You're listening to the back home network, presented by home
field, apparel. Welcome back to Crimson.
Gasp Kalin Claudia Scott Caulfield joining me once again
for the second time today, we're talking IU basketball, we were
uncertain earlier. Now, we're certain, we Know what
Indiana Men's Basketball and it had a women's basketball are
going to do in terms of their tournament draws.
So we're going to talk about those, and I think things turned
out pretty well for both teams. Overall, Scott, good to see you
again. It's a rarity and a positive
one. When I get to see you multiple
times in a day. How are you doing?
Good day? Yeah, I just finished listening
to you on assembly call. So I'm getting a good dose of
Galen today, that's metal. Probably too much Galen for
almost anybody. My wife can handle it.
I don't think anybody else actually.
We can but I appreciate it nonetheless.
But yeah, we're here we're back. I've been doing a lot of I've
just been basically sitting in my chair filling out.
Brackets. Looking at power ratings.
Watching basketball, watching selection shows watching, ESPN
embarrassed themselves by their entire expert panel.
Decided to put Duke is a five seed into the final four.
You know, it's a tradition as old as time almost as hilarious
as the, the incredulous sound and Rebecca Lobos voice.
When she found out Yukon was a two seed in the women's bracket,
like just ESPN, just keep doing you, man that you've, you've
decided the corners you're going to own from this point forward,
but no in all seriousness, we're excited for both teams are going
to talk about the men. First, we'll touch on the
woman's draw, a little bit later on, in the show, before we get
to that. Reminder, I was on assembly
called just a minute ago, which is part of the back home
network. If you're in the back home,
networks private Community, you're probably right now
listening to Jeff and Caffee on do the Look the women's
basketball podcast, talking through the selection, the
seating that the IU women got, these are all the things you get
with the back home network. You should check it out and try
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I just got a text she's going to want to sign up for it as well.
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Yep. So let's talk about I you will
start with the men, the Hoosiers.
There was a lot of Concern. I think would be the best way of
putting it on the part of IU fans about what was going to
happen in terms of the tournament draw, lot of media,
lot of lot of people who are in the media had I you as a 5 seed
by about noon today and you know this is something that happens
every year where you know, we never know exactly how much the
tournament like the conference tournaments are going to weigh
in to the actual seating of the field.
And you know you look at IU You they lose to Penn State, you're
like, well, they're going to drop below so and so they're
going to drop below this team and that team and I had them as
a for coming in the mid 15th, in the field.
I thought to myself, overall body of work.
Plus what? We know the committee's already
said that their preferring with their early reveal.
I think I use going to be fine as a for and Scott.
Is it turned out? That was the proper way of
looking at it. As they end up, staying ahead of
Duke, they end up staying ahead of a couple of other teams that
people were looking at, as potential for seeds and they end
up is one. Top 16 teams in the country are
protected seed drawn into the Midwest region, which not a lot
of people had predicted. I certainly didn't faced off
against Kent State as the 13 seed, with Houston as the one
seed on the opposite side of the top part of the bracket.
So a lot to unpack first round, second round potential, sweet,
16 and Beyond. But first of all, what was your
reaction when you saw the reveal of Indiana as the four seed in
the Midwest? Yeah me it felt like we were
locked in at the for and in a weird way you know you are much
more the bracket ologist than I Eileen all my information from
you and other people but it does you know we do get so wrapped up
with this stuff near the end of the season and somewhat
rightfully. So, but it looks like, you know,
how do we beat and Penn State and maybe even had me beaten
Iowa at home. I'm not sure if we don't need to
answer that. I'm not sure one of those wins.
Propels us to a 3. It's like It's almost like we
were kind of locked in after that win at Purdue into this
spot. And I'm not sure there's much,
we could have done to drop, we tried to do as much as we could
have seen, But as I'm sure there's much more we could have
done. Do you know, we're not going to
jump Xavier Marquette. So it's like, we're probably not
going to get prefer. You'll Columbus and probably
like any other three. And it's like, we're kind of
here and so really the last two weeks battered and didn't
matter. But no it's, you know, outside
of Indiana. Purview like I said this morning
it's like I was kind of just slating Kansas as the Midwest.
Number one seed, and so it's like I didn't want that because
I didn't want to play Kansas in Kansas City.
Well, now we're playing Houston or theoretically we could be
playing Houston and Kansas City and that is different.
That was a that was something, it was kind of shocking to me
but having now paid attention to Bracketology a lot more this
time, you know, it always seemed like Orlando and Albany were
going to be one of our sub regionals based on just the
other ones being taken. And so once you know, you saw
the four five matchup it was going to be in Albany.
It's like this is Gonna be us because, you know, Purdue is
going to be a one. You just the math, kind of just
put Indiana here. So, no, those are kind of my
initial thoughts. The, you know, as I listen to
you guys talk on assembly call and a lot of other people and
talking to some friends at a high level, you know, its first
off, it's funny. We're getting the Galen Bowl
here, you know, the possible Miami Florida, twice, Canada
men's and women's both, sorry, again the committee they don't
they never look at these things, but you have the K Sampson
versus IU possible. Sweet 16 matchup.
Here's the only thing that concerned.
The two things that give me the heebie-jeebies is that I
remember in 2000, we were a four-seat.
We played Kent State, and San Diego.
My dad. And I was how long ago it was.
We flew TWA stopped in St. Louis, we had seats and TWA that
were facing. It was like two seats.
Like we were facing the front of the plane.
There is a table in front of us that we Face the People on the
other side. Like the this weird setup on a
TWA Flight where it's like, like we're playing cards.
It's like a table to bus almost anyway.
Flew to San Diego. So excited to watch.
I you lose to Kent State in the first round, so I don't like
playing Kent State. And oddly is everyone remembers.
We play Kent State. The next year, in the elite
eight like for two schools. That just we have a lot of
history. I guess it's not recent for us.
It's like, you know, couple tournaments ago.
It's actually been 25. X. 25 years ago.
Said, it's a whole generation. Dude, I mean, come on.
That's, that's the first thing I thought is like, I just Don't
like playing Kent State's. I got want to play Richmond
again. They just got a couple teams.
