Aaron

This is women's soccer. Not volleyball:).

Based on a contradictory statement from the Hysterics in the last podcast I still am not sure if NIL is an issue or if Moren is carefully selecting less talented players who fit her system. Hysterics said in last podcast that Moren did not have enough NIL. However, in next thought they said a current top player in the women's game would cost Moren 40% of her NIL budget. If that is the case, that seems perfectly reasonable and could definitely use that 40% on someone great with the other 60 divided amongst the other players. In any league the top player gets about 40% of the salary cap or budget. After all an NBA max deal is 40% of cap and Oumar Ballo's 1.8 mil NIL package is nearly 40% of the men's roughly 5 mil NIL budget. That statement by Hysterics saying Moren needs more NIL and then saying she could get a top player for roughly 40% of her current NIL budget left me really confused. First part indicates she needs more money. Second part indicates while an increase would not hurt, there is certainly enough there for an elite player at the amount of money currently available without totally hamstringing the roster.

Love the clutch 3's and responses every time Iowa made a run. Hawkeye bigs are better than Indiana's, while Hoosiers have the better guards. Today the IU back court was superior to the Hawks front court which was difference. Def not a game I had them winning and best result of season. Iowa is not as good without Caitlin Clark but still solid and a definite postseason squad, so key win at their place. Still not sure they can beat the top 4 (UCLA, USC, OSU, Maryland) teams in league even at home which is where they play all of them. However, outside of that, everything else is in play from fifth place down. Still would take a miracle to be in top 4 and host again but if they can get to the six line in NCAA Tournament they could def advance with an upset of the 3 seed. I had them closer to an 8 or 9 seed and 10-8 in league. However, if they play like today, 12-6 and that 5 or 6 seed in March Madness which is far more advantageous for advancing out of first weekend is def in play. Also this was just the second win in Iowa City since 1994 with the only other one being during COVID year with no fans in 2021.

While Woodson is a disaster the one thing I think we need to realize is neither Thad Matta or Dane Fife being here still would change anything. For everyone who thinks those guys leaving spelled doom we need to face the facts that they were not solutions and their presence on the staff made zero difference. Game has clearly passed Matta by and his hiring at Butler was same sentimental thing IU did and his tenure there has gone about as badly as Woodson's. Bulldogs working on seven year NCAA drought after two bad hires in a row with Jordan and Matta. They have become irrelevant locally. Tonight they were leading by 14 with 5 minutes left before a very mediocre Villanova squad scored final 22 points at Hinkle Fieldhouse for win. This sounds really familiar to Indiana's issues. Matta was a great coach in his day but end of OSU tenure was poor and he has been worse at Butler and don't think his knowledge in today's game was any great help to Woodson. As for Fife, he blasted NIL and talked politics at work and I know for a fact those reports were 100% true. While his heart is in the right place, his philosophy does not match today's college basketball and there is a reason no one has hired him since. To anyone who thinks Woodson letting these guys leave was a problem, that is just not the case. This basketball program has major issues that are the same with or without them and those who think them being around changes things are severely misguided.

They have been trying to avoid it and rehab it enough so she could play this season and have surgery when year ends as Moren made clear in pressers. Worked for Mackenzie Holmes multiple times until she finally had the surgery after last season. Clearly didn't work this time with Beaumont unfortunately. My guess is she wouldn't play this season regardless of when surgery was or they would have just done it immediately and brought her back later on.

Agreed she would be a starter if healthy. But she hasn't been healthy or playing all season. My point is expectations should not change based on this news since we have not seen her this season and won't.

She has not played yet this season as an FYI to everyone.

Just an FYI. Beaumont has not played yet this year so wins and expectations should stay the same with this announcement.

