You're listening to the back home network, presented by home
field apparel. Hey, welcome back to Crimson
Cask ale, and klaviyo, Scott Caulfield joining you once
again, it is the 3rd of February and it is Purdue weak-ass Alan,
Scott as we were doing our priests.
A show. Chat that I did.
I think I've done more podcast this week than I've done in any
week since the last time we had Purdue week.
Something about this week just brings it out at Ascot as we are
absolutely. We are the people's podcast, we
will give you folks what you want when you want it and that's
essentially what the this week's been about Scotsman podcast and
a lot to. He's got one coming out later
today. It's tis the season.
I mean, we don't get many ranked matchups between Purdue in
Indiana, right? I feel like we need the meme of
like from Gladiator. Like are you not entertained
right? Which they probably aren't if
we're being honest with ourselves that is stated to the
thumbs down. Yeah she'll walk he's finished.
Giving us the thumbs down. That's right.
First time ever I listened to you and chronic talk which is
always good. But first time ever that produce
number one come in. Yeah.
It's it's interesting because I mean neither team has
necessarily held up their end of the bargain with this.
I mean as much as we like to complain about like, you know,
all the attentions on North Carolina duke or some of these
other rivalries across the country.
And, you know, some of that is ESPN puffing up their own media
Enterprise, you know, certainly you can you can, you know, be
upset about that. But the reality is that this
game should be more special. This is the basketball stay,
that's the state. It may not be the state with
necessarily the greatest basketball players, top to
bottom but it has a lot of really, really good.
And Times, great basketball players.
And it is certainly the state where the most, I think the
highest low number of people care about the sport over
football. And yet, the last really 25
years have been these two programs trading off, like, who
can miss manage their program, the hardest.
And that, you know, that's an unfortunate because you think
back to the 80s and 90s and it really was one of those
situations where it felt like Every year, these two teams were
in the mix, Indiana was in the mix for national titles.
Big, you know, Purdue is in the mix for Big Ten titles and there
were some great battles. It is kind of interesting that
produce never come in. Number one, and I'm fascinated
to see how that all plays out its unique.
That like, here we are in 2023. We're still getting something
new out of this rivalry. I think that's cool.
No, it's it is true. How do you ask?
Chronic that question? You know, what's your favorite
IU Purdue memory for? Be like, I was thinking through
it. It's tough because it's like,
it's almost as if like the reverse of that all about memes
today, like the reverse, the Spider-Man pointing meme.
It's like, you know, whenever the last 15-20 years, whenever I
use been good produce like yeah we're going to be bad and
whatever. I whatever for the most part,
whenever I use been bad for, he's like alright we're going to
go ahead and be good. They've been very like, you
know, cyclical and anti, you know, not syncing up at the same
time. This is probably the first time,
you know, you know, last year, obviously, we beat them.
I don't think a lot of people thought we were great.
Eight going into that game. This is one of the first times
we've both kind of had our programs, you know, for us
somewhat together for Purdue obviously very much together in
a long time. I'll answer that question you.
I really enjoyed the game when Glenn Robinson came in the
student section was just like chanting prop 48.
If memory serves rightly, he dunked in like flipped off the
student section, got a technical that was one of them.
I remember going to the games with, with you watching, you
know, Brian Cardinal and like Luke wrecker, but Oddly enough
like, you know, last year's game is way up there, like that was
really a great win against a really good Purdue team, but I
would probably say the Glenn Robinson.
You know, first Glenn Robinson game in Assembly Hall, was
pretty cool to watch, and he was, he was really a specimen,
but it is the other thing with Purdue that, that's interesting.
I know, that, you know it because you're like a basketball
encyclopedia, but I'll talk with other friend here about, you
know, just, you know, getting Indiana mr.
Basketballs like, you know, just kind Of Indiana recruiting and
he was like, what's up, you know?
That's Purdue like this. Get all the Indiana.
Mr. Basketballs. And I was like, not really like
you go back and look at it. Like they've gotten the last two
but before that you know for listeners out there just ask
yourself when was the last mr. Basketball they got and it was
Glenn Robinson and that's it. They've gotten three like in the
history of Indiana. Mr. Basketball they really
haven't like they've really done this and to the credit of
painter, kind of doing it around the edges and getting a lot of
guys who are kind of that second tier in Indiana, School.
No knock. You know, it's like kind of what
you're Brad Stevens did it Butler but you know, if I'm
rambling, no, no, it's little bit, it is one of those like
narratives that just gets tired on both sides.
It really is the whole like who's got the you know, the who
does the best job of recruiting Indiana?
Who does the best job of pulling in Indiana players?
I mean in the 80s like you know Purdue pulled in some really
good players from the state of Indiana.
That the that I you didn't recruit because they were
recruiting players from elsewhere and yes, Purdue
certainly. Had in certain cases more
success with those players than Indiana did with their players
but it's never been a situation where one school or the other
actually grab the best players from the state and that was it.
And that's important to remember.
And it's interesting because there have been players that I
use lost out to Purdue on that, haven't panned out and vice
versa. It's one of those narratives.
I wish we would just retire. I understand why it exists, but
it just gets kind of tiresome because it's just like you.
These things. These teams are always greater
than the sum of their parts and some of the best IU players came
from outside the state. Some of the best Purdue players
came from outside the state and some of the best in State
players for both were not Mister basketball.
It's like Calbert cheaney. Not mr.
Basketball, you know, I mean, you can go down the list and all
the whole team of the e'twaun Moore and Robbie Hummel.
And like, none of those guys were mr.
Bascomb, right? You know, I mean, there's a
jQuery right now is Running this whole on Twitter about who was
you're like most hated school rival for the other team like,
which player just like made your blood boil and, you know, the
name that keeps popping up over and over again from IU fans is
your neighbor. Yeah.
Brian Garden, right? It says, it's got to be Bright
Car. Ryan Cardinals, not from
Indiana, Brian Cardinals from Illinois.
Brian Cardinals. Dad, was like a trainer I think
for for the fighting Illini basketball team.
So, like it's just, it just goes to show like this, this rivalry.
Great. And it's very much an in-state
thing. And I wish it was a better
rivalry because I wish the programs were have, you know,
would have been better. It's cool that they're both
ranked coming into this week, but it is a tapestry that is a
bunch of people. Some of them from in-state some
of them from out of state, you know, right down to the fact
that you look at the two coaches.
Who are the most iconic at least in modern times for these two
programs and neither of them are from Indiana either.
Bob Knight Ohio, Native Gene Keady, Kansas native.
It really is a much broader rivalry than just being
something separated by 110 miles in the middle of the state of
Indiana. You know, Scott who wins in this
rivalry, not produ not Indiana, its own field apparel, home
field apparel always wins and you know they have amazing
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listening to this, you're getting pumped up for the game
if you reproduce fan and you're so obsessed with.
I you that you're actually hate listening to this podcast for
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very pretty like yes. I use sucks at everything.
Yeah, you're out. Cleaning your garage or
something right now or, you know, you're in your crawlspace
and you're like, you know, you're listening.
I gotta hate these guys at Crimson cast.
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So home-field apparel.com, they are primary sponsor here on the
back home network. So, anyway, we've talked about
little question, go ahead and put we get into the yeah.
It's a little bit of little bit of Pretty Hate to start this off
talking with a buddy. I believe this, I want your take
as also a buddy of mine, I want to talk to you.
Thanks, you know. I go on record saying last year,
Purdue losing to St. Peters.
When That bracket just opened up for them.
