Ep 944 - Indiana Sweeps Purdue

You're listening to the back home network, presented by home field, apparel, welcome back to Crimson Cask ale and Claudia Scott Caulfield joining you. It is Sunday morning February 26th and the Indiana Hoosiers have swept the Purdue Boilermakers for the 20 22, 23 season, a huge win for IU. Last night as they knock off the Boilermakers and just completely change the entire framing of the Season. All in one Fell Swoop, we're going to talk about that extensively here today Scott.

I'm it was funny like the game ended last night and I'm sitting next to my wife about 30 minutes after the game. I'm just kind of checking, you know, texts and tweets and everything and I look at her as like, I'm sorry you like why? And I'm like I was prepared for a whole different range of emotion than what? Actually feeling right now, it's gonna act, just just a tremendous tremendous performance by this IU team. We're going to delve into it.

Scott, how are you doing? How did you process everything? Similarly, ya know, and by the way, I go off of Martha mock lady on Twitter. This is a mop. It's not a sweep, we'll call this a mop. Yeah, I watched it last night, my wife and I watched it at the house, we were gonna have some friends over who didn't show. And then we let my youngest my ten-year-old. Like I want to say it. Watch the game. It's like, I remember thinking, like, okay, isn't he normally

goes Valley, 8:30? It's like, all right. Like you're little, you know, we'll keep it close then by the middle of the second half, it can put him to bed. You want 10 minutes to go? And then he stayed up for the whole thing to have. And now it's like, you know, just to see the good luck charm, much see if you stay up for all games. But no, I similarly like after the game I'm like just reading Twitter and like texting a couple people and just it's like I can't it.

I needed some time to kind of come down. That was that was awesome. Unexpected awesome. And Lot of takeaways I want takeaways with performances with players where we can put things in the historical context. So yeah, I was I really wanted to call you but I'm like, there's enough meat on this bone. Let's save it all for the pods you and I have not talked.

So let's let's do it. Yeah, fresh is best when it comes to podcasting as we know here at Crimson cast before we get started, reminder, we are part of the back home network assembly. Call the Crimson cast women's basketball show, do the work podcast bracket racket. A bunch of different shows. We're all brought to you by home-field apparel. Our presenting sponsor your place to go for the finest in college fashion, the softest fabric, the coolest design Scott last night or yeah, I guess it

was yesterday. Late evening. I'm getting dressed to watch the game on my couch, as, as one does. I'm like, no, I'm, you know, I'm going to actually go out and watch this, you know, in person and a little bit. What do I do? I'm going to wear what? Of course, I wore the strutted destiny, t-shirt underneath the Bison. Hoodie, both home-field apparel. And those got a lot of high

fives later on in the evening. And it's just one of those things where the home field now has a shirt or some piece of apparel for every occasion. It feels like with this basketball program and what I've managed to do over time. It's just a crew. So much stuff that I, I'm always looking for Novelties, but I've already found the Novelties.

Those of you out there looking for home field, apparel gear, even if you've never shopped there, For you will be shocked at the amount of cool things that you can find that will match moments. Just like we saw yesterday with this IU Purdue game so much. I you apparel for you. I you fans out there from the new stuff that they just released two things that have been in the store since 2016 2017. So go on over to home field. Apparel.com check it out and use the code home.

Get 15% off your first order. Also follow them on social media on Twitter on Instagram and it's a it's a good. A good brand as they say. So anyway, hopefully you'll apparel. Check them out. Thank you for sponsoring the back home network. All right, Scott so here we have.

Indiana going into the game last night I think torvik had them is like a nine point Underdog. They were six and a half Point Underdog, according to the point spread or five and a half, it was kind of hovering between those anyway. Not a lot of people felt like Indiana had a chance to win this game. Myself included, I thought

Indiana could win the game. I certainly didn't think it was off the cards, but it Been a decade since I you would want in Mackay and while they won earlier on this season, you had to expect that Purdue coming into this game with a chance to clinch. The Big Ten title with a chance to get revenge for IU, kind of interrupting their momentum

earlier this month. That all of that would come together in a way that would be difficult for IU to face you add in what we didn't know before the game. Did, which was that Trace Jackson? Davis would have one of his worst statistical games in the entire season, really? Since, like last year's Illinois game at home or last year's Purdue game at home. And if you told me that before the game, I would have been like, well this is really, really going to be not just a

difficult game. It's going to almost certainly be a loss and yet Indiana behind one of the greatest individual performances that I've seen somebody put out in Indiana, uniform, especially on the road. Road and especially in Mackey Arena somehow manages, to keep it closed in the first half, change strategies at halftime jump out, get a lead and Never

Surrender the lead. I mean, everybody, I think myself included here was expecting the other shoe to drop in that second half and it just never did Indiana managed to keep a pretty good margin almost the entire set second half of the second half. I guess you could say and they end up ultimately winning by eight points. For you, you know, coming into this game. Did you think that there was a chance? Indiana was going to win this? I mean, did you?

I mean clearly there was a chance but did it feel realistic at all to you before the game tipped? No, no. I mean I had been saying, I think I said it, you partially on this podcast to you like, you know, the goal here is you lose the game at Michigan State. You lose the game at Purdue, you got to win the next two home games, then you're probably locked into a for see that it

just didn't seem realistic. And I was mentally preparing myself to be like just okay with it with a Beatdown, you know, just, let's keep it within 10 or 12, it's not get injured. And it's not just break, any kind of spirit. I didn't see Any path to Victory.

You know what's funny is, I love these like, you know, let's say things that are all true and you know, it's like in 10 15, 20 years, you know, we can be telling our grandkids about, you know, the four years of Trace Jackson Davis will say, you know, it's he was a great player and he was, and as statistical anomalies and he put up huge games, and then they'll say, oh, during that time there are some big wins against Purdue like

yeah. You know, there was two guys who had huge games and those wins against Purdue. It's like, oh well, why don't like well what Is Rob finna. See who the other one was jailed Hood. Feels like oh the guy killed in the NBA. It's like it's it is wild at have two of the last three wins against Purdue Trace Jackson. Davis was a nonentity, I don't think we ever would have thought that for either of those games. Well, I will say real quick, I don't not, and he was a non.

I will say he was a nonentity in the home game last year that the Rob Fantasy game, I would not call him a nonentity in this game. I mean his. But anyway, go on statistically. If I if you said like did to your point, I'll say it better your the way you said. If you say isn't of 10 points today, the car let's over like I was texting a buddy who was skiing, who wasn't watching the game and I was, you know, it's like I could feel was putting up a game and like we're about to win and Jackson.

Davis has 10 points. He's like what? Like, none of like none of this makes sense. Yeah, so yeah, I know it's no document. And what's really interesting is, he had a bad game, but this goes to we'll talk about shallow hoods Ruffino. My feeling ready to get to him. You know, the other thing I was thinking about this morning, Is this does go to, you know, people have been us rightfully. So kind of, you know, freaked out about Woodson's ability to make changes or adjustments, you

know. Obviously Trace Jackson Davis either wasn't having it. A great gamer, you know, didn't see. But it's like, we didn't push everything through him and have him go for for 20 from the field before we realized he doesn't have it. Like we basically came in with a different game plan and we change game plans throughout the game defensively.

We were trapped. EET then we weren't you know so I don't want to get it lost that Woodson has had some great adjustments with this but no, it was a great. I mean just an amazing win. It kind of does change the trajectory of the season for us like I want to get into bracketing, talk about, you know, does this raise our ceiling? I think it's also funny. This might just drop Purdue off the one lighting, they are

starting to struggle. It's it's just great to win at Mackey. It's great to take, you know, they'll end Winning their Big Ten title, that's fine. It's great to take this away from them. You know I love to see people. It is fun than to troll, you know like hammer and rails and go on some of their sites and see them you know bitching about fouls and it's like you guys shot like 12 more free throws and eating you know, everything is called for you guys. 12 more free throws.

I mean let's let's not. Let's not, let's not cut it short, pretty shot, 21 more free throws than Indiana did last night. Now there was a comment on Twitter from JV 10 we've all been curious at times regarding Woody's sub pattern but this game is seemed every string. He pulled was the right one. Maybe the best in IU.

Basketball team has executed a game plan as a complete unit since I mean look I think honestly the Purdue game at home in at the beginning of February was another great game plan and it really does. I think you hit on a key Point here that shouldn't get lost. Woodson has revealed himself as a coach that is able to set up a game plan. His players to buy into it. Most of the time, it doesn't

happen every time. But it doesn't really happen every time with any coach, you know, Bill self struggles to have his team execute. They almost lost to West Virginia this weekend, you know. But I think about the difference between the two games and Trace Jackson Davis is kind of a great avatar for the different approaches that Indiana has taken to trying to beat Purdue in that first game.

They let Zack Ed score, pretty much at will he had 33 points and 18 rebounds on 15 of 19. A shooting Trace Jackson Davis almost matched him, blow for blow in that game. Trace had, 27 points, excuse me, 25 points. 7 rebounds, one assist and five blocks in this game.

It, you know, clearly Purdue had decided, we are not going to let Trace Jackson Davis beat us. And so yes, Jackson Davis finishes with 10 points and eight rebounds, but he had seven assists, he had one assist in the first game and I thought, especially in the second half once, I use Shooters settled

down a little bit. And once I think they got a better sense of the flow of things Jackson Davis is passing kept generating opportunities for teammates and that's what we've been asking for most of the season. And, and for a variety of reasons, the stew kind of worked perfectly against Purdue, because Purdue was so set on over-committing to playing defense against race tax and Davis and Indiana and Mike Woodson found a way to adjust

what they were doing now. They were able to do that because they got a transcend Transcendent performance out of jail and Hood. Shafi know, I've watched you and I have both, we've watched IU basketball for a long time. I grew up in the West Lafayette area unfortunately you know as an IU fan in Purdue country I've seen a lot of IU Purdue games.

