JPCIVOP

If I could make a bet, I would. I actually know SLU basketball a little too well. Majerus was a coaching genius. Crews rode the Majerus wave. Ford followed Crews, had an early recruiting push, but was regressing and last year completely washed out. For SLU to be this good already is incredible. Even with what they lose, I am willing to bet they will get better the next couple years. They'll have a chance at those wins and titles, and to have their metrics place them in the top-25, which is rare for an A10 team. Good times ahead for SLU fans!

To me, there's a chicken-egg thing. It's hard to believe that a university in southern Indiana - even if it's Indiana State - couldn't have come up with the money to take one more crack at a once-in-a-lifetime season. Hard to tell for me the relationship between Schertz leaving and players exploring other options.

This. People don't understand that SLU was awful last year. Will also say that there's a case that can be made about McCollum's style being fun to root for if a team is winning. Maybe it adjusts with more talent. Schertz's style would be incredible and fun at a place like Indiana. The more we talk about this, the more I find myself saying, 'Hire Schertz!'

Everyone's coming around on McCollum; if Schertz had stayed at ISU one more year, he might be in position to be the darling hire. Here's a fun what-if: Schertz stays at ISU for one more year. He brings his team back for one more go-round. Watching them last year vs. watching Drake this year and last year, I have a hard time imagining Drake beating them in the conference tournament again. I think SLU will be killing it within a year or two, and he'll get a big job. But the irony is that he seems to have set himself back with the IU job by taking a bigger job.

That is interesting; I actually don't know why they would think Devries would be preferable to McCollum.

Hoosiers being mentioned in the Space right now. Guy asking why Wade isn't being looked at.

So the Spaces is talking about NC State right now. The group talking is of the opinion that Drake to NC State might be too big of an immediate leap for McCollum. Take that for what it's worth as it applies to what their thoughts would be, regarding the IU job.

Looks to me like he's riding the bull! *Fingers crossed*

A statistical weirdness; Drake is a top-50 defense this year. All the while being literally one of the worst 2pt%D teams in the whole country. That is a drawback of the DII talent level moving to the MVC. Even if he doesn't move up, he will get players who can defend the paint more effectively. I'm confident saying this top-50 defense will be one of the worst ones he has at Drake. Lots of room for growth.

Gives us time to get this thread to 2000!

And to boot, we have tournament play...

So... Brad would be an out of this world hire?

That is a thing about McCollum; have watched a lot of Drake over the last month, and they grind out all their games. Relentless, but I do wonder whether that approach will hold up at the highest level. He could be the next Tony Bennett. I suspect he'll show us at Iowa, and am not counting him out.

So it is fun to see Vogel's name; that would be a left-field hire of someone who's never led a college program. But he also had a stretch where he was one of the best coaches in the NBA. Has a title. Better postseason record than Stevens. Currently a consultant, rather than in a head job. I would take a flier on Vogel if he wanted the job.

Think Iowa will get him, and he'll be very good. Am amazed at what he's done this year; basically took a roster of DII players and won the Valley. Winning isn't boring.

Holding on!

Keeping the fingers crossed. What Goodman means by interesting: I think - based on his information - he sees IU entertaining the idea of Beard and ultimately passing. I think Goodman thinks we might kick the tires on Self, go after McDermott or take a big swing at Mick Cronin. Guess he also thinks Brownell is in play if things go a certain way. Not sure about where he sees McCollum (or Schertz) fitting in. Hoping this is all his fantasy world; we'll see what comes out.

Have been holding off on mentioning Fran Dunphy; almost short-circuited IU's Sweet Sixteen run in 2013!

This article puts some numbers to that. https://www.wishtv.com/sports/indiana-among-top-states-that-nba-players-call-home/

I'm going to disagree a little here; Knight would have won anywhere, won titles anywhere. But there is a way that Indiana - as a state - has a unique basketball culture. 'Hoosiers' isn't just a fiction. In the Big Ten, there isn't another state where basketball means more. Knight tapped into that, but it runs deeper than him.

These would also fit the criteria of a guy no one is discussing and a veteran coach looking for a challenge. Self Few Beilein Billy D

But 71% the last two years. And the argument is that the last two years is more indicative of where things are going. He's doing so well this year, after losing four pretty big contributors after last year's Elite Eight team. I've been lukewarm on Brownell the whole time, but I'm softening to the idea.

It's like Woodson, except that Woodson had never coached in college, where Brownell has coached a top-25 team the last two years. Think your point is true in this way: it does feel like talking ourselves into a candidate.

So this will sound crazy; I'm starting to see the outline of a Brownell hire making sense. His best two years have been the last two, which coincides with the NIL era. He would have better NIL at IU than Clemson. He's coached at this level before, and has engaged and beaten the best teams in the country often enough to know what an eilite team looks like up close. Think that's the argument. Can't tell if it's the Coaching Search Stockholm Syndrome talking...

Have been following this from afar; have I understood right that it seems like she had a hand in holding off on Fitzgerald and going ahead with the Cignetti hire? After all IU's success last year in football, I'm sure the anti-Whitten contingent is grinding their teeth.