I don't want us to play anymore, but those are some of my
thoughts. I have others that I'm going to
pause and let you talk for a little bit.
Yeah, I mean, you know, I was not surprised by the seed, like
I said, I was a little bit surprised at the fact that like
you said that it was Midwest and that was entirely because the
committee did something that I think is just inexplicable,
which is ranked Houston ahead of Kansas in terms of overall.
See, Feed bizarre. Been really make a whole lot of
sense for a variety of reasons that are kind of outside the
scope of this podcast, but it's great for Indiana.
I think, because honestly Houston is ranked as the second
best one seed in terms of what the committee thought.
But in terms of actual the way that they're playing and with
injuries and what not, I think this is this is the right time
to catch Houston if you're going to catch them.
But you know, any an overall as a for I think they avoid in that
spot. The worst of the 12 and 13
seeds, that they might be facing when I think about, you know, as
I really dug into the numbers with this Kent State team.
I'm like, you know, there there are far worse teams that you
could be matched up against and, you know, Kent State's an
interesting there. There there really an
interesting team there, I think overall, you know, they they
played very well in that game against Toledo, but this is a
team that, you know, they just haven't played any Buddy, really
since December, you know, the other than Toledo who they've
beaten twice. But you know, they played really
well in the three games against good teams that they played
earlier this year. Charleston Houston and Gonzaga
but compared to the other teams Indiana might have been drawn
against in the 413. This is the only team.
I think they would have been favored by more than a point
against it right now. They're favored by four against
them and that's, that's pretty good.
I mean, you're going to have a situation.
I think in most of these 413, 512 games where the margins are
not as great as people think that they are.
But this is not like a coming out of nowhere team.
That's like awesome. This is a team that does certain
things well but the things we've been most concerned about three
point shooting you know like playing ridiculously fast.
This is not the team that does that the one thing they do well
that I think I you fans might be concerned about is they do turn
you over quite a bit but Indiana has been pretty careful with the
ball lately so I'm not as concerned by that as I Be
otherwise. It's going to be.
It's going to be an interesting game, but I like it real quick.
Yeah, you talk about that, like, you were mentioning this, the
assembly called, This is what. Also, the second part that gets
me a little bit nervous is, you know, just like you rightfully.
So, of talk about how this team kind of has a hard time getting
up for no-name opponents with a get up for the games that, you
know, have you know, it's produce, we're getting up for
this, you know, in the recent history, very recency bias but
you know, we win the Purdue game.
Let me back up. So everyone's looking at this
and like, this is a, this is a good matchup.
We got one of the better, you know, seeds to play against as a
4C. Then we look ahead to Miami and
it's like, that's not, you know, it's like Dukes on fire.
Like this is of the five seeds. It just looks like a very good
bracket breaking for us. My concern is we leave the win
at Purdue and we're like, all right.
Now we got two home games against Iowa and Michigan.
This is a pretty good setup for us and we kind of Follow that
up. And then the Big Ten Tournament
just happened. And, you know, then it's we We
play in the semi-final, the worst possible seed, we could
have played. It's like all the brackets
breaking great for us and we foul that up.
So I'm getting nervous like I almost would have rather been
like, oh, like you know, we're playing a red-hot Duke and we're
playing in, you know, Greensboro something like I almost have
rather have a bad draw and then we seem to do better at that
like the last couple of times. We've had this moment of, like,
oh, things are starting to break well for us, and we have a great
opportunity in front of us. We fumble it away and we're not
able to capitalize, and that's the only thing.
No stats to back this up but that's one of the kind of
concerns me is, it does look like this is a really good draw
for us and that that in and of itself is where I have to use as
you always had. Trust issues and I'm nervous
that we're going to find a way to not capitalize, on a great
draw. Well that, yeah, absolutely.
But look, this happens all the time with this, you know, with I
you historically and certainly they could come out and lay an
egg against Kent State and lose. And then we got a whole other
set of issues that we had a podcast about, which is not
ideal at that point, definitely, Save it for later.
But look, I as I've tried to tell people, there is no magical
pathway where you're not going to be playing teams.
That present some kind of a challenge and one's good.
Yeah. And and like you, I mean, look,
I think, you know, would have been better numbers wise to play
like Iona. Sure, even Louisiana, as I look
at the matchup, I think would have been a little bit better.
Even though I don't particularly like, what Louisiana brings to
the table in terms of Indiana, I like this matchup for Indiana
overall I think Ken, you know, they're going to be vigilant,
they're going to come out. Play hard start.
Wrong. You know, the one thing I really
like about this is Kent, State is not a team that's likely to
bombard you from three. And that seems to be where
Indiana has the most trouble and the other, the other concerning
thing, the committee did is, you know, I, uh, I think it's odd
that you know, I last, I checked all but he is still in the
Eastern Time Zone like they do have other games and other time
zones. Well could like not at 10 p.m.
on East on the East Coast. I like the game's gonna and
that's not going to tip it 10. That's gonna tip it like 10-4.
35. Well played until like, 1:00 in
the morning. You have Sacramento is a site.
You can play a Sacramento game and filth at 10:00 Eastern Time
window, like the hell are they doing well?
Look, this always happens, though.
I mean, you know, if you look at the, if you look at the setup
for the times, it's always first of all, Indiana.
I mean, bob Knight used to talk about this all the time, I know,
you know, people like get bored with the night references
sometimes, but you know, he would notice how like Indiana
will play the last game on like Thursday.
And then they have to play the noon game on Sunday or on Friday
and Saturday and it's absolutely not a thing that you expect
anything other than if you're an Indiana fan.
But you look at like the way that the Friday games are set
up. You know, they've got game
starting at noon. I mean they've got you know
Columbus Greensboro. Both start at 12:15 12:40 and
then things just proceed. You know, unfortunately like the
only Western Fridays or friday-sunday site is Denver.
Over and, you know that. Yes, you could technically start
them later, but you got to have a late game in the East, and
there's actually two of them, it's Indiana, Kent State, it's
and then, Montana State and Kansas State, and then starting
about 35 minutes earlier, its Florida Atlantic Memphis.
So Indiana is clearly intended to be like the Marquee name in
that time window. And it's a good spot to be in
because you're going to have a lot of eyeballs on you just
like, you know Kentucky's the Marquee name in the 7:00 window.