I don't disagree IU's recruiting has to pick up (and it should be noted Makalusky is highest ranked program recruit in program history next year as high 4* and first ranked in 30's [Berger and Holmes were 40's and 50's nationally]). However, lets be clear on how Iowa is thriving this year and it has zero to do with high school recruiting from the offseason. They have a three headed monster in Lucy Olson, Hannah Stuelke, and Addison O'Grady with little else from rest of team. Olson was top ranked player in portal who has lived up to hype. Stuelke is a holdover as only starter returning and taken a huge leap forward after solid 23-24. Finally O'Grady was a complete bust and struggled every time she took the court till this year and is now suddenly and unexpectedly elite. In other words most of Iowa's thriving this year has to do with the development of two role players turned into super stars. Not awesome recruiting. Also, Iowa has been the best and most consistent conference team for about 25-30 years now under several coaches so not sure why anyone would expect a fall off. The argument for awesome recruiting should be Michigan who is thriving with three 5* recruits being amazing right away. This is the squad IU needs to be asking itself why they can turn around a terrible program at same time as them and now recruit elite while Hoosiers settle for the next level of player (which it should be noted is far better than anything before now). You are right Indiana's recruiting needs to get somewhat better despite being at its best in program history. However, you used the wrong team to make your comparison.

They are not in terrible shape and have decent resume and at 41 NET even with number differences. Big Ten will have plenty of great opportunities with multiple top teams. 10-8 should get IU in with current resume, albeit as 10-12 seed as Charlie Creme projects now. This is close to what I expected preseason although more like a 6-8 seed travelling rather than 10-12.

Just an FYI. 41-80 is Quad Two so borderline Quad Two/Three as discussed in other thread and will remain that way all season.

Your using the men's numbers for Quads. For women it is slightly different. Home its 1-25 Quad One, 26-55 Quad Two, 56-90 Quad Three, 91+ Quad Four. Neutral Its 1-35 Quad One, 36-65 Quad Two, 66-105 Quad Three, 106+ Quad Four. Road its 1-40 Quad One, 41-80 Quad Two, 81-130 Quad Three, 131+ Quad Four. Harvard will be hard to become Quad One, Butler Is Quad Three and would need to move to top 80 to even be Quad Two, Columbia is well in Quad Two and not likely to become top 35, USI is borderline Quad Three/Four and will not sniff Quad Two. I don't agree with NCAA's reasoning that it is easier to win on road in women's game, hence the difference. However, that is what we are dealing with. Here is the full resume with current NET of 41 as of today (Dec 11): https://www.warrennolan.com/basketballw/2025/team-net-sheet?team=Indiana

FYI Moren said in post game presser Jules isn't hurt but was sick with stomach issues and basically implied she was running to restroom in locker room during game. Sorry to hear that but glad she isn't hurt. Don't need more injuries.

Bottom line is Dolson needs to be able to find his man and Buckner get out of way. Also do NOT want a midseason firing as do not want any chance an interim is considered for permanent role like happened with OSU last year or Mike Davis. For those who want this done now consider this and be careful what you wish for. After season, 100% get Woodson out of here and let Dolson find his man.

The fact Pitt is their likeliest opponent if they make it back to the College Cup in N.C. may be a good omen that Indiana is likely to get there. That Panthers team has been IU's semi-final opponent each of their last two trips to the Final Four which happened to be in the same stadium it is in now and the Hoosiers won both times.

Something to note is Denver employs only two international players regularly in their rotation and neither scores much. IU often struggles with squads that are heavy on non-US guys but that won't be a factor here. Impressive Denver has built a mid-major power for a decade now with so few foreigners. Many lower level teams have built top programs in soccer but its normally done by getting a ton of players from overseas. Not the case here.

I just said. New contract NCAA gave to ESPN exclusively a couple of years ago for postseason events to make more money for both. Before that indeed games were free as each school handled them individually and wanted people to be able to watch as simple as possible. Never doubt organizations will find ways to make more money when given a chance.

Before anyone complains about ESPN+, ESPN bought a contract from NCAA to televise all non-football and men's basketball postseason games as they please a couple of years ago and made it so individual schools have no say in matter. Until then each team hosting was in charge of how they televised a postseason event and games would often be on BTN. IU had no say in matter. Blame NCAA and not IU who was not pleased about this change either from what I hear.

I think the lack of post play is fatal at this point and not going to improve much. However, if the guards play like they did today and the D keeps up, the team can somewhat work around that. Pre-Mack they won on guard play and not much from bigs. They won't win at an elite level this year, but they could win at the level they did under Tyra Buss and that crew and compete for a tourney spot with this version of guards. Offseason project is get a serviceable big. if Wiseman or Makalusky isn't ready, team needs to find someone in the portal that is at least decent to have any chance to be close to what they were the last five seasons. Lily deserved a chance to play a bigger role and I wrongly thought she was capable. However, she has shown that like Trey Galloway she is better as an energy player and backup for a few minutes a game. Armed with that knowledge, now go get someone for the main role in the post just as the men had to do this year with Myles Rice at PG to put Galloway back where he belongs. That is the key for the future. No knock on Lily and players like that are important. However, thrusting them into the spotlight as a primary player makes them a lesser version of themselves. As for Striplin she was a bit player at Tennessee and not surprised it is similar here and that is what I expected. Essentially team has two back up level bigs and is forced to start one of them.