Yeah. When you know and I said that
was probably painters best team. Like that was just you all put
together the most talented team for them to kind of, you know,
shit out in the sweet 16 against a 15 seed, I thought was just
really soul-crushing. The fact they've come back has
been impressive. I think you and cried touched on
this like last year's team for Purdue I think was more
talented. This year's team might be a
better team, just an overall playing team but it does beg the
question. If painter can't get this team
to a final four like this two-year run, where you have
this kind of talent and this kind of team, if he can't cash
it in this time, you know it kind of makes me wonder.
Like will he ever be? It's similar to like we talked
about Glenn Robinson like you look back and say wow that was
probably Jean, Katie's best shot like that was the shot it did
they lost to like Tennessee or wait when what year?
When they lost a Glenn Robinson, they lead 8.
It was there is no. They lost to Duke.
They beat. It's right or not.
Oh yeah, babies in Tennessee. Maybe was again to.
Yeah, exactly. But anyways like you look back
that was like I do wonder if they can't get it.
Done this year of getting to the final four after the last year.
They had, you know, these 2 year, run.
You do Wonder Will Painter ever get it done?
I mean, I think it's a legitimate question because
painters Mentor, you know, the guy he played for Gene.
Katie, never got it. Done and look Purdue had a lot
of really really good teams in the 80s and 90s.
They had a lot of really good players and there was always
something that just was slightly missing from Jean, Katie's
Purdue teams that kept them from reaching the ultimate goal.
Now some of that was bad luck in tournament draws, you know, Oh,
in 86, I think they had to play at LSU on, like, on LSU's home
for despite its supposedly being a neutral Court game, but then
like they know they had the one of the best teams in college
basketball in 1988 and they lost to Kansas State in the sweet 16
they lost in, you know, in 1994 again at Glenn Robinson who was
the best player in college basketball, that year that a
great Supporting Cast and they lost in the elite eight.
And and that's not a team that should have lost.
The elite eight, I don't care. Who the two seed was, in that,
in that bracket, you know, even when something will opened up
for them, like in 2000, they were a, you know, a decent team.
They were about the same as Indiana that year and the
bracket broke for them. Just write the 2 seed.
Was Miami that year that T, I think it or maybe it was
somebody else in Miami was the 7c but they beat them, they got
all the way to the elite eight. They took on a Wisconsin team
that was not that great and they lost to them in the elite eight
and that was essentially the last hurrah for In Katie last
time, even got past the sweet 16, let alone the elite eight.
So I look at painter and I say to myself, look, there's no
question that painter, he's had basically all those types of
losses. He has last year was the bracket
broke. Yep.
You know, this is the year who of 40, I have the best team, you
know better cheat like yeah. And then you know, you remember
2019 when they're in the elite eight the game is won and
Virginia pulls the game, like entirely out of their butt and
sends. Over time, and they end up
losing that one. So, it's one of those weird
things where you look at painter and you look at the profile that
is teams have. And they're not that dissimilar,
from those Katie teams in that they're they're generally very
good on offense and they're generally not quite good enough
on defense, you know, they're like this and it's interesting
that you mentioned this year's team because this year's team is
one of the better defensive teams that they've had in this
whole run, at least from an efficiency perspective, my fit
that the here's the The thing I will say though I don't know
that this particular Purdue team is necessarily it's built to be
a really good. Big 10 team of really good
regular season team. I just don't think it's built to
win in the NCAA tournament and I think deep down Purdue fans know
that. And this is not me saying that I
Indiana is but if you look at the spread of athleticism and
where everything is you know that to what we do you know, but
it's but it's also like in a Game that is going to be played
in the NCAA tournament. There certain types of teams
that there's a profile that we've seen over and over again
that generally wins games and that profile, generally does not
involve a 7-foot for big man who generally has to stay rooted to
the post and I think Edie has done a tremendous job of
improving himself as a player, you know.
But I say all of that with the idea that ultimately if this
Purdue team doesn't make a final four, Or I don't necessarily
think it's a moratorium on painters being able to get to a
final four because even though this is a great regular season
team, I just don't think it's a team that's going to pan out
particularly well in the tournament.
And so that's going to be really interesting to watch because I
think ultimately you know what painters done is not too
dissimilar from What gene Katie did.
He's getting a lot of players that play well in a
complementary system, that's very difficult to play against
but because it relies largely on being in the big And I would
actually say that a lot of Wisconsin teams, fell into the
same thing, their whole style of play, the way they recruit, and
there's nothing wrong with. This is not a criticism, but
it's so reliant on how the Big Ten conducts its business on a
week-by-week basis that when you let them out of that controlled
environment. There's normally a variable or
two that doesn't work out long-term and and that's where
ultimately I think this team is going to struggle, but I don't
necessarily think that means that painter will never get to a
final four. It's just that this group this
mix of talent as good as they are probably isn't the ticket.
When you look at some of the other teams that are going to
have to be out there that they'll have to play in this
tournament. Yeah.
Well and it's but if like this doesn't get it, you wonder it's
like the GK. Think the two things I will say
is to what you were saying is that first off with the big guys
in the tournament I always think of last year, I was talking to
my dad, this is like right after like the final four was like
they got the elite eight done, and where I'm at my dad's place
and Bloomington and he's just talking about your eyes.
I just you in the end he's a big guy like this.
Need a big guy to get deep in the tournament and was like, but
that all like like who's like well if you know, Like Ed or
chat homegrown like they're all out like all the guys you're
mentioning or not in the tournament but they don't they
don't get there and you are right and I look at this
particular time that was a pretty fan like a.
I'd buy some of the home field gear because looks good but be I
would be like the team, the kind of team that I do not want to
see like I want Alabama to get a one seat because like if I would
Purdue fan, the last thing I want to see is a team like
Alabama or Houston as the two seed in my bracket Houston.
Probably Be a to Alabama could be a to depending on like how
the SEC tournament breaks. And to me that that's the kind
of team if I'm pretty, I just do not want to see.
I mean anyway, no II agree with retiring.
I agree with that because it's look there's and and so much of
the NCAA tournament is matchup based.
Yep. And and so I don't think that
saying well pretty really doesn't want to see this type of
team is necessarily controversial just like Indiana
doesn't want to see a team, that's really good at pressing,
you know, it. That's like their Kryptonite at
this point. So the, you know, but with
Purdue, it's interesting because I do Wonder want to see a game.
We just want to see all the games in Assembly Hall.
We want to go back to like the right 1880s drawer.
Well, it's like who you're somehow get all the games in
Assembly Hall, but, you know, but it is interesting because,
you know, depending on how much weight you want to put on the
winds that they had against like Gonzaga and Duke out in Oregon.
This I talked about this in the podcast that I had with was a
kosterman yesterday on mind your banners.
This Purdue formula doesn't travel particularly well on the
road. You know, they've really
struggled in Road games. For the most part, you can take
the Penn State game out because that wasn't really a road game.
It was in the palestra not to Penn State has a great
atmosphere at home. But, you know, this was not at
home for them, you know, but you look troubled at Nebraska
struggled at Michigan State. Nobody, I mean, I you struggled
in Minnesota but Willis, excuse that one just kind of struggled
at Michigan. Only one by five, their struggle
to Ohio State. Gold.
It's one of those interesting things.
We're even at Florida State who's god-awful this year.
They only won that game by 10. And that's not a margin.
You would have expected given how much better?
I mean, I think what, with with 10 minutes left in that game, it
was only a six-point game for Purdue.