I was at the game in 2012 where I you kind of surprisingly one that was the game that kind of felt like it really pushed I you over the hump en route to the tournament that year. Was there in 2013, when I you blooper do out and swept them. You know, I think about all of the games that I've seen. I you play in Mackay, there haven't been a lot of Victories, I cannot for the life of me and I'm sure there was someone that I'm forgetting. I cannot remember a player.

Let alone, a freshman, have the kind of game that Jalen Hood Ruffino had for Indiana in Mackey Arena. I mean, Matt Painter, who's seen more IU /, do games and I have essentially kind of said the same thing in the postgame press conference, you just don't see fresh one coming in and doing that. I don't I mean you can't even imagine what I you would have been without Jalen Hurd chiffino's performance because there wouldn't have been a

performant. Like there would have been a game essentially if I you hadn't gotten what they got out of him, but for him to come out play that level 35 points and you know, just he became the offense, he only had two assists, the whole game, you know, Trey Galloway ended up kind of becoming the point guard because Jalen is Ruffino was scoring so much. I mean, how do you try to wrap your head around? Around the kind of performance that he turned to in yesterday for Indiana.

It's all the things you said and, you know, first off, I would love if we get to know, like, what is Trey, Galloway's middle name. I need more three name, guys. Now, like with jlidgett Vito and Trace Jackson Davis. Like, by the way, whoever we recruit just like, if you got three Nate, like, I don't think we go. It's by the way. It's Trey Alan Galloway.

There we go. So that if one of them, you get it to Jeremy gray be like, hey, I want to go three names for the end, the Iowa game and just, let's start every one of the teams. Can we talk? Can we talk tray into a hyphen is the big question. Oh hope-filled. Where's The Hyphen hyphen? Sure, definitely has to have it, I will say, aye, I'll give Doug, give Jimmy Jackson's credit last night.

You know, he came up at some point during the broadcast for, you know, Jess is just hitting shots which, that's perfect. You know, is as much as people were failing at workshopping nicknames for Jay, Leno Cioppino. That's about as perfect as you get. But no, I mean, look, when you look at that go ahead, yes, yeah, having you You've joked about this all year about, you know, Trace Jackson Davis, stat line being from the 70s, you know, again, Jan Hooks, Fino had a stat line.

That was very 70s. That's like I was getting texting, a friend who wasn't watching my, he has like, you know, he's putting up 33 points, the time he had ended up with 35 my God, you see, hit a bunch of Threes like, no, he's 13 from 22 from the field. I mean, mid-range game just unbelievable. You know? Well, and it's, it's go ahead. Someone was asking last night, I can't find the tweet. I wish I could about, you know

why? Out of people, criticize, jail and Ruffino shot, selection for a while ourselves included. Like, why are you pulling up with the old some of the mid-range shots? And look, I just want to again, I want to State. Statistically speaking, the mid-range J is a terrible shot. It is, it is lower efficiency than a layup and it doesn't score as many points per possession. Is a three. That's why people don't take them.

Jalen Hurd Ruffino is rapidly. Become the exception, like the lone exception to the rule, about not hit, not taking mid-range J's because he's clearly. With them, he clearly feels like I can make this. And yes, there have been games where he hasn't made them. But to some degree with a player like this, you're going to take the good with the bad, there's going to be some hot spells and cold spells, and when you get this type of a performance, it's like, well, that's why you do that.

And for him to show up on the biggest stage and just take shots that Purdue was not willing to defend and make them that completely changes the complexion of a basketball game. No completely agree. And it's similar to why, you know like Zaki these are great players. Like, he's taking twos but there's such high efficiency

twos, jail hitch. If he knows mid-range is now, you know, high efficiency, at that level and it adds so much more to this team's game because he does a lot of it off the pick-and-roll where if he's, that efficient hitting twos. And then you have a trace Jackson, Davis on the, on the other side of the Roll, who's that efficient on the post? It really is no way to stop that.

And you saw it last night that they will produce was like, alright, we're just gonna, you know, we're going to pull back and defend the post and give him the Rains like okay, that he's going to get hot. You know, I go back to what I saw in the mission after the Michigan State game and I don't think we had a pot. So but as a couple different times, you know, that Michigan State game, one thing that I saw that I really liked out of jail of the Cioppino is, he came down

and he shot an air ball. And the whole crowd was chanting airball airball airball whatever this is. And that's an East Lansing. Also a very tough place to play immediately. Next possession came down, little curl, hit a shot. It's like, okay, this dude's got something. This guy's not scared of the pressure. He's gonna go at it and he's able to take it and you saw it last night, it was like on display. He was the most poised person on

the court. He was the person who looked the most unflappable mowing at times Purdue looked more shook. Just by the in vo they were almost overhyped. And no I mean the thing that I wanted to get to is he hasn't put together the full season resume yet we still have time but But, you know, unfortunately, I, you just hasn't had enough one and dones to really make a list up. But I mean, to me, it's like you were talking about the, the, you know, the performances you seen against Purdue.

I think about, you know, who are the best one and dones, we've had it. Indiana. And it's like, Eric Gordon has always been at the top of that list and I think Eric Gordon had probably a better full overall statistical season. But when you factor in the injuries and the factor in some of these high-level performances and the That we still have the end of the season, where you basically at this point near Gordon season was kind of like done based on factors outside of his control.

You know, this he jail had Speedo could end being the best one and done Indiana's ever. Had an unfortunate a short list but you know he's the best one and done you know maybe the question is have we have we seen in the Big Ten in a number of years but the fact that he's that high on my Indiana list is about I was trying to think, like it simmer airport. That's right, you know, question for you, I don't know who else you would have. Of there.

Well there I mean there just aren't many to choose from obviously I mean, even Isaiah Thomas wasn't a one and done because that didn't really exist during that time period.

I mean I was thinking about it from a slightly different perspective which is I can't remember a freshman or really a player who was quite looked quite like and played quite like Jalen Hurd Jiffy no in Indiana history Gordon's the one that you think about because I mean clearly it's like NBA ready, you know needed a little bit of I did develop but once they got going it was like, whoa, you know?

But with Gordon was like even though he was clearly a superior basketball player from what Indiana had been used to really for that last 15 years, he you saw something in him that you was reminiscent of previous players, you know? The it wasn't like completely out of left field. I really can't come up with an analog for Jalen.

Atrophy no I mean a guy you know a 65 point guard with the kind of handles that he's got who can I shoot who has no conscience you know who's able to write you know and yes he's you know he's a freshman. He's struggling at times defensively. He struggles at times with games where he's not shooting the ball particularly well but when he's on he's about as talented, a guard.

As I think I use had that is clearly like engineered physically for the NBA mean, Yogi Ferrell grew into a really good guard who's gotten some time in the NBA, but there's those are two. So Totally different types of players. And, you know, I just, I can't remember a guy kind of out-of-the-box quite as ready

for these types of moments. And it's a weird thing for an IU fan to think about because, you know what, you hear over and over again, this whole idea about the NCAA tournaments, like, it's, you know, you got to have a guard that can go get you a bucket in crunch time because it's something you can't scheme for, and that's essentially what. Jail,', no, did, or should I say, Jordan hood, cheffy. No, as they mentioned on the broadcast, it It's what he did

in this game. It Purdue schemed, frankly brilliantly. They absolutely smothered. Trace Jackson Davis every time he tried to get the ball, like it was a on steroids version of what Michigan state did to tjd. And the game earlier this week and gentlemen, Jaffe. No was able to step up and do something that Purdue could not scheme against, which was, I am going to drive. I'm going to go to the opposite hand, I'm going to pull up.

I'm going to take shots when you try to stop the pull up, I'm going to drive by you and Lay It Up. And everybody, I mean if you go back and watch the tape you'll see Purdue players like purposefully not. Trying to jump in because they're expecting him to pass the ball to trace Jackson Davis because they're thinking there's no way this guy is going to hit these shots and he did.

Now we've seen games where he didn't and you can look at this and you could say, well there was some luck involved but there's luck involved in every basketball game. The fact that you have a guy who goes out scores 23 in the first half on the road at a notoriously, difficult place to place it on the second team. That's beaten Purdue in Mackey Arena and unlike that Rutgers game which was I mean, producer 21 that they kind of lost it. The Very end.

This one. I you seize control of, with about 14 minutes left in the second half and it was by that point. Jay, Leno, trophy know, it kind of morphed out of the I have to score every possession role and was able to draw Defenders off of other players and that's what made it. So fascinating, was that, that metamorphosis in his game mate and he still scored down the stretch, he had that beautiful teardrop on the Baseline that

put into the backup. I liked, and I think with about three minutes to go, he was able to do that when he needed to, but it wasn't like he had to do it every possession and it's that. Combination of physical gifts and his mental Acumen in situations like this. That I find just hard to get my head wrapped around as an IU fan. I love it, it's just not something we see very often here, know when you hit on

something that is so true. That the dichotomy of his game between the two halves because in the first half I think he had like twenty three twenty four point or 27 and he had he had probably 23 and 23 in the first half I believe. Yeah. And I'm a thinking, like, God, is he gonna go for 40 or 42? Because at that point say, He's the only thing working in the offense but then your point it's like it's dead on in the second half.

