You're listening to the back home network presented by home field apparel. Welcome back to Crimson, cast Gail and Flavio Scott Caulfield here in a rarity. We've got both of us in the same room for the This one Scott was in town and I got pushed to the Bloomington Regional. I really am. The voice of the site is Bloomington is Scott's playing games? So it's a, it's an interesting setup, but now he really wanted the Hawaii Regional. Does it smell until you want
living rooms? Well, I guess that's right. So yeah, so Scott texted me he's like, hey, I'm around and I'm like, oh yeah, we had podcaster. So we decided to talk a little bit about what's coming up this week and just to tournament in general lots of fun things going. Gone. I continue to try to flood the Zone in IU podcasting circles. As I was on mind, your banners this morning. I listen to you on the way down. I'm sorry. No, that's fine, that's good
time. And then I'm on assembly call radio this evening, and then we're doing this. But your heart is here. This is how it is here. Yes, this is, this is, I would never go into the portal with podcasting. I feel like I found a home. Oh, that's a great, another table. Like we have a portal pot of like, who would get recruited where? And Yeah, no, we should probably avoid that. We had to get in trouble, but
no, we're here. We're going to talk about IU, obviously, as they get ready to take on Kent State in a couple of days. It feels like it's like a month from now. I know it's and it's going to continue like, feel like a mom because those be all the game happen between now and both sets of play in games and then essentially all, but one of the other games in the tournament played before, Indiana takes the court, well that did whether the some of the games will still be going on.
But you they'll be started by the time they get there. So yeah, it's, it's interesting. Can get there like a nor'easter going. I'm sure they're there but yes, Zack kosterman apparently he's reported that they did make it safely. So I'm happy to hear that. But yeah, before we get started, let's talk about home field, apparel, our presenting sponsor of the back home network. They got the mystery boxes out - apparently shipped. So, I'm waiting for the outcome here for the first one.
It's always, I wanna know what you get I do too, I have no clue, but mystery boxes wanted many innovations that we see out of home field of They just released a Yukon bomber jacket, but that'll my father yesterday. It's great because now people in the Northeast can try to be as cool as people from Indiana. They needed this for a long time. It's been a rough road for people, you know, in New England. Just just a lot of disrespect across the board. Yeah. No. And yeah.
So I'm glad this rough time. So many championships, like it's so tough. I'm glad. They're finally entering like the cool kids club and look
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And I, you would think that we've got like special Communications going with home field. And honestly, I was surprised as everybody else. When They drop something, it's written. There's nothing we are, we essentially are just consumers. Yes, but we happen to also be people that talk about the brand Allah has a consumer have to Consumers. Absolutely. So, home-field apparel.com be
sure to check them out. All right, let's talk about IUI, actually Scott, I have some bad news, we don't have the game isn't happening. All of the pundits have said, Indiana is losing, right? And so, we might, as well just not even play the game. So we, you know, tough season for Indiana the for to close out. The way that a weird note. Yeah.
Beat by Jeff Goldman Osaka to happen but you know as you look at those horns, look wait wait wait who's Jeff Goldman or judge Jeff Goodman. Sorry and Goldman edges. All of them Andy Katz. Yeah even now as you look at the season-ending we got to talk about the portal so you're not going to have Trace next year. You guys out you know you're gonna get some good minutes out of it now it's a bundle. You said a funny thing on the way down on the mind, your ban
on the mine, your banner plays. Listen to on the way down. But like how, you know, I was thinking of this in a different Rent term, but you know how the brackets get released and all of a sudden, everybody turns Kent State. As you said in the 86 Celtics, that it is funny because if you any of these games and I'm not knocking them, any team here is good but like Kennesaw states in the tournament. We played them in, December liked any of these games in December. It's like, Yeah.
Well, my 20, like nobody would have done a preview pod for Kennesaw State and that game. It's like, oh yeah, we'll beat them by 20. And if we played Kent State in November, if you like Gary, probably about five or ten. But now because of the tournament because they won their conference, like, Look at him, you're like my god.
Look, how do you stop? Kent State and like, and you can't take them lightly, but on the flip side, like this is a game that if it happened, you know, 12 weeks ago, you'd be like, well, Indiana should win by 15. Yeah, it's one of those weird things. It's it happens every year with the tournament and part of it is just the media cycle, right? Everybody needs something to say and everybody is looking. They're trying to find things to react to they're looking for things.
They can grab onto and then It's that, you know, how do you guarantee that? People are going to pay attention to you throughout the week. You keep hammering something that you know, is getting responses. And look, I think there are people that legitimately believe that Kent State's going to beat Indiana. And that's fine, that's fair.
