Honkyman

Joby Wright was a part of arguably the most talented front line in IU history during the 1970-71 season: George McGinnis and Joby Wright at forwards and Steve Downing at center. Coach Lou Watson couldn't handle all that talent and the team under-achieved resulting in Watson's dismissal and the hiring of Bobby Knight. In two seasons, Knight took IU to the Final Four, though without McGinnis who signed with the Pacers after one season at IU (leading the Big Ten in both scoring and rebounding) and Joby Wright who played for Knight for just one season before graduating. In those days, freshman were ineligible to play varsity. Otherwise, Joby Wright's statistics would be even better. Wright was a high school All American out of Savannah, Georgia--athletic and smooth. IU landed another All American from Wright's high school--6'4" guard Ed Daniels. But Daniels transferred after Knight was hired. I don't know how Lou Watson was able to bring two high school All Americans from Georgia to Bloomington, Indiana. If Knight had been able to coach all three--McGinnis, Wright, and Downing at once, he might have won his first national championship before the 1975-76 undefeated team.

It's pretty clear Archie intends to be careful with Hunter and to bring him along slowly. His playing time will be limited at first. He definitely won't be starting at the beginning of the year.

It sounds like Archie and some of the fans are at odds in their assessment of Justin Smith's role this coming season. Archie predicts Smith could be All-Big Ten defensive player this season while more than a couple of posters here think Smith will be odd-man out this year and could be a graduate transfer after this season (presumably due to lack of playing time). I hope Archie is correct and Smith has an All-Big Ten Defensive player season. I believe Archie when he says that Trayce Jackson-Davis could be the most talented player on the team. By conference season, TJD could be playing at a very high level. And, yes Joey Brunk is a great addition and will help improve the team's chemistry.

Archie will take whomever he can get. Neither Cross nor Geronimo are certain for IU. If both commit, he will probably back off of Bridges. If we only get one or neither, he'll continue to pursue Bridges. The players themselves may back away from IU if one of the three commits. The dynamics of recruiting are fluid.

It's not a particularly impressive non-conference schedule. There should be at least one non-conference game against a top 25 opponent. That's clearly lacking this year. There's no reason why IU shouldn't go through November and December with no more than one or two losses.

Actually, both are correct. There are 9 IU trustees. Three are elected by alumni and six are appointed by the governor. The participation level in the election is pathetically low and the quality of trustee candidates varies from election to election. The trustees appointed by the governor are not all political hacks but some clearly are. Two appointed trustees are Hoosier sports legends--Quinn Buckner and Harry Gonzo.

Mike Roberts is hardly a home run but probably the best we can do under the circumstances (i.e., late summer means bad timing; IU's reputation is down nationally). If it is Roberts, give the guy a chance. He undoubtedly brings skills and perspective the program needs.

I agree that Michigan State, Ohio State and Maryland are the top three teams talent-wise and for MSU and OSU, coaching-wise. Michigan State may run away with the Big Ten title and after that, who knows what will happen?

I don't disagree that Archie and his staff did a great job and that it is great that Leal and Galloway committed. I am saying that recruiting will be more difficult now that the remaining 2020 targets are out-of-state.

Easy to say after the fact? If neither had chosen IU, the fan base would be going nuts. Obviously, recruiting is rarely easy. But those two were inclined to choose IU before they even received offers. Regarding the other point, we will know soon enough whether Archie can reel in any top 50 talent before demonstrating the team can perform better than last season.

Leal and Galloway were the easiest of the targets to land. I believe Archie will need to show better performance than the last two years in actual games before any more top 50 players commit (Romeo and TJD committed before the awful losing streak during Big Ten play).

There were times during De'Ron Davis' freshman year when he looked like a future All American. Davis may not be the team's leading scorer, but IU needs him to be one of the team's top scorers if they are going to have a successful season this year.

It's not surprising Todd Lickliter would become an assistant at Evansville. He's a native Hoosier, loves to coach, and at this point in his career this is probably the only opportunity still available to him to coach at the division I college level. Lickliter is working for a head coach, Walter McCarty, who was a standout player at Kentucky, first round draft pick who played in the NBA for a decade, and worked as an NBA assistant coach for 10 years. McCarty also was an assistant at Louisville where he worked for his college coach Rick Pitino. He obviously has a good resume and a wealth of experience. Lickliter was a scout with the Celtics when McCarty was a Celtic assistant coach so they apparently know and like each other. The fit seems good to them. I'm not sure why anyone would question Lickliter's motives for taking this job.

