IndyHoops

And the best 3PT shooter at 29%…. :)

Mack

He put up the same assist numbers in conference as Galloway. And let’s not forget he was in Iowa’s high tempo offense with some shooters. Mack did his work with much less talent around him. Mack also has 3 years left…. Perkins is done after next year. Again, to me, it’s not close…. Sure, take them both. But if you have to choose… Mack

He can’t shoot and isn’t a playmaker. Again, our perimeter defense problems were cause by MM and MR, not our guards. Mack is easily the best choice, it’s not even close.

Please not Perkins…

Pray? lol Yes, they need to cast a wide net…and maybe contact some 2025 recruits?

There is a huge issue comparing Kansas and IU when it comes to building a roster for next year. Yes, Kansas, and most schools, cast a wide net because portal season is so short. It’s hard to zero in on recruits when you only have a couple weeks before they commit. BUT…. Kansas has 3 top 50 high school kids coming in. They are plugging holes with the portal, not building a roster. When Kansas casts a wide net and only land one or two, they are still fine. Not IU. IU is casting a wide because they need a lot of players. There is a massive difference.

^^^ this

The point guards for IU were not the problem with our perimeter defense most of the time. Yes Cupps got toasted a couple games, but overall, Cupps, injured X, Galloway, and Leal did a OK job. The problem was MM and MR, and will be next year if IU plays 2 bigs.

Is Perkins an upgrade from an injured X? Yes. Is Perkins what IU needs? No.

Rabby hasn’t been a wealth of reliable knowledge either. We are approaching my dad can beat up your dad territory.

Sure, if Woodson brought in Dalton Knecht and Reed Shepard, he could develop them. Woodson is great at developing 5 star/NBA talent…but who isn’t? If by recruiting misses you are implying that he needs that level of talent, sure. I guess that’s a recruiting miss. But what coach couldn’t win with that? And how many other coaches get along just fine without that talent? Simple question…would Cupps be better right now if he went to Purdue instead of IU? And of course all programs pay their players. But not all programs depend solely on out bidding other schools in the portal for the majority of their roster. IU has zero recruits coming in and what, 6 players on roster if MM comes back? So, can Woodson use the same excuse next year if the portal doesn’t work out this spring? That he didn’t “have the type of perimeter player to develop”?

Doesn’t recruiting and development go hand in hand? The vast majority of college staffs don’t recruit the finished product. You recruit because that player can be developed in your system. You think Loyer and Smith from Purdue would be as good if they played for Woodson? You don’t recruit because you got money left in the NIL piggy bank. This whole “let’s face it, buy talent” is an excuse for bad coaching and bad roster management. Any freaking “coach” can “buy talent”. IU isn’t the Pacers, as hard as Woodson and some others want to convince themselves of that.

Bates? Banks? Whichever way you want to look at it, it doesn’t matter. The most important thing is…. What are the chances its going to get any better in the portal this year? There will be no last minute 5 star high school adds this year, like the last 2 (JHS and MM). So it’s basically down to buying enough talent in the portal that Woodson can win with….for the rest of his time at IU. Because he’s not developing any underclassmen anytime soon.

I hope Dolson starts the search as soon as things start going south. If that’s after striking out in the portal this spring, do it.

You mean like a job responsibility?

Ware is the reason we won those games. And MM getting hot. Look, Leal is a nice player, but he wouldn’t sniff the floor for Illinois, Purdue, Michigan State, Northwestern, Nebraska, or even Wisconsin. Leal doing what he does and being one of the best players for IU is more of a inditement on Woodson not developing others players than it is Leal being some secret weapon.

If you were Thornton, would you leave OSU for IU?

Not knowing satisfactory results. Doesn’t matter what talent Woodson brings in, if he doesn’t make the NCAA or makes the NCAA and gets destroyed, people will be upset. He could have 3 kids on the roster…he better make the NCAA.

Disagree. At this point, just make the NCAA and not get blown out. That’s about as much anyone can hope for with the current state of IU basketball.

Your last sentence is so depressing. There is a solid chance IU doesn’t make the NCAA for the next couple years…..

Yeah, it’s a start. Hopefully they pick up at least 3 kids like Blackmon. I obviously have my doubts that style of play is going to change much next year. Doesn’t matter if you have shooters if you don’t run anything for them….

How much you wanna bet IU starts 2 bigs, MM at the 3, and Galloway at the 2? Prove me wrong Mike…. :)

Agreed. But I think Galloway starts at the 2, which means Blackmon comes off the bench. I don’t see more than 6-8 attempts a game for whoever IU gets at the 2.

Loyer is hidden because they have Edey in the paint. Let’s see what Loyer is like next year. I don’t know how effective Blackmon is going to be getting up 6 shots a game versus 10. He doesn’t seem like a player that’s going to be contempt passing the ball to Reneau 10 times while giving up shots. He isn’t a playmaker and doesn’t play defense….