But as you said, it's just an oddity because so much of this week's the gravity of this week, really comes down to this idea that we're going to anoint certain teams and then we never hear about them when they lose. We were talking about this last year. Yeah, you know, you look at the teams that A the tournament Nelson. Would you please stop? This is the problem with doing in persons. Why we much prefer being being
distance? E, with this stuff because what my older golden retriever is just like mulling Scott. He's licked his drink cup already is if you saw that picture of John Moran and the strip club like Nelson is treating me very similarly really kind of disturbing. But anyway if you go back and look at last year's tournament I
like doing this a lot. You know if you think about what were The most well-regarded team's overall, you know, so like Davidson Davidson was, you know, they're in the Atlantic 10. They had a great regular season they beat Alabama, you know they want at VCU they lost in there in the A-10 Tournament final everybody's like oh, you know, 8C Dave or 10 seed Davidson last year that teams going to win. They, you know, it was a close game but Michigan State beat
them by a point. If you go to Chattanooga, who was a really highly regarded team won the Southern Conference was 27 and 7 going into the tournament. You know, was a really top level team again beat VCU on the road that that must have been the key to getting into the tournament last year. Now that I look at it, you know, played Murray State, pretty close played Belmont clothes and they were a 13 seat. Everybody pick them to beat Illinois, Illinois, and up, winning that game.
It was close. It was a point, but they ended up winning. And you can kind of go down the all of these, you know, I mean, there were teams that won in this General range, the top level at Large, Has New Mexico state was one but like South Dakota State everybody loved them. They actually, you know, that was a team with a great offense, a top-15 offense in college basketball and then they ended up losing by what 92 Providence. I think I mentioned that on one of the earlier podcast.
So my point is, I understand the rhetoric. I understand the commentary this idea that well, you know, we're looking for, who are the best candidates for upsets in the first round. It's just wild. Hearing it over and over, and over again from the, you know, from like different media sources and you dig into it. And it's like, you know, yes, they played some teams close early on in the season, but I am not yet.
Sold on the idea that IU is going to just go in and lay an egg in this game and every bit of analysis has essentially been. I, you can't handle sincere carry or are you kidding? It's like, is there any thought process about the other Action. Or is this just like, oh, we couldn't possibly, you know, it's like, it's like the the Byzantine Empire getting attacked by the Ottomans, it's like, well, eventually we're going to give up Constantinople.
That's kind of how it feels with coverage about IU. In this case, haven't heard as much about Constantinople the NCAA prep Ivan listening to, but I like the history / NCAA finals. Is this Dan Bull? Not Constantinople now. Very interested as the song goes. No, it will. First off, I mean you Each media, you know this like if you're on ESPN you can't be like well chalk bracket. Like you got pick it all for one seeds to get there. Like what's the next segment like we done?
You like you can try. This is a part of that. Is that the other piece that I love about this time? And I heard as listening to One Shining pod, they talk forever about, you know, Memphis, how much of a trouble Memphis could give Purdue. And it feels like, I'm just picking this example, but it's like Memphis as guards against Purdue guards and I feel like you get one of those every year and then it's like, oh, they lose the FAU.
It's like that. You talk about these matchups in the second round, that end up never happening because the teams don't get there, but it's one of those things to a large degree. Nobody really knows what's going
to happen in these games. And it's important, look, everybody could be right, Indiana could go out, play terribly lose by 10. I mean it's entirely possible but it is worth noting that you know, both the analytics sites like Ken pom and torvik and also the betting sites you know which for those who don't understand a wagering. It's not like Vegas thinks that there are four point favorite.
It's no. The public thinks that there are four point favorite in Vegas tries to set the line so that it's even on either side so that they make money. The fact that there are four point favorite is the does mean something. And, you know, I think on a neutral floor, when you don't know anything, you do have to rely on the things that the computers are telling you, and that the general public sentiment is telling you.
I think those things probably matter more and at a high level, you know, you didn't ask if it's like in the end, I think for this game. For Indiana and I said this earlier going I think of the Big Ten Tournament.
What's going to happen again for Indiana against Kent State, and against Miami. And honestly, against whoever they play in the next rounds, I think it for this team, it has so much more to do with this team than the opponent, like, if Indiana loses to Kent State, I think it's going to be because they went into the normal Indiana Swoon. They didn't look locked in. They didn't play great defensively. I'm not trying to say it's like it's, you know, no team can beat Indiana.
But every time this year that they've lost, they've had these moments. It's like we're just not playing at a high level. When they play Locked In, they've won every game or they've won that segment of the game where they're locked in and again, it's not just, I've never maybe the Penn State game where they shot like wild or the Iowa game where they shot really well. But even in those games, you're like the defensive effort that entails putting in doesn't seem to be at their highest
capability. There hasn't been a game where I've seen Indiana locked in and then another team has beaten them. So to me as I, you know, Bury the lead so speak. Like I look at all of these games in the tournament, it's like Indiana's either going to win or they're going to. I don't miss a beat themselves, but they're just not going to be locked in there. Going to allow another team to come in and kind of take them. And it's not like, it sounds like it's like, oh, you're hired
him. It's like, I just, we're really good when we're locked in and I just haven't seen anybody beat us. When it's like, oh, they're playing with full intensity, we win. It's just matter of whether we do that or not, you really have to go back to coming off a break and and even even then it's like you think about the way they played at Started that Iowa game at Iowa, they like a 21-point lead.