It's just Unfortunate that you know Indiana's got to wait that
long to play but hey everybody wanted a bunch of rest.
So I guess this is what you get. When you ask for a bunch of
rescue. Got as much rest, you could have
if you'd played in Denver instead of this, you would have
gotten an extra 10 minutes of rest, but you got about as much
rest as you could otherwise it's a great point.
And it's like this is always it's always fun to play on
Friday because you're like you're in the tournament a day
longer than other tea like no matter what.
Well you're the top, you know? It's like you're the top thirty
third team in the country long even if you lose long.
Time friend of the Pod Ross, Bennett pointed out over Twitter
that this game is going to go long enough that they're going
to make it to the weekend regardless of whether they win
or lose play on Saturdays. But no, I mean look there's it
talked about the matchup with Kent State.
Check fan duel right now. Is there a bet like you know,
Indiana play on Saturday? That know the the look at the
breakdown of the statistics for Kent State and Indiana.
You know what's going to be interesting?
Is Kent, State is not a great offense from a Efficiency
perspective, they are a pretty good defense but Indiana's a
better offense and they are a defense and there are much
better defense than Kent State has offense.
They both play at a similar Tempo, you know, they both you
know, Indiana shoots the ball better, they both defend the
shot fairly well. You know, Kent State doesn't
turn the ball over and Indiana doesn't really force a lot of
turnover. So that's going to be
interesting to watch. You know, the big question mark
for Indiana is going to be that the rebounding aspect of things,
but one of the things you know about Kent State, as you look at
their, at their numbers is that they don't do an awesome job of
Defending opponents off the offensive glass.
So this is a place where Indiana should be able to make some
strides. And again, as I mentioned
earlier, they take, you know they're they're a little more
balanced on offense than Indiana is but they still get the
majority of their points from two pointers and and that's good
as well, you know, it's a It's a, it's a pretty experienced
team, you know, and, and it's a team that's got three seniors
that play a pretty significant amount of minutes sincere carry
is their starting point guard. He's played as a hell of a lot
of minutes 92 percent of available minutes this year.
You know, he's a really good assist man, Malik Jacobs.
The other guard is pretty good and then they've got marinate
Thomas who is kind of one of their primary post players.
I just I look over their roster and they've got some good
individual pieces, they're coached by Rob sanderoff.
I think is a good coach. He's proven himself at that
level but this is not a perennial tournament team.
Not that Indiana is either, you know, but it's a team that I
think Indiana. If they Scout them properly,
like they're not going to deal with a lot of size issues and
they're also not dealing with a lot of three-pointer issues and
they're playing a team at the end of the day that, you know,
played a fairly decent non-conference schedule, but
their overall schedule is not that great.
So, I'm You know, again a fairly pleased with this, we'll talk
more about Kent State as we get ready to start that game.
But again, I think Indiana could have done a lot worse.
Now, looking at this sari good. This is chime in some other Kent
State thoughts. You know, this was mentioned on
the assembly, the Pod, you sit assembly call.
You know, when you look at IU this year, you know, we didn't
lose to a team that was, you know, out of the top 50 and Ken
Palm. Which is I hadn't, I guess, I
kind of inherently do, but hadn't really thought of you are
worst Ken Palm loss was the to With Western teams, they're
ranked 42nd, that's a good record.
What do you look at? You know, can stay the 71st and
Ken pom when you look at their schedule, you know, they they've
only played two teams in the top 30 in can Palm, which is where
Indiana is ranked and it's partially based on where they
play in the Mac. But those 22 games kind of while
I was didn't watch them. But you know they lost to
Houston. They lost again zaga the Houston
game. They lost Houston. 49 244, it's
a wild shark to look at on Ken pom, you know, the The win
expectancy for a game. That's only a five-point game
where only, you know, 80 92 points total or scored.
It's clearly in Houston's column the entire time.
Houston went on a 15 20 run and still only 149. 244 them has
been a bizarre game. They played them tough.
It's concerning the things that I would be concerned about is it
can state did put a 10-0 run on Houston to start that game and
we know we're susceptible to runs.
We look at the other game that can stay.
Played. They played Gonzaga a similar
game where you know, Kent State did have a 10-0 run in the
second half so they are prone to go on runs against good teams
and similarly in both of those games, you know, Gonzaga and
Houston. I obviously didn't watch them
reading. Just kind of going off of the
the metrics here in can Palm. It looked like the game was
pretty much in hand for both of those teams and then Ken, state
made a run at the end to make it really close.
So, you know, based on that, it does seem like Kent State is not
even if we get up five. Ten points.
That's it would concern me as we also have a history of kind of
just mentally taken our foot off the gas, and it does seem like
Kent State will capitalize on that and come roaring back at
the end. So that's something I think that
needs to be, you know, tablets and needs to work on this year
for this next couple days. I mean, all you had to do was
watch Kent, State's game versus versus Toledo that they played
yesterday, and you'll note that like they do have this tendency
to start going on these runs. And, you know, I look again,
Then you're going to run into trouble with with a lot of
different teams, but Kent State, you know, they put an early 14-0
run on Toledo but then they allowed a 12-2 run and
basically, it was tied at halftime in that game.
So I just, you know what? I look at this Kent State team,
they don't, they do a lot of little things.
Well, it's just going to be interesting to see how it all
transitions for Indiana, because this is a mutt.
This is by far the best team that Kent State has played since
the first week of December, And you know, that while that game
was relatively close. And in fact, Kent State had a
late lead, they LED 6662 on Gonzaga with about four minutes
to play and then Gonzaga close with an 11-0 run, and then it up
winning by 7, you know, they've proven that in that was in
Spokane. Like, you know, that was, that
was kind of a shock the way that it turned out that it did, you
know, so, Kent State's not to be taken lightly.
I you absolutely can't afford to take them lightly.
But I also think that I use got, you know, they have absolutely
got the talent to take this time to kind of a team on and do what
they need to do. Because, you know, they're not,
they're not bulletproof, they lost away games.
It to North Northern Illinois who's not very good Akron.
And they also lost a ball state by 12 on the road.
