, Indiana is playing defensively right now.
They're the, they're the second. East team.
If you rank all the Big Ten teams in terms of adjusted
defensive efficiency, Illinois, first barely at Ninth in the
country, Indiana, 2nd and 11th in the country.
Rutgers is third at 12 to in the country Wisconsin's 4th at 16th.
In the country, it's a pretty Elite defensive group overall in
this conference and then on the offensive side, you know, where
you are. If you're an Indiana fan, you
should really get excited. There are more efficient
offenses in the conference Iowa's fourth in the nation.
So, FR Ohio State seventh in the nation so far produced fifth in
the nation so far. But in terms of balance, I'll
take Indiana's balance over everybody else as Indiana's 12th
in the nation and offensive, efficiency and 11th and
defensive efficiency. We'll see how it plays out.
Lot more to play and we got some big ten games starting tonight,
actually. So we'll get a little, some more
answers. But you don't look at stats in a
vacuum. I guess is my point and I think
Indiana has gotten more than enough thus far in terms of what
they need from the three-point line.
That's not Big of a narrative point is, it was made out to be
at least so far early on this season.
The totally agree and it is, you know, it is fun.
Even just talking with some friends, you, you have to pay
attention but it's like that win at Xavier is going to hold up.
Well, other people I got you. So Indiana beat one, you know.
It's like I would be North Korea.
People, some people are like God North Carolina but they were on
a rut, you know, on a bender and it's like okay.
But like North Carolina may not be the number one team in the
country. They're still gonna be a
tournament team, like I'm not a bad team it's like Like Xavier
is ranked pretty much the same as North Carolina like the 31st
and Ken palm and we beat them on the road, like there's two
solid, you know, there's two solid wins there.
A lot of teams at Purdue has put a lot of good non-cotton.
Oh, sorry, not good. Non-conference your neutral site
wins on but there's not a lot of teams that have, you know, Great
Road games out there. So I'm very happy, it is, it's a
bummer. We're you've your eye in this
North Carolina. Game is a guy we can beat the
number one team in the country. They drop to, it's like I but we
still Them and it's like, all right.
Well by Arizona is going to be awesome.
Like is that something like Arizona losses?
Like I'm waiting for Kansas to lose.
I'm waiting for that top five matchup with Purdue like they're
going to lose the week before. It, it seems to be our destiny.
Well, he's not bad thing, but like teams to be like, losing
right before we play them. Well, yeah, when Kansas already
lost their one game, they lost in that neutral site, the
Atlantis championship, and then they got to play at Mizzou this
weekend, which that's a rivalry game.
That's then they're they're not at home, they're over in
Colombia for that. So that'll be an interesting
one, but yeah, it's It is you here's the thing.
Don't we talked about this at the beginning of the Season?
You know, people were like, oh God, what if we go in for in
that stretch of games? And it's like, you know, you
just don't know. You really don't know how these
things are going to play out in the fact that Indiana thus far,
has it burnished their record to the point where they look like a
legitimate top-10 team and some of these teams that were ranked
above them of kind of falling back a little bit, that's the
ebb and flow of the Season. You can't control these things.
These are none of these are going to be games that are any
less important For Indiana As you move forward.
And I do think that that really contributes to positive feelings
for this Indiana Squad. Couple things I wanted to get to
with Indiana's roster and some of the statistical things that
we've been noticing before we move on to talking about
Rutgers, some some notable things.
First of all, Tamar Bates, 40 percent from three, thus far
this season and he has taken the second, most threes of anybody.
On the roster, he's taken 23s, and he's made a Eight of them,
that's a huge thing. I actually don't think enough
has been made about that, you know, not as much of that as
come against the top competition.
Certainly he's he's carried the load a little bit more and
played certainly a lot more against the the minnows only 12
minutes against Xavier didn't score in that game only 12
minutes against North Carolina three points in that game.
But again, a lot of this is like, you know what, the core of
this team is the core is Trace Jackson, Davis Xavier Johnson,
And Jalen hurd's Ruffino and then you've got the
complementary pieces and Tamar Bates being able to come off the
bench, shoot 23s, on the season and hit 40 percent of them that
really bodes. Well, because if Tamara can
straighten out some of the other aspects of his game and get
continue to get more game confidence.