IU's team should have been better than they have been under Archie. There is and has been talent, though except for Romeo not great talent. In any event, the mark of a really good coach is the ability to get your team to play beyond its talent level. That hasn't happened yet (except against Michigan State this past season) but it doesn't mean it won't happen. He really hasn't adjusted to Big Ten level play yet. But some coaches need more time to adjust. Give him time.

1) I hope I"m wrong but I predict IU's 2019-20 record will be 18-13. We should go undefeated given the weak non-conference schedule, but this is a team that tends to underperform. So I think we will lose (at least) one non-conference game. Then I think we'll go 9-11 in the conference. There are simply too many things that have to change/go right for this team to be better than the 2018-19 team (given the loss of its two best players). One truly bright spot I see is Trayce Jackson-Davis who will be a special player and I predict will be the top freshman in the conference. He may not even begin the season as a starter, but he has too much talent for that to last. Once he has played a few games, he will be the best player on the team. It's too bad there isn't a better supporting cast. I doubt we make the NCAA tournament. Again, I hope I'm wrong, that everyone takes a giant step forward and we end up breaking the streak of not making the tournament. This calculation could change if Jerome Hunter is fully recovered and plays to his potential. Actually, my prediction could improve dramatically if all the players play to their potential, but that isn't something that has happened yet (with one or two exceptions). 2) The starting lineup will change over the course of the year. But by conference play it will be Phinisee, Green, Durham, TJD, Davis. If Jerome Hunter can play and is as good as advertised, he will start at the 3 instead of Durham by the start of conference play. Smith could start the season instead of TJD but as I say TJD will emerge as a star by conference play if not before. 3) Scoring will be: Jackson-Davis 14 ppg Hunter (if he is fully recovered) 13 ppg Green 12.5 ppg Davis 10 ppg Phinisee 8 ppg Smith 8.5 ppg 4) Jackson-Davis -- all conference 2nd team 5) Jackson-Davis--freshman player of the year

There are plenty of people who have gone to California from Indiana and loved it; others have not. This is a personal decision about where to go to get an education with an opportunity to also play basketball. I wouldn't blame him for choosing Stanford, and I"m an IU grad and hardcore IU basketball fan. As someone who no longer lives in Indiana, I can say without qualification that a degree from Stanford opens a lot more doors than one from IU. Leal will do whatever he thinks is in his best interests. If he chooses IU, that's great because we'll have a player who can reliably hit 3-point shots. If he chooses Stanford, good for him.

North Carolina is an excellent school. US News & World Report ranks UNC 30th academically among universities, well above IU (89th). Kentucky is ranked farther down (147).

Most parents value education over sports.

I've thought Leal would go to Stanford ever since they offered. It's a great school with an excellent athletic tradition. Not all kids want to go to college close to home, especially if they grew up in the same town--all the more reason to get out and see the world. Going to Stanford on an athletic scholarship is too good an offer for many to pass up. We would have a better chance if the program was in better shape. We'll see.

IU has to make the tournament in 2020. Our recruiting has stalled since the collapse in conference play last season. We will struggle to land top 50 ranked players both in-state and out-of-state until we start winning and going to the tournament.

Progress is making the tournament. That's the bottom line in 2019-2020. Anything less can not be considered progress.

"If we don't make the tournament but there's progress..." There is no progress if we don't make the tournament in 2020. IU was the last team out this past year. If we don't make the tournament, we have either had the same kind of season as last year or worse. IU has to make the tournament in 2020.

The predictions of IU ending up in the bottom third of the conference are justifiable given that we lost our two best players/scorers, we haven't made the NCAA tournament in three seasons, and the in-coming class while good does not include any major difference makers like Romeo was projected to be. That being said, there is sufficient talent and experience on the 2019-20 squad to do better than projected. It is up to the players to play to their potential and to the coaching staff to figure out a way for the team to win the games they should win as well as win some that perhaps they should not. We will know soon enough what this season brings.

IU needs a first rate recruiter with the ability to bring in players from outside the state. We haven't signed a player outside of Indiana in two years. This team needs an upgrade in talent and it can't come from within the state alone.

Maryland has a beautiful, modern arena? I live 10 miles from the University of Maryland campus and attend the IU-Maryland games every year. The arena may be new but it is hardly beautiful. In fact, it is ugly imo and quite difficult to maneuver. Parking is a nightmare. Seating is not good unless you happen to have tickets at court level. There may be no perfect college basketball arena and IU's might not be among the best, but let us not lavish praise where praise is not warranted.