Aaron

Id be thrilled with 20 wins and getting back to tourney as IU builds this back up with a young team. You can’t supercharge a rebuild and the fact that Ngeuman was unwilling to wait behind Lauren Betts another year (hence how IU got her) should be ultimate proof no starting level big will come when you already have one. If Cori Close can’t get two bigs to work together at UCLA who are both starting level, I am not sure how you think Moren can. There is zero way to divide minutes amongst two starting bigs who mostly occupy the lane in today’s modern game. That is Z’s prototype and no amount of coaching or wishing makes her a four or someone you can split time with divided between two starting level centers. Moren will either look like a genius or an idiot for hitching wagon to Z and this season will answer which it is. However, in today’s game there is no third option to bring in another top tier big or hoard players. Despite what IU fans seem to think, its not always championship or bust. Its about the journey and establishing an identity with this group as Moren did in 2018-2019 before taking off. The pieces are there if Z stays healthy and everyone besides the transfers have at least two yrs left. I am much more concerned about building a foundation and culture and returning to tourney than setting a number on wins and contending. Feel same way about DeVries and Moren and this year will show if they have the stones to coach in current Big Ten environment given talent they have now.

Again in an ideal world I would love two bigs that split 20 min. Its just not realistic in this day and age with NIL and everyone wanting a guaranteed 30 min a night. There were two realistic ways to handle this with Z: 1. Moren tells Z she is to worried about her injuries and recruits over her and Z goes in portal. 2. Moren trusts and hope Z stays healthy and gives her the starting spot and she returns and shuts the door on a high level big IU chose number two. There is an argument to be made IU should have chose number one and recruited over Z and have her leave. However, once Moren chose number two, you took yourself out of the running for everyone except stretch fours like Petrie or a backup level big like Williams. You cant play two bigs together in modern games which limits options once you have a starter level one (even if injury risk). In modern game playing Z at four will definitely lead to a bad season given she operates within a few feet of basket. You can’t have a second starting level player in that mold playing at same time and be successful. Period I have no idea how good IU will be but starting lineup now is Z at the 5, Petrie at the 4, Maya at the 3, Lenee at the 2, and Battle at the 1. Also Nyemcheck and Hare of bench. This could well win 22 games with having four shooters again around Z but key is her health. Hoosiers clearly have more portal money this yr getting a plug in starter in Petrie and a borderline starter in Hare. Both are better than anything IU got in portal last year. It is just impossible to get any player of starting post quality to consider you once you hitched wagon to Z and whether that was a good idea is certainly arguable. There are certainly unknowns and questions, but this is a higher ceiling roster if things click. Between returnees (four), freshman (four) and current portal players (three) you only have two or three spots left and a USC reserve guard visiting today. None of the spots left offer much playing time based on who is there. You can argue with how roster was built, but now that it has been, you are fishing for bottom feeders for better or worse. You can’t assume anything right now based on how talent will do till we see how everyone develops and fits together.

A backup level one sure as insurance policy. A second true starting level center is not coming here as long as you have Big Z. You can be worried about her injuries and it’s legit concern. However, once you hitched your wagon to her, no high end post player will consider being an insurance policy. You can’t play them together and no top center will risk playing 10 min a game if Z is healthy. Its definitely a conundrum, but one you brought her back, you have to accept she is seen as the one who will play the vast majority of minutes in post. Also, Petrie did not fall off late in season and was in double figures six of last eight games. Every fan base thinks they won with the player they got in portal and only time will tell who is right.

Again unless you plan to throw Big Z overboard no top level starting center is going to come to IU. You can certainly make an argument to nudge Z out with her injury concerns, and then a high level center would be banging down IU’s door. However, once it was decided Z is coming back, you essentially took yourself out of running for a tier A starting center. There is certainly room to disagree with team here and send her into portal and look for an upgrade but thats risky. IF Z is healthy she is a top 3-4 center in Big Ten and the glimpses when she played clearly showed that. Another borderline starter like Striplin from two yrs ago at something like 9 points and 8 rebounds would be a great insurance policy and very necessary given Z’s injury history. Essentially the Mackenzie Hare of bigs would be perfect here. However, the chances of a top tier post player like Gracie Merkle or Audie Crooks coming here is zero as long as Z is on roster. It makes no sense for either side. OK State and Minnesota needed a top tier big to plug into that center spot since they didn’t have one. It’s not about name on jersey. IU got a high level stretch-four who can plug into starting lineup in Jess Petrie since they needed that position. However, a starting level post player who camps out on block is incompatible right now as long as Z is on this team no matter how good. Hoosiers are not UConn or South Carolina who can stack multiple starting level players at same position no matter how much we wish that. However, neither is Oklahoma State or Minnesota. They just had a need at that center position IU did not. If Indiana did, they would have gotten a top starting level post player just like these two.