I that's, that's a piece that Indiana didn't have.
That's kind of the Remy Abell piece from 2013 that you nobody
looks back. And says, God with Remy, Abell
that, you know, if you know, he had to perform at this immensely
high level. Well, you don't need everybody
to perform at a high level to be a really high-level team.
And so, yes, tomorrow's got some things in his game, he still
needs to work on, but thus far through this season through
seven games, his offensive rating is 134 and he's shooting
40% from three. Big thumbs up on both of those
items. The thing that I would sit
statistically you are correct. Numbers are real.
The thing with Tamar that I'll say that makes me concerned and
it's funny because I feel like he has a very high positive
rating in the fan base and then We'll have your I love Xavier
Johnson. I love what he brings but it's
like you get that that, that old IU fan base that's like, oh
Xavier do this thing. Tamar did something in the North
Carolina game that I'm not a huge fan of.
I think it just needs to be pointed out.
Every time we made a run, he was like pointing to their bench,
like, saying that he had to call a timeout.
Okay. With that on the bench but then
the three that he did hit, he hit the three and then going
back on defense. He was in front of the North
Carolina bench and was just like barking.
I don't know. If it was it, their bench a
player apparently? Was that his dad?
Who sits right behind the bench. This was this was actually I saw
this. Somebody tweeted about this
afterwards so but then if you could tell he was like fired it
looking as young as the bench, okay?
Maybe it is Dad, that's fine. Still you gotta be like you
don't want the North Carolina people anyway but then he gets
the exact next play gets the ball and just heads drives right
into a dude. Like you can tell he's amped up
and like bulldozes in gets an offensive foul looks annoyed.
And all I'm saying is like had Xavier made that play?
Everyone would have been going bonkers like Just you hit a
three that's great. Like even if you're barking at
your dad, like just you got to turn it down, a notch and you if
you're in that role, you can't then immediately caused a
turnover and maybe you shouldn't be like barking.
Even at your dad, who's in front of the other team's bench who
might take it the wrong way? So it's a small thing but again
when you're playing a minimum level like you gotta just tone
it down. So that's that's all I'm with,
you know. And look like I said, tomorrow's
got a lot to work on still tomorrow for a five-star.
Recruit has been underwhelming and I know there's, you know, is
he's had a lot going on in his life but But look, I'll take
positive contributions and guys being able to grow.
And I'm sure they'll be some stuff mentioned in film session
than, you know, before this Rutgers game about that.
And I think if you can get incrementally better tomorrow,
Bates, there's you're going to need that tomorrow Bates.
When you get to the Big Ten and I'd rather he went too far with
exuberance because that's these IU teams, have been so effing
passive over the course. There are places.
I mean, I will take Little bit of jocularity and exuberance,
even if it means running headlong into a guy and turning
the ball over speaking of turning the ball over, you know,
who still hasn't turned the ball over through four games of Play
Trey Galloway 0% turnovers and he is not like he's not played
minutes, but 23 minutes against North Carolina coming off a knee
injury. Still has zero turnovers on the
season. He's also got an offensive
rating of 165. I mean tray guy.
You want Talk about guys that have improved from last year to
this year. You know, this is a guy who I
know a lot of this is kind of the also High Q rating within
the IU fan base tray Galloway. I've had my questions on him,
turn the ball over on almost 23 percent of possessions, both his
freshman year and his sophomore year and also was just frankly
not a reliable offensive player at and his O rating was under
100. Both his freshman and sophomore
year. Looks like a it does look like a
different player but looks like a player.
Who took a lot of the negative aspects of his game out.
And honestly we're maybe heading to a point where like you can't
keep him out of the starting lineup.
Like it's like we have to have well hold on.
If you think about what he provides especially if he who's
also in limited numbers shot 40% from three so far on this season
only 245 but still he's a more diverse and dynamic offensive
player right now. The Miller cop and is playing
better defense and can handle the ball and isn't turning it
over. Over.
Like that's where you have to you know even if you're going to
play Just Galloway Off the Bench.