He's taking, what's coming to him, they're playing him differently and he's getting other guys shots and were rotating the ball, all the way around me a couple of times. We had great rotations where you put your fee know, either drew the defense to him and got Miller, Capo wide open three or

he drew it to one side. Then we just rotate it three passes around to, you know, Trey Galloway in the quarter know, the fact that he changed his game in the second half and still was able to kind of manage the offense even with not A ton of assist for kind of moving things around and kind of having a bunch of hockey assist. It was, it was amazing to watch

it, you know? Yes. He, you're gonna look back and be like, oh, there's that one and 12 against Maryland. You know, he's a volume shooter and that's you know that's what makes him a great NBA Prospect

and make some a great player. And this, you know, I don't want to get too crazy but it does you're going to go back and relook and and I'm as guilty of anybody of, you know, getting a little bit too caught up in the moment but But you know seeing him Blossom like this and you can see this coming, you know, that he's had games, you know, he went eight for 14 against Purdue in the the last time they played for 16 points and we had 21 points against Michigan. The he's had this, he's had some

moments where it's like not at this level but he's had some really good moments but this does I think kind of reframe the season a bit where we had that stretch we lost three or four you know losing to Rutgers Arizona Kansas And being Nebraska and you and I were there at the Arizona game and it's like, you know, we're there the night before I had heard from a friend that you know, Hood feel is not going to play again. It's like, all right, well,

least we have tjg. It's like you tell me that now like, hey, you tell me tomorrow gets I we don't you know, Channel his fee. No I most of the Jordan thanks to you. Hey girl. You know it's like you'd be like wow that's a really we may not win and so you look back it's like all right. Well of course we lost three or four you know Sheila Jaffe do is out. It does reframe this.

The season a little bit. And yeah, it was it was also the other thing that I really enjoyed seeing, you know, is that hopefully at some point we'll see that, you know, if we get Xavier Johnson back but all you can go off of as, you know, bench reactions and what you're seeing on TV but nobody looked happier for Hood, sophina than Xavier Johnson on the bench like Xavier Johnson was going bananas, looked like he looks so

engaged. So excited will see it's all different when guys get on the Work. But it does feel like if we get him back it's going to be an additive. It's not going to be like oh now we have two alpha dogs fighting for who's in charge of this team. It does feel like you know, the that that may not be an issue if we ever get Xavier back but I don't want to dwell on Xavier because he's, you know, we don't know. Yeah.

But yeah. Anyway that's what we'll talk about that scenario a little bit later on is we did have some questions about it so we'll tackle that a couple of the things that are worth noting. First of all, I mentioned the game plan a little bit earlier from Mike Woodson. I think one of the things about this game that may get lost in the shuffle that was really obvious to me as it was going on. Was Indiana, completely changed their defensive approach on Zack Ed to start the second half and

it completely flummoxed. Purdue for the exact six or seven minutes that I you needed it to in order to take control of the game. You know, in that first half, they kind of left racetracks and Davis or whoever was in the post on an island. Trying to deal with Zach Ed. And he had a tremendously efficient and dominant, first half of offensively. And then like, as soon as the second half rolled around Indiana, just starts jamming him

in the post. They there they have double teamed him constantly and Purdue didn't really know what to do. They didn't know who to throw the ball to, they didn't know who should take shots. They could not get the ball into eating. I'll eventually they managed to figure out ways to do so. But by that point the damage had been done and you know I really think that Mike Woodson deserves a tremendous Amount of credit for the patient's.

It was kind of a risk because if I, you hadn't gotten the game that they've gotten out of jail and Ruffino in the first half and they've been down by like ten as opposed to four at the

end of the first half. I don't know if that strategy ends up working but because they played as evenly as they did, it allowed them the ability to essentially spring a trap on Purdue the Purdue couldn't get out of in time and by the time they did Indiana knew what they were doing and it was getting good contributions from all over the Floor. So that to me, you think about all the little nuances?

Somebody mentioned the substitutions earlier, even that, I mean, you know, for Woodson, to be able to manage the number of players he had with so many fouls because of the just bizarrely one-sided calls that were coming throughout the course of that game and they have nobody foul out, you know, be able to keep a rotation of post players in there that could defend ET and still be able to play the kind.

Of physical defense that they needed in order to, you know, do something against EDI and the second half I think is probably one of the more underrated things about this win for Indiana. And it's something that frankly, that kind of did that kind of matchup that kind of strategy that kind of adjustment at halftime. We didn't see for several years with IU basketball and it's almost again, kind of like the Jalen Jiffy.

No. Think it's kind of jarring to see it all of the sudden because it's like something that we had just forgotten could exist with IU basketball. Ball. I almost don't want to talk about other people, besides jail Hood your feet. Oh but I will this was a game. I had a really good friend of mine Teddy on the west coast who texted me and he's like you guys are just way too hard on Trey Galway and maybe so he had a really good game. But I think it's a fair point

that a lot of the role players. Yeah. In this game. You know that you and I have been I think again rightfully kind of complaining about that. They all provided exactly what you need. I mean Kayla Banks maybe didn't have it but that's a freshman two minutes who cares, you know. Like Like, You Know, Tamar Bates, who we I've been on a little bit, you know, he came in gave you 11 minutes and didn't take anything off the table and really that's all you need of these guys to do.

But they were adding things, especially defensively. The other thing that I really like to see defensively. You saw it a lot in the second half. They were still pressuring Purdue but they were kind of taking a step back and they were tipping a lot of those passes going into the post, they were being very active hands, hands up, always jumping and they had two or three that I can result

in like to see. Holes where they just they were, you know, be able to hit the ball before it even got into the post. And so you just had an entire team that was locked in. And I think this is all we've been asking for from our, our bench is, can you just come in and not take anything off the table? I don't, you know, we don't need to Barbados to come in and go 546 from 3B awesome. But it's like, I'm not expecting that, but we got out of Tomorrow.

Bates was exactly what I've been looking for is great, defensive play, and just not kind of taking things off the table by pushing things offensively. And I think that was great, you know, Malik were new headache at a really good game didn't foul out, but I think he provided the minutes that needed to happen now. So, I, it's man.

I mean, it's just such a great wind when it Mackey, doesn't happen enough but it and the team kept their composure, I will say this, you know, the one thing that is there and it's, you know, it's concerning but it's also that Purdue is one of the better hustle and, you know, rebounding teams out there and Offensive rebounding teams. There is a couple minutes couple moments there in the second half with you know 7 45 minutes to go one-possession in particular where they're like off the

approve. Got like five offensive rebounds but they did produ missed a lot of Threes that I feel like could have could have brought that game back a little bit or at least made it a little bit tighter than ended up being. And we dodged a couple of bullets where we gave Purdue extra chances. But again, I I think that's

that's good. Phil room stuff, it's good stuff that you can work on. I can't say it's like wasn't good effort because they were putting out effort all over the place and it did a little bit of a homer should. It did feel like just a lot of the bounces were going, always straight to Purdue guys and not a lot of teams you're going to face maybe one more time with Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament. Like not a lot of teams are going to have a dude who's 74, who's just Elite?

It getting offensive rebounds and so you know, I'm willing to talk some of that up but I will say that We gave Purdue a lot of extra bullets to put themselves back in the game. They just didn't convert on those, as well. Look, I think it's important to keep in mind that you're still going up against a 74 guy, who's very good at rebounding.

I mean, Purdue is really staked, maybe, maybe, you know, in error, they've really staked their success, to being able to get shots up and get offensive rebounds off those shots to the exclusion of a lot else. And so, you know, I get what you're saying, but I also think overall, There were going to be some things that I you had to sacrifice in this game and they sacrifice the right things. And that's where I think

Woodson, really shined through. In terms of, they didn't try to force the ball to trace Jackson Davis. When it was clear, that it wasn't working, the couple of times they did in the first half, he was not having a great experience and the pivot that they made in the second half. And the idea that, you know, you could play different ways. I mean, honestly, this is a little bit of what we've been hoping Indiana would do like that.

Last night, we've we've been concerned so much about I use on like or inflexibility, I guess you could say. In that everything seemed to be running through Trace Jackson Davis at all times offensively and that ultimately is one of those things that you don't want to be like that because if it breaks down suddenly, you don't have a second option.

And that's honestly it's funny like if I'm Purdue I'm coming out of this game and I'm A lot more concerned about that than I am Indiana. Because Indiana just went on the road beat, Purdue with a significantly below average. You know, point total from Tres Jackson Davis. Now he contributed another ways, he grabbed some rebounds in the second half, he had some great passes that led directly to

baskets. But this is the versatility that I think the the projection before the season that said Indiana was a big ten title favorite, it could be a contender for the What you saw in that game last night, is why people said that because it was like, well here you have and this is even without Xavier Johnson. You've got an All-American candidate in the post. You've got one or two guards, who can handle the ball, shoot the ball, and pass the ball, and you've got role players who can

knock shots down. And you know you mentioned the tree Galloway thing earlier. Yes we've been harsh Entre Galloway and the whole Supporting Cast at times Galloway, maybe more than others perhaps. Unfairly but Galloway has really blossomed over the course of this month. Really? Just last month and a half. Woodson mentioned in the press conference himself and I think what you're finally seeing out of Galloway is a guy that's getting over or gotten over the

hump. He knows he has to shoot some games when he's open, he needs to take shots. He was, he was looking for shots from the perimeter. He wasn't just automatically deciding to drive in. You want players that are confident enough to do that. And also, you want players, who can jump into passing Lanes, he had that Great disruption in the second half of, I think it was an entry pass from Newman that he intercepted and was able to take down the floor. And and, you know, they scored.

He had that great interception and lob to trace Jackson, Davis that put Jason Davis in double figures and kind of ice the game like Galloway. Now to me is a far different player than Galloway at the beginning of January was. And again, I feel like you don't get that tray Galloway without the Xavier Johnson injury, because you don't have Trey Galloway, we having to play 30 to 35 minutes of game having to go out and grind against Big Ten competition night in and night

out. And I think the same thing with Jalen Jaffe. No, I don't think you see this. Jalen Hurd chafee know without him being forced into a role where I mean played 40 minutes last night on the road at Mackey. This is a kid who. Yeah, he's probably got the legs for it, but when you see so many freshmen wilting down the stretch Purdue's backcourt, you know this season. To watch Caleb Noe Trevino going. The opposite direction is a

testament. First of all to how well he has matured as a player and be Mike Woodson's faith in him to mature as a player. And you can say that Woodson didn't really have much of a choice here. But I really think as much as people lament like Bates, not being more of a contributor or you know, Geronimo not being more of a contributor realistically the you know the little bar has been raised so high now What we expect out of jail, met Ruffino, and Trey Galloway.