You then Ruiz Thompson goes down and then Iowa starts to hit some shots and things kind of spiraled out of control. You still only lose that by two but no by and large a friend helped coach that game. He did. Ya do it was very agreeable, coaches very gracious of Fran to come in and try to give some advice on giraffes. And you know, I mean it's amazing but it is really fascinating with this. I you team.
And when they are locked in, when they're focused, when they're playing at a high level, they really do. Do have the capacity to beat almost anybody in the country. It's just that a the Big Ten season, especially down the stretch, didn't really provide that even you know, I mean look, I was as critical as anybody about the Penn State game in the Big Ten Conference tournament. Realistically speaking, they played at 9:00 the previous night, they got done with that
game. What 11 10 ish and they were back on the court at 2:00, the next afternoon. That's not much time to turn things around. You would To see them perform better in those sorts of circumstances, Penn State had a similar sort of turn around and it had to play the previous day, so it's not an excuse thing, but I do think from the standpoint of this particular game. Expecting I you to come out unprepared and unmotivated and Kent State to have all of the juice is not realistic.
It could happen, but it's the even, I mean, a lot of people have brought up like I you lost a Richmond in 1988. Why we're bringing that up? I'm not sure but even go back and watch that game. I actually just digitized. It and putting it on YouTube later. I, you had a shot to take the lead with a minute to go in that game. They had a three to take the lead with five seconds left in that game or I think that was it. Yeah, retired.
At least it wasn't like, they got blown out and weren't paying attention. Even if you want to go to more recent examples, you know, I mean, in 2015, we do against a superior, opponent in Wichita State, I, you was in it for most of the time and last year, you think about a lot of people thought that I, you might Beat Wyoming.
It was a struggle, a little bit early on in the first half and then I you gradually put some distance between themselves and Wyoming. And I think I mean I don't think that the numbers would say, Wyoming last year was a better opponent. And I, you was a worst team last year than this year, in terms of I use better and can State at least by the numbers is slightly worse.
So, yeah, I think that, you know, it's just, it's an interesting thing because it's clearly got a lot of IU fans kind of Of, you know, they're worried about how people are on edge. I've already seen, like there was a call for questions for assembly called tonight and someone wrote in something like, you know, if I use this to Kent State, like, you know, what'll happen like who are Woodson and Dolson going to blame, and it's like, come on like that.
Like when we're in that mentality, a, I'm expecting disaster is not a healthy way to go about things and be it's possible to just lose basketball games without needing there to be. Referendum on everything. And I don't think Indiana is going to lose this game. I think the numbers and just the overall composition of the teams are, are favorable for Indiana, and a lot of ways.
And with as much as we've heard about sincere carry, as much as we've heard about some of these other folks that are on this Kent State team. You know, whether it's, I don't know Malik Jacobs or, you know, whether you're talking about jail and Sellinger, you know, they've got some good pieces, no question, but so does Indiana. And it's, it's going to Be interesting watching Jalen a jiffy, no handling himself in
that environment. It's going to be interesting watching, Tre Galloway, handle himself in that environment. You know, d.c. tomorrow, Bates, continue to play at an elevated level, which he has the last few games that he's been out there for IU. But what's the answer for? Trace? Jackson Davis, right. You know, with Trace Jackson, Davis, I don't think that Kent State seen a passer out of the post. Like Trace Jackson Davis All Season.
You know. How do they handle him initiating offense from to Feet away from the basket. Does he do what Timmy did against them? Or does he decide? You know what I'm going to distribute? Maybe Miller cop will shoot when I pass him. The ball tomorrow Bates certainly will shoot when I pass him. The ball. You know what is Mike Woodson have up his sleeve Woodson All Season at least offensively has really been about how do I take my stars?
Primarily Trace Jackson Davis and put them in position to put points on the board. And then how do I get us to play solid defense? He's had more success offensively than defensively but But, you know, the thing about this Kent State team is that most of their success has flown from the defensive end. It's not a team that has historically at least over the course of this season. Put a crapload of points on the board and made you worry, that's
the time to team. I'm worried about not so much. The Kent State version where it's like we're very much defense first. Indiana has faced defense has this good all year. I think they'll figure out how to handle it, especially against the team that's relatively under sized. I mean, the thing with Kent State that is concerning as they have made come back. Against all of the teams especially against Gonzaga and Houston. They made comebacks in those
games. And so that's something a little bit concerning because I could see Indiana getting to a lead and then taking their foot off the gas and then having you know, Kent State run back in but to go to another appointment like fans being nervous and concerned, I'm not trying to wash it. Let's enjoy the game. Let's enjoy the gate. Like, I'm all for talking about what this means, and how we put it into context later. But I would just urge fans out there.