So, you know, it is one of those things where yes, it's matchup
dependent but it's also, and this is something I'm really
curious about for this weekend's game against Indiana.
What is it about? About Purdue, is it that they're
just invincible and they're playing really awesome?
Or is it that they've they managed to execute in the end?
But at some point especially away from home, perhaps that
luck runs out as they move forward, especially if they're
playing a team that has that can speed them up that has a bunch
of files to throw at the post that can hit shots from outside
or from the mid-range. You know.
Those are all things that I think are going to be really
interesting to watch with that, Purdue team, moving forward.
And it's one of those things with Indiana where everything I
just described in Anna has all of those things, like they do
play at a much faster Pace than Purdue does.
They have shown an ability to hit shots from outside and from
mid-range, and they do have a bunch of fowls, maybe not as
much as you'd hope given that we don't know what the status of
Jordan Geronimo is but they have fouls to throw exact Edie.
I think Indiana is actually somewhat well, suited to win a
game against Purdue away from Mackey Arena.
Those types of profile games are going to be interesting for
Purdue to handle, because as much as I really, We think
Purdue has done a laudable job of figuring out a system that
works awesome for them. I don't know how much that will
travel throughout the rest of the season, because there's more
film and more, you know, there's more ideas now.
Okay. Here's how you attack Purdue.
And if you can get them out of Mackay where they get every call
on the planet, it becomes a lot harder for them.
And look, I mean, look, I you get so, you know, more calls it
Assembly Hall than a way that's not an indictment necessarily on
Purdue Yeah, whoo, back to the going, go into this matchup.
This question was posed to me and I was answering it, you
know, who do you think guards Ed in this game?
Because it is you mentioned. We have a lot of fouls to throw
but like on one hand, say all right, well you know, you go
matchup matchup, you have Trace but it's like you can't trace
doesn't foul very much but that Edie also doesn't get, he
doesn't follow at all. Yeah, so again like and you
don't want to put trace on Edie because you don't want to pick
up early fouls and then it's like, all right.
So maybe put You saw them but then if race gets in trouble,
like so that's kind of my answer.
But then it's like you look down the bench and it is it does get
Slimmer because it's like got renew.
That'll last what like three minutes for he gets four fouls
that he's out like and then your point of geronimo's, not
healthy. You know, do you ders not
walking through that door fellas?
You know, do you look like Caleb Banks?
Like it does. It is a tough question like who
does guard Edie. I think you're going to see
trace on him a bit, but I don't think you can have trace on him
for the majority of the game. Did you trace on the offensive
end? The also oh yeah, you can't get
him in foul trouble again. Yeah.
No look, I don't think the trace Jackson Davis is going to be the
primary defender on Zack Edie and I am vice versa.
I don't think he's going to be the primary Defender.
They're going to look to Ed to come across the post and try to
rim protect and make it hard for Trace Jackson Davis to get shots
up unquestionably and as far as who guards Edie I mean I think
you're going to need two people on Edie but you're gonna need a
lot of quick recovery, you know, when you get into the post and
defend him and jumping back out again, I would imagine that it's
going to be that rotation of of race Thompson, Malik renew.
And, you know, made it a child of Elmer do right now.
Well, just so, you know, we're glad we got workout, part of the
issue being a part of it is going to be you you are, you has
to establish aggressiveness from the beginning, and it has to
understand this idea of that, you know, you have to set a tone
that the officiating. Basically, you're taking a page
out of the Bob Huggins Playbook, which is that they can't call
every foul, they weren't won't call every foul.
If you establish physicality early, you know, what are they
going to do? Start a riot and Assembly Hall
by, you know, calling a shitload of fouls?
Probably not, you know, I mean now it's possible the last year
they did against race Jackson Davis but they didn't against
Michael dirr. And so this is where you have to
be clever in terms. Like, all right, we are going to
have to defend our ground. Ed does a masterful job of
committing, a lot of fouls without getting called for them
because he does them away from the ball.
He uses his lower body, which the officials generally aren't
looking at to shove people and body people out of the way.
And, you know, you can get mad at me saying that, but watch the
film. That's exactly what he does on
almost every possession. IU has to be ready for that and
they have to be able and willing to position themselves in spots
where That doesn't happen. And if it you know, if it does
you make Ed do it with such force that you forced the
officials to call something? I think if you've got a rotation
of players and just real quick, I'll go ahead.
I'm laughing inside because I agree with you 100% just
jokingly you're like, but like this whole thing is based on the
fact that like you're putting your trust in the hangout
officials, not to let things get out of hand and to not to
basically not suck and it's like I'm already Hearing in my head
like, you know, I remember the game you and I, you know, the
Illinois game where Valentine called Eight, technicals on bob,
Knight like listening to Chronic talk about the game where you
know, people are throwing quarters in the game because you
know, because night threw a chair.
It's like all basically night related but also we're rest that
let things get out of hand. So it's like putting our.
Remember, I remember this is gonna be like all the people.
I want to put my trust in. It's not the relative ever.
This is the same game in the same building where in 2017
officials called a block, and a charge on the same play.
Remember that was that? That was the Caleb swanigan.
Thomas Bryant. And that was both of their fifth
foul, so they were both out of the game and it's like, so, I
understand what you're saying, but this is where ultimately,
I'll see the rest is be like, you know what, like, we're
starting the game with Edie and Jackson a people thought the
foul, you just want to mess with it.
Well, I mean, I, that's the thing, it's like you're fine.
If you trade 3iu fouls for everyone, Ed foul.
That's, that's an okay ratio right?
Depending as long as they don't go to Jackson Davis, right,
agree, right. You know, but to me, the bigger
issue is outside of the post. I mean, I think Tres Jackson
Davis and Zaki to, you're both going to get theirs.
You know, I think that Davis is very likely to put up another,
you know, you know, 20 and 15 sort of game.
I think Edie is very likely to, you know, to have a very
efficient scoring game and get a lot of offensive rebounds.
And then from there, the question becomes who are the
contributors outside. Now, this is the going to be
the, you know, where jail in a jiffy know who's been.
Bang. Very hot and very cold has to
run very hot in this game. Because he right now is the only
player that seems to be able to manufacture his own shot and do
so you know, when he gets into a rhythm where you can actually
trust him hitting it, you need tomorrow Bates to actually show
up and play basketball on both ends of the floor.
If you're Indiana, you know, because ultimately like
Indiana's gonna have to hit shots from outside are going to
have to hit threes, they're going to have to hit some
mid-range twos. They're going to have to accept.
Um, what essentially minimize the effect that Edie has on
limiting shots, right next to the basket and they're also
going to need to utilize both sides of the post.
And I'm going to have to do a lot of good passing across the
post to try to make it so that it is constantly in movement.
But they're also going to need to have to defend Purdue on the
outside. You look at what happened, you
know, produce, not a great, three-point shooting team
compared to Indiana. They're like four or five
percentage points worse. On the season and yet, Purdue in
that Penn State game, they shot 31 threes, they hit, 14 Mason,
Gillis hit nine, threes in that game.
That's what cannot happen. If you're Indiana.