And a lot of that is because they have seized the moment, and it doesn't show up in absolutely every game. But as we talked about on this podcast, not every team is going to win every game, down the stretch, and you're going to have a Michigan State on the road, every once in a while, but you're also going to have games like this. So I want to go back and just really quickly, like I miss said something at the start of the pot, I didn't mean that Trace Jackson. Davis was like a nonentity.

I just meant like, statistically, from a point perspective, you look at that, that was Kind of my joke but I reading some of the produce stuff it's like they were taking, you know, the oh this this is Player of the Year likely CT, just showed why he's Player of the Year and in a weird way it's like I'm kind of like, actually I think this shows my Trace Jackson. I know I thought there were things like it's like, this is probably why he might be player

of the year because he had a game where he still affected. He had seven assists. He still was effective when he wasn't scoring, I don't CED be able to do that. Anyway, that's all. No, I I agree with that. I think that I saw that same. I think it was Jared just the lightest from one of the radio stations in Lafayette. And, you know, it really does illustrate the dichotomy, like, you know, Ed is clearly an excellent player and as an efficient score, and he is essentially the sun around,

which Purdue basketball orbits. But when things broke down, and when ET couldn't score Edie had nowhere to go with the basketball. Like, he really he could, he can't pass effectively out and I don't blame him. He's not really, he's a receiver. Like you have to feed feeds a key D because he has to eat on his own what race tracks and Davis. Had a bad game. Offensive ly from a shooting perspective but he generated like 16 points off of assists.

I mean, and this is a guy who's not doing it from the high post. He's doing it from the Baseline, you know, that is a the pick-and-roll that Indiana started to run there in the second. Half that Beautiful Exchange off the pick-and-roll between tjd and Trey Galloway that led to

the trace Jackson Davis lately. That to me, that doesn't happen without Trace Jackson Davis, being such a threat to pass the basketball because you now have to respect him in a couple of different ways and, you know, you don't quite have to do that with Zach Edie. Clearly, you can't, you can't game plan around his rebounding ability but you can game plan around him not being able to get good receptions in the post and not be able to get good shots up.

And so, I do think that from a value perspective, you can use Trace tracks and Davis and several ways. I still think he's going to win. A or the year because that's how the media work on these things. But I don't think that last night demonstrated anything of the sort when it comes to like the relative strengths of the two players.

So when you were talking about you know Trey Galloway and the growth, totally agree with, we're seeing the growth in jail and the Chaffee know this this taking the lens out just a bit. It's almost been like the theme for our podcast, this season of you know as Indiana fans were not used to X. It's like we're not used to this right? Used to Fresh. Coming in like this, like we're not used to this, we're not used to it.

You know, seeing this I think the other thing that maybe you know, we're not used to is we're turning into the profile of a team that does well, in March, which is, we're way different than we were in January. Like we've grown were different and you go back and look at that.

Again, the Rucker is Arizona, Kansas stretch, like this is not even close to the same team we had then and this is also something that we just haven't had historically as Indiana fans in the last 10-15 years is normally If we look back lamenting lie at like, you know, the North Carolina game this year, like oh man, remember we were good.

Like now we're just, you know, puttering down the stretch, you know, trying to grab any Eddie, hope to get something going in March. And we're just falling apart or different this year. Like, this is, this is what Michigan state has done for 20, 22 years, maybe not this year with, after the loss, to Iowa, but we'll see.

But you also a Michigan state has built their bread and butter on for 20 years is they start off, they get their ass kicked, they have some issues, they struggle They and then by the end of March, in Michigan, State's case for like, wow, they're going to win the Big Ten and be like a two-seat, like they're going to plow through March, and plus the tournament, and there are a way different team than we. I remember seeing them in January and we're doing that,

and it's really cool to see. And we're seeing guys grow into roles and we're coming more Dynamic and it as Indiana, it's awesome to be that team where it's like, yeah, we're evolving and some of the mistakes and lessons that we took in December and January are actually leading Eating toward us winning and I'll just emphasize this point with this. I had another friend of mine just say you know.

Hey man. Like you guys went nine and two in the you know at a stretch in the Big Ten that we've now gone ten and three, not as great sounding but still good. He's like dude, I will take nine and two in the Big Ten at any point. Any like I don't care any kind of you know, well this happened that you're playing this guy's.

It doesn't matter. Like you went nine and two in an 11-game stretch, the Big Ten, we've now, gone ten and three in the 13 game stretch, like we Are changing and becoming a better team at the right time. Unlike you know any other year this we're talking about you know where does Hood Fino fit. Well when's the last time that we had a team that was really peaking at this moment because I think of like you know last year

they turned it on for 36 hours. Like that was a team that was DOA going into the Big Ten Tournament turned it on. You know, I think if the number one, you know, the maybe that's the that year is Yogi Ferrell, they won the Big Ten, they were definitely coming on that year. Even the, the 13 season where they're ranked one of the country. I think we all kind of agree like this team felt like it was starting to run on fumes near the end.

You'll maybe the 2012 year but that was more the end of March like I can't think of a year. I mean its history, we've turned it on like this I would say I think 2012 is the answer, you know? Because if you people remember as we've talked about, they were five and six in the Big Ten and then they won all. But one of their remaining games in conference down the stretch and I mean because I mean all of them were a little different. I would actually argue like Team

that team was playing fine. They won some big games at the end but they were kind of at the same level all year 2016. They clearly one out there but then they lost in the Big Ten Tournament. I mean it wasn't like they were you know on our on a constant upswing. Yeah there's a different energy. Now, I will warn, you know, 90 warns the wrong word but I will I will caution everybody to pump the brakes a little because this is still a team that's lost two

out of their last four. They did lose on the road at Michigan State. You're going to have that. That as great as Jalen Hood pheno played in the game last night. He's also had games recently where at least offensively he struggled from you know shooting the basketball you know as great as Trey Galloway played last night. He's had games where he struggled. But I think what's important right now is that it feels and looks I think body language more

than anything else. Like this team has a different vibe about it than what we are used to seeing at this time of year. And you know, I look at that most is in the play of guys like Miller cop, like cop looks far more engaged now on the floor than I think I've ever seen him as an IU basketball player has been that way for a few games, you know. He still has some defensive lapses but he's taking shots, he's hitting shots. I look at Trey Galloway. I see the same thing.

Jalen atrophy, no always looks the same. You know, he always looks like he's just kind of locked in and just going possession by possession, you know? But it does feel like there is a certain energy that surrounds This team that feels different. Now, this is still a team that I think is very susceptible to bad shooting games.

It's still a team that if they don't have the defensive intensity up as happened in that Michigan State game, they can lose ground quickly but the fact again that they have one, you know, as many games as they won they were one in four in the Big Ten the morning of the 12th of January. They're 11 and seven right now to have gone tendon 3 over the

course of these last 13 games. And to be projected to win both of their remaining games by 6. They need to win both of those games for a variety of reasons that does make you think gosh, this is a team that even with those speed bumps at Northwestern and Michigan state is hitting on the right cylinders on the right days, they're not hitting on all cylinders. When this team has on all

cylinders. Like, if you get, if you get 25 out of traced, 25 and 10 out of Trace, Jackson Davis, and you get 16, 16 and 9 out of. Yeah, they are. They have all of the pieces. Has the question for Indiana is? Will those pieces actually come together at the right time? I really think that getting out of February, getting out of the Big Ten. Could be the best thing for this team because they are so hard for teams that have scouted them in-depth to defend and play against.

When you start to get into teams that haven't been able to do that. I think that'll be something that this Indiana team could potentially take advantage of. So yeah, so it's a bathtub. Wait, I was thinking of that, you know, like I'm just going off, you know, hasn't updated Bracketology but, you know, they play like Oral Roberts in the first round. Then a matchup against Iowa state in the second or something like that. Who can you know? I'm not saying it's right.

But like, if you're Iowa State, how do you prep for this game? I mean, obviously you do and, you know how to, but it's like now, it's like we got to basically Double J. Look at your feet. Oh, we got a double Trace Jackson daily. There's two, dudes. You got a double or we got to figure something out. Like, we can't on the pick-and-roll. Like what do we do? Because we got to be high and we

got to be low. And I think it's that you're going to see a lot of teams in the tournament probably pick one of the other and then it's like I can the other one be even though I think we become a unbelievably hard team to scout on like two days prep. Yeah. Now that's 100% 100%. It's it is absolutely a it's a fascinating team to try to get your head wrapped around from a scouting perspective on short rest. And you know the other thing about it is that I don't know.

How many teams are going to be personnel-wise capable of Defending Trace Jackson Davis, and all that he does and Jalen Hurd chafee know and all that he does Point. Yeah. And and again the key to unlocking this team from an IU perspective, can they pass the ball out to the three-point line and have guys take shots and to me, like one of the biggest changes that we've seen is that Miller cop is actually catching and shooting, you know?

Yes, he missed a couple in the game versus Purdue but he also hit a couple Trager. Always catching and shooting Jalen. Atrophy, no, can move to his left, pull up and take a 3, like that threat. Should when you're not playing a team with the guy that's 74 in, the post, should open up even more opportunities for IU as they move forward. It is really exciting to watch all of that kind of coming together and I think ultimately there's a feeling among IU fans like, you know, out last night

watching the game. It's kind of like the if you've been out in a crowd, you know, What the vibe feels like when the fans aren't confident in players doing certain things. And I'm noticing even that's changing like the crowd reaction to Trey, Galloway shooting a three is no longer kind of like that. Oh, it's more like there's an anticipation there that's positive because you feel like it's got a pretty good shot of going in and I feel that way

about cop as well. Like it's almost to the point where you're shocked when cop doesn't hit a three. Yep and that is a big change from what it's been over the course of his two seasons. Is here at IU. We had a bunch of questions and comments from Twitter. I wanted to get to before we wrap things up because we've already gone, 47 minutes as we are want to do. So, let's see, where shall We Begin?