Like, this is the fun part, enjoy it. And I'm not, if we do lose, I'm not trying to, you know, rationalize it already. But what I would say is that, you know, what we need to do is a program and I'm not going to say that, you know, we lose everything's fine but it's like as a program. We've we gave ourselves a shot at being a protected seed in the NCAA tournament. Like that's what you want to do year in year out, and then some years, you know, Duke lost the first time, Michigan, State
lost. The first round can Virginia law also wants to meet you teams can have, can't, wait, can I say Kentucky lost the Saint Peters? It has a zipper do all this protection sees, it can happen, you know? And yes those season suck but you give yourselves enough shot as a protected seed in the tournament and good things will happen it. Now if we get to a point that we've done this five years in a row, first off, would still be
old enough. That's probably time to go anyway, but if we've been a protected seed, five years in a row, we lose in the first round every single year, then. Yes, maybe it's time to look at something we're not there yet. Like, so I would, I'm not saying we're already having a success as a season, but I would say that, That we're kind of there.
I'm like the goal is to put yourself in the position and then really like watching that game last night with a pit and Mississippi State. You know, I had this thought that, you know, the guy from Mississippi State, you know, had a Defender, just didn't pay attention. He went out for a 3-2 need to three. Could have just drove a basket but he missed a wide open three. It's like he makes that you know, 35% of the time during a season, maybe 50% wide open. It's like we make a referendum
on a season. I'm basically one dudes missed shot, like, so, his pit better now because the Dude, They did, they played horrible and of game defense. And if I missed a three and like humming, just one game, but it's like I'm gonna go on the record and say that both of those teams stink. Yes. But anyway, go on one of them want a game of bracket pit might win another game and it's like so did they like it's weird
referendums that we do on it? Like I think this is much more of a three to four year program but it's like we did what we need to do is we are a protected seed we gave ourselves a really good opportunity. I think that this is a really good pod for US based on the things that you've talked about on, you know. Mind your manners that I agree with you. These are two with Kent State. Miami. They're the type of teams and Drake to like none of those are Iowa. Penn State type teams and profile.
They're just going to Blitz you with threes and crush us which is what we have a trouble with. So it's like you got a good, you got to draw here. I think that if we play locked in for the majority of the game, we should be able to beat Kent State but you know this is the tournament and they're all going to be tight close games. What makes me feel good is like I think I mentioned last pod in most of the Close games, we've
won them. And so like, that should give everybody in it, you know, an Indiana fan feeling good about this because this isn't when we lose, we just lose big. We don't lose close games. Yeah, it's true. And look I think ultimately IU needs to get to the tournament. Let's start there like though. It's and that's, that sounds like we're above that. We're not. We're not that. We're not above that. We've got to get to the tournament consistently.
Well, now, this is two years in a row that I use been to the tournament. It would be nice to win a couple of games this year in the tournament last year. You won one. I've you don't want to count that as a full Tournament game, whatever it still counts as a full Tournament game. So I you needs to win at least one maybe two here. Ideally to maybe I'd love to see them win more but these are the steps that you take and you know
so long. We've been waiting for IU to get themselves back into the conversation and what I find fascinating about you know the discourse around this team and how out of whack from my opinion I you Fan's perspective is is that this is the first time Indiana's been a top four seed in the big dance since 2013. Like even the year they won the Big Ten title in 16, they were a 5 seed and it's only the third time. They've for the fourth time. They've been a excuse me. A third time.
They've been a protected seed, going all the way back to 2001. Like the, you know, the because they were a flat plate, can't stay when they played Kent State which are maybe not a great home in there. But you know, I mean that that's what we're talking about is that ultimately IU has been so bereft of the basic things that you look at.
The top level programs out there, the Dukes to Kentucky's the North Carolina's, the Michigan State's, just just being in a position where you played a good season. And here's your reward, here's here's a good seed in the NCAA tournament. Is it enough to just do that?
I think there's an argument to be made that right now in program development and history and where Indiana is trying to get back to. It is enough to at least say hey we were one of the top 16 teams in college basketball in the regular season as a judged by a panel of 12 people whose job it is. To do that.
I'm not satisfied with that. I want to see them go out and beat Kent State and as again, I think they will but I wouldn't I'm not going to go through some kind of abject freak out if that doesn't happen and you certainly I can't tell you how to feel as a fan. You could certainly freak out, it'll hurt if Indiana loses this game, but I don't see a lot of rationale out there to say that. Well Indiana is going to be
really lucky to win this game. No, I think it's the opposite, and that's, that's what the computer. Say, and that's what the betting public says is well. And I do think that those things matter historically speaking. Yeah, I'm just looking like Arizona, like their historical seed. You know, it's a 2-1 none and 2021. But then like, in 1918, it's a 4 and the 2 and then a six, and a two, and a one, and a six, and if I'm like, they had, you know, liaise here there.