Now if he stays healthy, you don't worry about when Trey
Galloway, excuse me, when Jalen Hurd sophina or Xavier Johnson
come off the floor because you have essentially a player that's
maybe a better statistical profile, who can give them, give
the team similar output to slot into either of those positions
or you can put him as a third guard.
As Indiana did essentially in the last It's at North Carolina
game and is a yeah. Right.
No Trey Galloway has been again defensively.
This is where this team is so awesome that you have you know
savior Johnson or Hood Shafi know.
Basically picking one of their guys up full court and then you
got to try Galloway. Basically once you get over half
court is just all, so they're picking up whoever he's got all
over the place and he is just all over the place on defense.
They were talking about some assembly call that, you know,
maybe at some point Galloway should be starting.
I do kind of like having Galloway.
Come off the bench. And everything you said is true,
or maybe at the end of the year, Galloway will be starting but
there is something nice to view your North Carolina.
It's like, all right. The you know, we get out of the
starters like, oh, we're getting the bench guys and you have this
whole other level of Dynamics Dynamics ISM that comes in.
But in the end you know, it's like Miller Cops, playing
minutes like a sub, like he's playing 17 minutes, Galloway
played 23, Bates Geronimo, renew played 12 and 11 and you know in
the end it's like obviously Woodson likes Galloway because
like coaches. Always say it's not who starts
as who finishes and so, He's finishing the game which is more
important than who starts. But I were probably just
splitting hairs but I do kind of like at least at this point.
Having him come in with that second unit and just continue
the defensive pressure. Whereas if you have you know
hooked Ruffino and Xavier Johnson and Galloway, all
starting you do kind of drop off that defensive pressure with the
second unit with cop. But again we're splitting hairs
probably yeah I mean I'm not necessarily advocating, you
know, for one of the other it's Or you know at some point, yes
you want to have the players and I think cop also Millions up
continuing to start because he's a senior and I do think that
that matters a lot to Woodson what I think is interesting
though is that you're getting such good statistical
contributions and so few mistakes how to train Galloway
the other. There are going to be some games
where you're going to want him in early as opposed to only
having them in late, because you can't afford to make the
mistakes early on the other. The only other one I wanted.
Engine here is just how much they've your Johnson has
increased his contributions thus far on the saezuri.
He's actually taking a step back in terms of assist rate,
voluntarily. And I think it's interesting
because in the first few games there I had some questions
about. Okay.
How's it going to manage this relationship with Jalen Hood
Ruffino and yet? Now, it looks like a totally
natural relationship out there and they're just trading off
possessions and it's almost Most like, well, if I'm Xavier
Johnson, he's actually playing fewer minutes not by a huge
amount, but he's playing fewer minutes in jail hitch, a fee.
No, but he's converting chances that he's got out there.
He's drawing a lot of fouls. He's top 200 in the nation, thus
far early on still but top 200 and fouls drawn per 40 minutes.
He's top hundred in free-throw rate.
He's top 500 in free throw percentage and he's still
shooting 53% from three even after missing the threes that he
took in the Carolina game. He's really upped his game to a
level that I wasn't totally sure was possible as I.
Well, I think we may have seen Peak Xavier Johnson last year
and if so, that's great. This is a different level of
Xavier Johnson. One that fits more into the team
Dynamic than what we saw last year, know him and hoods defeat
oats. Like you said, it's just like
they've been playing together for years.
I also his ability to draw fouls came in so handy that North
Carolina game because in that second half there was moments
where he was just like, I'm going to get fouled like I'm
going to make it. So that they have to call a foul
on North Carolina. There's like three possessions
and he's great at the end of games because it's like you're
going to foul him and he's gonna get fouled and he's gonna sell
it and you know the the two times in the game where the fans
were like doing the kind of like, you know, very fake
cheering for. Oh, you finally called a foul.
I'm pretty sure his Xavier Johnson was the one that had the
ball. I know in the second half, for
sure, it was him know his, his statistical numbers are awesome.
Move out, his offensive rating as a hundred and twenty five
point nine and to your point. I mean, it's Spit you said this
last time and it's true. I feel like I've brought this up
as well. Like I bring it up with kind of
the how many years guys have left but we played you know, a
couple cupcakes here and there but it's like you know a fifth
of the seasons already gone. Like we're we have a pretty
strong statistical base here with to teach.
