AH1971

-Virginia is probably the one team who I felt didn't deserve to be in. -FAU and MSU were both criminally overseeded -Mountain West as a whole got shafted with seeding.

I really like Javon Small from Oklahoma State (native Hoosier) the more film I watch. Guard who can play off and on the ball and is a solid rebounder. Shoots well from three on volume and has a scorers-first mentality.

Are we sure Florida Atlantic is in? Decent metrics and NET but 2 quad 4 losses and a quad 3 loss. In over a team like Providence?

They’re an 8 or 9 seed in the tournament. Hardly “good”.

Would you say it's fair that bracketologists (at least the ones we give credibility too) put more emphasis on the NET when picking and seeding teams because it's the one tool that's made available to the public that we know the committee takes into consideration? It's been a really long time since I've gotten into the hoopla of constantly tracking Lunardi's reveals, but has there ever been a team in recent years to make the field as an at-large and be off the radar seemingly how IU is this year? Didn't Rutgers make it a few years back with a NET in the high 80's? Were they squarely on the bubble come Selection Sunday or did they come out of nowhere?

Jake Davis former Mercer and Cathedral alum in portal. Solid freshman year shot 39% from 3 on high volume. Reminds me of a more physical Miller Kopp. Probably a role player at this level but good shooter nonetheless.

First time watching St. Johns all year, when did Ledlum end up in Queens?? I thought he spurned IU for Tennessee. Looks pretty good.

They’re going overpay for somebody if they have too.

Hearing Schertz is the early favorite for the St. Louis job? Not a complete lateral move but that seems underwhelming if true. Should free up some ISU players I’d think.

I guess it depends on your expectations. If you think IU and staff are going to land 3-4 of the top 50 or so portal players (that everybody else is coveting) and basically start a new team, yeah, you're going to be disappointed. And if that is the plan of the staff and how they approach the portal this off-season.... they're already writing their own demise. It's just not going to work that way. I do think when the dust settles, IU will be bringing back a solid core that they can build upon. No excuse to not get a high-level guard, but after that it should be about appropriately constructing the roster and finding roles.

I think it’s much simpler than that; his game simply doesn’t match his hype.

I still don't see a world where Knecht or Love wouldn't have gotten as many minutes as they wanted this season? Even with Galloway on the roster and Xavier Johnson not being injured.

I would agree that Mike Woodson seems to be the kind of coach to get the best out of Booker. I would take Booker but that would have to come with a caveat, he's not promised or guaranteed a starting spot. I do think Booker has the skillset to develop into a really good college player and potential next level player, but it's not going to happen in a season like Ware. Ware was still a projected late first round pick after last season. Booker wouldn't get drafted this year if there were 3 rounds.

I'll add that Booker's issues at this stage of his career extend far past effort. He's not a guy next year who you can just throw in a lineup for 25-30 mpg and he'll average 15 and 10 if you can somehow get him to play "harder" a la Ware. His ability isn't in the same galaxy as Kel'el Ware.

Assuming MR and MM is back, along with Galloway, that is a nice foundation to build upon. I will agree that IU would likely need to covet (and land) a high end guard from the portal that will likely go to the highest bidder, but after that it should really be about addressing needs and filling roles. If Blackmon enters the portal it should be a layup. Grab him and then you can really go all-in on a Thornton or a Wade Taylor type. Get the kid at Bradley literally from Bloomington to come off the bench and play 15-20 mpg and space the floor. There's plenty of these guys in the portal willing to get a chance to play at the P5 level who all don't have a hand out. Staff just needs to identify them.

There will be plenty of players in the portal with local/regional connections that would jump at the chance to play at IU with NIL incentives.

How many teams coveted a Ryan Langborn last year? Or a Lance Jones? They're everywhere. But yes if the plan is to go all-in on Bruce Thornton, Wade Taylor, and Jordan Pope we're going to be disappointed.

Assuming MR and MM return, primary emphasis should be the continued upward trajectory development of those two. MR and MM should both be able to average 16+ next year. You need a combo guard who can score from all 3 levels and share ball-handling duties with Galloway (this will be your target that you $$$$ at) and then a high volume/high make 3 point shooter to play along side. Transfer CG Galloway High Volume/High Make 3 pt shooter MM MR That's a highly competitive starting lineup who can score. From there you need to bring in a rim protecting 5, a versatile 4 who can defend, and another 3 point specialist who can come off the bench. That's a realistic outlook that you can expect from the portal this offseason. I agree wholeheartedly that chasing the highest rated portal targets and throwing money at them is going to end up being a recipe for disaster. You need to construct a roster with guys that all fill different roles.

His "effort" wasn't great but he was still FAR more playable and further advanced than Booker as a freshman. And it's not particularly close.

Trying? Sure. Realistically expect to get? No. Shooting for Love, Knecht, Dingle (all the coveted portal guards) in the portal is how you end up with a backcourt of Xavier Johnson and Trey Galloway and a subsequent missed tourney. You offer Pope and Thornton, you don't go all in on them and neglect a back up plan (see Woodson 2024 recruiting). You're going to have to fill 5-6, maybe 7 spots.

A massive difference, and I say that as a Cathedral alum who has always rooted for Booker. Per 40 is a non-starter here. Booker isn't in the same realm in both the physical or development stage that Ware was in as a freshman. Booker is literally unplayable on a team who doesn't have a front court to begin with. Ware played well when he was given extended minutes in games last year, he was just buoyed behind two good upperclassmen 5's.

He went through senior night as a junior after graduating in 3 years. The expectation is that he is hitting the portal. And yeah just about every name mentioned on here technically isn't in the portal. We really think Jalen Blackmon going to play his last year at Stetson?

I get the sense that Reneau is back next year unless he gets an offer elsewhere too good to be true. Mgbako much more likely to test the waters.

Booker needs a lot more work than Kel'el Ware. Ware played well when he actually saw the floor last season, he was simply behind two upperclassmen former 5* centers. Not sure Woodson can afford to play Booker 25 minutes a game next year while still developing.

We have so many perimeter holes right now that you're going to need at least 3 guards. We still need shooters. Luke Goode can play 20-25 mpg scoring 7-8 ppg playing in front of friends and family every night while getting paid handsomely to do so. I see zero downside bringing on a player like Luke Goode. Would probably help in the recruitment of Jalen Blackmon considering they were Indy Heat teammates.