So we had a bunch of questions about the Savior Johnson thing, you know, because we still haven't seen Xavier Johnson. A lot of people have rumored that, we might see him back in this Tuesday game. So, we had a bunch of people who wrote some version of this. I'll tell use the one from the balcony. How does Woodson ensure we maintain continuity with ex back in the starting lineup. He should start of healthy, but really curious to see how we get

through that period. So we talked about this a little bit on a previous podcast, Scott. I mean, first of all, I think that the expectation, that X would come back like fully formed and ready to play and start is probably far-fetched. I mean, this is a guy who has not played competitive basketball since mid-December, he's dealing with a broken foot. Put that is not something that you just come back from and be like, hey, I'm here.

It's it's going to be something that is going to take time for him to integrate back into the lineup. You know, I guess my answer on this is that ultimately when you look at the way that this team is now constructed, the ability to have a player, come off the bench and be there, instead of like the Tamar Bates minutes right now or be Love spell Galloway for an extra few minutes so we can maintain a level of intensity throughout the entire game or take some

pressure off a jail in a jiffy. No. And let him get a little bit of rest. Like that's really what I think people should be expecting with Xavier Johnson. I don't know right now that you mess with the starting lineup. I mean the hood should Fino Galloway. Cop Thompson, Trace Jackson Davis line up with, you know, Malik renew coming in at times in the post. Like that seems to be working.

Okay, offensively at least and What I worry about with, with X is mostly like his stamina and his defensive abilities. Like, I think offensively they'll be some instinctive this there, but trying to cut and do all the things you have to do. It'll be interesting to see how much he can actually perform on the defensive end. I use kind of blessed right now because if they get him back, they can use them in spurts. They don't have to have them, come back and play a huge amount

of minutes. And I think that's probably the wisest way to go about things. I don't know what are your thoughts on this right now? I'm going to take your side a little bit, unlike, you know, the pump, the brakes a little bit on the optimism in that there's tons of minutes to go around. Like if he can provide something, it's like they're, you know, this game against Purdue. We basically had five guys play.

Like tomorrow, Bates played, 11 minutes, Malik renew played 10 Geronimo, played for Caleb Banks played to. So you had a rotation of seven guys, two of those playing 21 minutes combined. So there's if Xavier has something to provide, I'm actually not concerned at all about where you fit, The rotation because there's a ton of minutes out there to be grabbed.

I agree with you but just I will take the the counter just just for fun, you know, the logic and putting him in the starting lineup is as long as you can get, you know, Galloway. So I think that would be the role he goes into understand like hey man look you didn't do anything wrong but we're doing this. You'll still probably get 35 minutes. We're just going to deal. We're going to Xavier is going to play eight minutes. We're just going to play too. At the start and then we'll

spread them out. And we're just going to bring him in because, you know, he's the starter and he earned it. And also this, you know if you can get trade to understand that you're still getting the same number of minutes, probably

still gonna close the game. I do think maybe it gives you an interesting wrinkle where you're moving those minutes around but all of that said you know it's I've been saying this for a while you know people who think we're going to get a fully form Xavier Johnson, you know, don't expect that. I also think we're getting, you know, we haven't had any information on this. I think we're getting to the

point. Pretty close to Tuesday night where I think if you don't see him playing Tuesday night, you may not see him this year. Like this is as as just a guy watching from the sidelines. Like it feels like if you're going to bring him back and just give him some opportunities for some wins, you know, mentally and physically. It feels like this to game stretch would be perfect like you have two games there at home.

The opponents are right, like it putting him then in the Big Ten tournament in the NCAA tournament, those, those are now way tougher putts. So it does feel like if he is going To play at any point this season. These next two are the perfect time to bring him in. At least, give them a couple of minutes. Yeah, I know, I see that. I think you may not see him this year. I agree.

I think the fact we haven't seen him back yet, it's got to be an indication that there's something about his medical situation that isn't quite there and you don't want to rush him back and you don't need to. I mean, you know, and look Indiana's not getting this type of performance. Every game, and I think a lot of it is, can you get out of the doldrums of February and if Come out.

On the other side it's clear to me like what separates Indiana from being a second weekend team and something, a team that can legitimately go deeper is that one extra piece, you know, because they really don't have a lot of depth, they can kind of go six, if they get a good game out of Malik renew and that's about it right now, you know, that's, that's unfortunate. It's just kind of the brakes. And, you know, will I think always kind of wonder what the potential of this ceiling.

The ceiling of the Season could have been If you hadn't had the injury in the Kansas game, but at this stage the fact we haven't seen him. I think tells us that if we do get him back and I hope we do, it's probably going to be unlimited minutes and it's going to be a much different setup from what people are used to seeing.

And I think Woodson of all, you know, of all the potential coaches, I think he understands that having been injured himself having, you know, managed rosters for as long as he's managed them. It's it's Be tricky. But I also think that you can tell from X's comments on Twitter from his actions and reactions on the bench. Like he wants to get in and try to contribute somehow if he can he will. I don't see this as being a

chemistry issue. I really don't because I think, you know, if he doesn't quite realize that he will very quickly like there's some physical limitations on what he's going to be able to do. And I think Woodson smart enough to know and have enough control over things to say look we've Got something good going here. If I'm going to use you it's going to be judiciously. And so I think a lot of the questions about where you play him and what he does.

I think those are kind of probably going to be proven to be Elementary after a little bit. Let's see. We've got some other questions here. We had a bunch of questions on these on the hook. If, you know, they had a lot of questions about the Big Ten Tournament, Pat, Corbett asked what's the ideal draw for the Big Ten Tournament when the next to. But how do we want the cards to fall? Do we care about Big Ten?

Tournament wins. Um, you know, Midwestern views asked, can you break down the top, four seed, race and tie Breakers and where I use stands if they'd beat Iowa Tuesday? So I'll be honest, I've joked. It's almost easier to project Us in the NCAA field. Now, where we fit in the Big Ten tournament, it's a big mess. I mean, so I will say, I will say this, like, if all, if the home team's hold serve for the most part today because you've got Maryland.

Northwestern Michigan Wisconsin, Ohio State Illinois, Penn State, Hers, if Maryland, Michigan Penn State Alwyn and Illinois wins on the road and then Indiana wins at home versus Iowa and you know kind of the what you would expect. The outcomes would be for the remaining games happen. Essentially that would leave us in a situation if I've done my math correctly, where you would have Indiana. Second overall in the conference Purdue would be first.

Indiana, would be second Marilyn in Northwestern would be tied. And I believe that would mean that actually Illinois would be tied in this scenario as well, but Maryland would get the three Northwestern will get the for Indiana. We get the five. It's important to remember how the Big Ten Tournament sets up, you know, one, two, three, and four get double Buys. So they don't play till 3:00 or 4:00 till Friday. Ohio State in Nebraska and Minnesota Wisconsin. A pretty much locked in to the

11 14 and 12 13 games. Then you've got, you know, essentially five, six, seven, eight, nine, and ten all playing on Thursday, if Indiana was the two seed. This is where you can't really project and I it's hard for me to say, like what's the best scenario? So let me take this in a couple of different directions. First of all, do we care about Big Ten? Tournament wins, that was that's I think a nice overarching

question. I think that what we care about more than anything else is can Indiana, whatever the game Outcome have something that doesn't harm their tournament chances first and foremost if they win these final two. So if they go 12 and 8 or 13 and 7 in conference, I guess you guess it would be. Now obviously I think we we really do need to win the final two.

I agree. We're I'm kind of like I think all of the optimism and everything that I'm feeling is kind of based on, maybe it is stupid assumption. Like, we're going to win the next.

Yeah, I do think if we stumble in one of these next, to some of my feelings will change a little bit, but it's based on like, wow, we're going to finish the Game on a three-game win because with the way we play at home, yeah we just should win these final two which sorry last thing I'll say this is where at the beginning of the Season. We always look at the schedule is like man, that's a tough end. Way to end this. That's like we always need to remember.

Like it really just depends on home on a way because you don't know what teams are going to be. It's like we were like, man, Ohio State. It's going to be a rough one in January. It's about wasn't they suck? You didn't know that. But like having the last two at home is so nice when everyone else is kind of doing a homeowner anyway. So it's But all the to be is based on, we got to win the next two at home. That really is imperative for everything else, especially to

we get to NCAA seating. So sorry to have won 11 games and had the last two at home against whoever, let alone to get two teams that are like smack dab in the middle of the, of the of the standings. That that's about as nice of a setup as you could have. Anyway. So I look at it like this Indiana. So I threw a scenario in and essentially, it was kind of Of hewing to what you would expect, all the games to be.

And in this scenario, Purdue would face the winner of Rutgers. Michigan, Northwestern would face the winner of likely Illinois. Nebraska, Indiana would face the winner of Iowa Penn State and Maryland would face the winner of like Michigan state Wisconsin. So if Indiana were to, you know, beat Iowa on a neutral floor, that's a nice wind that's going to help, but even if they lost to Iowa on a neutral floor, heaven forbid, that would never happen.

I don't think that that would hurt Indiana. The only thing that really hurts. Indiana. And the Big Ten Tournament from a seating perspective is if they lose to a team that's either on the bubble or outside the NCAA tournament.

That said, if you were to win that 27 game and make it to Saturday and you're playing, maybe Maryland, maybe Michigan State. Like now you've essentially put yourself in a spot where unless you get destroyed in that game, you're probably not having an impact your seating one way or another. Do you know the at that stage?

You're not going to prove anything to the committee that you haven't already proven and you know, certainly they don't factor in tournament Conference tournament games quite as much for teams like Indiana because Indiana did what they had to do last night. Like they won in one of the toughest places to win in college basketball. I mean, they're only the second team to win at Mackey this year.