Like, you literally cannot have a situation where you're
defending the post fairly well. And the other, you know, and
produce got guys outside whether it's Gillis or Ethan, Morton or
Fletcher, lawyer, knocking shots, down or Braden Smith for
that matter. So I look at it like, The Ed
Trace tracks and Davis matchup. I'll you can almost think about
that is that that's likely to be a draw in terms of statistical
contributions. How does Indiana's, two, three,
four, five, six and seven compared to what Purdue's able
to put out there. And if I'm Woodson, you know,
I'm, you know, you've got to get, if you, if the ball goes
out to Miller Cotton other companies to shoot it
immediately. Don't don't shot fake and move
left. If you're Tamar Bates, you've
got to keep an eye on. Where your guy is defensively
through belleek renew, you can't commit silly fouls, and
something awesome and brought up yesterday, that I think is
really well taken. I use got to stop committing
stupid fouls like so many of the files that they have picked up
as much as we've complained about the foul totals in
general. I use got like we fell a lot and
a lot of the fellows are just dumb Malik, renew three of the
five. Fouls he committed in that
Maryland game, we're just like it was like not thinking not
being not having Awareness not paying attention to where you're
supposed to be on the floor and where your defense where the guy
you're supposed to be defending. Is that cannot be now.
I think I you at home with that crowd behind them, a
mid-afternoon crowd. I think they're going to be
really fired up, and really ready to roll?
What's going to be interesting, is how Purdue handles that
environment, and whether Indiana can get on a couple of runs to
give themselves some breathing room because I think the Purdue
process doesn't work quite as well.
When they're coming from behind. And they really haven't had to
face that through most of this season.
Like they've, they've managed to put distance on their opposition
relatively early in a lot of these games and that's managed
to be the thing that's carried them to victory, in most cases,
you know, they've had a couple of situations where they were
pressed at the end the game at Michigan State's, a good
example, and Purdue deserves a lot of credit for not letting
that, you know, you know, swamp them at the end but that's what
Indiana has to do. I don't think this is a
situation where if it's nip-and-tuck, the whole way that
it's going to work out. Well, for IU because Purdue has
demonstrated over and over again.
They know how to win those games, probably more so than
Indiana does, 100% on the fouls. So many, the fouls happen
because guys are in wrong position on defense or just get
get beat and sometimes it's better, just to let them.
Let somebody shoot, give up like this, just let him go if you're
especially you know, they do. Give up the to exactly.
I was I was agreeing with you like it Indiana as we've talked
about on this podcast has really decided.
But they are not going to worry about generating turnovers they
and produce done the same thing. Like, if you look at Purdue
produce even more extreme statistically and that they
don't force turnovers, and both of these teams essentially have
stationed, their entire defensive effort around the
other aspects of what we call the four factors for Purdue.
They're graded offensive rebounding.
They're great at not putting their opponents on the
free-throw line I would say suspiciously so But that's
another topic for another podcast, and they're also really
good at just limiting good percentage shots.
Indiana is really good at limiting.
The opponent's percentages in terms of shooting, and they're
pretty good and offensive rebounding.
Because of Trace Jackson, Davis and race, Thompson, and Malik
renew where they aren't, that great is what we just talked
about, which is there the amount of times they send the opponent
to the foul line, a lot of it is meaningless and you go through
and you think about all the points in the an has given up in
games that are Ben 123 possession games where, you
know, you think about, oh well there was a point that they
didn't need to give up because they filed on a made shop or
there was a foul that they needed to need to commit.
That gave an opponent a one-and-one or gave them free
throws in a double bonus. That is Indiana's got to get
that out of their system in this game because they're not likely
to try to, you know, start generating turnovers.
And this is the wrong team to do that against period.
I think, you know, because the way that Purdue plays there,
they're pretty controlled. They don't really turn the ball
over that much. And Indiana doesn't either, but
Indiana can't afford to play status quo and then keep putting
pretty with the foul line because it ends up being a
double whammy for them. Totally agree.
The other thing I will say is to me this game, it kind of rests
on the shoulders of Jalen Hood fee.
No. Because and this is, you know,
everyone's been saying this. I will say it as well.
This is a game where I just think you so sorely Miss Xavier
Johnson because What Xavier Johnson does so well that I
don't think he gets enough credit for is you know, he will
attack and he'll be aggressive but it's normally after other
things haven't worked like he does a very good job of managing
the game and, you know, trying to get the ball in the right
place and then he starts driving and attacking it's normally
after. Like all right, we've had two
possessions or nobody's doing anything or you know we passed
the cop and the cop passes back, and that's when the savior's,
alright, we gotta go. Someone's got to do something.
I'm gonna do it jail, huh. Cioppino is wired, a little bit
differently, not saying it's bad.
Bad or worse. Just different.
Where, you know, you saw it last game against marrow when he's
not having it. He doesn't really kind of like,
all right, I'm going to start finding the other guys, like,
I'm just gonna take a step back his like I'm going to shoot my
way through this and he didn't really was able to without able
to shoot his way through this. And I think this, you know, this
is where you see the difference with, you know, where I you is
that. And where Purdue is that is, you
know, and I'm not picking on jail, huh?
Chafee. No.
Just it comes down to him because everybody else on this
roster is just You know which tomorrow baits.
Are you getting which you know, what is drawing to play by which
Trey Galloway? Are you getting?
It's like you're either getting really good or bad.
Like there's no like consistency and then you look at like Purdue
Fletcher lawyer, when you look at his offensive ratings, just
one stat to kind of look at, you know, his lowest offensive
rating of the year is 81 and it's been over 100 for most
every game in the Big Ten - a couple.
You look at Braden Smith, you know his lowest at You know,
December 4th. He had a 71 offensive rating,
its Minnesota since then. He's only been under 103 times.
It's like just a very consistent.
Like even a bad game, he's either doing other things or
it's like some of the games were, he's not shooting.
Well, like he's 0 for 3. He's only taking three shots.
He's like all right, you know, pass the ball to other people,
whereas again, not picking on jail Hood fee.
No, but like the gaming, it's Marilyn is offensive readings
32, like, he was 179 against Ohio State, but then, you know,
52 against Michigan State. That was A because other guys
were going bonkers, but this is where unfortunately, of Jalen
Hood Ruffino is having a Maryland type game, where he's
going to be at a 40% offensive rating.
You basically need to hit you hit the slot machine on
everybody else. You need best tomorrow, you need
best Trey, get you. Everybody's top level effort and
we just haven't seen that sync up enough this year.
You have to assume some of the other guys are going to be kind
of all and this is where Indiana gets, you know, it's something I
always mention the beginning of the year.
We look at This stuff. I've always guilty of it too,
but we look at it like my God, we're so deep.
Like, are we gonna find playing time for all these guys?
Then it's like you get to February and we're going to be
thin. Like I guarantee you're going to
be thin and guess what is February?
Were thin and that so I look at her Cioppino is like if he's not
having a great game. I don't trust that everybody
else is going to be having the game of their life, kind of like
we had against Michigan State. So I look at him as like he's
kind of the linchpin of this whole thing.
I think if he's having a Ohio State type, Game.
I think we have a really good shot at winning.
I think if he's having a medium level game you're going to
everyone else to be playing out of their minds but I think this
really just highlights the difference between Purdue in
Indiana's produce has a bunch of guys where it's like even their
off nights. There going to be an offensive
rating of 95 or 100. And for us our guys off nights
are just off its like they become basically unplayable.
Yeah, I mean it's it's a real concern and it's tough because
like, you look at Jalen Jaffe. Know what he's done.
So many good things this year and he's clearly such a talented
player, but he has been Mercurial.
I think would be the best way of putting a time.
