Hoosierfan2017

We’re not going to be a better, more complete team by trading a dollar for 4 quarters. We’d be losing a star without having anyone close to his caliber to replace him. We probably win 12 games this season without Trayce. We had to play through the post so much because we had terrible wing play, terrible guard play, with the exception of an inconsistent Xavier Johnson, and terrible outside shooting. Playing through the post was our only option. The players you mentioned would all have to take astronomical leaps during the off-season. Otherwise we’re going to be an undersized team that also lacks shooting. At this point in their college careers they’re JAGs.

If it wasn’t 5 games in 8 days, folks would find some other excuse. There’s always some excuse for why we lose. It’s never that we just didn’t show up and compete or that we got beat down by a better team. But, such is the fan experience. What I hate seeing is the players buy into the excuse like we saw with Xavier’s tweet. Leave that for the fans. Our players do way too much talking on social media.

And my grade takes that into account. I noted that last year was an F and this year was a C-. If you want to compare it to last season’s win total, you also have to take into account the shorter season and far more difficult OOC schedule last year. Here were my preseason predictions. I think they were reasonable. https://btownbanners.com/topic/13166-last-minute-season-predictions/?page=2 We finished slightly below my predictions in every aspect. I predicted 21-10, we were 18-12 (call it 19-12 if you want for the canceled game). I predicted 12-8, we finished 9-11. Just win the PSU and NW games and we would’ve been 11-9. I predicted an 8 seed, we were a 12 seed. I predicted round of 32, we made the round of 64. We were very fortunate with injuries. It wasn’t a case where our best player or two missed a chunk of time like in 2017. Our starters did not miss any time because of injury. Three of our starters played every single game and the other two missed only one game, which was for a suspension. It was a very similar season to the 2014/2015 season. That year we finished 20-14, 9-9 in conference, and made the round of 64. Even if we’re not a blueblood, we are still a top 15-20 program. This year, like 2015, isn’t what I consider a B season for that sort of program. So, I can’t give a grade higher than a C-.

This is how I ‘grade’ seasons: A = successful regular season + successful postseason B = successful regular season OR successful postseason. C = neither successful regular season nor successful postseason (early tournament exit). D = no NCAA tournament F = no NIT appearance Maybe that’s optimistic and not in line with where we are as a program, but I think it’s a reasonable grading scale for the kind of program I want us to be. Within each grade band is wiggle room depending on the circumstances of a season. For example, 2013 may be an A- because we underachieved in the tournament while 2016 may be an A because we didn’t underachieve. But, it’s subjective. For a blueblood program, 21-14, 9th in the conference, and a first round exit is a down year. Given our circumstances it’s the best season we’ve had in a number of years, but I can’t give it better than a C-.

C-. Better than last year’s F, but there’s a lot of room for improvement. I didn’t find this season to be particularly enjoyable to watch, in large part because of how ugly our offense was. A year like this should be a down year for the program, ideally. I thought Woody may have turned a corner over the last week, but then his rotations killed us again tonight. I’d like to see Thompson/Trayce/Johnson/Geronimo back. Trey and Bates are in the next category of guys I think I’d like to see back but am not completely sold on. The rest of the team… no comment. We need major influxes of talent on the wing and at the guard spots (depending in part on Xavier’s decision). Need shooters in a major way. In all likelihood we’ll also need to replace 30 pts and 16 rbs a game in the frontcourt. Next year could be real ugly, but it’s far too early to know.

Yeah they showed that our previous worst loss was by 25 points. Don’t remember when but want to say sometime in the 90s.

Worst tournament loss in IU history. Woodson screwed up when he took out all 5 starters. It’s hurt us time and time again this year, and tonight it broke us. The momentum completely changed after that.

It’s better to have one guy to rely on than no guys. If he and Race leave as expected we’re going to be looking at a Duncomb/Durr front court rotation. That’s even more depressing than this game.

There are probably 5-6 players on this team I want back next year, and most of them are the guys most likely to leave.

We’ve scored 12 points in the last 16 minutes.

Phinisee has the greenest light I’ve ever seen for a player shooting 32% from the field.

6/6 in my bracket so far let’s go!

Pretty much. It’s only a concern going forward if we put ourselves in this position again. I can’t be mad about being in the play-in game. We finished 9th in the conference, had a losing conference record, and played a crappy non-conference schedule. Someone’s gotta play in it, and we didn’t do anything to show the committee it shouldn’t have been us.

I’d love to be wrong about Woody because he’s a very easy guy to root for and loves the school. Idk what our issue in February was, but he’s got us playing our best basketball at the end of the season. Can’t complain about that. Ideally if some of our guys were thinking of moving on, this run and taste of postseason success will change their minds.

I still don’t like the hire at all, but the last week or so has been the most fun I’ve had as an IU fan since 2016. We’re doing well in the postseason. I hope that next year we can put that together with a successful regular season.

Lol. At least you’re consistent. Trayce has taken his game to another level in the postseason, averaging 26.3/8.5 and 2 blocks per game on 66% over our last four, yet you’re still here beating the same old drum.

GOAT Brady coming back for another year of GOAT-ing lets go.

That sucks. Outscored by 27 from 3. Trayce really stepped up in the BTT, though. 31/10 today. Xavier and Race too. Scored 62 of our 77 points.

Liver King is feeling it!

Trayce packed for 4 days.

Trayce has a jumper after all!!

We’re talking about two role players, and as far as I can tell, there was little overlap between their two absences. Few teams go through a season without any injuries. We’re not talking about TJD or Race missing chunks of the season. They’ve played every game. If you think it should count as something that’s fine, but from an objective, committee-perspective, I think that’s outweighed by our injury luck with our starters.

This seems like a weak argument for us to make, honestly. Might as well make it, but we’ve been very fortunate with injuries this year. Race, Trayce, and Kopp have played all 31 games. Xavier and Parker have played 30 of our 31 games. The only game they missed was for a suspension. I don’t know how many other teams have had none of their starters miss any time for injury.

So are we in the tournament now? Huge game for Trayce. 24/8 and 4 blocks on 59% from the floor. He must’ve seen the games that he can’t play well against bigger players. Hope he does it again this morning.