Not sure how this would work. Cant start Merkle and Big Z together. The era of twin bigs is long over and one would have to back up the other and not sure either would go for this. Also, Merkle is very slow which I am not sure fits Moren’s system. Don’t get me wrong, Merkle is a load inside and a legit high end post player. Just not sure how her speed in general and fit with Big Z work at moment.

To me this is the smartest move of DeVries’ tenure so far. He effectively told Sherrell ‘You are free to come here but a luxury and I am not waiting around. You take my original offer or i’m moving on and not letting you drive up price any farther’. Ultimate big league move.

I tried to tell everyone that Moren works quietly in portal and you often wont know till day of when she gets someone. First solid level Big Ten starter out of portal since Shay and far better than anyone out of there last year outside Z. Would like 1-2 more players of this level. However, we won’t know IU is in on someone until they commit. We need to stop worrying that national media isn't linking IU to any good names. Moren runs a tight ship.

And we finally have a player of solid level who IU is involved with in portal. Moren works the portal very quietly and no one even knew IU was in on Scalia or Ciezki till they announced their commitments. This is why I want to see who the team announces is coming before panicking. Need to actually land her or 1-2 solid players, but lack of IU connection being reported with anyone is par for course.

First off Noyan wasn’t even a top recruit, but brought in to back up Z. She played that role beautifully and its not her fault Z got hurt and she was forced into a role more than she is capable. Losing Caffey was a huge shame and there is a lot there you could have grown with. However, the two-top 30 kids are about 20 spots higher than Caffey and seeing their highlights they have a much more ready to go game. Like I said, it could still be a bit rough this year and a couple of transfers would be nice in case Z gets hurt again. However, comparing Caffey and Noyan to this next year is likely apples to oranges. This group if you can hold onto it for a couple yrs has a high ceiling as you fill around the edges.

You absolutely spend half your NIL dollars on a legit point guard and center. Than fill in the rest with mid-major shooters if needed. Trying to spread 1.5 mil each to Bailey, Enright, and Conerway type mediocre players is what got team in trouble last year. The top 2-3 players is what wins you games and should take up 50% or more of your budget. That's certainly how it works in NBA. Don't overpay for a decent fifth option like Mustaf. However, for a top player like Burton or a power five center, you pay whatever it takes as these guys wins you games. There is no 'overpaying' for the difference makers. Only what market says they are worth and you meet it.

IU needs a couple more from portal. However, you could easily role with the three returning starters and two top-30 freshman and be much better than last yr. If you want to hold on to these top freshman for more than a yr you have to play them big minutes like it or not. Michigan did exactly this with its freshman class a couple of years ago and is now rolling. Ideally you add some more, but roster is nowhere near as bear as this time last yr.

I’m still not convinced Dusty at Michigan=Dusty at IU. I do think his personality alone and reputation would have gotten us into tourney and possibly make second weekend run. However, it definitely seems IU has devoted its NIL resources to football and does not have as much as we’d like for basketball and Michigan pockets are much deeper. I think May took Sweet 16 money and won a title with it and could probably take bubble money here and be in second weekend. However, the difference between not making the tourney and winning title was not Dusty May here at IU. It was respectability and until Hoosiers’ athletic department has enough money to fully feed both sports, only football will be title contender. Now with that said, until proven otherwise, I am still not convinced DeVries completely understands roster building despite being a solid tactician. Whether number he has to spend is 12 or 14 million (even if 18-20 is ideal), i am not sure this staff gets you have to be willing to ‘overpay’ and bid 4-5 million for 2 stars and fill in rest once you identify a must have. Once you identify said person, you don’t let someone outbid you even if it means a markup from what was initially planned. Chris Ballard has made this mistake for yrs with Colts of ‘assigning a value’ to players and losing them when they exceed his price. This is the trap I am afraid this staff is falling into and it leads to a lot of mediocrity. Devries is a fine coach and will win at exactly level of talent he gets and builds. The question is not his coaching and style, but if he and his staff (especially Ryan Carr) understands the nuances of roster building and this is the unknown so far that has everyone antsy.

As I have said, IU better be ready to overpay for talent at key positions. If it cost 4 mil apiece for two top players you are going to have to pay it. Unless, you want to bargain bin for another mid-major roster and miss tourney, I recommend paying crazy numbers for 2-3 stars and filling in rest. Whether its DeVries and staff not allocating resources correctly or being NIL poor, swimming in shallow waters again will tank era whether its their fault or not. Its time to make an offer to a star that blows them away even if its 40%-50% of your budget. Thats what starts the train. Otherwise getting talent you need wont happen. I could care less about Estrella whether he comes to IU or not. However, IU needs to overpay for p5 level big regardless of who it is.