That is something that's going to matter more than almost anything they can do in the Big Ten Tournament. So you know, I'm excited because Indiana has a legitimate shot if they win that first game to potentially win the Big Ten Tournament because I think being on the opposite side from Purdue is going to give you an opportunity to play either Maryland or Northwestern teams. I think Indiana can beat on a

neutral floor, you know? That's, that's a great Pathway to get yourself into a championship game. And even though the championship game, frankly, It wouldn't matter from a seating perspective. Because for those of you that don't know the tournament selection committee by the time, the Big Ten championship game starts on Sunday, the brackets pretty much done like, they've they've seated this, the first eight or nine lines, they're not going to flip things around at that point.

It's not going to matter. Unless you've got a team that wouldn't make the tournament unless they won the game, then they'd have a contingency bracket that they would make that would be a separate scenario that they'd have to go to. But in this case, since we've never been there, Thought you could have said like for those of you who don't know, the Big Ten championship game is actually played in hat in quarters. So when do they play in an 8-foot goal?

It's like, you know, what could happen there is, like I could play the Boise State blue Court like who knows that we don't know. My even they're one of my favorite stupid factoids about myself is that I broadcasted the only IU appearance in a Big Ten Tournament title game which was 2001 when they played Iowa Iowa. It was me, John Cole. Wouter, Matt wrote a Walden, Brenda Stidham on that call.

And that was, I mean, it's fascinating because, you know, the tournament was only like four years old 5 years old, at that, he was 4 years old at that point. And it just, it was like, okay, well, this is interesting, we weren't sure about this Big Ten Tournament thing, but I'm sure we'll be back to this multiple occasions. And it's literally been 22 years since and then back it, but it was in the United Center and it's certainly, it's is Within Reach and it A great psychological thing.

Although the flip side of it is given that those games, aren't really going to matter that much. You know, someone asked a question earlier on, like, do we want to win games in the Big Ten? Tournament would be rather just rest racetracks and Davis's back and I'm like, well that's a that's a legitimate question to some degree, you know, you finally have a team that can win the Big Ten tournament and it's like, well, it may not matter because this team's got bigger fish to fry.

So to speak in terms of what they want to do in the big tournament that comes up immediately afterwards. But that's a essentially, the scenarios. I mean right now to go back to the original question. I would say there's the wind last night, put Indiana in a position where they're in really good shape.

If they take care of these final two games, to pick up the 2 seed, in the Big Ten. Now, if Northwestern beats Maryland today and that games at noon, so may already be over by the time you folks are watching this. That puts Northwestern in the driver's seat because Northwestern unfortunately has the tiebreaker. But the thing is even if that happens. Indiana is going to be the three seed, which there's not much of

a difference. It would not even in the teams and we're going to decide it for new and not even in the team's you're going to play. You're almost certainly. If you're in the two or the three, you're almost certainly going to match up against Michigan State, Iowa, or Michigan, depending on how the other results fall. That's your group. That's the group. That's kind of clustered around that five six.

Seven Rutgers could actually fall all the way to 8th, but you might end up with Rutgers in that mix as well. I'm not really scared of any of those teams on a neutral floor. I'd be scared of them on the road but I'm not that scared of them on a neutral floor. So that's that's what I would look at. I think Indiana last night.

They it was so important for them to win that game because it really handed them back to steering wheel of how the rest of the seasons going to go and I think they've earned it clearly and it's really exciting to watch Indiana being in a situation where that's the situation moving forward, a couple of questions. That let's see. JB asked, obviously Jordan was Unreal. I thought Galloway played extremely well in all facets.

Jalen, yep. Sorry Jalen zero turnovers in 38 minutes for Galloway. What would your grades be for each player? Who logged minutes last night? I'm not going to, I can't go through all of them, but look, I think you look at the stat sheet from this day this team last night. Yeah, a lot of players with a rating above seven and a half, I mean, look even race Thompson. Who clearly struggled offensively.

Ali gave Indiana five rebounds, you know, had a couple of important shots down the stretch, had those free throws early. I had a big steel, didn't turn the ball over. You know, I wish you wouldn't take threes, I've said that over and over again like like racist three-point percentage is 10 to 22 percent. That's just, that's not going to get the job done. But you know what? I felt was, you know, you look at Trey Galloway, he was the most efficient player.

Barely for Indiana offensively, last night, 13 points, You know, was 24/7 from to, but was 3 for 4 from three and five assists four, turnovers one steel. They don't win. I don't think without that performance from Trey Galloway but I'll also say, like Miller cop, you know, you ended up 347 from three and put the ball on the floor drove in and hit a couple of baskets. You know. We haven't seen that level of game from familiar cop so I was really excited to see that as well.

I mean the whole starting lineup really felt like they contributed and honestly I didn't think that anybody from The bench took anything off the the, the table either, you know, it was, it was just a good all-around performance by this team. Let's say some other questions for you Alan Jenkins asked when the dust settles on the season.

Are we're going to look back at the Iowa, Penn State in Northwestern losses and think we could have won the Big Ten this year, or were those scars needed for this team to build identity. I think, as I would go ahead, please. Yeah, I would, I would say I've been thinking about that. I think it's more the latter my thing. Back to like, this is a team that kind of was forged in the fire of January and came out a different team.

Like I think it's, you can't just take all the wins and then say like the T we have now they could have gone back and done that. I, I look at it differently in that to me. The next two were really where we can't stub our toe that if we lose one of the next two then it's gonna be like damn we really missed a shot to finish the season on the right on the right foot. I think it's easy to look back and say damn yeah.

I mean that Iowa game was there for the taking you know that Northwestern game maybe B-but, you know, and I look more some of like the Northwestern game on the road that we just had February 15th. I think that's the one that I kind of look as act and that maybe we shouldn't have gotten down as much. But I, I look at this very much that this is like, this was all part of the journey, I'm not sure we get to where we're at now without some of those

struggles. And again, it's just like, this is a different Journey than a lot of Indiana teams have had in the past where we've learned from those mistakes that we've come out a different and better team and so, yeah. Me. I I don't think I'm gonna look

back IMA look back at that. Yeah, that was a, we were not as good of a team in January. Like we were a, much better team in March and like it had but like there's no world where like we just don't play games in January, if we don't lose those games, I'm not sure we're good now. Yeah, I agree. I mean I think there's two things because it's a good question. I think a lot of people are going to ask the question.

Part of it is I don't think that this team is as good as they are right now without the losses, early in the Big Ten season. Cuz it really did that Penn State loss in particular. It really seemed to Galvanize the team and get them to focus on what they needed to do. And you look, I think I don't think those losses. I maybe a couple of maybe one,

maybe perhaps to happens. I don't think all three happen if you have a healthy Xavier Johnson, but if you have a healthy Xavier Johnson, as we said, I don't think you see the development from some of the other players on this team. I don't think that you're seeing quite the response. That the bunkering that Anna's been able to do defensively and

the different facets. They've had to uncover offensive ly. So I don't, I mean, you know, maybe there's a scenario where, you know, X doesn't get injured. I, you know, gets traced Jackson. Davis back from injury. They win two of those three and

suddenly, they're in relief. Now, there's a lot of ifs, but this team seems to really perform pretty well with their backs against the wall and that stretch of losses that drop them to 1 and for put their backs against the wall, I think they need Did that I think that that was The Crucible that this team's identity had to be forged in.

And you think about how important that was compared to all the teams that I use had over the course of the last seven seasons, and how they haven't forged an identity, how they've struggled to even know who they are. At this point in the season, you know, the you needed this group of personnel, you needed this coach and you needed that set of circumstances. I think so, I think ultimately

would love to Big Ten title. I just think ultimately at this point, it wasn't in the cards, you're going to have seasons like that, where the injuries don't play out properly.

And that's fine. And look, Purdue had a transcended start to the Big Ten season and they certainly earned the Big Ten title, I'm doing my best to reverse jinx this as much as I can Scott. It's going to actually work but you know it is what it is. And and ultimately you know if the biggest confounding factor is who the hell expected

Northwestern to play this? Well, I mean, if if Drum plays the way that everybody expects them to, you know, it's like but even with that guessing game it's like Indiana would have two more wins. Purdue would have one more win because they would have beaten Northwestern in Evanston and they would still be a game ahead with a couple of games to play. So look, I just don't think it was in the cards this year. I think it would have been very difficult for Indiana.

Even at full strength to have gone 15 and 5 and be in the position that they're in right now. So you can always have a little bit of a question, the back of your head. But I wouldn't dwell on it too much when one question for you which is a comment like that could there could be no better season for Indiana, Purdue that. If Purdue started off hot, they win the Big Ten and then we have success in March and they stumble out like that would be

the greatest. Like I have fun when the Big Ten will go to the final point I'd say we're going to have a question for you you know? Bracketology just like produce stumbling like they are for the oh there they are. You two and four in their last six games, I know it. Ends on the teams around them. And someone also has to grab the one seed, but are they looking at and stable a seating? Are they getting close to losing that, that one line?

No, I don't think so. I mean, I think they are probably the fourth one seed right now because I think Alabama is clearly better. I think Houston has you know, they've played so well this season. They're going to get a 1. Kansas has exceeded produced accomplishments on the season. The As far, but there's really

not a team below them right now. That's a bit, that's a clear like, oh, this is a better to. I mean like the two best options at this point are Baylor and UCLA will Baylor is closed. They had a big win last night at home versus Texas there, you know, but you look at their, their resume average. It's not as good as Purdue. You look at their predictive

average. It's not as good as Purdue their strength of schedules better, but not like exorbitantly, so they've won fewer Road. Games and they haven't won as many games against teams in the field. So I just I have a hard time seeing Purdue as the Big Ten regular season champ, not getting A 1 C. Now the one I do have questions on though and a lot of this will depend on how Purdue fairies in these games at Wisconsin at a home against Illinois, is UCLA UCLA.