Even during the five-game winning streak, he had a pretty
good game against Wisconsin. You had an awesome game against
Ohio State, and then at least offensively, he really struggled
in in those three games in the middle and, you know, is for a
different reasons. A lot of them though, were His
shot just wasn't falling and it's hard to reconcile, you
know, the, the performance he had, for instance against
Illinois, where he goes 5412, he Hicks a bunch of floaters and
midranges doesn't take a 3 at all.
It's hard to reconcile that with Ohio State, where he just looked
completely in command of his shot and then turn around and
you play Michigan or excuse me, Maryland and it's just a
disaster like all the way around offensively clearly forcing
everything. So, yes, you know, it's tough to
Say well he's a freshman when you know Fletcher lawyer and
Braden Smith or freshman and they're not having problems.
But I think part of the issue and the reason for that is that
it is really without Xavier Johnson.
It is so incumbent upon Jalen Hurd, Ruffino to make the
offense work, because he doesn't really have a reliable backward,
make because a lot of these questions are these concerns.
We've had about consistency, you can apply the same to Tamar
Bates, you can apply the same to Trey Galloway and Purdue because
they've been able to To Anchor their success.
In a very specific style of play.
That is more reliant on positioning than it is on
athleticism. It does feel like produce less
likely to have guys having significantly bad games.
Now, that means Indiana to some degree when it, when it's Feast
time, it's really Feast time because all the cylinders are
firing. I mean, we saw that with Tamar
Bates, you know, a couple of games where he just starts going
off and, you know, he goes out against what was it?
Michigan. 8 and he ends up going 546 from 3.
Now, we haven't seen that out of Tomorrow, Bates, most of the
season. In fact, you look at his
performance from three. I think he's hit three more than
more than three threes just twice.
More this season Once Was Jackson State, and once was the
Nebraska game, but that's where this team is so frustrating.
If you're an IU fan, because it's not a consistent product,
it ceiling. And when everybody's playing
well, Is really, really high. I mean, it's as high as produce,
but when the, but I don't think we've seen everybody play really
well in a game that matters from start to finish so far this
season, maybe the Xavier game comes the closest, but even that
like Carolina, maybe North Carolina.
Yeah, I mean, but but, but even then it's like, well, North
Carolina was certainly not playing very well that game.
So I all that to say, IU has to not Beat It.
Self in terms of, you know, are you, are you making bad
decisions with fouls? Are you taking or not taking
shots? When you should?
Are you overthinking, possessions, are you waiting too
long to get into The Possession Indiana's?
Really got to be on their mental game from the beginning.
Now, I think they can do it and I think that they will be
galvanized by how badly they played and yet still, we're in
the game against Maryland, like it wasn't like, they were awful
and lost by 20 or 25, you know, if Jalen Hurd Ruffino doesn't
go. So skunky from the the field and
if I you commits a few less fouls in that game, they're
probably leading with four minutes to go as opposed to
being down by three or whatever they were.
And and that game is one of those, you hit it on the head
with your podcast with chronic. It's like 70 years from now when
you look back and it's like it's a 6655 loss and I can't just you
know we got yeah Pete in a row but it's like I'm with you that
would that felt like an opportunity to In that we just
kind of let slip through our fingers, which is wild to say.
For a 10-point look your 10 digit plus loss, but I agree
with you like Marilyn was doing nothing to take that game from
us they were playing as poorly as we were.
We just kind of outpour, played them and it's tough because I'll
interrupt for a second. Like this is what I've been
thinking about what this Purdue game but just larger term is you
know unfortunately we are fired up on the five-game winning
streak and that was good. It kind of got us back to level
and we saw what this team. Could be clicking, but
unfortunately, where this team sits they just, they really
can't not convert games that are there for the taking when you
lose three in a row to start the year.
And again, I owe, you know, Iowa Northwestern, Penn State, you
know, tougher on the road. There's, there's reasons for all
those but you, you dug yourself a hole, like, you were 14 in the
Big Ten. What I'm concerned about now is
you're asking this team, you know, you got to go one in 1 or
2 and 0 at home against one of the best.
The country your rival and then back it up, three days later
against a team. That's kind of been your
Kryptonite and definitely has your number and Rutgers.
And if you go into in those games which is very possible and
could not be an indictment on your team at all like this this
IU team could still be just as good lose the next to suddenly.
Now you're 6 and 7 in the Big Ten staring down a two game Road
Trip against a Michigan team. That's been faltering, but it's
still a road game at Michigan, like it's still A road game at
Michigan. Then you got to go on the road
and beat Northwestern where it's like, you know, historically I
you you're even doing that. It's like, well, they beat us
this year, we do. No, no that's not why I'm
shrugging. I'm just sorry.
Sorry. But it's like this is what does
concern me? And the last thing I'll say is,
you know, you've talked about the psyche of this team, which
it you wonder where it always is.
And my concern is this has been built up this Purdue game.
Rightfully so and the fans are going to be Bonkers and it's
like, this is going. Be the ultimate Assembly Hall
home court advantage. If I, you doesn't win, which is
very possible produce a very good teeth.
How does this team mentally react to like?
All right, two days later. It's like shoot, we just have
like that was, you know, the crowds going to be a little
letdown for Rutgers a good teams.
Going to be let down like when you build everything up and then
you don't cash in. It's like, you know, we didn't
win. Like we won last year, how does
this team react? Because you've got to pick
yourself up the mat quickly. And then If you don't beat
Rutgers like all right, now you've got to go on the road and
you've got to salvage this, the season.
The schedule does get a little bit softer, but it's still two
Road games, and your home against Illinois.
Like, this could also get away from us very quickly.
And it's just, it makes me very concerned that we're looking at
a two game homestand in, you know, 72 hours against two of
the best teams in the Big Ten, one of which is had our number
one of, which is our rival and the number one team in the
country, it's like, you got to win one of the two, it's asking
a lot. Well, yes.
However, as so, it's interesting because we were talking about
this on mind your banners yesterday this very topic and
ultimately, yeah, it's tough. But this is a fulcrum point for
IU basketball, it is. And, and look, we've talked a
lot about the long Arc of the manner in which IU basketball
has kind of fallen off of the radar nationally and a lot of it
comes down to the inability to perform at This time of year, we
you and you and I were talking earlier in the week, we talked
about Indiana's, awful record in February, over the course of the
last seven years and not good. Bob, you know, and and
ultimately what I look at with this, I you team I'm sorry if
you guys all heard this on mind your banners but it's worth
repeating. This is very similar to the 2012
season where Indiana started that season.
They do they beat Kentucky that year.
They were, they beat Michigan State at home.
They beat Ohio State at a home. But then they lost a bunch of
games in January, were five and six in the Big Ten and they
actually played Purdue in that next game and they ended up
having a tight game for most of it, but they ended up winning
late by big like they won by 17. They went on a late run and that
propelled them to only lose one game in conference the rest of
the regular season. And of course they go and they
end up in the sweet 16 That season that to me.
Was a situation where an IU team that had not performed at that
time of year for many years suddenly did and it changed The
Narrative of the program. That's kind of how I look at
these next two games right now than he ever to lose both of
them. I mean, it's not a disaster in
terms of Indiana, came in is going into going to this weekend
in almost every bracket. Projection is a five seed which
that given the injuries sign me up for that.
Like if that's if that was the outcome of the season, a 5C and
Without having beaten Purdue or Rutgers, you know?
So if they win either or both of these games they're you know,
they're treading water or getting slightly above that,
Mark. I think as they head towards the
postseason, if they lose both they still got some time to fix
things. But so much of what people want
Indiana basketball to be rotates around.
