Magnanimous

Other than refusing to hire blatant cheaters, cover up for scumbag players, and let athletes take fake classes, there isn’t much the administration is doing to get in the way of our head coaches. The facilities needed upgrades 15 years ago. That’s been addressed. Paying a coach $4.5 million instead of $3.8 million isn’t going to make our players shoot any better. This team and these coaches are well supported financially and with regards to amenities. Many programs are doing more with less than what IU offers. We still have somewhat of a rabid fan base, new locker rooms, new training facilities, a separate practice facility, luxury dorms and apartments, high level marketing, etc. And in all honesty, none of that crap really should be necessary to put forth effort and work on developing as a player and a coach throughout the year and offseason. We’re not competing not because our players each need to have a PS4 in their locker. It’s much simpler than that and saying Archie or any potential future IU coach doesn’t already have a full arsenal of resources at their disposal is completely false.

That’s why we can’t shoot the ball?

In all seriousness, if this team can’t score in the half court then it needs to start pressing for most of the game ala VCU under Smart and just beat teams down.

The 2018 class is turning into the (Bowel) Movement 2.0. Going into this game the four remaining players (including Thompson) have scored a total of 207 points this season. I don't care if there have been injuries, not a single one is scoring more than 8 ppg. I was very high on Archie when he was hired and really liked what I saw from him in year one with regards to ball movement, emphasizing defense, and off-ball screens for shooters. The offensive sets have not only not improved, but have clearly regressed, and he has failed to bring in any semblance of a quality shooter. He'll get through this year in all likelihood since Glass is retiring in May and a new AD isn't (likely) going to fire a coach in late spring/early summer. However, given how weak Archie's foundational class is turning into, there isn't going to be much to work with next year. Guy better bring in some quality transfers at guard/the wing who can contribute immediately or he will definitely be shown the door after next season. Not only is this abysmal basketball, but the program has zero flavor as well right now.

Dumb....

No high profile OADs, no OADs who are good enough to leave but stay 3-4 years, bloated OOC schedule, conference realignment, non-marquee programs are becoming the new face of college b-ball, etc. The NBA is down as well, which may say something about the viewing public’s interest in basketball itself right now.

Yes it would have been worth it.

Team is feckless

Unless you’re off the Archie train and want him fired right now there isn’t anything a new AD will bring to the table that will change the trajectory of IU sports, which for the most part are doing very well. Unless you want our basketball program to start paying OADs, which we’ve seen has a low percentage of working out.

That team also beat UNC, who won the NCAAT that year, and Kansas, who was also a 1-seed. If they didn’t lose to Fort Wayne that team would’ve been ranked #1 in December that year, and probably would’ve still missed the tournament...Has any other team ever beaten two 1-seeds in a season and still missed the NCAAT?

I’m of the opinion that except for rare 5* talents (TJD), freshmen aren’t real basketball players at this level. Transitioning to college itself is difficult enough, and throw in balancing basketball time commitments, being undersized and needing to bulk up, being on national TV every game, etc., you’re really in an observation and testing the waters phase. You’re an intern, not an employee. So we’re in our first year of Archie’s guys having this be “their team” and not guests on a roster. It’s December 13th and we’re 10-1. This team is a major work in progress, but you can’t deny they’re playing aggressive and busting their butts out there on both ends. We just got our star PG back. It’s not about how you’re playing now but how you develop throughout the year. Players emerge, benches tighten. I understand the frustration but if we had beaten Wisconsin and played exactly the same tonight with the same OT win, would people be complaining this much? Again, it’s December.

The point was we’ve lost at home to Lipscomb. Indiana lost at home to Lipscomb. And I also threw in a home loss to Eastern Washington in year six and a loss to IUPUFW as the number 3 ranked team in the country. So in response to “nothing under Crean was ever this bad”, yes it was. A lot.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/game?gameId=283630084 https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/game?gameId=400585909 https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/game?gameId=400915120

This game was such a mess that Archie just went with the safe rotation down the stretch. It’ll be good to see Arman and Hunter work more with Phinisee now that he’s back. Smith needs to want to be the guy more than every five games, and Trayce needs to demand the ball more throughout the game.

Can Davis dunk?

This isn’t basketball.

Get the ball to the ballhandler on the break!

Our fifth scoring option should not be leading the team in shots.

A certain segment of the fan base was living in la la land and would not have been satisfied with anyone less than Stevens or Donovan. For everyone else living in reality, Miller was considered a great hire.

We played terribly but people need to get a grip. This will likely be a fringe top 25 team throughout the year. We’ll have highs like Tuesday and lows like today, but writing off the season based on one game in December is ludicrous.

Devonte is our only alpha. Too many players content with getting 3-5 shots a game.

Games like these are why I want us playing two road games each year from a rotation of Ball State, Valpo, Evansville, IUPUwherever, and Indiana State. Set something up where we get 50% of gate revenue or something, but road games are a mental hurdle more than anything and it’s a good idea to get our team eased into them each year in a pro-Hoosier road environment.

Our guards aren’t getting any offense set up, our big men aren’t calling for the ball enough inside, our D is a step behind on every play and no one’s communicating. Recipe for success.

Wisconsin setting dirty screens ala Mitch McGary on top of the circle.

I’m not kidding when I say given how weak the top of college basketball is this year, this IU team is actually capable of making a Final Four run.