ray

Yes, and so did Yogi as a freshman. Look how legendary he became at Indiana. Phinisee is still a freshman. Durham is a sophomore. Green is a junior. I love watching Green at his best and at those times he is by far the superior point guard (especially feeding into the paint). However, from what I've seen he is also (as a junior) more prone to mistakes than the other two younger guards you mentioned. I think there is a time for each, and all three have skills the others do not. Phinisee, I am quite certain, will become a stud at Indiana. As for Durham, he's looking significantly better this year than last and I hope that improvement continues the next two seasons...if so, look out. Green is still making the same mistakes as he did as a freshman. His game can be smooth as silk and awe-inspiring at times, but he needs to gain the composure to avoid the "freshman" mistakes.

I'll try to catch some of their games if I can find the time and give my amateur assessment. Blackford plays just north of me...a very short 20-25 minute drive.

I wish we could see the entire interview. What was said and shared sounds very promising, but was there more? I went to MikeWritesSports and that’s all that is shared. The next time I see an interview with KBJ I hope he’s wearing an Indiana Basketball shirt like TJD had on tonight.

Have they only played two games? If so, then he’s averaging 35.5 points per game. Not too shabby.

Love the shirt!

Agreed. One used a period. That was the only difference. Ha!

Just saw this after I posted the same thing long after you did. My apologies. I like that they’re both there with O.

I hope Archie was watching the LaLu game. Langford and Phinisee were at Center Grove tonight as well.

That was a wonderful article. At least one fan of Duke, which is prominently at the pinnacle of college basketball and has been for a long while, realizes two things: how important Indiana University is to college basketball AND how important college basketball is to the state of Indiana. The writer understands the value of Indiana University returning to relevance in college basketball. While some of Indiana's own fans are (rightfully) tired of waiting for that to come to fruition, it is important to continue to be patient with any new coach. As this Duke fan surely can recall, it took Coach K a few seasons to bring Duke to where it is today and has been for some time. Coach K in his first two season at Duke suffered 30 losses compared to the 27 victories. In Coach K's third year, he improved his record at Duke to 38-47. It wasn't until Coach K's fourth year at Duke when he finally broke the above-500 mark (62 wins to 57 losses). It usually takes time, unless you walk into a program like Brad Stevens did where he took over a very stable Butler team that reached the NCAA semi-final game the season before his arrival...and, if I may add, where the transition from Lickliter's coaching style to Steven's coaching style may have been easier for returning players (due to the fact Stevens and Lickliter spent a number of years in the same locker room...even roomed together as assistant coaches at Butler). I'm not saying Coach Miller will bring Indiana to where it once was in college basketball, but I'm willing to give ANY coach a chance to prove he is. In the early part of any coach's second season, especially sitting at 5-2, isn't the time to start demanding drastic changes to the staff.

I saw the quote from Brooks’ about a comment Romeo made to him, which can only add value to Brooks’ initial thoughts of how significant wearing Indiana across his chest was...and that it meant more to his future than the game of basketball. That was awesome to read, knowing Romeo is putting things in the ears of other recruits. It will be special if Archie corrals him and/or TJD into the program. I’m hopeful.

And now I’m killing the Keion-to-IU juju with talk about a game he won’t be suited up for even if he does one day wear candy stripes. My apologies.

I wasn’t declaring the season a success. If we beat Arkansas (scary road test after a good win) and then knock off some “cupcakes” before beating Duke at Cameron, then I’ll have much more positivity (for this season). As for Archie’s tenure, I was only stating it would place a significant stamp on it if he did walk into Cameron undefeated and walk out the same way. And, even if he doesn’t, I still think he lasts (so, I agree).

We thought that, and looked what happened. They kept Crean longer than necessary because he did in fact make that stamp. I agree it’s way too early, but it would still make the same stamp Crean did with IU’s upset of UK, but maybe much more so because it would be at Cameron. And, who doesn’t want another IU is back rap video? And I hope you’re right about Duke being overhyped. I don’t believe you (not yet anyway), but I hope you’re right. They have a three-headed monster and then plenty of additional monster-like heads (Are those additional heads detached? Yes, but they are still ugly heads showing their selves).