Could very easily finish the season 27 and for they are right up there like you want to talk about like where the average is aren't kind to Purdue, you know, UCLA's got great. Volume depth of wins. They have one less loss than

Purdue does. And if they win the Pac-12 outright, I could see a scenario where UCLA gets the fourth one seed, and Purdue ends up being the top two seat now that may, you know, I UCLA's got more work to do than Purdue does at this point to get to that point because they still have to play Arizona at home. But that would be the one team I could see threatening right now. No, but ask me again in a couple of weeks and I might have a different answer for you.

It'd be funny to watch them at piss that away. I would also the other Bracketology n-c-double-a question. I have for you is I kind of left last night being like and again, I'm assuming two wins at home. But let's just assume that I think this this now, Harden's our floor at the for seat, like it feels like that. That is a pretty pretty hard wet cement for seed and now I mean, you know, maybe dry cement dry. Yeah. Oh, wet cement for seed. That's it.

With Jordan Hood feet, wet cement for seat is the worst Indie band in the history of Music. The so here you like for and maybe, well, maybe a shot of the three but here's the thing. I'm not sure who the the bracket revealed that happened on Sunday had Indiana as the top four seed. Now. Since then Indiana has beaten Illinois, lost a Michigan State and beaten, Purdue on average, they've gotten slightly better

and teams around them have lost. I mean, if you look at It happened yesterday and this was a question we had been a bunch of questions on seating and things like that, you know, Alex G asked, you know, how good was yesterday for IU in terms of potential seating, come selection Sunday st. Mary's lost, Tucan Agra Virginia lost to UNC Miami loss to Florida. State, Villanova beat Creighton. Oklahoma beat, Iowa State in Ames, there were a couple of other games that went Indiana's way.

I mean, it was a really good day for Indiana, you know, wasn't a complete sweep. Would love to have seen TCU and Kansas State lose. But frankly, Indiana is Indiana's ahead of TCU. Yeah, you're not going to get everything that you want. I look at it like this. I think that Indiana still needs to win the games that they have at home. That's the big factor in all of

this. Now, both of those games will be nice games to pick up, you know, if they beat Iowa, that's going to be a tear to victory at home if they beat Michigan. That'll also be a tear to victory at home and that will give them Eight tier two victories or quad two victories, and five, quad won victories. That's really that's nice. You know, if you look at the teams that are around Indiana right now in the bracket, you know what you're looking at?

Is this basically you've got your your top four seeds, Alabama, Kansas Houston Purdue then you've got a shelf and we talked about this UCLA's kind of on the border. Then you've got Texas, Baylor, Arizona, who lost last night, surprisingly, I would throw Marquette. Into that mix. Then then you've got another shelf and you've got this kind of weird intermediate thing. Like, how do you position? Indiana versus Gonzaga. I think Gonzaga probably gets seated ahead of Indiana.

I think, Tennessee, probably doesn't at this point. I think that Indiana's resume is probably, you know, when you think about what Tennessee is done and the way that they're playing, their predictive Czar better but you look at what Indiana's managed to accomplish and it's Indiana's got, you know, one less wind, but they've won against better teams by and large and their losses are also more impressive. So I will be really curious to see what the committee does

there. I think a three seed is definitely a possibility. Indiana has to win these last two and I think Indiana probably has to win one game in the Big Ten Tournament because when you get to that point, like the difference between being the 11th or 12th team in the S curve, which would be a three seed and the 13th or 14th team on the S curve, which would be a four seat.

You're talking about minut differences and one game could swing it one way or the other, but as I've been trying to tell people, you know, Indiana is in a pretty good spot.

Because getting through that Purdue game means that they control their Destiny in a way that a lot of teams around them aren't going to be able to do because a lot of the teams that they're going to be in conflict with have to play each other, you know, Kansas state is going to have to play other Big 12 teams in the Big 12 tournament at Tennessee is going to run into either. Or Kentucky or Arkansas, all of those teams, present problems for them in the SEC.

Tournament Marquette is going to have a gauntlet to run through in the Big East. And while they've had a very good season, I don't think that they're necessarily like a guarantee to finish ahead of Indiana in the s-curve. They're actually pretty close to each other. So, you know, right now, I think you're right. I mean, as long as Indiana doesn't stumble in these last

two games at home. I think they have a really good shot at know, you know, falling no further than a for and probably having In a really good argument for 3 because of the fact that they've got so many impressive wins away from home. Now, Purdue Illinois, you know, Xavier like those are just winds that Indiana has managed to collect that are going to impress the committee. We've seen that happen over and over again and so I'm quite fascinated to see how it ends

up, but they did themselves. A whole lot of favors last night. Yeah. No, it's, I mean, yeah, I can't think of how many times we've been a three seed in the tree. I have to think, I mean we Not often. I mean, we were a three seed in 1986 when we lost a Cleveland State. That's, that's a, not a great memory. But no, I mean, you know, you go down the list. I can do all this from memory. If you want, like they were, they were one seed and 87, they were foreseen 88.

They were a two seed and 89. They were an eight seed or nine seat. Actually in 90, they were a 2 seed in 91. There were two seed in 92. 1 seed, in 93 4 seed and thinking 94 and then they had that run where they went like Eight seed and 95 66 in 96. 897 and then in 98, I believe they were a seven seed. So no, they don't really like, generally speaking Indiana's either a six or below or at or above three, seed would be kind of an odd spot. Honestly.

Think, you know, we want to like Game Theory it out, you'd much, rather be a three seed this year because I think the top of the at large I already did the top of the automatic Add profile. Those are some really good teams Liberty you know, Drake VCU. There's a couple of others Charleston is in that mix Oral Roberts is certainly in that mix.

Getting a three seed means you get to play a 14 and the 14s this year right now are, you know, you got Yale, you've got Toledo, UC Irvine, Eastern, Washington, Colgate. Like not teams. I mean, they're still dangerous teams, but not teams, you're going to be that scared of, and then, you'd rather play a six. And then a five because I think the Shelf between the teams that are in the 45 conversation and

the team's right below. There's a pretty big Dynamic there between those two and so and I look at it as I also think you'll even further down the road to me the teams that worried me the most or Alabama Houston Kansas. I just think they present a lot of problems. I think Indiana playing at all. Cylinders firing could beat them but also owners have to be firing and obviously if you're a 3, you would face those Teams in the elite in the elite eight, right? Giving them one more round to

maybe get knocked off. When you play somebody different verses pumping, right? Like, and that's the way we talk about the 2012 team. Like I've said this all the time, many times like that team, I think could have gone to a final four if they're playing anybody but that Kentucky team in the sweet 16 like they just they got the worst break of

playing, you know? It's every time I hear it, like, you know, just watching PTI couple days ago is like, you know, there's no Elite teams like maybe the last elite team was that Kentucky team with With Anthony Davidson yeah that's who we played in the tournament right? And we gave him the best game in that tournament. It was like 10 to 290 or something. Just a great game and but I think being a three alleviates you from bumping into that team in the sweet 16 at least you get

to the elite eight within. It's like maybe they've been knocked off and maybe you just you have that one shot of doing it. It's tough. I mean look it's one of those things where your it's so matchup dependent it really is and and that's, you know, so it's like all you can do is put yourself in position and then hope that The draw is kind and that's what you saw last year. You know, there were teams that just got bad draws in the NCAA tournament field that you wouldn't have thought.

Even before the tournament started, you know, I mean the you look at, you know, a team like like Arkansas gets drawn last year as a four seed in the west and it seemed like a great spot. They're going to play Connecticut in the second round. And then gonzaga's been so dominant all year. Well, guess what Connecticut gets knocked out in the first round, by New Mexico state That

gives Arkansas an easier game. They barely win that one, and then they go in, they beat Gonzaga in the sweet 16, you know? But that, that open things up for Duke, who was able to roll through and then they, you know, they cat got Arkansas in the elite eight, and they win that game. You know, Baylor looks like a world beater last year. They're the one seed, your UCLA. You're like, well crap, this doesn't look good.

UCLA ends up benefiting from North Carolina, beating Baylor or. So they thought and then UCLA ends up losing the North Carolina and the sweet 16. And so you just can't project how these things are going to work out. A lot of, it really comes down to some degree luck of the draw. The seating is there from my perspective. You want to focus on getting the easiest possible game. You can in the first round to get out of the first round, as you can get out of the first

round. It suddenly becomes a lot easier to get your head wrapped around things and what I like about this IU team's chances if they can get past that first game is that they are built. To win in a couple of different ways offensively and if they can play like they did yesterday where they don't turn the ball over, they had one of their best turnover offensive. Turnover rate games in all season, I think they only turn the ball over 11% of

possessions. Then suddenly, you're like, if you're the opponent and you don't have a huge amount of athleticism or you don't have a huge amount of shooting you're having to sacrifice something to guard. One of the two stars on this IU team and you've got role players that can step up and play the other.

Other big Point here, is that now Indiana is actually in the conversation to go to Columbus as opposed to having to go to Orlando or Albany for their first and second round games and they're in the conversation to get to Louisville because that was my question is Columbus is huge and I get in a bracket racket it's fantastic. I love listening to it. Just being a three seed, help Indiana, get the Louisville

region. Well I mean I think it would have And what of a variable it could happen for Indiana, whether there are three or four and it's largely because of the lack of Big Ten teams in the top four seeds, you've got Purdue Indiana's not going to be paired with Purdue. The what's great for Indiana? Is that because Alabama is going to almost certainly be the number one overall and even if they aren't there going to be ahead of Purdue in the pecking

order. Now it means Alabama will almost certainly get the south regional and what that means is that Ooh, we'll go somewhere else. They'll go to the Midwest and Indiana is the next big 10 team and the only other big 10 team. As of right now, that's in those top 16 overall. And what that means is when you're trying to place teams, you can't put Indiana in the same region as Purdue. And you're going to try to put Indiana almost certainly in their home geographical region or close to it.