This idea that these are the games that you win, you beat
Purdue regardless, especially if they're ranked you.
You ruin their ranking and you try to derail their season a
little bit you.you're playing Rutgers, who has been your, you
know, your boogie man. Essentially your Nemesis over
the course of the last several seasons.
You've got them at home. They embarrassed you at home
last year in a key game you beat them.
You establish dominance in terms of being a top four teams in the
conference, like this is what Indiana basketball is all about.
And I did not have faith in either.
Tom crean or Archie Miller to win these types of games because
they demonstrated over and over again that by and large, they
weren't able to win those games at home, even in the 2013
season, when Indiana ended up as the number one overall seed in
the tournament, Indiana could have beaten, Ohio, State, and
gotten the outright Big Ten title at home, and they lost
that game. These were games.
That always seem to be too big for IU, basketball in the
moment. You know, I'm really curious
with, with Mike Woodson. What progress has been made
since that? Rutgers game at home last year
in March has this team really turned a corner mentally in
terms of like you know what we can do this, we're going to go
in we're going to beat Purdue, we're going to beat Rutgers,
we're going to be 8 and 6 in conference and we're going to be
set up so that essentially as long as the bottom doesn't
completely fall out, we're going to be in really good shape.
Come Big, Ten Tournament. I actually they'd be eight and
five not 8 and 6 in conference at that point this is this is
the fulcrum point. For Indiana and where it's at
right now again, if they lose the seasons not over and there's
still a lot of basketball to be played a lot of opportunities
for Indiana to recover but this is a golden opportunity.
This is laid out on a platter for IU.
These two games, you win these two games, you suddenly change
the narrative even more not just about the season but about what
IU basketball is as a program. Now you to a large degree, you
win, you put the last seven years or last six years, behind
you, and You say the page has been turned, there's a new
chapter that started. I don't know if they'll actually
be able to pull it off but I think that's what's in front of
them. And it's not entirely Fair
because they're going to have to do it without their senior
leader at point guard. And they're going to have to do
it with their Sixth Man or their six year, senior post player
still clearly hobbled but Indiana's.
Italian today enough that they should be able to do it
regardless of not having those two guys either at all or at
full strength that's going to be the really fascinating thing.
This is also The game for Assembly Hall, you know, as much
as you know, people that I you love to talk about Assembly Hall
and the crowd and the natural Advantage.
It doesn't show out nearly like it used to and I don't expect it
to because It hasn't been a great program.
Consistently like there's a reason people fall in love with
the Mackey Arena atmosphere right now because that's been a
program that people really get excited about going and seeing
well that wasn't the case with Mackey Arena 10 years ago
because they hadn't been that program for the previous decade.
And that's where I you is that this is Where, you know, you've
gotta you gotta bring the Vibes back, you got to get people in
there, locked in creating that Vortex that assembly whole
generally creates in these sorts of games and putting Purdue in a
position where they feel intimidated by what's going on
around them and, you know, that's where Indiana, it's not
just the team. It's also the atmosphere.
That's what I'm looking for in this one.
Yeah, I completely agree and I agree on the fulcrum point.
I also think, you know, they beat Purdue Do you know, we did
that last year and then we turned around and lost to
Michigan and was kind of guy? That's, you know, well, what do
you do? Kids were excited.
It's like, you can't have that again after.
Like, this is we're past that point where we beat who does
great, but there's still work to do and it's funny.
It's like almost the exact same time frame, like a two and a
half day turnaround between Purdue Michigan last year to
Purdue and Rutgers this year and I agree.
And yeah, it's it is laid out where like, if we beat Purdue
then suddenly, you know, not that.
It's like Everything's changed. Its This is two years in a row.
Purdue's brought really good teams and do Assembly Hall, you
know, you rank them, we spank them, they come in, right?
You know, whatever four and then one and they can't get it done.
And now it's like can produce one on the road and I completely
agree and for me as an IU fan, what I'm kind of tired of is,
you know, I'm tired of not knowing what teams going to show
up, but I'm also tired of this like really tough position were
in where it's like, oh man, every road game is tough in the
big tenants. I got Minnesota taught like it.
Ireland Rogue a, what do you do? It's like, but then on the flip
side, we know. Also that went home games like
every home game. So it's like, we gotta have
someplace where it's like, if Road games are tough in the Big
Ten, which they are then home games should be the ones that
like, okay, we can beat Purdue and Rucker.
Like, there's nobody that we should be worried about at home
and that's if we lose both of these games.
That as a fan is just going to bug me because it's like, well
shit, where where do we get our? You know, where do we as a top
team, get some rest, it can't be that road games and home games
are always tough. I mean, I'm so no I agree with
you on the fulcrum piece that like if you win both of these
games it does just it changes something and then it's like all
right now you have the wind in your sails like you said now
even if the even if you lose the rest of your road games, you're
still going to finish above 500 in the Big Ten.
You have some really nice wins under your under your belt like
it if you lose both of these games, you're kind of back to
having some work to do. Yeah.
And unfortunately Indiana just historically The under Mike
Woodson, but the last decade under archean, Tom crean, we've
not done well, when there's work to do in February and March, we
just, we just haven't done well with that.
It is clearly a big 10 this year, we're outside of Purdue,
nobody's really jumping out of the pact between DL.
I mean, s to 11th in the Big Ten is separated, by two games.
Rutgers in Illinois, or seven and four and Wisconsin's, five
and six along with Penn State. And then you've got a six way
tie for fourth. And Indiana's in that mix along
with Maryland, Iowa, Michigan State, Michigan, and
Northwestern. You in the next two beating
Rutgers, you theoretically have the inside position to being
second place in the Big Ten, maybe not quite because the
schedules are like Rutgers schedule is.
As while it's been harder, it'll get a little bit easier down the
stretch and they're projected to win 13 games at this point.
But your point is taken. These are important games
because at the very least, you beat Rutgers and and /.
Do you guarantee that you get a win against Purdue which Nobody
else has been able to manage except Rutgers and you beat
Rutgers and now there's no tiebreaker in favor of Rutgers
for Big Ten Tournament, seating at Falls to something else.
So I'm with you all on all of that.
I think it's one of those situations where ultimately You
know, the Big 10 is going to be rough this year and Indiana is
not good enough with its current Talent set up and it's injury
situation to be better than the pack.
So they need to be basically the best team in the pack knowing
that winning the Big Ten is not necessarily that's not you know
that is not be the end goal this year.
I'd love to win the Big Ten and be nice to, you know, to get
back on top but it's not going to happen this year for a
variety of reasons. But if your ambition is to put
yourself back on the The map as a program.
This is the kind of game you win against Purdue.
Next Tuesday is the kind of game you win against Rutgers because
not only does that demonstrate. You can win those games at home.
It means that you have the ability when you need to to play
at a much higher level consistently for 40 minutes or
in this case, 80 or 85 or you know, whatever it ends up being
and that's that matters. Because ultimately, if you're
looking to the tournament and that's where Indiana fans,
really want to make a mark, is the NCAA tournament.
These are the types of tea. Names of the types of talent
Collections and coaching collections that you're going to
have to beat if you want to make a run in March.
So yeah, I mean look we talked about this a couple weeks ago.
It's hard for me to get too wrapped up.
I'd love to have a double by in the Big Ten Tournament but given
how tight the Big Ten is like literally you can go from being
a double, bide team to a team playing on Wednesday with one
day's worth of results in this conference right now.
