HoosierHoopster

Don’t disagree on 2023, but you can’t just ignore who Woodson has already brought in looking at the direction. It started with excellent lands in JHS and Malik, and guys like Banks look like somewhat under the radar guys who are going to contribute well probably next season, and then there’s’24, and we’re in on some very good players, and staff is clearly trying to bring in 2-way players, not just scorers or plodding bigs etc. direction isn’t just 2023

Said this a lot better than I did, my post above is all over the place (maybe I need more coffee). Agree we're on a good trajectory, we're definitely improved from last season, but it's basically the same team with the addition of JHS and Ren, and the growth of some players (like Bates). 2 things can be true. I am big on the direction of our recruiting, which also goes to heart -- we see strong 2-way players coming in, that is a big part of heart/fight. JHS/Ren are an outstanding base to work from. The one thing that somewhat concerns me is whether Woodson will show more flexibility in his game-planning and use of the guys on the bench. Flexibility, an ability to think outside the box, and floor imagination -- those are qualities you see in guys like Sampson, one of the better all-around coaches out there (purely from a bball standpoint). I like the Woodson hire, I like the trajectory, but I haven't seen a lot of that from him at least yet. I hope to see him making better in-game adjustments.

Re the OP, I really don't think we're far off from getting back to elite. We see the team melt under the pressure of 2 legitimate top 10 teams on a neutral and away floor (KU is typically dominant in the Phog and is playing extremely well) and suddenly we "suck," and we're years away from being elite. OK. We absolutely melted again KU, and I didn't like Woodson's game plan and continuing insistence to stick with and leave in the same group that wasn't matching up well and looked lifeless -- that is on Woodson -- and TJD's disappearing acts, at least offensively, are a problem (but people are ignoring he had what, at least 8 blocks in this game, and is an all-time IU great??), but once again we weren't fully healthy, with X leaving early, then this was JHS's first game back, and it was a tough road environment. Some of the same issues against Rutgers - we play finesse bigs against smash mouth bangers and we get our azzes kicked (also, imo, partly on Woodson for not adjusting to the team and style we're playing against). Against AZ, those Euro, running bigs are our kryptonite, we're good, but we just don't match up well against that team at this point. We don't know how good we are yet this season, I think that's a fair statement. But we've seen signs of a team that's fully capable of a good tourney run this season - imo a SW16-level team, though probably not a FF team absent a nice bracket and some favorable draws. This team will do well in the B1G (imo), we're going to be in the NCAA tourney and probably make a decent run. So when are we going to be elite? Recruiting is key, but the guys already on the bench look competitive at that level in another year or so, Malik is going to be outstanding, JHS may well be here another season given his injury and slow start to this season (which is kind of a blessing for the team's outlook going forward), and current recruiting looks strong. I'd say another couple years is possible.

I agree Scott Woodson made some statements like that -- but more recently we heard the feedback from NBA teams was they were not watching for his developing an outside shot, they were watching his post-play development, P&R, rim running, rebounding. I agree it could help the team if TJD were stepping outside now and then, but what's really going on here, imo, is that the team/staff are supposed to be aiming for more inside-out with Kopp and others (sometimes Bates, etc.) opening the floor with the outside shot while TJD works inside. We've definitely seen development in Race's outside game though, and as we seem to be limited on outside shooting against better teams, I'd like to see TJD step out now and then, but it just doesn't seem to be in the game plan.

Yogi - Vic team.

I don’t know how else to say this. I wish we had a Dick on this team :)

KU has been playing really well lately and they have a few outstanding players. That’s a strong team

Offensively. Crazy to think he has 7 blocks while looking almost invisible

I hope to see TJD wake up in the 2d, and lineups with Race and JG and/or Ren, need blockouts, rebounding, and quickness

I’m fairly confident Woodson will stick with same group, but that’s one of my issues with him— I am big on him generally but he is too set in his decisions, needs to be more flexible

Well that was sloppy

One reason why I don’t think we’re necessarily out of this game at this point. It’s a bad start and the starters didn’t match up well, but we’re a few good shots and stops from being right back in it.

Well anything requires waiting but we’ve already seen strong play from this team, including the Xavier W, no, we don’t suck. So far we don’t look like a team that competes well against the best teams on the road, but then 2 of those bad losses were without JHS, and he just got back. We also need to play more athleticism up front

Oh that doesn’t look good

Nice JG

Wow airball from Kopp. Woodson, make a change

Need rebounding in. Let’s see what Gallo can do

Race came to play anyway

It’s a bad start but the we suck stuff? Uh, no. need someone to stop this Adams kid

Hey I didn’t say last year :)

Yeah we need a change in this lineup

Good D to start JHS immediately making a diff

Could be a game where X goes off, with JHS back in

We actually lead the series ag KU including there (2-1 i think). JHS being back is ar least potentially huge. The Rutgers/AZ bad losses were both, imo, largely due to his absence. We’re a 5.5 dog in this game last I checked, and I (begrudgingly) picked KU as they’ve been playing strong since their one L and winning there is really, really hard, but I would LOVE to see me drop in the pick standings with a big W Let’s Go!

Only $100?