Aaron

This graphic is more interesting because it includes Gulbe but not Berger. Wonder if this means Gulbe has decided to move on and Berger come back another year.

Maryland beating OSU as they did very much keeps IU alive for conference title and they have three different ways they can win it (see above).

Nope. Since IU will play one less game due to COVID and title is won on percentage, team can only win it outright. There will be no sharing. If IU has one less loss they are the champions. If they have same amount of losses they finish behind due to less wins. Hoosiers can win it: 1. By going 3-0 they lock it up regardless 2. 2-1 with win in one of the Iowa games and Maryland and Terps beating Wolverines. In this scenario the game in College Park in season finale becomes winner take all for Big Ten TItle. If IU goes 2-1 by beating Iowa twice they still finish second behind Maryland in this scenario 3. 2-1 in any fashion wins Big Ten if Maryland loses to Michigan and Michigan loses to Iowa. If Wolverines beat both Terps and Hawks IU finishes second to them unless Hoosiers go 3-0.

Holmes looks like someone who has missed a month. Can get back into game shape now for two weeks so she is ready for postseason run/

You can also get rid of the troubled players in the offseason and change the culture then and you have a much stronger leg to recruit on after tournament appearance, to bring in better players both on and off the court after season. I am not saying Woodson was wrong and see positives and negatives both ways, but I think in heat of moment he disciplined them much like a parent would when they are really angry at that minute without thinking of the ramifications for the rest of the season or future of the program. Players are definitely most to blame and never should of done it in first place but I also think Woodson made the decision without looking at all angles on what is best for team from everything I have heard. He may be proven right and it leads to better players in future from all angles, but he also could of made a heat of the moment decision that could cost him dearly for how long he coaches program and how successful he is. Time will tell.

My thought is I hope the suspensions were worth it to Woodson if team misses tournament this year and he can't get program turned around. If that happens, it may have been worth it to him to do what he thought is right and I don't blame him, but him sitting those guys out may have changed trajectory of program for a few years and I think in heat of moment not everything was considered. Yes the five guys are most to blame and never should of been out past curfew, but when making the NCAA Tournament and winning that game are most important you have to think long term. Even if you have bad apples on this team and that is very possible, Woodson needs to ride them out and keep them in every game to win NW and then you stop the streak and win at NW and maybe last night and then nudge them out after season. Now team has turmoil and feels bad about self. If they miss tournament this will make recruiting and getting better players a lot harder. I am not sure Woodson did the wrong thing to be clear by suspending them, but may not have been best decision for future of program regardless of what they did (unless they were involved in murder or sexual assault but clearly that was not case). Get through this year, get in the tournament (this goes regardless of suspensions but you would be sitting in much better position if they let it go) and then boot the bad apples. Don't torpedo season and program over it. I have heard whispers on what it might be that suspended them (from more than just a message board) but I am not sure if it is accurate. If what I have found is correct then I am torn if Woodson did right thing. Positives and negatives to suspending and not suspending them if the circumstances surrounding are correct.

This is a sneaky tricky game, but beating a fading Purdue and Penn State team even on road is not particularly impressive. Losing to Minnesota is bad anywhere. Given NW's hierarchy in Big Ten that would be minimum expectation (they traded the Michigan game for Minnesota). NW is basically an identical team to MSU with one elite guard in Burton, and a bunch of mediocre players. IU took care of Clouden against MSU and blew the Spartans out, and assuming they can do same thing against Wildcats with Burton results should be similar. Winning these two home games is a must. Not for winning the conference (which will require beating Iowa on road a second time or Maryland), but for maintaining top 4 seed in Big Ten Tourney and double bye and a top-four seed in NCAA tourney. IU's next win will clinch at least a five seed for conference tourney and ensure better record than NW, MSU and Neb. Two wins will guarantee top 4 and the double bye since Iowa would be at five losses and IU at two. However, to get higher than that there is a decent chance IU will need to win either in Iowa city or Maryland unless they get some unexpected help. Win at Iowa City (if you win the home games) and you lock up a top-two seed. Beat Maryland and you probably win conference. Interestingly beating Iowa twice and losing to Maryland will probably not win you Big Ten and make team second. Losing in Iowa City and beating Maryland would win you conference if Terps win next two. The one scenario where IU can win Big Ten by beating Iowa a second time and losing to Maryland is if Michigan beats Maryland and loses to Iowa. If IU and Maryland win next two finale in College Park is for Big Ten Title regardless of results in between.

I think Holmes is probably back for either Maryland or Iowa but still a very hard stretch indeed.

Teams Big Ten Title hopes are in trouble with the way everyone's schedule sets up. Iowa is done pretty much but Maryland, Michigan or Ohio State is in excellent position to overtake IU now. If the Hoosiers can somehow win out they guarantee the title. The problem though is if Maryland does not beat Ohio State and Michigan in their next two games then Buckeyes or Wolverines are likely to win out and take the title from IU if the Hoosiers lose even once. If Maryland beats both of them, IU can afford to split with Iowa, but would have to beat the Terps or they would be Big Ten Champions over IU. It is almost impossible for IU to win the title without going 3-1 without one of the wins being Maryland or 4-0 if Maryland trips up to either OSU or Mich. I don't trust Iowa at all (or any team like them that plays no defense) regardless of how good Caitlyn Clark is, and OSU is less talented than the other top teams, but Michigan and Maryland are scary good and one of them could easily take the Big Ten from IU if they don't win three out of their last four at minimum.