It is, it is not a situation. Ation where I think, you know,
if you, if you're in that anywhere in that mix, it might
just be bad luck and well, crap. We only got to play Minnesota
once instead of twice. Where is this team got to play
Minnesota twice, that ends up deciding where you're finishing,
no double bias could very easily come up to like the what the 12
tiebreak is in the Big Ten. It's like I didn't know.
It was like number of soccer, you know, a soccer vicar is bad
like I didn't know it was like number of you know, time steel
metal stuff fell off the scoreboard.
Like after that she met we lost that But yeah, so it's gonna
come down to a weird tiebreak. The other thing that is nice
about this me, it's not a perfect allegory or analogy
because whichever one you want to use because they're both home
games. But this is you know you
mentioned wanting to make your mark in March which I you fans
do I do as well. Not saying we're going to a
final four not saying that at all but this is a really good
example of what a weekend. What a second weekend in March
is going to look like like Purdue and Rutgers probably
flip. Being the team's to be better
and obviously playing neutral sites, but you're not doing that
in the Big Ten season, but like back-to-back games against
Purdue and Rutgers in like a two and a half day, span this pretty
good and if you can win these two, you could tell this team.
Like look, you can beat anybody, but you can beat anybody
back-to-back games that you can turn around.
You can do this. So like once you get to March
and you're looking at playing, you know, to tough teams on a
you know on a Friday and a Sunday you have that in your
back pocket and so I often agree with you but I completely agree
with you that this is this is a fulcrum point and I don't think
it's not awful because I don't think it's a fulcrum point where
like if unfortunately as we've seen many two times at IU
football were like if we take the wrong path suddenly were you
know in the wilderness for two and a half years, I don't think
it's awful if we don't win these two games, I think it definitely
puts us with work to do and puts us in kind of a tougher spot and
gets us all back with trust issues, I would say, but if we
win both of Them, I agree with you.
It's like there's a path higher that's available to us where
things could start to change and we can.
It's just it is, it's a very interesting point.
I'd love to see us win. Both that said I as I look at
this game against Purdue, I think it's going to be a very
close game. I'm just I'm nervous going into
it and I'm afraid we're going to lose.
I just have a hard time seeing us win.
That's fair. I mean look I think you could
talk. Open the either outcome.
And and look, I mean, a lot of people last year were convinced
that I use going to lose at home versus Purdue and it took yeah,
a Herculean effort from a player that, you know, was not giving
Herculean efforts at least on offense for it to happen along
with a unicorn defensive effort by a guy who barely played.
Yes, I have a question. Sorry, I'm interrupting my sub.
You mentioned that about fantasy who and that kind of was like,
whoa was not expecting that right?
If you were going to if we have another Herculean Propeller
copper, not expecting. Okay.
I mean that's who would be. It seems like the type of game
out of the blue were Miller cop like hits, four, threes and
finishes with like, 16 points and eight rebounds, which would
be very out of character. I mean, Miller cop has scored in
double figures once since Christmas.
I mean, it's, he is not really contributed a whole lot of
offensively, you know, and the one game he scored in double
figures was Minnesota game when he played all 40 minutes.
That would be my pick. I mean, I think everybody else I
wouldn't be shocked if they contributed heavily.
Like you know if you no one's going to be surprised if Malik
renew goes for like 14 points, or if Jordan Geronimo comes out
and has a really good game or if Trey Galloway hits a bunch of
shots because he's obviously an Indiana kid.
But at this point, I think Miller cop coming out and
draining a bunch of threes and completely unsettling.
Like, would produce trying to do defensively that to me would be
the big. Wait, I wasn't expecting that.
That move I think that's a great answer.
I hate that you took it but just for fun for fun podcasting.
I will say my answer would be. It's one baby.
Laughs Anthony Leo. No me what your answers race
Thompson clearly. Yeah my answer is going to be
race. If race does the Arizona thing
where race just hits a bunch of Threes And really and there's a
world where I could actually see that where race comes out and
you know he's obviously not 100% is injury is still affecting
him. That's fine but he could shoot
and he could shoot like he did against Arizona and honestly if
he gets hot from three like he did against Arizona that would
cause produce some serious problems because now it's like
our we need someone to get out there and guard race Thompson.
And now it's like now that opens up the inside for Trace Jackson
Davis. So if race goes for like 20
hits, six threes that would shock me.
But I also think that would be a definite path to Victory.
Going back to what I was saying before you interrupted me the
the altar name of our pod, right?
Crimson Castor that before you interrupted me now.
The ultimately I think you can talk yourself into either way.
I've talked with IU fans who have said, I think we're going
to lose on Saturday. I've talked with Purdue fans who
think they're going to lose on Saturday.
It's going to be a game that is you can talk yourself into
anything. I I look at it and I say
ultimately Indiana's. Got all the pieces in place to
win and they're going to have to play an A effort all the way
through because Purdue is very likely to play in a effort all
the way through. And I think, if Purdue plays as
well as they've played in terms of finishing games on the road,
they'll win. But I also think that there's a
very likely scenario that this Anna team, they're not going to
be a they're not gonna be scared of Purdue, and this is the
thing. Fans are scared of Purdue fans
are scared of the possibility of losing to Purdue this IU team
beat Purdue at home last year and they were within a
possession of beating Purdue on the road.
So last year they are not afraid of this / Duty.
Now that may not correspond to success on the floor on Saturday
but I don't think it's going to be like that game in 2019, when
Indiana just got boat raced by Purdue at home.
I don't think it's going to be a game like we saw in like 20 21
where you you know, Purdue comes in and it just it felt like
Indiana was never quite able to get themselves into it Purdue
jumped out to an early lead and then Indiana just you know was
never fully able to engage and they had a bad offensive game
all the way around you know, look last year's Game against
Purdue was a curious one. In that Indiana really did a
good job of not letting Purdue do a whole lot offensively.
Just Ivanovich only had one three-pointer, made, you know,
that their biggest threat from outside that day and it being
Mason Gillis. Again, you know, guy that we
just talked about from, from earlier this week.
But I just, I look at this. I you team and I say themselves,
they got over the mini hump. Last year of, can we ever beat
these guys? The answer is yes.
And they played them really. Tough on the road in the game
that didn't seem like it was going to go well for Indiana.
They only lose that game, 69 67, and they were actually better on
offense in that game that I think most people expected given
that it was in Mackey Arena. So I'm not too worried about it
from that perspective. I think if Indiana is going to
lose, it's either going to be because they rack up a bunch of
dumb fouls or a bunch of fouls that completely change what
they're trying to do. And that is certainly a
possibility or they're just not hitting shots.
And I don't know what the answer on that is going to be, but I
don't go into this game with a lot of trepidation.
This is the kind of game that Indiana fans.
Really normally have historically brought it for and
the IU team has fed off of that and it's exactly the same
process that happens in Mackey Arena when they have games like
this. It's just we haven't seen as
many of these for my you recently because they haven't
been that. Good is certainly not as good as
Purdue has been. So I understand your concerns.
They may be very well warranted but I just intrinsically.
This feels like a game that Indiana is going to come in and
play well in and I hope I'm right because if they don't you
are going to get a lot of nerve. Business in the fan base because
even if everybody is acting like they're worried and thinks or is
saying gosh, you know I think Purdue is going to beat us.
I think deep down most people are like, we're going to win
this game and I'm going to be angry if we don't win this game
and I would hate to see that manifest itself because losing
to the number one team home or away, is the thing that happens.
