Five Prime

+1.5 at home vs Nebraska who is 0-7 on the road in the Big 10. Almost hard to believe the program has fallen this far.

We aren't the worst team in the Big 10

Woodson's "over the hump" refrain is shades of Davis' "just gotta get Bracey the ball."

Could this team lose the rest of its games? And if so, no way you can keep Woodson at that point, right?

I didn't watch but the program is in such disarray that a home loss to Northwestern is not only unsurprising but expected.

IU administration should demand playing without a 3 point line moving forward.

Peach baskets

I'm not even sure this is basketball we are watching

Ware on bench with 0.3 seconds left when we need a lob to the basket...

In which multiverse reality is there a chance of this IU team going 6-2 down the stretch?

The Big 10 is no longer a top basketball league. Passed up by the SEC awhile ago. ACC has been stronger at the top since I can remember. Even Big 12 may be stronger now

I get it, trust me. Its great to say we are all Americans, I agree. This comment however, does not set us back. Achnowledging our implicit biases helps us move forward actually. If you want to ignore that racism still exists in this country (particularly in rural Indiana) thats fine. In my opinion it's an ugly, yet very real part of the rationalization made on numerous message boards and fansites over the last 15 years about how all that went down. Go ahead and ignore it.

The saga on Sampson is an interesting case study on implicit bias. A group of Indiana basketball fans, comprised of largely middle aged caucasian males, latches onto the main reason for the program's implosion in 2008 to be due to an African American coach's inability to control a roster of largely young African American players because of "drug dealers and pimps". It feels kind of gross saying it like this.

And for reference, IU is #5 in revenue from men's basketball and #23 in revenue from all sports. It's not a money issue, it's a competence issue.

You don't need more time in the current landscape of college sports. You either win or you don't. Heck, in his singular year at Indiana, Sampson was able to peice together the most talented roster we've seen in the last 2 decades.

Ironically, Indiana fell into a hire that may have put them at the forefront of a lot of the "under the table" stuff that is now widely acceptable. A la Saban at Bama. Coincidence he retired shortly after NIL and free transfers?

Self righteous Fandom is pretty funny in a time of pay to play, NIL, unlimited transfers, fake classes (no classes?), one and done, FBI investigations, etc, etc, etc. There is one rule in college sports right now whether we like it or not - winning.

Let me put it this way... What is the one thing you would change about IU basketball in the last 30 years? For me it's firing Sampson.

This is another perspective with some merit. RMK certainly became the face of the university. The decisions made behind closed doors to "correct" it have long been discussed. Davis was fine, the guy after The Guy is not an enviable position. But the decision to fire Sampson was a choice, nobody forced IUs hand. It further escalated the program's self destruction. So for me, that was the harbinger. Everything before then was both understandable and amendable, to some extent.

Spot on. I remember the narrative very well. I followed the program closely at the time, was a bigger fan then than I am now. More astute fans may have seen it as a harbinger of things to come, and in hindsight it certainly feels that way.

I love seeing Houston's continued success remembering we once fired their coach.

Indiana doesn't play modern basketball. Poor shooting and poor guard play, pretty much the opposite of a formula for success.

Find another hobby, you'll be happier.

IU hasn't been serious about basketball since the 90s. It's not worth the emotional, monetary, and time investments. I can honestly say I haven't watched a full game this year after being a diehard fan for most of the last 2 decades. Sad really, but I've found other ways to spend those hours that don't end in disappointment.

College basketball is and forever will be a guard's game. High level guard play has been desperately needed from this program since Yogi. You just don't win big time in college hoops without great guards.