kreigh8

Does the starting 5 start the second half? I think it was clear the best lineup that half didn't include all the starters. I'd like to run with TJD, Race, Franklin, and two of Al, Leal and Lander

Nice close to the half. Need to sustain this when Garza returns

Forget TJD's replacement on the recruiting trial - recruit better guards especially at the point guard position

Woof - Lander is like a walking turnover. Such awful passing

I'd love to see them run that elevator screen set for Franklin. He's nailed that a few times, but we seem to only use it in desperation time when we need a 3.

Franklin is going to lose some teeth today with the amount of times his shot is getting sent right back into his face. Shoot a jump shot, please!

I'm fine with that, just figured he'd see the floor for his shooting and his shooting alone

Franklin and Phinisee don't seem to thrilled on the bench. Both have been sitting and not standing as most on the bench have been. Phin back in now, but just an odd look

Thought someone had said earlier his failed test was of the Covid variety and he was dressed and in warmups today and the rumors of a failed drug test was simply a rumor. But perhaps that was a rumor about a rumor. Not entirely sure anymore

Still no Hunter. He normally would have seen the floor by now to spell Race

Ha, are you saying I'm not normal? Not sure what the response should be so I'll cover both sides of the spectrum: Fire Archie for this deficit. - Dumper response If go on a 9-0 run with Garza sitting we've tied this game - Pumper response Either way - Go Hoosiers

I disagree. His elbow never did get anywhere near his chin. It was his shoulder or bicep. Happy to see him sitting, but I didn't think it approached that of a flagrant.

2 on Garza early! Take advantage

New mask, same Archie offense

Don't seem to be good at the ft line, the 3pt line, or layups. 9 wins thus far seems to be an achievement from what is our offensive talent, or lack there of. Can't let Iowa get hot from 3pt line early, or it's going to be a long day and wait for the Super Bowl.

Hoping Lander is a faster progressing Scottie Wilbekin from Florida. Scottie entered Florida as a 17 year old and made a final 4 as a Sr as well as SEC POY. Lander left high school as a far better prospect - I'd love to see that type of progression, with better results than Scottie as a sophomore and beyond.

Again, I don't see anything wrong with not wanting a coach to become bigger than the entire university which I think is really what it boils down to. They still pay the head coach plenty of money (top 25 as has been stated here) and an enormous recruiting budget. If they really wanted to keep the program down they'd squash that budget tomorrow and Cook Hall wouldn't have been built. Are they making it hard on any HC, possibly. But when I hear they want the program down to where it's at, my mind goes to the owner of the Cleveland Indians in Major League who actively worked against the better of the club and that I have a hard time believing. If Archie and the team have a cutout of President McRobbie they undress after every win then maybe things are more dire than I think, but I'm hoping and praying that's not the case.

I honestly have no idea. My response was to your statement that the admin wants every sport to be average. The soccer program is far from average. How much money is involved in that, I'll leave to answer with someone with more knowledge about the athletic dept.

Hadn't heard this before and thanks again for covering it. This is even more depressing though. I had high hopes for Archie as one of my "wants" for a coaching hire was someone who was actively working for USA Basketball as I thought it would help land major recruits. He's landed his share of major targets, just can't seem to put it together. It's puzzling as things seems set up to succeed even if there's hurdles to hop through with the admin

Soccer seems to do well for themselves...

Well, wouldn't that be wise as to not allow a coach to become bigger than the university? Things went very badly for them when they decided (were forced?) to move on from Knight. I guess I just don't get why they wouldn't cut the budget both for the salary of the HC and the recruiting if this is where they want to be. I wasn't happy with the way Allen was hired without a formalized recruiting search, but I'm gladly eating crow now and seems to be working out quite well for both parties. Can't it just be simply we haven't found the right coach to lead the basketball program yet without some hidden agenda from the admin? I appreciate you covering that, but if they were happy with the results, wouldn't they also want to save costs? You could likely produce the same results that Archie has in 4 years at a fraction of the price?

If the admin was so deadset against athletic success why aren't they actively sabotaging Allen and the football program? If they were so against athletic success why do they continue to allow for such a large recruiting budget? I'm just not buying this conspiracy theory until I've seen some tangible proof as to their desires. Just doesn't add up to me, but maybe I need to get my tinfoil hat on.

IU basketball is top 5 in at least something! Pumping for my own sake after last night

If people were pissed when Archie swung and missed on Brooks, Kauffman and the like I shudder thinking of the reaction when Alford fails to land anyone of that caliber. It’s been over 30 years since he was at IU which will be nearly twice the age of anyone he’d be recruiting. If Dolson fails to see that, we’re doomed. Love to be proven wrong but I don’t think I would. Strike that - I don’t want to be proven wrong as I’d prefer someone else.

You are correct. At 6'5" he was pretty active on the glass and his steal lines pop off the screen compared to what we watch on a nightly basis this season. Just quite disappointing watching Phin's lack of progression this season. I've heard a lot about how much he improved over the month of January and December, but part of me is wondering if he'd simply set the bar so low that expectations of him have been lowered significantly.