Honkyman

Nice try. It's obvious you have trouble admitting you were wrong.

We are losing a point guard, a 6'7'' shooter and two bigs from the starting lineup. Presumably Malik Reneau fills one of holes left by Race and TJD. With Xavier Johnson returning, we will have an experienced point guard. If Geronimo returns, he is someone who has demonstrated at times an ability to score. Banks? Maybe he will get more playing time. Hopefully, the coaching staff will be able to land players who fill the other holes--a 3 who can shoot and another big. Beyond those, sure--get a scorer who isn't much of a shooter. I suppose TJD could be described that way.

For a shooter, Newman isn't doing all that well. He is hitting only 31% from 3-point range and only 36% overall. Starting Morton, whose shooting percentages are similar to Newman's, was a reasonable decision. Now Newman seems to be the starter. Both are getting plenty of playing time.

What dimension to the offense does a poor shooting wing bring?

I read your post quite carefully the first time. You used Bates as your starting off point. Perhaps, you wish you hadn't started with Bates, but you did. The bottom line is it only makes sense for Woodson to not go with the more "senior" player if there is someone less senior who is playing better. Case-in-point--Jalen Hood-Schifino, who is a freshman. And, the first player off the the bench this season is another freshman--Malik Reneau. Your problem isn't that I missed your point. It is that your argument doesn't hold up.

Not missing the point. I'm disputing it. You cited Woodson's comment about playing Bates because he is senior (i.e., more experienced) than other alternatives. So your example was about Bates. As for Stewart/Kopp, there weren't great alternatives last season and they were the only two players with decent 3-point shooting numbers (Xavier Johnson came on strong with his 3-point shooting at the very end of the year). Your point about Race Thompson is debatable. Malik Reneau has played like a freshman as much as not (though he has played well at times) and Jordan Geronimo has a tendency to disappear in games. Malik averages 15 minutes a game and Geronimo 13. Race is averaging 22 minutes a game. Everyone is getting minutes and everyone has had an opportunity to contribute. Thompson has contributed more. But Woodson tends to pull Malik and Geronimo when their play is costing IU. And, he leaves them in when their play is helping.

I too wish Leal had gotten more playing time this year, although he has been hurt some of this season. Woodson gave Gunn minutes Leal might have gotten early on in the season. But Gunn while athletic has been a poor shooter this year. I don't think you put Leal in the game in a critical situation like Michigan after not having played much this season. After Indiana started the conference season out so poorly, Woodson tightened the rotation and IU's record improved.

If not Bates, who does Woodson go with? CJ Gunn who is shooting 8.3% from 3-point range? If not Kopp, who does Woodson go with? He has been using Banks to spell Kopp but Banks has not been particularly reliable. On the one hand, critics complain that Indiana has no bench. On the other, critics complain that Woodson goes with the most experienced players. The fact is among guards--after JHS who is a freshman and Galloway, there is no player other than Bates who could have reasonably filled in for Galloway when Galloway fouled out in the Michigan game. And, the decision proved to be the right one as Bates hit two critical 3-point shots. It is easy to complain about playing certain players but you have to consider the alternative.

Yes, bench play overall has been weak. But against Michigan, Malik Reneau played pretty well. Tamar Bates also played well when he came in after Galloway fouled out. Bates' problem has been when he comes off the bench he thinks he has to provide instant offense. So he rushes shots or takes ill advised shots. But when Bates came in after Galloway fouled out, he hit a couple of 3s and played good defense. Yes he missed a point blank shot (too much spin on the ball) but otherwise looked good. Banks also played pretty good defense.

Nebraska is playing very well right now. They beat Iowa--something IU hasn't done in a while. I wouldn't be surprised if Nebraska beats a Maryland team that struggles to win away from College Park.

I agree.

I doubt anyone transfers until another player transfers in who would likely take away playing time. With four starters leaving (Race, Miller, TJD & JHS), there will be plenty of opportunity for returning roster players to play. If Woodson hits the jackpot in the transfer portal and lands a top player or two, that will affect how returning players view their prospects for playing time. But you can't assume IU will land top transfers. He could end up with more role players. The success to date has not been great in attracting truly good transfer players.

He'll be in Bloomington on Sunday for the game. He keeps on coming to IU games so it seems he is interested. My guess is the coaching staff has a good feel for the situation.

The most depressing sports moment occurred in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich when members of the Israeli Olympic team were murdered.

Indiana also lost to Northwest twice.

What an embarrassment. This IU team doesn't even deserve to be ranked.

What impresses all is how well JHS picked apart the defense. He read it like a pro. And, yes, even NBA scouts are abuzz about JHS's performance. To compare him to Justin Smith is totally absurd.

Leal was the best player in a down year in Indiana. Neither Leal nor Galloway were highly ranked but both were good high school players. They played together on AAU. Leal was a better shooter and a smart player. Indiana Mr. Basketballs don't always go on to have great college careers. Larry Bird was 3rd in Mr. Basketball voting in 1974. Anyone know who won? Steve Collier and Ron Taylor were co-Mr. Basketball that year. Neither were great after high school.

As I wrote above, Leal was consider a knockdown shooter who played extremely well in the clutch. He led his team to an undefeated season. BTW, being the best player on the best team in the state counts for something.

JHS is not staying another year. The buzz in the basketball world is too strong now after his performance at Purdue. He will win BIG 10 Freshman of the Year. And, if Indiana goes far in the tournament it will be because JHS plays well no matter how well TJD plays.

Leal led his high school team Bloomington South to a 26-0 undefeated season and number one ranking in the year when the state tournament was cancelled due to COVID. Leal was a knockdown shooter and clutch player in high school winning a couple of games with dramatic buzzer beaters. He was and still is a smart player. He was recruited by Iowa, Maryland and Stanford. But Galloway is clearly more athletic than Leal. As prep players, Leal was ranked #156 and Galloway #157. Galloway was considered a really good player but his team--Culver--played a bit out of the media limelight. Contrary to Leal, Galloway was more of slasher than a shooter in high school. The success of Leal's team had a lot to do with Leal winning Mr. Basketball. There was no Trayce Jackson Davis or Romeo Langford that year.

Getting quality transfers is easier said than done. Miller Kopp was considered a very good "get" by IU but it hasn't been until the end of his second season at IU that he has been performing at the level most expected. Most transfers have challenges in adjusting to their new school and system. In reality, transfers rarely do better at their new school than their original one. The players who have either transferred to or from IU have not done any better than they did before the transfer. Given that IU's front court players who played the most are leaving (eg. TJD, Kopp & Race), there will be more opportunity to play even if IU happens to land a truly good big (as opposed to someone like Michael Durr). I doubt anyone on this board has any credible information on what Duncomb might do. But I suspect he will have as much of a chance to play at IU as he would anywhere else.

Purdue isn't going to lose its last two games, imo. There is now a 4-way tie for 2nd place between Maryland, Northwestern, Michigan and IU. But IU's schedule is most favorable. Maryland plays Ohio State and Penn State on the road. Northwestern plays Penn State at home and Rutgers on the road. Michigan plays Illinois and Indiana on the road.

Why would Logan Duncomb transfer? With TJD and Race gone there will be plenty of minutes available. Even if IU lands a transfer, there will be considerable opportunity for him. At the beginning of the season, TJD talked about how much Duncomb had improved. And, he looked much better when he played.

IU fans are understandably pessimistic about our chances. Purdue usually wins at home and this year they are ranked in the tope 5 so they are more likely than usual to win at home. This isn't a must game. Indiana doesn't have to win this game to get in the NCAA tournament which is an unusual spot for us to be in lately.. Plus IU is coming off a road loss.