Leaderboard

You could also make an argument that the real success will be in the middle 3-4 or so guys. We probably know roughly what we're getting out of Burton, Sherrill and Yugi, but the difference between 5-8 in conference vs top 3-4 in conference is probably how well Mustaf, Harris and Lindsay or maybe Sisley perform.

I would love another Sam Alexis!

That is great in a perfect world, but foul trouble, fatigue & injury are certain. If Sherrell twists an ankle and is out for 3 games during conference play, who is playing center in your scenario when Samet picks up 2 quick fouls? I think a capable back-up center is still an absolute requirement for this roster.

We are looking for a Michael Durr, or if possible, a Sam Alexis comparable to fill out the backup big role. A solid citizen that can defend the post and isn't nervous out there. That's about it I would expect.

We keep getting a good discussion going in this thread which naturally leads to roster use and minutes projections. I am sympathetic and empathetic to those good souls who are regularly veering this thread in that direction. But cut it out!

More than likely the top 3 signings in Burton, Sherrill, and Yugi/Lindsey will be more crucial to our success than the last 3.

^^ Aren't these posts better off in the roster thread? Just trying to keep up with actual portal with IU interest stuff here --

saw this on facebook hahaha.

Living in the Evansville area my whole life and currently living across the river in Henderson, this pretty much sums up how I feel about pUKe struggles right now.

Yes. Personally, I care about this rivalry. Probably more than Purdue. I don't like them. And to be honest, they put a lot into their bball program and they're a good measuring stick for us. They've beat us up pretty good for 35 years, which is annoying (of course we had a period of not playing them in there). I'd love to see that change. And I'll say it again, once our current series contract with them is up, my wish would be playing them every year in Lucas Oil 50/50 crowd split at midcourt. If they want to alternate the 50/50 crowd to the Yum Center that's fine, but IIRC Louisville may be able to block that. Anyways, this should be the Red River Rivalry of CBB. To get back on topic, I hope UK's portal continue to go poorly.

"Tasty waves, a cool buzz" (and in Todd Golden's case, young chicks to CoachRizz).

Big weekend for OVs. I don't know how accurate the lists are but regardless, it's a list nonetheless. 247 List On3 List Monshun Sales Raheem Floyd Kenaz Sullivan Jayce Brewer Mason Oglesby Brady Scott Antwoine Higgins - Cancelled

Things are fine!

IU didn't pay the kind of money they did for either of them just to stagger them. They paid premium money to create mismatches on both ends by playing them together. Still think we need another 6'11-7 foot banger that can defend and rebound off the bench.

Team needs a tweener 4/5 that can play 15 mpg minimum, those minutes are there. That is the teams top priority. If Sisley cuts into his minutes, great, but you need front court depth. After Samet and Sherrell you have two other frontcourt players; one who couldn't crack the rotation at the end of the year on an 18-14 team and a reclass who physically is probably a year or two away. Not getting a serviceable big off the bench drastically lowers the teams ceiling.

100%. And especially because Mustaf and Harris, and maybe Sisley are as talented as our best/proven top three. Lindsay is more of a known quantity - doesn't seem to have a ton of variability, so our team's ceiling isn't as dependent on how he shakes out.

We better take advantage and curb stomp them in Lucas Oil

and if she isn't I've got a lot of egg to wipe off my face. She's on campus and Lenee and Fenn both posting pics on Instagram. 5'6" guard originally from Seattle, WA. Not an offensive threat but sounds like she's a really tough defender. https://usctrojans.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/malia-samuels/17640 https://lasentinel.net/shes-got-game-and-a-mission-malia-samuels-is-changing-the-score.html https://www.theixsports.com/features/malia-samuels-defensive-chaos-usc/

UK adds unranked freshman point guard Zyon Hawthorne , little brother of redshirt freshman Brandon Hawthorne to its roster. Kentucky is now up to nine players, none of which have ever been all that successful at the division one level.

"There will be games you won't play but there will be games you play 15 or so minutes". This type of sale for 5 man could realistically get us a Payton Sparks level big man. I'd be ok with that in all honesty. You're not getting an ambitious high level player at this point imo.

I'm not wrong. You said Stirtz/McCollum were going to be a problem for the B10. They went 10-10 and lost to Penn State and Maryland, the two worst teams in the conference. They weren't close to contending in the B10 this year, they were .500. They finished exactly one game ahead of us, with a much easier schedule....and we were not good at all. A fluke tournament run doesn't change any of that.

I cannot wait to watch the UK meltdown at season's end when they end up with a coach that doesn't line up with their expectations of who they think they'll land.

Mike Davis gets a new gig. He's back in the SWAC. Maybe Jerry Rice can pony up some NIL money for him!

Agreed. Far too much Cayuts talk around Evansville. Need to bury them this year. Pope has proven to not navigate the portal well after the disappointment of years 1 and 2.

I can for sure see a need for another 5 AND another 4, and as you mentioned for depth.. I don't think a guard will play much at all, if signed.

You are far from the stupid guy around here. Maybe not even top ten! And as the current sixth stupidest guy, I should know! (for some reason, this reminds me of a Borat line) The "House" in House v NCAA is not the US House of Representatives taking legislative action, it is a class action suit brought by a U Texas swimmer named Grant House that established revenue sharing as a defined revenue stream that universities share with athletes. Now, multi-media sponsorship companies like Learfield have filed a motion that proposes that they are exempt from the established revenue sharing calculations. If that motion is granted by the court, the rich will get far richer; teams like Texas or Indiana with a major media/NIL platform will get tons more funding from exempted NIL through these multi-media sponsorships. Of note - this is a motion to be considered, and has not yet been decided on.