I have to think NIL problems is only a small piece and it has more to do with Moren's system not being attractive to top-athletes similar to Wisconsin in men's basketball. You can build a program with a specific system and I think that is what is happening. If it were exclusively NIL, Michigan would not have gotten two top-ten recruits this fall. That program has risen just like IU but in a more conventional way and certainly has no more fan support or NIL from university knowing what I know about how the Wolverines do things.

Offense disappeared today and looked like September again. Michigan got a miracle goal for the difference but Indiana failed to set up any chances at all and looked really lethargic in the attack all day. These strange conference tournament results happen including in 2012 when IU last won a national title. While today was a bummer, the much bigger issue was the slow start for the fourth straight year. In Yeagley's first ten years at the helm IU had a great regular season and was locked into hosting regardless (outside of 2013 dud where they had to win conference tourney to get in at all) of the outcome in the Big Ten Tourney that can have random results. As great as October has been the last four seasons, these September swoons have to stop and only then can the team seriously contend for another national title. Not only has it put them on the hosting bubble the last four seasons, but fans lose interest quickly and wrecks the momentum each fall. For the second straight season, the team will have no seed in the NCAA Tournament and be traveling the entire time after that happened just once in the entire Yeagley era through 2022. It is imperative that the staff understands they need to be ready at the get-go starting in 2025 no matter what and cannot keep relying on basically perfect Octobers to make postseason. It should be noted many long time powers have had starts like IU recently and never turned it around and had long postseason droughts end. However, no program in college soccer has the consistent success of the Hoosiers and they need to be strong from the opening match in 2025 or changes need to be made (no one should want Yeagley fired but something big has to change [assistants?] if this happens again next fall with a new group after what will be a lot of turnover with so many seniors).

Why? You get the highest RPI teams possible each round. You win the Big Ten Tournament and its quite possible you are looking at a top-four seed and home field all the way until College Cup. You play anyone else and at best you get into top-8 and still have to travel for Elite 8 possibly. Yes the path to winning conference tourney could be harder but if you want the best path to College Cup and better NCAA seed which is the goal its best draw possible.

Home games in NCAA Tourney: Top-16 Seed Nov 24: Guaranteed A Round Of 32 Game Top-8 Seed: Nov 30-Dec 1 Guaranteed Sweet 16 Game if win Nov. 24 (If not top-8 seed need upset) Elite Eight: Dec 6-7 Only home if advance this far and upsets occur as unlikely to be a top-four seed no matter what as that is only way to guarantee a home game here. College Cup In RDU again where IU has played in it three times since 2018 at this same site. Big Ten Tourney home game only happens in final if IU gets there and is the higher seed on Nov. 17 (the rest of the tournament is at neutral site in Chicago). My hunch is IU will be a top-16 seed if they win one Big Ten Tourney game. If they win Big Ten Tourney Top-8. Outside of Top 16 if lose first Big Ten Tourney game.

Since 2017 this team has done everything but win another national title. Nine Big Ten championships. Four College Cups. Five Elite Eights. Tonight was a great step and we know that the program is back to being one of the very best in college soccer after a dozen years of standards slightly beneath what we expect from 2005-2016. Now the big thing is if the team can finally add that ninth star and win the final game which is the only thing alluding them recently and has only been done once since 2004. They should be a seeded team again for NCAA Tournament barring a catastrophe in the conference tournament with an RPI already in the top-16.

We play at 8pm:)! Is on BTN though. At 6 pm OSU plays MSU on BTN which everyone should tune into as big effect on IU. If OSU ties or losses, IU game at 8 pm will be for at least share of Big Ten Title. If OSU wins, can't clinch anything before Sunday. If OSU loses and then Maryland loses or ties which ends at 9pm, second half will allow us to play for outright title.