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What did I say that was conjecture? I guess I am not getting it because I don't see what the last 20+ years of failure has to do with us needing 2, maybe 3 new guards on next year's roster. Respectfully, I only see conjecture in your last statement (which I happen to agree with but we'll never know because we didn't go get a guard). We're in agreement there will be camps/families you don't want to deal with. The very talented players usually do have some level of that around them. There must be some way they assess who is worth dealing with... vibes are probably a big part of that. But there's no denying we need backcourt play. If you don't want to commit to a kid like Sanon for his baggage, as I said, fine... but with our backcourt situation, there's no denying the approach is to rely on the spring period/transfer portal. That also may be fine, but again, bit of a risk if you can make a promise and land a fish like Sanon. No doubt there will be opportunities to do that. Will they have more or less baggage? Can we convert those opportunities? We shall see. They very well may be better options with more experience under their belt. It could work out great. Just gotta wait..... I guess?

Totally know what you mean about the headache. At the same time, with roster construction and the backcourt specifically being problems that Woody owns, it's fair for fans to question his approach to the recruitment of guards specifically. So it's not IMO that people are viewing it as just one more thing Woody is doing wrong, but concern about how we're going to address the elephant in the room. Landing stud guards would be a very impactful way for Woody to reinvigorate some energy from the fans (not that he's particularly interested in that) but more importantly it's what he needs to actually compete. So it won't work out with Sanon because of his handlers/demands? In this instance, fine, I guess. But we best have confidence in our ability to land strong options in the portal, who are also likely to have a set of demands. Albeit as more of a known quantity. If you aren't willing to deal with any headaches, ever, coaching is absolutely not the profession for you. I'm not saying that as someone who is jonesing to get Woody out the door. But as someone who wants us to address the biggest challenge facing this team. I'm sure he wants that more than anyone... just hope their strategy pays off in the portal/spring. For now we don't have any momentum on the recruiting trail to track and a poor product on the court, so this discourse is to be expected. Only way it changes is when we start winning more games or if we land some studs for next year.

... This may be where the similarities between Dan Hurley and Mike Woodson begin and end, though. Haha. I think that's purely a coincidentally shared view they have and does not speak to any similarities in their approach for running a program. Those UConn boys are getting paid too. Case in point? Cam Spencer. Literally an NIL mercenary. Hurley, like all coaches, likes to paint a certain picture...

I hope we're willing to promise minutes and money to portal guards, since this one looks over. I understand not wanting to make such promises out of principle/as a standard mode of operating... but when you've got roster holes like ours, I don't think there's huge risk in making a "promise" to a high-level impact backcourt player. Odds are nobody on the roster will be able to push them for very big minutes, so you're not going to end up somehow "lying" to the kid. A lot worse goes on in recruiting. It's not letting a kid/their handlers come into your program and dictate terms to you if you're desperate for what they offer. You're shopping and they're selling. Just a mutually beneficial business opportunity. Allocate your investment accordingly and play ball. Seems like we did it for Ware if he needed a number before even visiting. Obviously we'll never have all the info so certainly is info we don't have that is specific to each nuanced situation like this particular recruitment... but how are we not doing the same for a stud guard given the state of our current roster? Must be something about Sanon/his camp turning off the staff, fine. But let's not be overly picky about those things when it's portal season then. There should be plenty of dry powder, you'd hope... Now... if we don't have the $ for a player like Sanon... that is a different problem.