It's like, they're just, you know, every four years, they're averaging two and a half years where they're a protected seen in Arizona is not even like what I would consider the highest level of blue, but you know, it's it's a fair point. And that's why I'm not freaking out about this.
And I think that we're in a good spot, and it's a game that we, the thing that you also mentioned in that mind your banners, I want to hit on. Yes, you talked a little bit about, you know, how Trace Jackson, Davis sounded like the, he really wanted to burnish his legacy here, you know, in the post games, after the Penn State game. And I think it's it's interesting and it's goes to the point that you mentioned that, you know, he's had to.
This team has had basically two opportunities in the last two, and a half weeks. Only thing that kind of makes me nervous. Is they've had two opportunities in the last like, three weeks to do that after they beat Purdue on the road, they came home to an Iowa and Michigan team at home. And theoretically, after that win at Purdue, they still could have won a share of the Big Ten
had they won out. Had Purdue lot a lot of ifs and buts but they were still mathematically able to win the Big Ten Championship. They, they kind of didn't didn't show up against Iowa and I'll give you trace your take the kind out of. Yes, yes. And then Get to the Big Ten Tournament. They have a draw that breaks well for them. And they could have at least gotten to a final and played Purdue again in the final and they didn't do that.
That's what concerns me. Now, your point in the mind, your manners pot was like, you know, Trace needs some his teammates to show you. Look at Trace just going from the Iowa game on and that Iowa game. He had 26 points, 27, 24, 24 offensive rating of 120, 110 6126, and 161 against Penn State. It's fair to say to me, like, you know, Trace you did your part, we're gonna put you You aside this is where the rest of
this team. You got to help Trace out because now we're out of opportunities to burnish his legacy from a win-loss perspective and doing so you're not going to win the Big Ten. You're not gonna win the Big Ten Tournament, you guys kind of didn't do that. Trace will show up. Trace has shown that he's going to show up, he needs the rest of his team to show up with him.
And, you know, these aren't tough ass, but you just got to beat Kent State and maybe a might, you know, Miami Florida team and then you're going to a sweet 16. And I think at that point it's like Trace punches his Chiquito, he punches his ticket out of the, you're just a stats, dude.
And it's like, so I just, I thought about that on the way down like it really does come to the complementary players here and I feel bad at partially for Trace Jackson Davis just because he he obviously knows what's at stake here and he's doing everything he can. You just need the rest of your team to show up and help you out well and you can, I think you
could hear it in his answers. That there was a lot of frustration with the way that that game went and You've seen it on the court, if you're paying attention to his body language, like the amount of times that we've seen him, give really top-notch, performances, only to be let down by a lack of contributions. From his fellow, folks on the court people who are veterans people, who should be able at this point to provide that consistently.
That's probably been the most disappointing part of this year. And, you know, when I look at the way that this team flows, I All the stuff we talked about at the beginning as far as this team can't beat itself, you know this team has to get engaged mentally, all of those things, matter a great deal but it's almost exclusively Something That Matters to the other four
players on the team. Because, you know, I mean, last year, there were some games were traced Jackson, Davis didn't show up, you know, I mean, you could, you know, the and some of them, it didn't matter that much. But like the game at home versus Illinois, the game at home versus Purdue the game at home versus Maryland, which Indiana ended up winning This year, we just haven't seen that.
I mean, you know, you go back through, you know, he didn't have a great game at Purdue in terms of points but he contributed in so many other ways, but he has been such a consistent contributor and he's been almost always the best player on the floor for either team down the stretch here. You can't say the same about his teammates and you know jail no trophy, no. As much as we have loud at him and talked about how this this is guys.
Going to be drafted. He's going to be a guy with the Long career in the NBA, the inconsistency has to stop. Now, you know, you always hear this, well he's no longer a freshman. Well if that's the case, you got to start bringing consistently and, you know, it can be done because you've got a guy in the post who's doing it. Consistently, you know, you've got to get more consistent play out of Miller cop. He cannot he cannot be scared to shoot the basketball at this point.
I want to jump in on the jail and thing real quick. You know, and you do here that they call these inconsistencies a freshman. It's like but But and we've been high on Jalen Hutch fee. No, I'm not trying to knock him but he's getting into that real. This is this is, you know, it's because he's so good. But when you look at a guy like Brandon Miller, you know, his, you know, he's only had three games in the last two months where he's been under 100
offensive rating. Like the last couple games is offense, of Ray has been 120. 130, 130 for an 80 and 89, and a 119. 149 163 having just he's been, yeah, unbelievably and Again, he's a he's maybe the third pick in the draft but like Jalen's not that far off, like your talk about it, being a lottery pick like and he's way more inconsistent than somebody like Brandon Miller. Think the hears the prayers. The issue though, the thing with Brandon Miller you're right.