And in that case they would go to the South because they wouldn't go to the Midwest. Most likely because you'd also want to keep them away from Kansas. If there are four, that's the been going to be the one big question. It's like where Three or four

doesn't necessarily matter. What matters is where the matchups would be and whether the committee's trying to keep teams apart from each other, to prevent rematches before the sweet 16. And so I think that the chances are good, it's just really going to come down to how the season finishes. I mean, seating is one thing, but if you can, if you could give me take seating out of it, if we can get Columbus Louisville as our back-to-back. That's nice. That's take it done, though.

It's nice right now. It'd be hilarious. If you ended up with Purdue and Indiana fans, both in the first and second round in Columbus, which is kind of how its setting up right now. I mean really like that would be wild the one lot of booing and this is the one confounding think it's the one thing where I wish Kansas state would lose more because Kansas state would probably get Columbus over Indiana because they would be slightly higher in the pecking

order. So, so root for Kansas State to lose a bunch of games down the stretch here and route for Indiana to win, and that's probably the best solution. Anyway, we got a bunch of questions. Since we didn't get to, I apologize folks. We're almost at the hour and a half mark, so we need to wrap things up. Final thoughts before we head off into the sunset one. Last question that has to be done. Good. Good. Finally. What Tuesday night against Iowa? Yep. Let's just, let's just bring it out.

Now, what is Fran mccaffery going to do? That isn't going to get a technical called on him? Well, I mean, I think at this point he could throw a chair and not get a tech, he saw him stare down the referee, I got a tweet them out like that, and then they'll bringing back the Him running across the court for the Indiana game. Like Fran has somehow, you know, just like Zaki found the

immunity card for fouling. He's found the immunity card for technicals where, it's just like, oh, they're not going to call Tech on me this year like to see how far I can is like he's in a Dream. Well it's like let's see how far I can take this. That was Bonkers. I can't wait to see what he does on Tuesday. I will say this. He's got the immunity idol for technicals at home. He walks into the eye. You are he walks into the IU huddle at Carver Hawkeye? No, call he stares. Down a red.

I gotta say. I mean it also in all seriousness for the Big Ten to not have already sanctioned Fran, mccaffery for that action. You know, just I mean, I realize I'm self-conscious or self-aware enough as an IU fan to realize. I have zero things that I can complain about when it comes to coaches being given a cushion by the league, I get that historically, but, you know, as much as people complained about Bob Knight's, Antics on the sidelines and be You allowed to

do, whatever. At least bob Knight one shit. Like right, Fran mccaffery, like, Iowa hasn't been out of the second round of the NCAA tournament. I don't think in his entire tenure at Iowa. I mean you, you go back and you look at, you know, they haven't they lost in the first round? The second round, the second round, the second round, the second round of the play-in game. They've only been to the tournament six times in the what 12 years that he's been there

and that's what I find. Amazing. Like they've had one year where they lost single-digit games and they lost nine that year. This is not a top-level coach. It's he's a good coach Iowa's, a tough program to regularly win at we've seen that. But the flip side of it is, I don't understand why a coach who's so mid.

In terms of the Big Ten is given this much latitude to act that way it is. I mean, it really that whole scene in that Michigan State game, just emasculated That official and And for That, official to not do something about it, indicates to me that like it's part of the larger issue. We've talked about for a long time with Big Ten officiating of people who are like you guys, just complain about officials we do, but we complain about

officiating for everybody. It's not just I you this is the kind of thing that can't be allowed to stand. And I honestly think this sets up well for Indiana, because if you remember the Northwestern game that Iowa played right before, Fran got tossed in that game, he picked up to To go files and got thrown out of the game.

I would not be shocked to see Fran gone before the first half ends because I think that whoever's officiating that game on Tuesday is going to be like France, showed up our cow, our colleague in that game against Michigan State and was rewarded for It. Ultimately, because this team won, I don't want to be looked at as someone who, let Fran mccaffery show me up, and it's in Assembly Hall. They're going to let me in the building, hopefully will be

packed. And loud. And I think Iowa will probably struggle a little bit given how emotional the end of that Michigan State game was. So I wouldn't be shocked to see Fran, get some technicals early and be out of there would be great or they could do what they did also, again where they call a tech. But don't, you know, you do the most shout out to the team, and it doesn't kind of. It doesn't go to the scorer's table at the wild just ran to where it's like my old, you

know. And I don't even hate, I don't even I don't. Yeah, go ahead and just watching him France. Terry was during a time, I'd be like Just turn around, its bumpers are just awesome. Yeah. Like, hey, are you just say, hey, friend, turn around right now. I'm tossing it. Yeah, I mean, it's I don't even I don't hate Fran as a coach, I think, I admire friends dedication to offense Above All Else, Meyer him. Like being like, I'm gonna keep pushing.

I mean, his credit, he's like, all right, you're not gonna call it right? Can you do shit? I look, I was there going to go to the tournament. You know that win last night, helped them tremendously, But ultimately I I have a hard time seeing Fran skating, especially in this game at Indiana. I decided I honestly, I think there's going to be a Target on his back in this game and rightfully so because that was a ridiculous display that happened over the weekend. So anyway, gosh, I'm good and

their, no, we're great. I mean, we're great, but like you all of this is great. You can't stub your toe this next week. If you have to finish this at home, you've got to win those two games. And I'm, I'm very Cautiously but I'm optimistic. I don't want to say we're going to but this team is different

like you. And I have been saying this is a different team, this is a different build, it looks unique, it's coming into itself at the right time and this this feels like a team that's going to close out business as it should knows there's a lot at stake here.

I mean, all the things we've talked about but also, you know, we've had those moments where like we have a chance to win the Big Ten title in 2013, we lost Ohio State, we're still cut down the Nets. Like I don't want a situation where like We have traced Jackson Davis is senior night and we lose but yeah, it's not like you're playing the number two, well Purdue team, receiving like these are both winnable games. Like you have jail hitch. If he knows going to be his last two home games.

Like, let's I think this team knows what's on the lines. Like it's gonna suck for their last game if they lose, I don't think. I mean to do that. Here's the thing. All and I'm with you and I think, you know, there's still that kind of devil perched on every IU fan shoulder where you're just worried about the other shoe dropping, but I'd like to note that Indiana so far this season. Has played ten, eleven twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen games at home.

They've lost one game by one point at home. All season, one game by one point, and most of the home games have not been that close. I'm not saying that the point total in the other wins. It's yeah, pretty amazing. Yeah, I mean obviously the owner game was close closer than you would hope. And the Purdue game was closed because produce a really good team, but this has been a really impressive team at home. They've defended home court

really well. I I mean, if they do pull this off and when these last two games, as they are projected to do the idea, that Indiana would go nine in one at home in the Big Ten, we always talk about how that never happens. Like, you're never just gonna go undefeated in your home games and yet Indiana stands on the precipice of doing just that and

that is really impressive. So, yeah, I mean, look, I I have faith that this team even if they start off, slow against Iowa is going to figure it out because I think their defense travels, you know, even in games where Offense isn't going particularly well. And I note that like Iowa over the course of the last month and a half is one one game away from Carver Hawkeye, and that was against Minnesota. So it doesn't count. They've gotten blown out in

those. In most of those were games, they almost beat Michigan State on the road but they got blown out at Ohio State. They got blown out at Purdue they got blown out at Northwestern they lost by 12 at Wisconsin. In a game that Wisconsin completely dominated you know the there was a sixty one possession game. Iowa, never play 61 In games. So this is a good opponent for Indiana to be playing.

The still gotta play hard. They got to defend hard, but I like their chances against an Iowa team that has struggled to play defensively. And you saw that in that Michigan State game and they won when they give up, 106 points along the way. So anyway, we'll see what happens. Tuesday, please, if you've got tickets go God, be there, get excited. This team is going to need the emotional support. There's going to be a bit of a letdown after this Purdue win.

This is a tough win to kind of pick yourself back. Up from and be like, hey, we gotta go play Iowa and two days. Let's get, let's get excited. But this is, I think the, it'll be fascinating for the Caillou teams. You're gonna see. Is it last few times going to see Jackson Davis? And the last two times you're going to see jail Hood fee. Know, I joke, a few the last day, I'll say it's like it's neiu fans out there. Like, again, not getting used to seeing players like this.

Like, don't even start the comments of, oh, well, you know, here's why it like, there are zero point zero, zero, zero reasons. Why Jalen the Cioppino should come back to College. He should go pro, he is a pro and this is when people are like managed to sucks. Yes, this is what. This is. The downside of having a Transcendent one-and-done player is it sucks. Like it sucks for Zion Williamson, for Duke fans like it. This is the great thing is you get him for a year and they're

awesome. The bad thing is like they move on quickly because they're awesome, but like just all of those threads do not like he has no reason to come back. Nor should he. So enjoy his last two games. Yeah. In an idiot. That's why Everyone should go. I swear, I'm going to be about the games because I want to see these guys in this team to last times in Assembly Hall. Yeah, I agree. Be loud. Be excited. Enjoy this. Savor it, folks, savor it.

Yeah. You've everybody's been wanting a good basketball team for the longest time. You've got one? Yes. Enjoy it. Anyway, my thanks to everybody for listening. I know this one went long but as you know, mr. Spock would say, the cause was sufficient. Indiana be Indiana sweeps Purdue for the first time in a decade and puts themselves in a really good. Spot, as they move forward here.

Over the course of the last week of the regular season, and into the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments, will be back later on this week with more, be sure to tune into the women's basketball show, huge game for the women today. They travel to Iowa. They've already clinched the outright Big Ten title, but let's see them. Beat the Hawkeyes one more time. Thanks to home field apparel.

Thanks to our friends at the back home network and thanks to all of you folks for Scott I'm Galen this is Crimson Castle. Will catch you folks on the flip side? Bring back the Bison, so everybody