You know, a home game in a row game against two.
Really good teams? No, he's been fantastic.
And this team does trace Jackson.
Davis is the best player on this team.
He provides so many things, but This this team doesn't work if
Xavier Johnson isn't there, because there are still times
Hood Chaffee, no looked great against North Carolina, but
there have been multiple times especially in the Xavier game,
where the team's kind of like, all right, we know we got to get
the ball and we're not sure what to do and it's like Xavier is
kind of like, all right, click give me the keys.
I'll grab the steering wheel and I will take us home.
Let's talk about this Rutgers matchup.
That's coming up this weekend. This has been a house of horrors
for Indiana. They have not not had success
against Rutgers lately. There's a hilarious.
Article that you should read out of, I think nj.com about the an
old Crimson Corey post that is serving as a proxy for what has
been a very one-sided relationship in the Rutgers
Indiana competition, and nowhere has indeed agito Baker be in
like I'm not scared of them. He's right.
No, I mean though, they shouldn't be scared of Indiana,
because Indiana hasn't performed well against Rutgers.
I wore away some interest. So this is not the same Rutgers
as last year, they've yet to beat a team that is of any
quality. The best win thus far in the
season is a an eight-point home win against UMass Lowell they
lost by 6 on a neutral Court to Temple.
Who's not that great themselves, they lost at Miami that was a
closer game and I think they deserve credit because I
actually think that Miami teams fairly decent overall as a team.
This is a pretty poor offensive unit for Rutgers their 108 in
the nation thus far and offensive efficiency.
Their 259th and effective field goal percentage.
They don't shoot the three. Well there.
Shoot the two. Well, what do they do?
Well, well, they rebound on offense pretty well.
Their 19th in the country there, they get to the free-throw line
quite a bit and they don't really turn the ball over that
much. They are a very, very good
defensive team. And I think that, you know, this
is something that Steve pikul has really hung his hat on with
limited resources. And once again, they are
actually marginally better than Indiana.
In terms of I'm sorry they're they're actually one spot behind
Indiana, not one spot in front but there About the same.
It's about the same defensive effort thus far, albeit against
weaker competition. The big difference here is that
Indiana is actually a really good offensive team in addition
to being a really good defensive team whereas thus far Rutgers is
looked very one-sided. If you look at this Rutgers team
in terms of their overall, performance Clifford all marui
has been by far their biggest utiliser of possessions.
He is a very good player. Last year was was it was a key
figure for them. You'll probably remember.
He had a 13-point 12 rebound effort in that game that Rutgers
one at Assembly Hall towards the close of the Season.
He has been a really their only regular player.
Who's been a standout offensive performer thus far this season?
You know, other than I guess maybe cam Spencer who uses far
fewer possessions but has also been pretty good.
Thus far Spencer, of course is 64 senior.
It's I have inherited the mantle that were left behind by Baker
and Ron Harper jr. Elsewhere on this roster.
You got a bunch of guys who the testicle kind of look like
Indiana's had the last few years.
In terms of offense, a lot of players struggling.
Particularly from to they do hit free throws very well, Andre
Hyatt and Derek Simpson, you know, agar forward in a guard,
they're both shooting 8T 80% or better Camp.
Spencer's actually 95 percent from the free-throw line thus
far. This is a Rutgers team that is
Absolutely capable of beating Indiana at home not just because
it's Rutgers and it's in Rutgers I can't believe that we're
saying this but they are a team that if they're going to beat
you they're going to beat you because they turn you over a
bunch. They're going to beat you
because they take you out of your comfort zone in terms of
shooting and Rutgers then is able to kind of muscle their way
over the finish line by hitting just enough shots and picking up
just enough offensive rebounds that they you know, they squeak
out a victory. You know, you look at the
numbers. Is this is probably not a team.
Indiana should be afraid of given the relative strengths and
weaknesses of both sides. But you have to take them
seriously. Scott because they have just
demonstrated their style of basketball works really well
against what Indiana's tried to do the last four or five years.
You are obviously correct about them being good defensively.
They are second in the country on three-point defense.
So jokes on them because we don't shoot every well anyway.