It says it's the best cop. I mean it but it is in a way because I think the thing about Brandon Miller or that type of player that's important to keep in mind is that Brandon Miller doesn't have to initiate the offense and Brandon Miller. I think trust his teammates to some degree too. Perform in situations where he can't his brain and his teammates have performed pretty well across the board. I mean no a clown who's also a freshman has played really well.
You know, Charles video is played really well. There's there's a lot of players on that team that have been consistent performers. I think we're Jalen Hurd Ruffino gets into trouble. Is that everybody else seems to be waiting for him and traced to do things. Yeah, and so jail. No trophy.
No finds himself in a position where In mentally is like, if I don't do X Y and Z, we're not going to have a chance to win, and when he tries to like draw Defenders and distribute, he passes to people who don't shoot or don't don't take advantage of
things when it happens. Yeah. And they do, that is such a burden for a freshman point guard, to have to carry where he's not and you know it when it works it looks like one of the best things you've ever seen on the basketball floor mean that was the game at Purdue was a great example. It's like here's a guy who just took A game over. Yeah, and played at, you know, essentially an All-American level for a game, but you shouldn't have to do that every time out.
And I feel like to some degree, The Supporting Cast, both the other starters and the bench have had this tendency to defer over and over again thinking. Well, I don't have to shoot here because I need to give it to somebody else and that can't happen in the tournament because if I'm Kent State, I'm looking I'm saying if we shut down, Jalen Hurd, Fino. And if we make life difficult, entrees Jackson Davis. We're gonna win the game easily. Yeah.
And They may be right? And that's where ultimately to me this is a referendum on if of anything on you know can this group come together and play with confidence in themselves? Not to guys play with confidence and three guys, just don't take anything off the table, which is how I feel like a lot of these games down the stretch of have gone. Like this is where you have to have an assertive game and you know I you has been at its best when Trey Galloway's been
assertive. When race Thompson hasn't tried to do too much. When you know honestly like in the Big Ten Tournament. One of the things I was pleased about was we've criticize them for trying to do too much on fast breaks, and they really didn't do that in either game, like, there weren't a ridiculous amount of turnovers. You know, it's fascinating to me when you think about, you know,
that Penn State game. One of the things that was notable was how well Indiana took care of the basketball five turnovers. And that entire game, that is rare for Indiana, and they don't turn the ball over like a hideous amount. But that's Really low number that 7% of possessions, and yet they lost.
Because, you know, that a couple of times where they couldn't even get a shot off because the people that needed to shoot or needed to try to do something, tried to defer or fell or, you know, just couldn't get it within themselves to do something. That's what's got to stop Indiana. Can't have players playing scared or playing? Too much within themselves?
That's not going to work. I mean, I saw a great quote, there was somebody that was interviewing one of the Miami assistant coaches, it was actually John title from Hoops HD. It's a good interview if you want to go check it out where he was asking them. Like, you guys came into the tournament last year you were looking at 11 seed, you make an elite eight for the first time and I think program history, like what was the secret? And his answer was what we played with joy.
We and that sounds so trite. But he's like, well, you know, we just, we essentially embraced the fact that this was the Just go around for that particular group. We're going to enjoy every moment and we were going to try to do as much as we could in the moment. But do so in a way that wasn't out of fear and that's what the thing that concerns me about IU is that they carry such a weight of expectation, not because of anything that they've done.
But because of the name on The Jersey and the expectations from fans about that, that it is hard for this team to play with joy, especially in these circumstances. And I think to some degree you saw that That down the stretch from The Supporting Cast, where they're worried about making mistakes, rather than just playing doing the things that they know how to do, and seeing where the chips fall, and that's
what I hope. They're able to grab some time between the lost that happened on Saturday and the game starting on Friday night this week. I totally agree. Yeah, it's like you're dead on with that. Yeah. So I don't know what that what how they do that? I mean I will say I think Mike Woodson has a much better shot. Any of the IU coaches that we've seen in the last 50 years of having his team come in, not tightly wound.
You know, I think that Woodson with his experience, not not necessarily playoff experience in the NBA, but certainly that factors into it. But just his experience with dealing with players. I think this is where Woodson really can shine in that if he can get this team into the right frame of mind where they realize that Kent State's of threat, but that they're not an existential threat. Yeah, you know, that they're that.
That I you is good that I you should be confident in themselves, you know, rather than saying well God we really got to watch out for these guards on Kent State because they're going to they're going to force turnovers and we're going to be really like instead be like guys.