I don't think, I think Indiana is going to win this game
because I think that the, you know, they've demonstrated that
they can win games like this. And this is the type of That
they can do. Now, we got to see them, go do
it, and it'll tell us a lot about where the program is at
this point. I think?
Yeah. So my only, my only last concern
is just with, you know, unfortunate this fan base were
getting too. Kind of that like, you know,
mid-2000s, Boston, Red Sox fan base, where when things start to
go rough, it's like it all kind of eats on itself and the fans
start to get nervous. You start to feel that weird
humming the stadium. And like, that's, you know, if
we come out like Jackson, Davis gets a foul that's like her too.
It goes up by nine and he's dunking.
And then it's like, wow, it's like, 11:00 to 2:00 and we come
out and we miss a 3. It's like fit.
Like that's my concern is, if it's like, we're almost the fans
are too hyped and we like over anyway, we'll see.
I hope I'm curious. You kind of predicting and I you
win. I like that.
We met we probably may or may not podcast but between Purdue
and Rutgers will see. Hopefully we can.
But if we don't, what do you see for that game?
Just like high level. Do you think you think we can do
the back? The back, sure we can do the
back-to-back. I mean, I think the thing with
Rutgers to keep in mind is that Rutgers came out in that first
game and really punched Indiana in the mouth and that is clearly
something that this Indiana team is susceptible to.
But you also have to keep in mind that that was a game where
they didn't have Jalen Hood, you fee, know, and they were coming
off a, an emotional win that they hadn't really experienced
in a while which was knocking off the team that had started
the season. Number one, I think it was a
lie. Less mature team at that point.
This Rutgers team is really good defensively and they're really
kind of pedestrian offensively, you know, so I think a lot of
the advantages that Rutgers had at home, probably aren't
necessarily there on the road, but they are a team that creates
some issues for Indiana specifically because they know
how to grind out. Victories, look, I think any
it's hard to predict the psyche of this time.
We just spent 20 minutes talking about how unpredictable.
The team is, how will they react to winning against their rival
and the number one team in the country at home, two days later,
or whatever. Three days later, who knows with
this group? But I also think of all the
teams that you would want to play immediately after it would
be Rutgers a team that's had your number and you're mad about
it and you get them at home and you're hyped up and ready to
roll. Like, you know, from my
perspective, I'd much rather they were playing that game then
playing like, Iowa or Wisconsin. Or somebody who was good enough
to beat you, but, you know, and you weren't going to take them
too seriously because they haven't been such a problem.
Like you don't where's the motivation to get up and running
at that point? That's that's, I guess where I
would look at it and say, you know, I like their chances
either way win or lose against Purdue.
I like their chances against Rutgers because I think they've
got something to prove against both teams for different
reasons. We'll see.
But that would be my read on things.
I like that that the Rutgers game as we mentioned, before the
Pod, start at a Big Ten just can't get their start times.
Are either starting at 9:00 at Maryland, or a 6:30 start
against Rutgers. It's like, let's let's what
happened the 7:00? Well, is that off the table?
Well, you know, you got to squeeze in that game later on in
the day because, you know, the key now is, I mean, it could be
worse. You could be in the Big East
where, you know, they're forcing Butler to play home games at
like 6:00 in the evening. I mean, that's just a brutal
ask. But yeah, you know, Playing at
6:30 so that they can get Minnesota Illinois on at 8:30
immediately afterwards and it's like, couldn't it just have one
at seven and one at 9:00 with that have hurt anything,
Minnesota, Illinois, Central, that's 84 them like it's either
done, maybe they're trying to grab the European market and
they're like, well, you know, the 6:30 tip in Bloomington.
I mean that's only like 11:30 in the Azores or I don't I don't
know. It's yeah.
Is the Big Ten we haven't talked is that are they prepared for
West Coast teams? The West Coast like they
understand. There are time zones, like are
we going to be getting like a 1:30 a.m. tip against UCLA and
me and Paulie. It's like, what are we doing?
Here? It is entirely possible.
I will say one last thing, I'll one last thing I'll mention and
it's apropos of nothing, really? But you look down the list at on
the ESPN scoreboard of the, the the get in prices, they have
those little Stub Hub or actually Vivid Seats links, and
there's a lot of really good games this weekend, but like
Kansas and Iowa State, you're getting cost right now is $82.00
burned. To see you're getting price is
$29. Miami Clemson, it's $33 Texas
Kansas State, it's 125 Indiana. Purdue is $523.
The can fries, I mean it is it is a hot chick in our stadium is
bigger than all of those except for Tennessee mention, like
Thompson, Boling. Thompson Boling is like 74.
Yeah. If you right now, if you wanted
a seat, if you could buy a seat behind the IU bench, I think it
It is and or maybe it's on the opposite side of the bleachers
those are 1088 dollars a pop to go sit down there and even like
I mean section D in row 23 it's over fifteen hundred dollars per
ticket for a pair of tickets to go sit over there.
So look the the secondary Market is making this money here.
No, no. And I will say this for any, you
know, I highly doubt there's anybody listening.
This podcast has never been to Assembly Hall, but if you Um,
and you're looking to get that get in price, you know, like
I'll buy the cheapest ticket on StubHub for 500 bucks.
If it's the balcony, don't do it.
Like, do not do it. The balcony seats.
Suck. They are awful.
I've been there. I mean it's okay.
I would never pay $500 to sit in the balcony at Assembly Hall.
Like I would much rather take $100 burn it and then take $400
and go to switch yard and drink, you know, if you're going to get
in and you're going to sit in the main section, that's great.
Make sure you're under Roe 40 or Off, the balcony will cut off
the scoreboards, but yeah, there's gonna be some sad people
who've never been to Assembly Hall.
It's like, oh, I'll pay you 500 bucks.
Like worse the bat, you know, the worst eat there can't be
that bad and it's like, oh we can, the balcony is a different
view man. Yeah anyway, that'll wrap it up
for us is always a pleasure, Scott.
We'll see you down here. Tomorrow is IU, takes on Purdue
and should be fun. Hopefully we see some of you
folks out and about as pregame get started early.
And we end up with probably a bunch of people at a bunch of
different places. Town, if you haven't checked
out, yes, go ahead. What do you think?
The the student lineup is going
to be like, you're the student whisper down there, like you
didn't kids are lining up tonight?
Tomorrow morning, I bet, well, God, I hope they don't line up
today, be most because it's cold.
It's so cold down here right now, but I'll bet they'll be a
few but it's gonna be nuts. You know, Breakfast Club right
into going over and standing in line for o'clock game is kind of
like the sweet spot for that in a lot of ways.
So I think it's going To be intense, I think it's going to
be an awesome student section. This is what the students want
to know this in the students, we give them credit football, and
basketball. They have really showed up and
really tried to be as loud and as much of a problem as
possible. And this is one game.
I, you don't have to talk anybody into going to.
So, I'm excited to see. I'm excited to see what happens
fear. They bring to the table, and I
think it's, you know, certainly going to be a fun line.
If you get over there early and are able to walk past and see,
everybody in line is probably gonna be worth checking out.
Out. So anyway, alright, that'll wrap
it up for us. Thanks Scott.
Thanks to all you folks for listening and thanks to
home-field apparel, our sponsor here at the back.
Home network will be back soon, maybe Sunday, maybe Monday,
maybe not until later on next week, but will be around.
Be sure to check out all of our podcasts that we've done this
week, including one later on today for Scott.
I'm Galen. This is Crimson Castle.
Catch you folks on the flipside. Bring back the Bison, so
everybody