So there you go have fun with that because yeah ever and we'll
still win. No, I Rhythm in their 40th and
Ken Palm. This is not a garbage t-this is
it's like I said, I wanted the other pods like this is a it's a
good team but if you are going to compete to win the Big Ten,
these are the kinds of games that you really need to win.
Like, I was going back and looking, you know, it's weird
because covid is popped in there.
But you know last year Illinois won the Big Ten they lost three
Road games at. Maryland wasn't great at
Purdue's defensible, a trucker's oddly, it wasn't great, you
know. The covid ear is bizarre but the
year before the 1920 season. Michigan State won the Big Ten
before the season ended. They lost you know for road
games they lost at Purdue Indiana.
Wisconsin and Michigan. All those teams at that time
we're ranked higher than this Rutgers team is this year.
All that being said is that if you're if you're assuming that
Indiana has a chance to win the Big Ten which I do, these are
the kinds of games you have to win because we still have Road
games. You know, at Iowa at Maryland.
At Purdue at Michigan and there's a lot of road games you
can't choke this. This is one of those that Wallet
not easy is going to be one of the better Road game wins.
You can get early on because you're probably going to drop
two or three in 2023 and that rate just because you're playing
some tubby, start played Purdue Michigan State on the road.
So all that said, it's like this is a game.
I do think that they are going to win.
I just I think our defense is really good and I just don't
think that Rutgers has the offense to compete with our
defense. I think their defense is going
to give us some problems but in the end you know very few teams
can stop the efficiency of what Trace Jackson Davis could do it.
Honestly at this point, the efficiency Xavier Johnson
provides me. Both of them are becoming very
efficient scores and I think that you kind of have a nice
one-two punch of like art if you're going to stop one of them
outside will go inside. If you're just going to stop,
Dave, you're inside will be able to score efficiently outside or
by driving in. So you know, I think I think
this is a game that, you know, as an IU fan you should be
cautiously optimistic going into it as one of these again that if
we're going to win the Big Ten, if if we lose this game it's not
all lost. But it's like you're now going
to have to it sucks to now have to start looking to make up some
ground already in the middle of December for the Big Ten season.
So, all that said, I think this is a game that is going to be
nip-and-tuck. It'll be close, but I think we
win. I think we're only like a
three-point, you know, favorite on the road.
And I think we can cover that as well.
Well one would hope. I mean you know it's interesting
if you go back and you look at where where did Indiana fall
down last year when they played against Rutgers and in the game
that they played at home against Rutgers, the biggest issue that
Indiana ran into frankly was that they did not.
Really do a good job of keeping Rutgers from scoring, you know,
Indiana. If you look at the statistical
profile of that game, probably should have won the game.
You know, that was an Indiana team that on the game, scored?
One point per possession. Okay?
That's pretty good. They they didn't shoot great
from three. The shot 28%, they shot 79
percent from the free-throw line, which that's normally been
a big problem for IU. They only turned the ball over
nine times and they, you know, they picked up 11 combined.
Blocks and steals like that's normally a recipe for success.
But what happened in that game was Rutgers shot, 45 44 percent
from the from three Ron Harper went 548 Geo Baker went 347.
Fortunately, the night goes. I think I think three or four of
those five were in like the last 10 minutes of the game.
Yeah, absolutely, you know and for a Rutgers team that as per
normal struggled to score, Indiana was not able to assert
their defensive will at a time when it Turd.
And, you know, keep in mind that, you know, there was at one
point, Indiana LED that game 37 to 28 in the second half.
They let Rutgers go on a 10-nothing run, then got control
of the game and at, you know, after that ten, I think run
Indiana, still had a seven point lead at one point.
And you know with with ten minutes to go, it was 52:43 and
Indiana ended up losing the game 60 62 63.
So it's a combination of things, certainly.
But you got to keep in mind that Indiana.
Did not finish the job off fensively or defensively in that
contest and ultimately that's the kind of thing where, if
you're Indiana, the consistency of effort is the going to be the
big question mark for most of the Big Ten season because that
is what's eluded them in so many prior games, the last few
seasons. It was certainly a major thing
under Archie Miller and you know, you go back and look at
the games at Indiana lost to Rutgers the previous year, and
it's a similar pattern where Indiana Anna would start off
strong. You know, at that 10 minute Mark
of the first half of the game, the last game that Indiana
played at the rack which was February 24th.