They want a bunch of other games.
I mean, they were gonna get me wrong, they want 18 total games
in the Mac. If you count the three games,
they won in the tournament so I'm not by no means dismissing.
State. I think it'll probably be about
a five or six point game, Max. I think it's a game Indiana's
going to probably struggle to close, but I also, I just have a
hard time. Envisioning, Kent State, being
able to shut down, both Trace Jackson, Davis and Jalen Hurd
Shafi, know. And if I, you can get anything
off the three-point line in this game, you know, I think that
that's, that's going to really help, you know, and it's
interesting because Well, you know, one of the things that's
notable when you look at the the teams that are allowing three
point attempts teams, put a lot of three-pointers up against
Kent State relative to the total number of shots taken.
And so that's clearly been the scouting report for a lot of
teams. So maybe this is the case where
I you tries to build some of that in.
I hope that the hope that they try to take advantage of that
because honestly, though, I think a lot of the players that
I you would have out there that can't state would have to match
up against you're gonna have some height Advantage is And
they're going to be so concerned with trying to stop Trace
Jackson, Davis rightfully so that if Indiana's being smart
about the way they play offense, they should be able to take
advantage of that. But we'll see, you've been
talking for a long time about how the lack of tape and the
lack of scouting is going to be something that helps Indiana you
know because just because you know Kent State's never played
against Indiana at least not with this group of players.
So hopefully you're right on that front and Indiana team,
take advantage of some of the lack of familiarity with Trish
accent Davis. And this is not you, I don't
need to keep referencing, you were really good on the assembly
called five. Like you have a line in
reference to like, you looking at two different teams like it's
comparing apples to dolphins. I think maybe laughs.
But so, this is a similar comparison because these were
not the same and it's not a great analogy, but there's just,
there's not a lot of other examples of Kent State, playing
somebody like Trace Jackson Davis, but the closest copy you
have is, you know, Drew Timmy Uncle Zach.
I'm not saying the same at all, but it's like that's a 6-10.
Very Player on a really good team when they played, you Timmy
went 11 for 15 from the field, 29 Points with 10 re, you know,
sorry 17 rebounds like Tibby completely torched them and
Gonzaga won that game 73 to 66. And so again, that was in
December gonzaga's different than I you Tim.
He's a different type of player than Trace Jackson Davis.
But you know, there is a comp there.
That that's a highly skilled tall player that can State
obviously had a lot. Out of trouble playing against.
And so, I think that's a there's, there's something to be
said that. I do think that that's the last
time they've seen somebody of that size and of that skill.
You know that gets the ball kind of at that amount.
Houston's got a lot of dudes too but they say they get spread
around a little bit more that, you know.
And it's just, you know, they haven't seen that in two months
and that you're going to trace coming in.
Suddenly It's like who that the sky?
It's like we don't play dudes like this in the mac and you can
see film but then it's totally different when suddenly, you
have traced palming the ball and spinning around you and it's
like, What the hell this happened.
Hopefully, that's the hope. I will say, it's interesting
last year's the matchup for Indiana in the play-in game
against Wyoming. They're starting win percentage
probability, on Ken Palm was 54 percent this year.
It's 63 percent. So, you know, and look, Wyoming
gave him a game for the first half.
Indiana end up like gradually pulling away and winning by
eight in that game last year, you know?
But at least on paper, this Indiana team is a bit better.
Comparatively to Kent State. Then the same Indiana team last
year was to the team that they were playing and they ended up
winning that game. So no promises and certainly
with this how you team. As we've said many times who
really knows what you're going to get out of them but at least
on paper you'd like Indiana's chances All Things Considered
and that's going to be interesting to watch moving
forward. I also I also liked you when you
look at just the breakdowns I there was a couple brackets
where you Add Indiana and Miami is the 45, but they were playing
in Orlando, which I was, he would have been a geographical
advantage for Miami. So I do like that all.
But he does seem very, you know, pretty neutral there.
I think Indiana will draw some people.
There is good, Indiana contingent in the New York City
area, but, you know, it's not ideal.
But I, there's no other teams. They're like I'm looking the
other games that day, you know, Yukon is really going to be the
Marquee team there, but that's in the first session.
So that's a different ticket says.
So the fans will be, there are people who either Miami, Drake,
Indiana, can't stay. So, it should be a pretty
partisan, Indiana crowd, say, just the other games in that
area, that the Yukon I own a game.
That's a that's going to be a wild game in the MVP Arena
because UConn's going to bring some fans.
You know Pitino has a following in the New York area.
And then, you know, in that Corridor he has a following
that's going to be quite the game.
Well, I mean, you know, New Rochelle is not that far away
from from Albany. So yeah, no.
I mean, It's, it's going to be interesting to watch how it
plays out. Because, ultimately, I think
this, you know, that, that whole sub region has a lot of really
fascinating matchups and storylines going with it and,
you know, you st. Mary's VCU Yukon, Iona, and then
obviously Indiana, Kent State and Miami Drake.
And that's a, that's a really nice lineup of games.
That's that'd be worth going. And buying tickets for it's
nice. There's not like a team.
That has a natural rivalry again.
Obviously pretty wouldn't be there but like it Kentucky like
just having a team there where it's like the fans are going to
be there just to kind of screw with.
I you like that's that's always kind of look for that too.
And it's like here. There's really no other.
You know, there's really no hatred therewith any other team.
So that's that's nice too. Yeah, absolutely.
One of the thing on the Kent State matchup, we've done this
where we've looked at the last month of games in terms of
efficiency and Kent, State's actually placed slightly better
than Indiana in adjusted efficiency over the course of
the last month. There's Favored.
But you know it's important for mation to get out there.
I mean Kent State's eight and one in the last 30 days there
67th in the country in that time in efficiency margin Indiana
over the same period of time as 82nd.
It's not that big of a difference.
It's more just like statistical difference at this point, you
know, at this stage. It's interesting because we're
Kent State's been the worst down.
The stretch here has been in sending their opponent to the
foul line and that's been a problem Indiana's had all year.
Year. Indiana hasn't gotten to the the
foul line particularly well and that's something I think they
can take advantage of if they really forced, you know, the at
the issue because clearly Kent State is struggling with not
fouling. The other thing that's going to
be really fascinating, is just Indiana.
