BGleas

Mike Woodson coached a hell of a game!

Yeah, we must be watching different games as well. Haven't seen him do that very much, if at all.

I'm curious when you've seen JHS do that? Missing shots doesn't make someone selfish. I'm struggling to think of games where's he's taken a bunch of bad shots? Especially given that he's our 2nd leading scorer and only guy outside of TJD that can get his own shot.

Yeah, I haven't seen him play selfishly this season either. Take the Maryland game for example, did he play great? Of course not. He shot really poorly. I saw a lot of fans saying he needed to know that he didn't "have it" and stop taking shots, I can all but promise the coaching staff was telling him to continue to be aggressive and look for his shot. The bottom line is we have an excellent defensive team with a dominant offensive player in TJD. But, TJD can't handle the offense all by himself and JHS is our second scorer. We need JHS to not only facilitate but be aggressive in looking for his shot. Last night was another example. JHS started slow, but we were never going to win that game if he didn't get it going in terms of scoring. Just like at Maryland, we had no shot to win unless he started scoring. He took mostly al good shots, they just didn't drop.

Seems so obvious.

So ridiculous that we don't have a script Indiana alternate. Seems like such an obvious move that would be really cool.

All of Banks minutes were on the wing. Unless I'm not remembering correctly, I believe all of his minutes were with two of TJD, Race or Reneau also on the court.

Every now and then lol!

My bad for being snarky. Shouldn't have done that. It's just that IMO your stance on this is making assumptions that the coaches aren't working together, when clearly they were. I have no idea if other teams do this, but I don't think it's totally abnormal.

You're acting like the coaches are coaching in isolated booths with all communication removed once the ball gets tipped. I'm pretty sure the coaches are allowed to speak with each other, and I'm sure Hunter and Walsh were aware of the gameplan. There was even a moment shown on the TV where Ya was talking to the assistants (I know, imagine that?) about who they were putting in. Ya sent someone back to the bench. Ya also clearly made the decision to not put Reneau back in. He specifically mentioned in the post-game taking him out and telling him he's playing well but they're going smaller.

Wait, didn't Toledo win?

Love seeing Galloway shoot the ball better this year. It's huge. With that said, he was always going to play a lot of minutes on this team. The shooting isn't why, it's just gravy on top.

I can't think of a player in recent memory that deserves a great, long run into March more than TJD. Maybe Yogi his senior year, but even then he already had a league title, 2 tourney appearances and a Sweet Sixteen. I want these next 2+ months to be amazing so much for TJD. He's earned that.

Absolutely and completely agree. Just with this team it doesn't bother me quite as much. Don't want to see the low attempts every game and we need games like today. But, as we've discussed with this team it's all about that defensive identity. The offense has been fine.

I'm confused. But yeah, LFG IU!!

In years past I would have complained about this a lot. This year? I'm completely fine with how we're playing offense. TJD is dominating and IU is playing with an identity and a purpose on that end, as well as very efficiently.

Absolutely! I've had the same thoughts watching other teams offensively vs IU really dating back to Archie getting here. Kopp specifically made a comment, I think after the Wisconsin game, that his role is to defend and create space, then knock down open shots, not to hunt tough shots and get volume of shots. He said he needs and is embracing that role. Agree on integrating XJ and Race back in. That could be tricky. I've always been an XJ fan despite some of his flaws. But JHS has grown a ton and is a legit NBA guard. We need XJ as another ball handler but I think this is JHS's offense at this point and that could get tricky to handle. Also, Race is obviously very valuable, but with JG embracing his role and excelling in it, he adds an athletic element that Race doesn't quite. JG is really good when playing to his strengths. Will be interesting to see.

Don't really want to get into the weeds on it and the whole wing thing again, but IMO it's pretty clear JG wasn't focused on what his role is and what made him successful up until the last two games. He came out this season seemingly focused on proving he can make 3's as opposed to focusing on what his role is and how he can star in it. As you said, it sounds like Woodson had a come to Jesus moment with him on what he needs to do to help this team and to JG's credit he had embraced that and it's paying off for him and the team. I've always said that of JG focuses on his role and what makes him a good, valuable player then he can be a huge asset and reason why this team reaches its goals.

Thanks, I think? Not sure if you mean interesting good or bad? :) I guess what I mean more specifically is that with TJD and JHS IU has two of the best players every time they step on the court and many nights the two best. Everyone else needs to fill in and supplement that with defense, energy, effort and smart play. IU can win a lot of game with defense, energy and effort being the identity and offensively just feeding off of TJD and JHS.

A little late to the parry, but what a great win! So much of college basketball is about a team finding its identity, and if this team has found its identity and can stay true to it then all if their goals are still right there. If this is a gritty defensive team that plays with effort and energy consistently, and offensively just builds around TJD and JHS with the "others" playing their roles and supplementing, IU will win a lot games. It took JG awhile, but finally accepting his role and what his role is and starring in his role makes him an extremely valuable player. He was always a junkyard dog, "college 4", was never a wing. In this role he's phenomenal. Same for Kopp. He made mention after Wisconsin (I think) that his role offensively isn't to put up a ton of shots but it's to create space for others and knock down the shots he does get, while playing tough, smart defense. With energy, effort, a defensive mindset and smart offense, everything is still right in font of this team.

That's also what happens when you're an NBA caliber player. We haven't really had that at the guard spot since Yogi (which seems crazy that it's been that long). NBA talent can get to where they want to.

Over-coaching at its finest. Maybe it's to justify their salaries, but college coaches over coach the crap out of the game.

Great win and great coaching job by Woodson and the staff, both in terms of getting the guys ready and also in terms of adjustments during the game. Also have to give a huge shout out to Jordan Geronimo. He was great today and if he plays like that he is a big X factor for IU and for keeping this afloat while we get healthy. Geronimo finally accepted and played his role, one that he's really good at when he's locked in. I think all of wing talk over the offseason was a big distraction. When Geronimo focuses on what he's really good at and what has given him success in the past he's really good. He's an athletic, intense, junkyard dog 4 that does the dirty work, and in that role he's fantastic.

I haven't gone to look for a link, but it was pretty commonly discussed after the game that Woodson lit TJD up at halftime of that game.

That's exactly what Woodson did to TJD at halftime of the Michigan BTT game. Not like Woodson doesn't do it.