The 2021 they let 7:40, and they got outscored 10:33.
The rest of the way in that half, go ahead.
Well, as I say, the other thing that is different about this
Indiana team compared to last year's.
Just looking at the stats that game against Rutgers last year,
they played basically six guys, the starters all played 30 plus
minutes Fitness, he played 17, Had two points was basically a
non-factor and then Jordan Geronimo.
Michael dirr and Tamar Bates, all played under 10 minutes
Geronimo had six points, but he was so unimpressive as you have
an offensive rating and can bomb for the game.
And, you know, during Bates were basically zero.
You know, they Club trillion their way to those games.
You'll basically, six guys playing that game and nobody
else contributing. And and I don't think we're
going to see that out of Indiana at any point this season, but
like, you know, it gives more Carolina.
Malik renew didn't look great against North Carolina.
But others five shots. Like I feel like four of them
were bunnies. That just yeah most nights are
going to go in. You tomorrow Bates had a good
get like I just I have a hard time seeing with this team with
the depth with the amount of different types of players.
We have real hard time seeing this be in that spot where we're
just not able to score and only have six guys playing and not
able to stop a team defensively. So I it just seems like this is
a much different Indiana team that lost to Rutgers last year,
obviously, I think it is. I mean, it.
You go back to the North Carolina game, Indiana, put a
13-2 to run on North Carolina towards the end of the first
half and then came out of the gates.
And if you take the last basket, they scored in the first half
and add it onto the beginning, as had a 12-2 run, those kinds
of runs offensively. Have not happened for Indiana.
It feels like since 2016 and and so that's a mentality thing as
much as it is an execution thing and I am optimistic the fact
that I mean when you look at A lot of those Rutgers games,
Rutgers has been able to put runs on Indiana.
That Indiana hasn't been able to counter.
And you know, what did it last year in the one game they played
against Rutgers was the 10-0. Run that Rutgers put on them at
the beginning of the second half, so it's a test for
Indiana. Can they get themselves through
an opponent putting together a big run or just keep runs from
happening either way and keep it as a back-and-forth and then
gradually pull out. That's essentially what Indiana
did against Xavier were there. Never was a big run for either.
Team in that game. And yet Indiana was able to keep
themselves in the game. Long enough to finally do some
things in winning time in the second half of the second half.
So anyway, that game coming up and then obviously Nebraska
coming up afterwards, we'll probably pot about IU,
basketball, before that, Nebraska game.
That's on Wednesday. As there's a lot coming up.
Immediately after that that will want to be talking about but
huge game for Indiana. If they win this obviously, it'd
be their first road win in the conference, be their first
Conference win. It pushed them to 8 and 0 on the
season. and I think would really fortify their credentials as you
know a potential top five team not that I really care about the
polls but in realistically speaking you know Indiana right
now and Ken pom is a thin the country you know that it I do
look at those sorts of things and I say you know if Indiana
can put a really good combination offensive and
defensive performance together and continue to move up in terms
of efficiency and what they're doing in terms of efficiency
margin. That's really what I want to
see. I want to see a win first and
foremost, I really How that happens and need it needs to be
a win, but I'd like to see some style points as well.
In terms of, can they defend efficiently, can they defend?
You know, consistently throughout the 40 minutes and
can they get offensive production on the road?
It's just annoying. That Purdue has this, like,
great Runway. Like they had a great run, but
then it's like, you look at their schedule.
It's like, they're home to Minnesota the play Hofstra there
at Nebraska, then Davidson New Orleans, Florida A&M than home
to Rutgers. It's like they're going to, they
might be the number one team in the country.
Come January, just The fact they're not going to lose good
until January 5th. But again, like, you priest.
It's not about winning November. It's not about winning December.
You know, I'm not, I'm like, you not as worried about the the
rankings to me. I think I said this before as
well. Like these next two, games to me
are more important while I'm going to Vegas.
I probably drive him to Kansas like the Arizona, Kansas games,
are going to be fun. Those are in the end.
Those are really empty calories, whereas Rutgers and Nebraska
like if we go two and two in the next for I want to win Rucker.