Since they don't force turnovers that often and Kent State does
how that ends up playing out because that really has been a
Hallmark of what Kent State's done down the stretch along with
defending the three-point line. So a lot of things that Indiana
has Inability to do but maybe hasn't done as well over the
last month. This is the time to kind of hit
the reset button. Say let's get back to how we
were playing in January because this is the type of Team where
you need to take advantage. And so just those are some items
to think about as we move forward with with what we're
seeing here. And I look a little bit, I just
hop in my look a little bit larger to just in the midwest.
I again I'm nervous being excited about the draw.
We got because I don't, you know, it's going to be a bummer
if we lose to can't stay. That's like, man, we just Pissed
away, a great draw but all that said, you know, and I will Echo
what you said. Like, you know, there are no
easy one seed. So I say this knowing that, you
know, Houston is a very good team but of the one seeds, you
know, obviously couldn't play, Purdue Kansas just they think
they're a bad matchup and they've shown, they can beat us.
That was obviously in Lawrence. It wasn't a neutral site but
they're they're a very good team.
You know, Houston of those seems like all those other ones, they
have some questions. Like how good are they really?
Like they they haven't played. Of high-level competition.
They haven't played a lot of competition in a while.
You know. Are they ready to play in that
kind of bang It Up Style? We don't know.
You know, when you look at the other seeds, you have Texas a
team that again you know teams are good here but it's like a
team that's missing their head coach from this year and has
been kind of pedestrian this year kind of win/loss win-loss
win to lose to they did. They did just win the Big 12
Conference tournament and that's that's not nothing but you know
again all two seats are going to be good but then you know three
seed is a Our you beat him in their place.
So you know, when you look at those the seeds above you I'm
not overly frightened of a lot of those teams like I would.
If let's say we were in the bracket with, you know, Kansas
and UCLA and Gonzaga like of those teams.
I'm I'm a little more worried about some of those matchups
versus what I laid out with Houston, Texas and Xavier.
Yeah I think that's fair. I mean looking at the second
round, matchup that Indiana's got and then kind of Going
beyond that. Miami Drake is a fascinating
game Drake has played incredibly well over the course of the last
month they have been effectively a top 25 team in terms of
efficiency during that time period.
And most of that has been how well they played defense, they
have really ground opponents to a halt, you know.
They're they're they're one of the best rebounding teams in the
country at least on the defensive boards.
They don't really do a whole lot of offensive rebounding.
And you know, they've They don't turn the ball over another team
that really does not turn the ball over.
Miami is interesting and that they've also played pretty well
not, you know I mean are there more in the Indiana range in
that in that Miami has played great offense and very little
defense. So we got a real Clash of
approaches in this one between these two teams.
If it's Miami that gets through there.
One of the worst teams in the country at defending two-point
shots which is Indiana's bread and butter.
Now, Miami is great at scoring. In a variety of ways.
There are top 35 team and effective field goal percentage,
there are top 60 team in in two point three point percentage,
like they shoot the ball themselves very well, that could
be a track meet. So and I would love to see that
not just because Miami is my second team having worked there,
but that would be a really cool matchup because it would be, you
know, a kind of a strength versus weakness and weakness
versus strength and you know, just all kinds of interesting.
Eating things going on in that matchup.
If it's, if it's Indiana, Drake, a lot of people are picking
Drake to the Sweet 16. They've already penciled them
into beat Miami and beat either, Indiana or Kent State, you know,
the thing about both of these teams and I think it is
informative to look at what they've actually done.
You know, I think you could make an argument that Kent State has
a better overall, resume in terms of the teams that they
played, then then Drake has like Drake's best non-conference win
was a neutral Court win. Against Mississippi State who
barely made it into the field. You know, they've scored old a
decent number of points in a lot of games in the Missouri Valley,
but they also lost, you know, five games in the Missouri
Valley and they were during that during the whole season.
Like they they really leaned heavily on their defense as a
primary component. And you know when I look at a
team like this they're kind of like a less extreme version of
Penn State in a lot of ways. As which I know can frighten
some people but the difference is you know, they have Penn
State shooting profile but they have a defensive profile that
doesn't take nearly as as much advantage of efficiency on the
offensive end. Is Penn State does.
So you know, I think Miami's Miami slightly favored in this
game. I think Miami is likely going to
beat Drake, it's going to be a close one but even if it's Drake
that comes out of it, I think there's aspects of either of
these matchups that you would like if you were Indiana, you
know, Miami is challenging in some ways.
Because of the offense and how well they've shot the ball but
they are certainly not bulletproof.
You know, they lost by 18 on a neutral floor to Maryland.
They beat Rutgers at home. They racked up a few scalps in
the SEC. Excuse me, in the ACC.
But I mean, if you look at who they've actually beaten in the
ACC, they beat Duke at home, pretty handily.
And other than that they you know, that mean they they beat
pit barely and they're going to the tournament.
They the rest of the teams that they be.
In the ACC, I mean you have to go all the way back to the 20th
of December when they beat Virginia Again, by 2, at home to
find a game where they beat a team that was NCAA tournament
bound. They just haven't beaten that
many teams that are make that made the feel.
That's, it's really interesting looking at them when you really
pick apart their resume on. Also, the thing that I'm
noticing, as I look through them is, you know, they had a stretch
there, where they lost at Georgia Tech they lost at NC
State, they lost at Duke, they lost a Pittsburgh.
Their only Road wins the rest of this year, where, you know, at
And at North Carolina and at Virginia Tech.
And then when you get to neutral sites because a two-point win
over Wake Forest, they lost to Duke.
So this is a team that you know, just based on looking at some of
those home loss, you know, home road splits does not play well
on the road and does not show at least so far.
They played fantastic on a neutral site either and those
all bode well because, you know, Albany is not Coral Gables as
you're. Well, aware, I'm quite aware of
that been to both and I know which one I prefer.
Yeah, so look what do. What do you what do you rock for
that game? Miami plays Indiana like are you
know, I'm hedging. Are you doing like a Miami shirt
without? Oh no there's no question.