You've dealt with much harder to deal with guards this season and you in most cases, you've come out on top, like, putting the team into a mentality where they are not looking over their shoulder, but instead are saying we're in Indiana, you know, we won 22 games and we beat Purdue, So we've done a bunch of really good things this season. That's to me where Woodson if you know this is where he earns his money you know, I think and
and that's my hope. I don't know if it'll happen you know but he had them into Right Center Line. Last year, you know, at a time when they should have been doubting themselves and, you know, you got to kind of throw the st. Mary's came out a little bit with the travel and everything else, but the fact he had him ready in that first game, I think does show that he has the Capel of the capability of talking to this group in that way. No, I think you're right and the
other. The other thing to be Positive about is, it's funny of my memory is a little bit different than what remember this. But, you know, you, you saw that down the stretch last year from Jordan Geronimo. Although, I'm laughing because it's like it was really just one game. They see the Wyoming Game. Like I thought he had a little better run in the Big Ten Tournament, but he did, but he got injured member. That was the that was the issue. Like he started to play well.
And then there was the injury kind of took him out of the mix, but the point stands that you know, last year you have a guy in Geronimo who didn't play much, he played well against Yes, 20 minutes. I mean fire points but he, I mean he did a lot of good things like that, but he was definitely a up and down roll player last year and Woodson and Geronimo together, like to somehow, they found a secret sauce there at
the very end. He still had a pretty good game against st. Mary's to and had a great game against Wyoming. And you know, I have no memory of the same areas game and he's a Saint Mary's. Nobody we all got like our memory, hold on that. We have no clue what happened in that game other than we lost big. But you see it happening again this year? Tamar bait.
Somebody who also has kind of an up and down year and you know, you go to the Big Ten tournament tomorrow Bates has a very good game against Penn State for himself and you know you hope that this is the start of the over. He has a nice little run like Geronimo did and it you know it's small sample sizes but it's better than nothing and it shows that Woodson's able to again back to our Point. Those are the guys that got to show up. You can get 14 points in a effective offensive game out of
Tamar Bates and good defense. That's great because we've both agreed liked race tracks and stations gonna give you what he's gonna give you. Can you even when he's down? Now it's Jalen is definitely up and down. But even when he's down, he's giving you a good /, maybe not an efficient performance, give you a good performance Gap and he's always solid on defense. You know, it's just it's those
other guys. And so that is where and I do think the nature of the tournament although I would have said this for the Big Ten Tournament so I'm kind of going against myself. But the nature of the this tournament is different than you know, we lose a game against Iowa at home and suddenly the next day is a cot. What's wrong with his team? Once everything is a crisis and everybody's like you looking at their play and like God, you look like shit that game. It's like, there's something
nice. The tournament where he's like, it doesn't matter who looks good or bad. If we beat Kent State's like we want like moving on like doesn't matter. If you had a bad game like we won you miss five defensive assignment of No One's Gonna Be talking about. Should we change start like you want to move it on the stock Miami like there's no time and even the week off, we make the sweet sixteen.
No one's gonna be like hey we're in the sweet 16 but you know tomorrow you missed you like nobody cares about anything at that point. Now is just like it's complete and I think that you were dead on to like if we can just get out of the first round. I think the runways clear for this team and there's a world where if they play whoever they play in the sweet 16 you know, they could just make could be playing with joy because at that point it's like who cares and
you know it's it's funny. I mentioned we think about our sponsor home field. They have a great cherry-picking newsletter, but they did a newsletter on that Syracuse team, the cues in the house. Oh my God. Oh my God, those are the John Wallace team, right? But I always think of that team and that wasn't a great Syracuse team. Like John Walsh was a good college player but it's like they just, they Were having fun and like they were having a great time.
They went to the final game and damn near beat Kentucky. I think that year so there's a the last time Indiana had a team that played with any level of Joy. Was the 2016 team. Yeah, really was. That's the last time I can remember I you players going out on the floor and just doing good stuff and looking like they were having a good time with each other.
We've only had a couple and like because the 2013 team was wow, like that team was like they knew they had to win, they got wound up. They were tight. The 2012 team played with joy. And I still stand by, they, they just met the wrong team in the they played the absolute worst team in the tournament for them in Kentucky, but that seems play with joy and then maybe past that like the O2 tip. These are all team that had good success in Marvin.
I will say even once, they're 06 team at the end, when the pressure was off because they knew Davis wasn't going to be there anymore. I mean, that team, you know, there was there were some aspects to it was like okay this is actually fun again a little bit. So yeah, I look it just it's so teams are Pritchard. Had the dunk I think like oh, I was like 11. Well that team had was Joy. There was nothing else there.
Yeah no but yeah. So look I know everybody's a little bit you know, on edge about this week and I get it and certainly we were, we will look at what happens in the game and we'll give it a thorough evaluation. I really do believe though. I mean, I think getting through this first game as the biggest challenge Indiana is going to have in this tournament. I'm not predicting to go to the Final Four. I think like that. I mean, I think there's you there's Talent realities we do.