Nebraska because that's, that's going to get us to a big-time
love to go for it. Oh yeah.
But that's going to get us closer to a big tent.
I'd much rather be that than like, you know, three in one,
but having lost to Rutgers, it's like you kind of leave that
being like, that's that's gonna that's gonna bug me in February.
That's gonna come back to haunt you.
I hope Purdue continues to win. I really do.
I'm not, I'm actually not that afraid of Purdue.
I think they've, they're playing very well, but I am not well,
we'll talk about that. Another time, I hope the kiss, I
hope you take this call. It is, I hope they did.
There was there was there was that story, you know, the last
time that Purdue in Indiana were both ranked in the top 10 at the
same time was like 1998? I think it was and the last time
they played each other ranked in the top 10 was 1987 and here's
the thing and we've and the lat, this is the last thing we'll
talk about. Before we wrap up, I love when
Purdue in Indiana are both good at the same time.
And I actually think that it is a detriment To college
basketball when they're both not good at the same time because we
have watched in our lives times. When both of these teams were
legit top, 10, top, 15, top 20 teams.
And it, it's a rivalry that should be so much bigger than it
is. And both schools are to blame
because both schools have done a bad job of managing themselves.
As top level programs, historically like long tail,
over the last 25 years. I would love nothing more to
enter into the next five to seven years.
We're both of these teams are consistently top, 20 it Wood.
It's when the Big Ten was at its apex was when both of these
programs were that good? I do not begrudge Purdue their
success, but I'm also not scared of them.
Very fair. I, that February 4th game.
I'm circling that could be a, it'd be great if we both come
in, you know, top ten. I will just end it.
I agree with you. It does suck that, like, we've
been both like opposite parabolas.
Like when Indiana's good produce Badness, like we can't seem to
sync it up. It's nice.
I would just end with this story.
My buddy, Danny came over today. And he's a Michigan fan.
I do he's a friend but I don't begrudge him that.
But last year we were talking before, when when st.
Peter's beat Kentucky and I'm just like, God, like produce got
a path but they're going to get the final four.
It's gonna drive me nuts. He's just like, hey, who's
produce coach like that painters?
Like there you go? You'll be alright, like they're
not going to make it. I'm like I said again that
there's some great stuff. Like he's probably a coach, I
would have wished, we had her last 20 years but this this
morning he comes over or having donuts.
And I'm like, man pretty looks really good and he's like hey
who's your coach again looking at factors?
Like there you go. I'll be fine.
And then I also was like, hey man, I got to talk to you.
I watch the end that Virginia game, like Juwan Howard, he
sucks the coach. So you should maybe be talking
about coaching, Matt. Matt Painter is kind of the
Gonzaga of coaches, where sportswriters, just cannot help
but Fawn all over him and look rightfully.
So but we'll talk about that. Another time finishing up with
something else. Indiana related.
I will say that, you know, the one of the fascinating things to
me about this. Team right now is if you're
watching the videos that the team puts out, there's a Vibe
like, personality-wise about this team that just feels so
much, Freer and looser. Yeah.
And yet more focused than what we've seen in a long time and I
think Mike, Woodson deserves a tremendous amount of credit for
that. His, you know, it what he's
done, the atmosphere that he's created thus far with this team
and we saw some of this at the end of last year.
I don't think it's fully shined through because there was all of
this emotional and psychological pressure about getting back into
the NCAA tournament. And this year's team acts like,
that's not even an issue. Like this year's team is they
seem to get along well with each other.
They seem really fired up when they're doing.
Well, you know, they released a video with the players like
essentially kind of making fun of the way Mike, Woodson talks
and a good-natured banter. It's like, what could you
imagine either Archie Miller or Tom crean allowing that to
happen? I'll give I'll give credit to my
Of my friend Mark Katie for bringing that up.