When Indiana Miami playing burning for Indiana but that's
that. Yeah, so but and to some degree
it's sad that they you know though if they do get a chance
to match up in the second round that they would match up in the
second round and much see that as like a sweet 16 game but, you
know, we can't because we can't choose any spots but going back
to what you were originally talked about.
Yeah, I mean look, Houston is it.
It's going to be interesting because there I mean they could
get knocked out by either Iowa or Auburn.
I think both of those teams have that capacity but who do you
rather see Houston or Iowa? Well I'd rather I'd probably
rather see Houston I guess I don't know.
I mean the thing about Houston is that they're so good on
defense and they stymie you so much and they're kind of like,
you know, to some degree, their profile is like a better Purdue
do in that they live on the offensive glass and they really
have tough you and they really make it hard for you to shoot.
But instead of having a 74 guy standing in the middle, they're
basically like, you know it's almost like position was
basketball. Like they had a bunch of guys
that are between 62 and 68 and they just exchanged all the
time. You know the thing about Houston
is, if you can like score on them decently I think you're
going to be okay. Now so few teams have done that
on them, but the flip side of it is that they really played that
many teams this year. So I don't think we know like
they played Alabama at home and Alabama, scored 70 on them and
beat them. You know, they want ad Oregon
and Oregon her down not be very good.
They won versus st. Mary's, but we know st.
Mary's like plays a very specific style and Houston's the
wrong team to try to play that against a team like Indiana that
can score in bunches. I I don't hate that matchup.
I would rather play that I think then play Kansas again certainly
I'd rather play Houston then what Alabama brings to the table
just in terms of their length and their ability to get up and
down the floor. That is a say that I think
Indiana would beat Houston, you know, I think Houston is a
really good team and they've proven that, but I also think
that if you were going to roll the dice with a one seed, I'd
rather roll it with Houston and again, it's no disrespect to
Houston or k Samson or and because it isn't it?
Was job up there. But I just think that for this
particular Indiana team, you know, the the fact that that
Houston doesn't necessarily frighten you on offense, at
least, not in terms of three-point shooting and the
fact that they're not going to out sighs you significantly.
I think Indiana would at least have a puncher's chance in that
sort of a game. I agree beyond all that, though.
I mean, it's everything. Such a crap shoot every year.
You know, I spend two months picking the bracket And as we
were saying on assembly call, like, once you do that, it's
almost like you can't pick games.
Once they're picked because you have too much of what you used
to select the field in your brain.
When you're trying to figure out who's going to win, X Y or Z.
It's like, I've programmed myself to think the one seeds
are the best. Now I have to really evaluate
the idea that maybe they might not be the best in this kind of
a format. I will give you Miami last year,
as a great example of this, who was a lightly regarded kind of
afterthought 11 seed, one of the last Large teams in the field,
they end up going all the way to the lead eight.
You know, Saint Peter's is a great example of a team that
gets disregarded. No one was picking them to beat
Kentucky, let alone make it to the elite eight themselves and
they end up playing North Carolina who again, was a
disregarded. Eighth seed that nobody thought
would do anything. They end up knocking out, Baylor
in the second round, making it all the way to the title game.
So I, you know, again, here's where, you know, you look at the
first four and it's like what you can't come out of that
because of the rest and it's like vcu's done it.
I think UCLA made as a title game out of the first four it's
like there's and then there's you know same thing with the
where you play. It's like man they have a great
you know they're playing in front of a great crowd then they
lose or they wait like it is this is why it's so great is
like it is a crapshoot and you can have years ago.
I remember this is going way back but the year Syracuse won
the National Championship. Like I want all my brackets
because I just saw them as like think they're like a for three
or four that year. It's like but they were going to
play in like Albany. Like they had a great route to
get to the final four and I'm like they're going to get there
because they play. The home games and it worked
that time, right? But then a lot of times it
doesn't so it's like things that work.
One year, don't work the other. It's fun to do.
I will say, the, the if you didn't listen to the podcast and
it was Joe from 131 Sports his, his bracket picking logic, which
I liked was that, you know, his thought is, you know, go with a
lot of higher seeds, you know, picking a lot of upsets ends up
losing you points later on, but really where you can win your
brackets in his mind is trying your best to nail.
Those eight nine, seven ten games because that's where You
can get a lot of early-round points.
The trouble is, those are all kind of like coin toss games.
Yeah. It's like, so basically, you
know, do your best, you'll kind of pick your metrics that you
like, and then either go with over flip some coins, but that's
kind of where you're probably going to win your brackets and
the not going to be you picking the right, you know, 12 seed or
the right 13 seat, right? Yeah that's I think all that's
valid. I mean it's so hard to say for
sure like what? Exactly you should prefer when
you're trying to pick your game. There's so many factors that go
into it. There's things that you can't
predict, and there's just a lot of times, there's such stylistic
clashes between these teams that they're really hard to figure
out, but but look, I think ultimately there's a, there's a
lot of fun line up, you know, or game lineups, basically matchups
in this tournament that are going to be enjoyable to watch.
And I think for Indiana, it's just great to be back in the
field. And again, they may lose in the
first round. I'll be disappointed if they do,
but it's Possible. Kent State is a very capable
team, but overall I think if you look at this draw from an
Indiana perspective, you'd be like, yeah, this is exactly what
I was hoping we were going to get and that ends up being I
think about as positive as you can get on.
What I think. A lot of people thought was
going to be a disappointing selection Sunday.
It to me, it was quite the opposite.
No, Iris is about as good as I think you could have gotten
outside of, you know, maybe having all of this happen in
Louisville. Like that would have been the
ultimate cherry on top, but I mean, As a city is not not that
not that far away. And I think if Indiana makes it
to Kansas City to play Houston in a sweet 16 against Calvin
Samson, I think you're going to see a pretty large Indiana
contingent heading over to Kansas City myself included
before I move to the women's bracket just curious your any
other high arching thoughts and any other Big Ten teams that you
know Rutgers not making it Michigan, not even being close
to, you know, other teams they yeah.
When you look at, when you look at other big tent Seems like you
see any teams you're like wow they got a good bracket bad
bracket just overall Big Ten thoughts?
Well I thought Purdue got a gift in terms of the other three
protected seeds in their region. Purdue the worst for seed gets
the worst. Excuse me?