For the last time they CAN'T. Women are playing Iowa at 4pm already that day in a huge game. It cannot happen. Maybe pay attention to a team that is a big ten and national championship contender and you would know that.

Again Assembly Hall is taken by the Women on Saturday for a huge game against Iowa. If you are an IU basketball fan, pay attention to them also as that game could very well decide if IU wins a Big Ten Championship. I don't want to hear again that the men need to schedule a replacement game on Saturday, when the Women already have their biggest home game of the year that day already.

Nope Women have a huge game against Iowa that Saturday so unless they want to travel Assembly Hall is taken. Would have to be Friday and doubt they do that.

Hopefully MSU has same letdown IU men did following an emotional win over an arch-rival two days later. Also, MSU has been far better at home than on road. Hoosiers need another packed crowd to solidify their spot as Big Ten leaders. $1 tickets should helps and always makes for a big crowd for this promotion.

More good news. Down goes Michigan so IU back in sole possession of first place in Big Ten. That Iowa news seemed annoying, but quickly between the NCAA reveal and now Michigan losing suddenly it was a pretty good day after all.

That's pretty typical for the women's tournaments to be week before the major men's tournaments so they don't get overshadowed. I am also not sure the conference has enough staff and resources to do two tournaments in one place at a time (last yr being the exception). Trust me I am the first person to be mad at the Big Ten but I don't think they have a choice with the conference tournaments. The issue is the shenanigan they pulled to make IU make up Iowa rather than Rutgers game.

Because they are often at same venue in Indy and it is hard to play two tournaments in same place at once. I am hard on Big Ten for how they handled the reschedule but it is not unusual for conference to play women's tournament week before men's.

Big Ten once again shows it is utterly incompetent. Rather than send IU to Rutgers Wednesday Night and stay out there for Maryland Friday which would be the sensible thing to do, instead they have to play Iowa twice in three days and not play Rutgers for second year in row. Makes no sense and only the management at Big Ten could come up with it. IU if they want a Big Ten Title is going to have to really earn it with 4 of 5 extremely tough games to close. Hopefully Mac is back for last week as three game stretch to close now might be toughest games of year.

I just hope Woodson is not seen as Mr. Discipline and players stop wanting to play for him. I am not against players following the rules and the punishments necessarily. I just worry Woodson could develop a reputation as a coach who is no fun to play for which could hurt recruiting. I guarantee you similar stuff is overlooked at other schools, and if Woodson starts becoming like Knight when it comes to keeping college students in line this will not fly in this era. I support a lot of what Knight did and I hope Woodson employs a lot of it. He just needs to remember he is in a day and age where punishing for this kind of stuff like Knight would is not always looked fondly upon by parents and players. One of the reasons Knight fell off at end is because he was seen as to tough and don't want that to happen to Woodson. There is a tricky line to toe here and something I think Woodson is figuring out and time will tell if players or coach crossed the line with these suspensions.

Illinois doesn't know the first thing about defense or basketball at all. However, Patberg getting back on track with her shooting touch is much needed regardless of opponent and hopefully will be confidence booster she needs rest of year down stretch for the big games.

Absolutely. Fans pay to support the team. Without them you lose money and don't have a viable model as shown by the huge losses teams and athletic departments took with no fans last year.

I hope this didn't tank our season and cause a divide between the team. If it sets the players in order glad Woodson did it. If it makes the season go off the rails not the best idea to be Mr. Discipline in a game you really needed. Only time will tell. Another aspect is the place was 3/4 IU fans tonight and these alum get to see IU once a yr. Maybe Woodson should of thought of this fact to. Really not fair to fans who ponied up to see IU for the only time this year with half a team (I am not one of those to be clear). I fear whatever they did is done in most programs and if Woodson does not lay off no one will want to play here. You can't win with a team of coir boys in this day and age and students will have a good time. Not excusing whatever they did but there is a lot more shades of grey in these matters then people would like to believe.

Worst half IU has played this yr by a lot outside of Western Michigan game. Bad shot selection, bad defense, poor green beans.

Essential personnel only tonight (I.E. Families, teams etc.). Basically what happened with every game last year. Game will still be played as IU cannot afford anymore cancellations.

I think a large portion of the blame has to go to Scott Dolson if everything about Hiller is true. If literally the entire staff is indeed complaining about Hiller and causing the program tension and Allen won't listen, that is where Dolson needs to step in and fire Hiller on his own (which Dolson absolutely has authority to do as Allen's boss). My bosses boss can certainly fire me and it is same in athletic department. The whole presumed mess rests mostly on Allen as the CEO of football, but Dolson as well needs to step in if there is a conflict of interest like this that is keeping Allen from properly evaluating Hiller. Sounds to me Allen is blinded by his loyalty, but also Dolson not getting involved is just as bad and he needs to if these tensions really are ruining the program. As the CEO of the whole athletic department, if something is wrecking a program of his he needs to step in and for some reason is not.

To big an ask tonight. Would be surprised if we are seriously challenged or have a chance to lose before Iowa home game in three weeks. Would love to rematch this in Big Ten Tournament semi's or championship.