And it's true. It's like the, the, the level of
camaraderie and yet Focus that I sense out of watching this, I
you team. And the way that they approach
things, this is the sign of a team that has been not just well
constructed from a personality perspective but has been given
an atmosphere of. Okay, we can have fun and we
also have to be successful. There are expectations that are
placed upon you. You and you need to carry
through with those things. And, you know, this isn't to
denigrate either of the prior coaches that Indiana's had, but
I just, it's been so long since it felt okay to have fun
watching, Indiana, basketball and where the players seemed
like they had a license to have fun playing Indiana basketball,
that I don't think Mike, Woodson has gotten enough credit
publicly for being able to instill that in such a short
period of time. I mean, the guy is on the, the
eighth game on Saturday of his second year here and do to turn
it around that quickly. With the basically the same cast
of characters is a tremendous accomplishment thus far.
So well taken I agree. I love watching the bench during
again but it's just it is true. Like under the arch you are the
bench was kind of like. All right, we gotta get up and
clap like this bench gets fired up.
I know it's given tomorrow. Bates, crap, Road like he, he's
great on the bed, he's so fired up.
I love it. There was a moment in the game
where Trace Jax I think happened twice but Trace Jackson Davis,
got his second foul in the first half and like literally like
looked at Wooster was like nah, I'm good.
Like thumbs-up, like I'm staying in and it wasn't just like kind
of smile. And like I was like, all right,
Shimano get it. And it's like, but it's he's a
pro coach. Now, he's treating this like it
looked like when I watch the Pacers.
Like, there's that understanding like yeah, man.
No, you're coming out but we don't make a big thing of it,
but it's like Trace felt comfortable kind of be like, no,
no, I'm good. I'm good, I'm good.
And maybe at the end of the year, he's gonna give him the
chance to be good. But I think what's also realize
like no, you're not good because I trust you, I don't trust these
rafts but like it's just the way they interact the way you are.
So right. And It, you talk about it in
football, you know how, like we need to have somebody with
experience taking the reins. There is something here with
like this is a guy who is coached professionally coached
professional athletes. Not saying all pro coach is
going to be great in college, but it definitely is working
here. I think it works with this team
and especially guys like Xavier Johnson, like I think Xavier
Johnson, I'll just end with this.
He's so good. But I think he could be very
tough to coach and I'm not sure a guy like Archie Miller or Tom
crean guys to had a little bit of, you know, they seem to not
be comfortable their own skin or having a player kind of talk to
them or act like that. Like, Arch Xavier could be a
tough guy to coaches, always say, I think Woodson is whole
held handling him, perfectly allowing him to do.
What he does, have those little moments and it just, it reminds
me very much of NBA coaches because the guy's a pro coach,
these treating him like an adult.
If you don't see the difference in Xavier Johnson's on-court
demeanor, And attitude between last year and this year, then
you're not watching closely enough.
It is a, it is a sizable difference in the way that he
approaches. I mean, he's had a couple of
instances and we saw it in the Xavier game, where he's gone off
the handle, but that North Carolina game, he was he was
aggressive, but he he was a not the same type of player that we
saw in some of the games last year and for the better, the
last thing I'll say and last thing I'll say about that,
Matter where he plays professionally.
It's like he has Mike Woodson to thank because I know matter,
he's gonna play a level above whether it's g-league or Spain
or even some MBA time. It's because of what exactly
what you said. What's it has done the last year
to because last year? Xavier is like, man.
He's good. But he's raw, and it's like now
there's times I watch them like, he could play in the NBA, let
me, he's not going to have a 30-year career in the NBA, but
he could get some g-league time. He could place him in the eighth
time. He's gonna have a long,
professional career. And I'm not sure I would have
said that last year. Yeah, I know the last thing.
I'll say real, Is, I haven't seen a lot of complaints about
Mike. Woodson substitution patterns
thus far this year compared to last year.
Maybe he just needed better. Subs will talk about that more
when we talk next. But we'll, we'll take a break
now and we'll finish things off. Anyway, Scott is always a great
pleasure to and a privilege to talk with you about IU
basketball, be sure to tune in to the assembly call, as they
will be giving you a recap of what goes on in that Rutgers
game as well as the Nebraska game.
We don't talk to you before then.
Good luck to IU men's soccer as they travel to UNC Greensboro
for a berth, in the college cup for Scott, I'm Galen this has
been Crimson cast, bring back the Bison so long, everybody.
Good luck to IU men's soccer as they travel to UNC Greensboro
for a berth, in the college cup for Scott, I'm Galen this has
been Crimson cast, bring back the Bison so long, everybody.