....I foresee Sisely coming out this year looking more fit with a noticable increase in muscle. jmo

Seems USC, Maryland, Indiana did work in the portal this offseason. Not sure where all Washington’s money went. Oregon not spending like I’d expect either.

He will always be part of the family

….yep, KY Gov Andy Bashear is not happy about that either.

Id be thrilled with 20 wins and getting back to tourney as IU builds this back up with a young team. You can’t supercharge a rebuild and the fact that Ngeuman was unwilling to wait behind Lauren Betts another year (hence how IU got her) should be ultimate proof no starting level big will come when you already have one. If Cori Close can’t get two bigs to work together at UCLA who are both starting level, I am not sure how you think Moren can. There is zero way to divide minutes amongst two starting bigs who mostly occupy the lane in today’s modern game. That is Z’s prototype and no amount of coaching or wishing makes her a four or someone you can split time with divided between two starting level centers. Moren will either look like a genius or an idiot for hitching wagon to Z and this season will answer which it is. However, in today’s game there is no third option to bring in another top tier big or hoard players. Despite what IU fans seem to think, its not always championship or bust. Its about the journey and establishing an identity with this group as Moren did in 2018-2019 before taking off. The pieces are there if Z stays healthy and everyone besides the transfers have at least two yrs left. I am much more concerned about building a foundation and culture and returning to tourney than setting a number on wins and contending. Feel same way about DeVries and Moren and this year will show if they have the stones to coach in current Big Ten environment given talent they have now.

I love our fanbase. Lol I think there will be games that our two bigs play over 30 minutes. If we're a good team. (Top 20, better than 6th in conference) there should plenty of mop up minutes for a third big, to include injury/foul trouble. If Sherrell does average over 30 minutes it means he's under 250 and in great shape. I hope Burton can complete a season playing around 33 minutes a night.

Maybe we agree more than I thought, But in my opinion, they need someone for more than just worst case scenario/long-term injury. Fouls/match-ups/fatigue with the bigs are gonna be regular occurences. Much like we saw this last season, post play is vital in the B1G. So gotta have depth, since one is none.

No you don’t. We’re already playing two seven footers surrounded by some unproven shooting. Your best bet will be to stagger some minutes with Sherrell playing 5-10 min a night at the 5. Playing a substandard 5 man 10mpg so you can always play two bigs just comes at the expense of our wing players where we are much deeper. We’ll just drive our efficiency, especially offensively, off a cliff trying to do that. If we get an Alexis-type, then great. I wouldn’t expect it with this next pickup though.

But that isn't the type of pitch IU has going into next year. IU has two proven front court players right now on it's entire roster and those guys are expected to start along side each other. Sisley obviously figures to factor into the rotation somewhere, but he's more of a tweener 3/4 than he is a 4/5. You can easily sell 15-18 mpg game to a more than serviceable big and not have to worry about breaking any promises. Honestly, I think Sisley's best path is improving as a ballhandler and perimeter shooter and becoming a 3 and D player on the wing. I'm not terribly comfortable playing Sisley exclusively at the 4 until he improves his strength and rebounding numbers.

Need a back of the rotation big for 8th man minutes and two practice players. Maybe we go to Europe for the 8th man.

Yeah, I agree about those 2 but Manhertz prob needs a year to put on some muscle and adjust. I'm mainly worried about the Bigs and Yig foul trouble plus the fact that we are injury prone. All I would like to see is one or two developmental bigs that actually have some obvious upside like say (Josiah Parker) not him as a depth Big, but with his level of ability. I think that is doable with the time we have left to sell.. IMO

I don't even know what you're saying anymore? We don't have room for a 15+ minute per game big off the bench because the names anonymous posters are throwing around on message boards are too big for the perceived role? That seems different from you previously stating that we don't have hardly any minutes to sell.

They were #365 out of 365 in KenPom. So the good news for him is they literally can’t get any worse.

If the Warriors and Steve Kerr part ways, GSW are expected to look at Todd Golden

Plenty of frontcourt minutes to sell. Samet and Sherrell aren't playing all 40 minutes. I wouldn't pencil Sisley in for any guaranteed playing time just based on last years play. Sisley will obviously play, but you have potentially 14-18 mpg to sell for the 4 and 5 spot off the bench.

We'd be damn lucky to get Sam Alexis for the minutes we have available. Michael Durr would be very solid, too. I don't think fans are how little we have left to "sell" someone on coming here. In just a very respectful way, I don't agree with this at all. Karvala+Moody I full expect to be in the Top 10/11. And, if they aren't able to do that, I don't know that we scouted all that well.

He would be a perfect option for this team.

Easing into it next season

Haven’t watched Branham live but have seen plenty of highlights and his stats against good competition and there is a lot to like. Looks like a possible McDAA and a kid that could help IU from the jump. That said, I’m way past taking much of Rabby’s player evals serious. He gets so biased with certain players and just often sounds like he’s making excuses for when they don’t play well. His evals and commentary on Lander, Cupps and Booker to name a few were borderline ridiculous if not embarrassing. And partly why I jumped off that site. If Trevor has things to say, I’m all ears. He is an evaluator. Rabjohns is a journalist. Anyway, looking forward to seeing more about Branham’s play this spring and summer.

Full night of IU football Thursday on BTN.

Signed. https://www.insidethehall.com/2026/04/20/iu-basketball-announces-the-signing-of-duke-transfer-darren-harris/