First commit out of portal: Decent body to get on the board so early in portal. If idea is for her as 7th to 8th player in rotation I like it and gives more depth than past. If plan is for bigger role, not good. Have to see if this is first get before several higher end players coming later, before I make full evaluation of portal class.

Dumb. He has done better than anyone there with zero resources. Either give the program more to work with or be grateful for what you have. They are not getting anyone better.

Everything wrong with the program in one night. Bad relief pitching from best reliever on team and offense dying in late innings. Blame goes to all starting to top.

Dont be surprised if IU finds a pulse now and closes strong to sneak into big ten tourney. Mercer teams always get hot late. It just takes half a season to find defined roles and salvage respectability which is the issues with his tenure. Not something to be proud of.

Wisely I agree. However, if you find all talent on top level costs 4 mil for anyone then you have to pay someone at that price. If you can find that talent for less great. You can’t though be locked in on 1-2 million for someone if all that gets is role players. If fielding a tournament level roster cost 20 mil than great. If its 10-15 mil even better.

For 2 mil per player be prepared for more mediocrity potentially. You pay whatever market says it cost for good players and find money later. Whether differences maker cost 3 mil, 4 mil, or even 6 mil, you have to pay what market says unless you want to miss NCAA Tourney again.

Thats the question. Though is will you get a proven talent for 4 mil or will that cost 6 mil. You pay whatever market value is relative to talent.

If you find every higher level player cost 4-5 million, then thats what you do. If you find someone of level of Harralson who wants less, great. If not, then you will have to pay 4-5 mil for two high level players. If IU pays 2-3 mil for a bunch of mediocre talent, people will start complaining when roster isn’t talented enough. IU needs to pay what the market says it costs for high level players whatever that is.

To me Harralson is the type of guy you pay 4-5 mil for both from an optics standpoint and his talent. As we learned last year, much better to have two guys at high level than a bunch of 1-2 million guys. For people saying its to expensive, unless you want a bunch of mid-prospects again and another yr of missing tourney, i’d highly recommend overpaying for a couple difference makers over less expensive OK guys. The best players are worth what market says they are worth. If thats 4-5 mil so be it. Can’t get into ‘this guy is too expensive’ again or you won’t build a competitive roster. Once you like someone and feel they are a must have (regardless if its Harralson or someone else), you pay whatever it takes to get them to IU. My sister fell in love with a house recently she couldn’t live without and had to pay well over asking price to get it. If Hoosiers find that similar must have player you don’t put a value on that.

Third straight yr thats happened. Makalusky was 34, Nyemcheck 28, and now Parker 26. Definitely headed in the right direction and how recruiting is supposed to look. Hiring the new recruiting guy was game changer.

I’m going to give everyone three names that make sense to take over the program to chew on. While bringing back the past in Lemonis or Smith is a misguided temptation in my mind, I have a better name if program wants to go that route. New blood with Indiana connection: Mitch Hannahs. Turned Indiana State into a power in a strong Missouri Valley and now doing similar at USF. Also, Rick Heller has succeeded at next level at Iowa from ISU pipeline showing moving up from there works. The dream candidate with some semblance of realism: Dan Heefner. Has built a power at little known Dallas Baptist over 20 years. Whether he wants to leave that program after so long though is open question. The guy from IU baseball past who actually makes most sense: Ben Greenspan: Helped nudge his dad (not sure to what extent) to take IU baseball seriously and led to Bob Morgan out and Tracy Smith in. While Rick Greenspan was a controversial athletic director, fixing baseball and taking it seriously was the one thing he actually did well. Since Ben got into coaching ranks, he was front of the line in helping Smith recruit and develop CWS team. Also, already turning around a NW program with worst situation in conference and only one still playing on Sembower type field. I also assume his dad being fired didn’t make him want no part of IU since he continued on Smith’s staff well into Fred Glass era. Smith has had game pass him buy in NIL world and struggling at Michigan. Hiring him would be Thad Matta all over again. However, a protege is a good option. As for Lemonis, no thanks. He is light yrs better than Mercer at moment and his teams play clean. However, even as elite recruiter, his player development was so-so and that is more important now in NIL era. IU needs to look ahead for someone who has never been a head coach here before. Not bringing back glory day coaches at IU from past which often fails.

I absolutely would take Lemonis over Mercer. However, its not those two as only choice and would much prefer new blood who is rising up coaching ranks over either of them.