And become the first non conference team in almost plural form of decade? Please, share with me how you think we match up against the monsters they have. I hope you’re right, and I never count IU out, especially against the Goliaths each year (we always play up to those teams), but I’m only curious. I watched the Romeo vs Zion matchup again and I think Romeo and crew will walk in with a serious effort. I hope they can pull off a major upset...and they are due for a loss, but I think they lose at some point or a couple points and win out this year. They’re just too freaking freakish. With that said, how incredible would that be if they do knock them off in Cameron? It would create the need for another “IU IS BACK” video under a new coach like the UK upset announcement. But, in this case, it would be IU knocking off Duke in their house when they’re incredibly gifted (yet young) and it would send a message to future IU recruits that Archie officially stamped his name as IU’s long-term future coach. A young Coach K had to do the same, and look how long his tenure has lasted. I’ve mentioned several times the Duke game is super scary because they’ll either keep it close and not lose in the closing minutes as we saw last, or they could also be blown out. I think their defense thus far is a testament that they won’t back down, but under manned and injured, I would like to know how you match them up. I want some of your positivity going into that game. Take your time...we have some more time to watch both before I’ll need your breakdown on how we pull that off. It would be epic and send out the warning signals to the nation if it happens...and not just this year. To have a storied program come back to dominance with the fear they’re going nowhere else anytime soon would be great for us fans and for college basketball. So, I hope you’re right. I have belief...will never count them out...but Duke is beastly this year more than ever before.

The “feels like home to me” and “I’m a skinny dude who needs Cliff Marshall (paraphrased)” comments excited me the most. I did like that he’s not so caught up in one-and-done, which would make me think UK might be more heavily on his mind. His scoring and rebounding this season is exciting. He’s not playing against chump schools either.

Devonte sat out due to a headache????

This is the combo line that struck me as most promising. I knew it was coming, but I wasn't certain it would happen so early in the season against a top 25 team. I knew Phinisee would be an assist/point making machine, and we know Durham has always showed a lot of control...my only concern with Durham was with his shot (knowing he's a good driver, but struggled at times from any distance). Love both of their games, and both solid defenders as well. Going from 7 assists and 5 turnovers (I made this number up) to 13 and 1 is SOOOOOO refreshing.

Okay, I feel slightly better after re-watching the Romeo Langford vs Zion Williamson YouTube videos.

And, yes, I saw them struggle to shake off Army. After a destruction of #2 Kentucky, along with their youth, I think the fact they did scares me as much as the win against UK. Duke seems to know how to pull away when the game is a contest. Unfortunately, I believe the contests won't be as often as I hope. Yes, they will likely lose this season (hopefully against Indiana), but by the time March comes around it will be very hard to bet against that team. Ugh...I hate that this seems so real in my head as I type it. I would love to see Duke have at least a few losing seasons and become a dark horse again.

With Duke looking like an NBA team this year (in terms of pure athleticism and skill) more than any year I can recall, the percentage of Indiana beating Duke on their own court is...well, I'll just say it's at least better than the percentage you gave that their decisions are based on such a win. I hate to even say it, but Duke is scarier than ever this year...in my opinion. It would be incredible to see Indiana knock off Duke early. They were good last year and Indiana gave them a good test. Anything is possible.

Or it's an amazing game but the crowd is dull and boring because everyone in the stands is also there just to see a good game with no care of the outcome...and no one had anything else to wear but their cream and crimson.

My dream would be Franklin, TJD, Brooks, and Hurt...if our dream is allowed four commits and the one already committed must remain. And that is not at all meant to be taken as a negative towards Franklin. I'm thrilled he's on the roster for next year.

As is all the other current speculation about his recruitment posted here and elsewhere. I never meant to quote him. Like others, I was merely describing how I read into the article.

Among his biggest takeaways from his MSU visit is the family atmosphere and the shared love between Izzo and former players. He follows up later by saying Indiana has the family atmosphere too...but they are even more like family to him because it's a roster full of many of the state of Indiana's best players who began to stay home since Archie's arrival. Archie doesn't have a long history of former IU players he's coached, so the similarities between Izzo's relationship with his players is not one which can be adequately compared. The takeaway from the UCLA visit is that he will be seen by scouts. Eh, so what? I believe the exposure of the Big 10 is far superior to the exposure of the Pac 12, and at least at Indiana he'll not only be seen by scouts but also by fans at the games. It started with, "I know it's going to be hard straying away from home." I didn't read this as, "I plan to stray." I read it as, "It will take a lot of convincing for me to leave home."

Stalkers, it would seem, should scare recruits away. I guess I am wrong.