The, the, the worst one. See, they were the fourth one
seed in the mix. They were number four on the
seed line. They got the worst to seed which
is not supposed to happen. That, I mean it happened because
of geography more than anything else, but they get more cat who
was eighth on the seedless marquette's very Team.
But by power ranking, produce should have gotten somebody
better than that. They also got the second worst,
three seed and Kansas State who again, good team.
Now, Purdue did get some negatives, they got a very hot
Memphis team, they got an fa you team, that is legit.
They got both Duke and Tennessee in their half of the bracket and
I think both of those teams could be challenging, but I
think Purdue has a really good draw overall beyond that, you
know, his motto is interesting, you know, it's not doesn't
normally happen but for the NCAA to say, you were starting The
first, you know, two games, Zack ET starting with negative three
fouls and he I know it's weird, right?
Zero. It's weird.
But you know I mean I guess. Yeah.
I guess you are in that throughout the year.
Yeah. No.
I mean, you know, these things happen, I guess, you know,
legislation gets passed late, it's kind of surprising, but,
you know. And who am I to judge at this
point? No, you know, if I'm looking at
a elsewhere, I think that Iowa has to count themselves.
Lucky they lost so many games this year and to still get an
eight seed out of that mix and to draw an Auburn team.
Might be a little over seated at nine is kind of a gift to Fran
mccaffery, and that crew. And then I get Houston who
hasn't really played a scene, no better guy to go to the friend
who's conducted himself with such right, you know?
Yeah, you know, or we we continue to reward the right
things in college athletics. It's, you know, this is where
life lessons are learned. And, you know, you find out that
if you're a jerk, you don't get rewarded.
I mean, it's great. But no, I wonder if he went into
the into the room with Chris Reynolds was like, yelling at
him. No, no, he's just get stared him
down, like he, Just stood in front of his computer.
I just like eyes eyes open, just like looking at him.
Chris is looking back like, what are you doing, dude?
All right, 10 seed weight, not nine.
We move over here with it, right?
So the other, I don't think any Big Ten teams have anything to
complain about. I think Northwestern had an
outside shout at a set of six seed, but seven seems fair for
them. Illinois.
I think is actually kind of fortunate that they ended up as
a 9 as their resume really started to look bad.
Everybody around them. I will be shocked if there's
more than three Big Ten teams around for the second weekend.
Just because, you know, when I look around, I just think that
like Penn State's playing probably the best of any team,
not named Purdue coming out of this tournament and
unfortunately they got an incredibly hot, Texas A&M team
in the first round. And if they win that game, they
get Texas in the second round. That is rough especially for it.
A team that hasn't been to the tournament in a while in Penn
State. As far as the other Big Ten
teams, the ones that didn't get in Michigan, and Wisconsin had
zero cause for any sort of complaints, you know, Michigan
had plenty of opportunities. I think if they just won one or
two more games down the stretch, they would have been fine and
they managed to not do that. And then, they essentially put
the, the cherry on top of the sundae, by losing to Rutgers
who, also didn't get in who I'll talk.
I'll talk about in a second Wisconsin again.
You know, when you can't win consecutive games for over a
month over two months, that's just not going to get the job
done. I mean, if you rack up the wins,
the Wisconsin had from the start of the new year.
It was Minnesota Penn State, Ohio, State Penn State Michigan,
Iowa and Minnesota. That's it.
You don't get to go to the tournament, they shouldn't even
mean they shouldn't be allowed in the NIT with that record
since New Year. I mean that's that's that's
pretty ridiculous. Now Rutgers, I am surprised
didn't get In and, you know, look, they, they kind of they
crashed and burned. They were 8 and 4 and 16, and 7
after beating Michigan State in Madison Square Garden, but they
suffered the injury to MOG, and they lose three in a row.
They end up losing six of eight and eight of ten.
Excuse me, six of eight, and seven of nine down the stretch.
If you include their loss in the Big Ten tournament.
And again, I mean if you look at the teams that they beat, I
think it's tells the tale, they win at Purdue.
And then they, they beat Maryland at home.
No, no real challenge there. They win at Northwestern.
And then from there, from January 15th on their winds,
were Ohio State Penn State Minnesota, Michigan state,
Wisconsin Penn State outside of the Michigan State game, which
again was a semi home game. Not a lot to write home about
their, you throw in another Michigan win in in the Big Ten
Tournament. That's not going to impress
anybody. So look ultimately, I think the
Big Ten teams that deserve to get in got in I think they were
all seated fairly I don't think that there should be many
complaints up in Chicago tonight about how the Big Ten was
treated so let's jump. Jump over to the women's
tournament that bracket was revealed and as expected,
although, you might not know it from listening to certain
pundits in the ESPN Circle Zs. Indiana, got the number two,
overall seed. They were the one seed,
obviously, one of the two teams in the Greenville Regional
complex. It's they've done this weird
thing in, in women's basketball where they decided they're going
to take To whole Region's and put them in one site.
So instead of like in the men's tournament, you've got an east
region that's in New York City, and you get a South reason
region that's in Louisville and the Midwest that's in Kansas
City in a West that's in Las Vegas here.
They've got a Greenville one Regional, a Greenville to
Regional a Seattle, one Regional in a Seattle, to Regional very
confusing. The upshot of this is Indiana's
going to Greenville, which is a pretty that's a decent
geographical location. It's within driving distance for
IU fans. They they Get to post the first
two games, they get a play-in game opponent in the first
round. I think it's Tennessee Tech
versus Monmouth. If I saw the draw correctly and
then Oklahoma State vs, Miami whoever, the winner of that is
some interesting storylines there, either way if it's
Oklahoma State yard and garzon sister plays for Oklahoma State.
So you got a potential familial match up and if it's Miami,
you've got the Cavender twins who have kind of become the the
social media and IL Darlings of women's basketball.
Potential match up there. So some interesting stuff, I
think overall, I use bracket is about as favorable as one could
get, you know, would have been nice to not draw Villanova as
the four seed is Villanova is a very, very good team.