Let's just assume we bring Woody back for year 4... Losing XJ, Walker, Ware. Fair to assume at least 1 of Banks/Gunn/Leal transfer (I won't speculate for now). Bringing in McNeeley (lets hope he stays committed). So could be 3-5 spots to fill? This is removing Mgbako from the equation. I think he's a huge factor in how optimistic you can be about a year 4 of Woody. Very curious how he's feeling about the whole year. Would be sort of shocked if he sticks around, but if you're Woody, I think you've got to make him your top priority and basically be re-recruiting him right now. So, 3-5 spots to fill with Mgbako, 4-6 without him. A core of Reneau, Galloway, Cupps, Sparks ... does not excite me really. You'd need to do A LOT of portal shopping. That's why I think it's so important to return a sophomore Mgbako who hopefully makes a similar improvement to Reneau. If you add Mgbako to that core, plus McNeeley and Queen, now we're talking... The #10 and #11 player in the country is a good enough haul to keep me interested. But that still does not address what we all know has been the biggest, of several, issues this year. Davis looks like a good player, probably different position than Jakai (who knows if he ever plays again?). I would be happy if we took him, considering how badly we need any guards at all right now. I would like if we could land 3 guards, at least 2 proven commodities from the portal. I hope Queen/Reneau/Sparks would be good enough rim protection that we don't pursue yet another big. Roster construction has been the most glaring issue. Style of play is another one. But they're entirely different levels of issues. Roster construction is basically a chokehold around your season from the start. Style of play is where you can adapt. Last year Woody showed he could put together some pretty decent game plans. He's not a perfect coach by any means. There's only a handful of truly great ones. This year is probably a wash... and it would definitely be in Dolson's own self-interest to call it a "bogey" for Woody, unless there is a slam dunk home run available. If we can make this season remotely competitive while developing that core and we open the NIL bag up to land real guards, I'll have some optimism that we can be good, or even great, next year. Just don't think it all falls perfectly into place like that. I can't stand to watch much more of this basketball and see limited opportunities for the program to continue gaining momentum with Woody at the helm. I'm not calling for his job right now because there is a lot of season left and it's more likely than not IMO he coaches us next year than not. But if the season continues this trend and recruiting picture is bleak, hard not to view next year as a lame duck season. That's really tough to swallow halfway into the current season. Would love to eat my words and start seeing some wins so we can have more faith in our ability to have a successful offseason. Otherwise you're swimming in very precarious waters. TLDR: if there's going to be a year 4 with Woody, we need to start building momentum... now. Win some games, return Mgbako, land McNeeley, Queen and open up the bag for the best guards you can find in the portal. Obviously that would be best case scenario for IU, but if we can't win some games this year to help build momentum heading into the offseason, tough to see the portal/spring going well and thus another long season likely laying ahead. Have to act swiftly to prevent that (the staff/team and Dolson, respectively).

If you think Dan Hurley is coming here I've got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you. I mean, Bobby? Maybe... Probably not who you want though. Lol

Tamar Bates has 25 points vs Florida right now. The rest of his team has 24.

Dawes is who Xavier Johnson thinks he is. Lot of similarity in their games/style on the court... Dawes just seems to do it better this year.

Creighton up 4 with about 13 seconds left, fouls a 3 point shooter. SHU makes them all. Tips the in bound pass. Steal it for the go ahead basket but doesn't count coz of an on the floor foul (crowd didn't love that call). Splits the FTs. 3OT.

Insane game.

Addae-Wusu looks like a strong safety out there lol

Shaheen gets every drop out of these guys. Purely from a talent on paper perspective these guys have really overachieved. Impressive year 2 so far.

Well said.

You don't quite get this tone from Woody. I'm sure he cares, but man... https://www.tiktok.com/@fieldof68/video/7323727814711184682

Here I am at a diner in New Jersey thinking about how the current state of Indiana University men's basketball could completely destroy all recruiting momentum. Mgbako transfers and McNeeley decommits (both feasible regardless of weather there is a coaching change IMO) and all it does is scream to the basketball world that the program is a dumpster fire. The first priority IMO of Woody/whoever our head men's basketball coach this offseason (have to let myself believe it's a possibility there's a change after this season, not next) should be to retain Reneau and Mgbako. Reneau I think you've got a fighting shot. Mgbako just screams transfer candidate to me but I hope I'm wrong. Honestly it would suck to blow it all up... but with the portal, especially for a school with our resources, teams and staffs can look totally different year to year. I just want to see the next coach recruit to fit a system and build a culture. Actually run coherent sets and play modern basketball. You can win with lots of kinds of guys, but we never have the right mix/enough of them/we've had them, but the staff has not enabled them. Last night was a no show. After Purdue too? Embarrassing display after embarrassing display.

You've got to think a few more performances like tonight and Buckner/May, etc. sort of have to start that conversation with Mike. Or hope anyway.

I mean... do we really need to see 2 more games to know what this team is? Was tonight not already very very very ugly? I almost have no words anymore after tonights performance. There will hopefully be some more bright spots along the way but this season is fully an unmitigated disaster at this point and little chance of that trajectory turning around.

Yesterday's was CJ's birthday lol. Not a good way to start your 20s!

Let's not drag this out. Finish the season. Let everyone save face. Say thank you. Then move on. Woody will always be a Hoosier legend. He just should not be the Hoosier coach after this season. That's really all there is to say at this point.

These post game comments should be fun.

When you're giving credit for cutting the lead to 13, you're in bad shape.

No shot. And honestly, the odds of Mgbako staying because of Woodson vs. leaving because of him in one way or another, I'd call 50/50. His hope/expectation of being 1 and done clearly will not be met. I bet he wishes he was developing at Duke right now and winning. It's not worth another year of this just to keep some of those guys. Not at all. Let's just rally around a new vision and start building in that direction. The sooner the better. (The day after the MSU game maybe)

Every game looks like the first time these guys have ever played together

Screw it, do what the TCU women's team is doing and hold on open try out on campus because too many players on the roster are "injured" (the TCU women's team has legitimate injuries but at this rate just get these guys off the court).

It's so sad how there's literally no defending this season. Officially a train wreck that seems likely to get worse.