You don't have you don't have a deep bench in terms of guards? Yeah, you need guards in this tournament as we've talked about throughout this week with Kent State but I also think it's teams. Got a tremendous amount of talent in a bunch of areas including their starting lineup and I'm just excited to see what happens. It's going to be really fascinating to watch it. Develop watch how they come out and play, you know, I think it'll be a close game against Kent State.
I think Indiana is To win by probably four or five, like right around where the spread is at. And I think they'll figure it out as they go along. But, you know, I just, I'm to me, it's like, I'm still in a mode where I feel like to some degree. The season has been underrated in terms of how Indiana performed because it felt like we spent the whole last two months of the Season waiting for the other shoe to drop and it
really never did. Yep. And and so, that to me, makes a judging what to expect in the tournament, very difficult to do. But overall, I'm pleased, where with Indiana's at, I'm pleased with what the draw was. I'm pleased with how overall this team has played this season, and particularly in the Big Ten season. And so, I'm looking forward to seeing what they can do in the NCAA tournament. Yep. I agree.
And I think you kind of end on this like you you would mention this and one of the other pods we talked about that, you know, like this season. Just going again, not picking those comments. The idea of like, you know, what is the what is lost mean? Like, if we do lose or we win whatever, like You sold me on this like this season. How we look at it is going to be part of a Continuum of the next
couple of years. So if we lose to Kent State, but then next year were protected seat, again, we go to the Sweet 16 like suddenly this is going to look different if we never get to the tournament again der Woodsen. This will look different like how the next three years ago is going to affect this year? And that's that's something I think that everybody myself included forgets at the end of a season like I want to put this season into context, it's like
you really can't like that. That 2016 run like that was nice. And then we lost a North Carolina ending That season by card. Lets me up this team. Hit a wall and but then it's like, I look differently at that because like, that was kind of the last time we ever were good. And it's like that, that clouds how that is now remembered. It's tough and and perspectives the hardest thing for sports fans.
Yeah. Because again in the in the mind of the IU basketball fan, who's been at it for a while. This is a premier program and in the eyes of everybody else, this is an also-ran this This is a program that is all hat and no cattle and to go to the tournament, two years in a row, to be a protected seed, hopefully to win, you know, two, three, four games in. This tournament is a step forward, the the winning, the games part. But even the protected seed, part is a step forward.
And you cannot, I think I think at least, you know, least I will not judge them based upon what the final outcome was. I'm going to look more Okay, what was the overall season? Like how did that really work? And You Know, It ultimately for me, I'm excited that they've got the opportunity to play this. I'm excited to get a chance to watch them. And I think that, as you said, we're just going to have to accept that this is part of the rebuilding of Indiana
basketball. Maybe they take a big leap in the tournament this year. Maybe, it's maybe it's a tiny leap. They've already taken a leap by being in the position that they're in. Yeah, it's been rare in the last 20 years of Indiana basketball. So let's embrace it and let's see what all this is for that with the only third protected, seed, in 20 years 12. Yeah. 13 sick. Excuse me. 12 13 in this. Yeah, that's it 12:30. Yeah, that's, that's wild, isn't it? Then you go back to its 02.
So it's for in 02, they were five seed now, you're right. Yeah. So before that, it's not, it's 01. And then you go back. You know what? That's what that's one thing, you know, we're back to you have to go back to 1993 because they were a fire, I believe, they were Five seed, and I think I've ever actually ever foresee 294, sorry. So, but I mean, now we're talking 30 years ago. So like this is how rare this is for Indiana to be in this
position. And that's, that's just, I just want people to keep that in mind and you can be upset. No, no. It's you can be upset if they lose their point be thrilled. If they win, this is rarified air for Indiana in college basketball. I just want everybody to keep that in mind. Yeah. So anyway, let's go in, that'll wrap it up. I, oh, I know I was doing our home field stick at the beginning and I just, I did.
It just slipped my mind and it shouldn't have but home-field getting into the ni L game just released a whole women's basketball collection with a Grace Burger shirt Mackenzie home sure. Tom Mackenzie and Grace shirt a Terry Moore and shirt like this is by these. Please, and get down here. I think tickets are sold out actually for the women's first and second round as they take on the play-in game winner and then Miami or somebody else.
We might get a double Miami this weekend, which I don't. I'm all Flicked it a little bit. Yeah that's why I'm not I'm reading for Indiana and all of them but this is I was not expecting this to happen where it's like okay multiverses are popular. This is like the game of Multiverse brow lash. It's wild anyway, but Scott thanks for stopping by my house. Yes. Made it very easy for me to record things and thanks to the
dogs. Who finally settled down Nelson, we gotta get in. Come on back and I'll sit skills. Getting you back to the trainer comes over here buddy. My God. Anyway thanks to all you folks for listening thanks to our friends at the back home network. And go Hoosiers will look forward to seeing Indiana in action as they take on Kent State in a few days. Bring back the Bison. So long, everybody. Someone's going to get mad at me if I don't say it. Catch you folks on the flip side.