One of the best players in the country, but you'll take that,
if it means you don't have Yukon in your region, which Indiana
does not, you don't have Stanford in your region with
Indiana does not you don't have South Carolina in your region
there on the opposite side and you don't have to play Iowa
until the Final Four. You know, Utah, as the two seed,
that's the to see that you would have wanted to get and LSU.
I don't think anybody knows how good they actually are.
There certainly good, but that's a team that frankly, I just, I
think that to some degree there. There there's more hype around
them than reality. We'll have to see, but know,
this is a really good setup for IU.
I think everybody in the upper half of the bracket is very
beatable. I use been to a sweet 16 and
Elite 8 in the last two years and This is as good of a drawer
I think is Indiana. Could have expected given the
way that everything played out this season, they deserved this
scene. I'm just glad that the committee
actually gave it to them. I agree.
I agree with all that and excited.
It's great. They get to get games at home.
Number two overall. See, it's fantastic.
You keep up with a little more that I do.
I will be checking in and watching and excited to see him
play. It's nice that you don't, you
know, being the number. It's nice to not have to play
South Carolina until the end. If you if you end up meeting
them. Yeah, I mean it's the end of the
day. I mean if you look at the way
that the tournament draws have gone you know that what knock
Indiana out of the sweet 16 last year was they had to go to to
Bridgeport Connecticut and play UConn in the sweet 16 and that's
like you want to avoid that at all costs and the fact that
they're not going to have to do that.
There's they're not going to be playing in somebody else's home
court for the regional, they get their own home court, for the
first and second round games. And when they make it, The, you
know, if they make it to the final four, they, you know, they
have to potentially play, either Yukon or Tennessee Tech, excuse
Jesus, or Virginia Tech or Tennessee.
Those are the 14 and 2 and then you got Ohio state has 23.
Who knows, maybe? Ohio State can pull an upset in
the bottom half of that bracket, but South Carolina other side of
the bracket, you wouldn't have to play them to the title game
Stanford, other side of the bracket Iowa.
Other side of the bracket, like you Would only have two if you
got all the way to the title game, you would only play one of
those three teams and those are three of probably the four best
teams outside of Indiana in the whole field.
And so I feel like you know there's a golden opportunity
here for I you to pick up the first final four in program
history and maybe even more than that.
So we'll just we'll see how things play out but hopefully
Mackenzie Holmes is unable to heal up here over the course of
the last week and Indiana's been able to kind of refocus as they
head into this tournament and they got to draw.
They wanted in the That they deserved, and we'll see how
they're able to fair with that. Now, that they move forward with
things. Yep.
So anyway, that'll wrap it up for us.
We've done a lot of podcasting today, we're going to give
ourselves a couple of days off kind of recuperate.
Again, tournament stuff starts real fast, if you remember the
play in games from last year yeah those start Tuesday, got
Southeast, Missouri, State and Texas A&M Corpus Christi
followed by pit, and Mississippi State.
So that's a way to get things started, shall we say?
And then, Then, you know, the, we got the second play in game
the next day and then Maryland West Virginia to start the first
full day on Thursday. That's the opening game from
Birmingham, Alabama. So, lots of exciting things to
watch out for as we move forward here, looking forward to it.
And I am excited for both, I you men and I you women to see how
everything goes. So we'll wrap it up there.
Scott any final thoughts from, you know, I think, I think we're
good. I'm excited to get this going.
The last thing it just You were talking about like ESPN, you
know, having some silly analysis, but it got me
thinking, just people go back and listen, Ryan rasila had a
interview with Chris. Fowler.
I'm just telling a story apropos of selection day that he did
like a couple of the selection shows on ESPN and as you see,
it's a funny story on Raziel owes pod, but I'll paraphrase it
here Fowler's like, you know, they've released the bracket and
they do the post, you know, the review show and Dickie V.
He's like, oh man, like, you know, they got, you know, they
should have been in a Million Nobody else like, oh man, like
you know, they gotta get in like, with those kind of winds,
you know, they get, you know, whatever your whatever, your
Virginia Tech Virginia Tech's. Got to be in and it's like, oh,
man, you know, uncf Rose got to be in.
I get security to break Fowler's like dick.
They'll can't kill it. Like someone's got to be out of
the I guess they got this big fight dick like walked off the
set. He's just like I was probably a
little too hard like I said on the air is a dickey.
They all can't make it like nobody should be out like he's
like anyways it's a funny story. Out with the selection.
Are you missing ESPN? Anyway.
Apropos of nothing? No, it's exciting times.
You get one day off and then like dead it that it starts.
Yeah, that's true. Yeah, you gotta just, you got to
take Monday embrace it, fully catch up on that actually work,
done, get all your work, done, catch up on the next two hours
sleep that you missed out on from today.
And then, you know, get yourself focused that's that's
everybody's job from this point forward.
I'm paraphrasing every everybody else.
But Jim Rome always used to a segment starting tomorrow to
where it's like, you know, you can't just call in sick
Thursday. You know, I can't just say I
feel sick, like tomorrow's the day.
You come in man. Feel Olaf, you know, lightly
touch it Tuesday, maybe a little bit of clamminess, maybe feel a
little funky Wednesdays. We start getting the fever and
then Thursday, Friday, the days that you're sick.
Like, that's how you work the Thursday, Friday, how you don't
come in hot with, man. I feel sick on Monday because
then you know, it's just you gotta play it, right, you've got
to play it, right? You really do.
You've got to you. Just got to think about it from
the standpoint of hey, you know what?
I got to lay groundwork here and if you lay groundwork, you're
going to be in good shape. So just keep that in mind.
Play smart play hard but play is the key play.
That's that's that's the important aspect of this.
Anyway, we'll wrap it up now. Thanks to Scott, thanks to you,
folks, for listening, and thanks to our friends at the back home
network. Thanks don't feel the Peril.
Be sure to check out the mystery box Mark 3, and we'll be back
later on in the week. We'll talk some IU basketball,
as we break down further the matchup, With Kent State.
Look at the rest of the tournament field.
See what all plays out this is Crimson cast will catch you
folks on the flip side. Bring back the Bison so
everybody With Kent State. Look at the rest of the
tournament field. See what all plays out this is
Crimson cast will catch you folks on the flip side.
Bring back the Bison so everybody