IUBB vs #2 Kansas - Saturday, 12.16.23 @ 12:30 on CBS

[RaceToTheTop 24,660]

Just now, Hornsby said:

Yep this was almost a must win for the ncaa Need at least 15 big ten wins now


Sent from my SM-A146U using Tapatalk
 

So if IU goes 14-6 in the Big Ten and 22-9 overall, they are left out.....okay.

[hoosierbgh 1,260]

29 minutes ago, hoopsta007 said:

I think we should reallocate some of our NIL funds for officials like Kansas has.  Maybe the money just isn’t there

I wonder how much NIL money the Hunter Dickinson level of officiating from the refs costs? I'm assuming the Edey level of immunity from calls is too cost prohibitive. 

[TheWatShot 13,530]

Our non-con SOS is now up to 85. This might finally be the year where that number doesn't find its way over 300, but I'm sure it will drop significantly after the next three games. 

[Loaded Chicken Sandwich 8,520]

1 minute ago, RaceToTheTop said:

So if IU goes 14-6 in the Big Ten and 22-9 overall, they are left out.....okay.

I guess it'll depend on who they beat. No wins over Purdue, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio State... Gonna be biting our nails.

[AKHoosier 6,677]

3 minutes ago, RaceToTheTop said:

So if IU goes 14-6 in the Big Ten and 22-9 overall, they are left out.....okay.

Yes, it's entirely possible. 

Who you beat is more important than quantity now. We could win 12 more B1G games but if none of those come against Purdue or Illinois then that might not be enough. 

[str8baller 4,937]

6 minutes ago, OGIUAndy said:

I agree, but I also think we can do some damage in the B1G. We definitely need X. 

The team that played today can. Shorten the bench and/or get X back and move on defense like we did, and I think we can compete with anyone in the B1G.  
 

I thought this was one of our best defensive games so far. We lost some guys, but mostly our positioning was better. The 3 they took to go ahead was contested. Ware could’ve fought Dickinson for better position, but the shots he hit down the stretch were defended. Cupps and Galloway did better staying in front of guys and Mbako didn’t get lost nearly as much.   
 

Our bench gave us no scoring again including Banks. Having Mbako go out early hurt the offense, especially since they just played off Reneau.   
 

Kansas is more talented, experienced, and plain better than us. We fought them short handed to a mostly even game. It just sucks to lose.

[Loaded Chicken Sandwich 8,520]

Too many are used to the Big Ten of past years. This year is much closer to what we've seen from Pac-12 or the old SEC.

[IUFAN1976 2,677]

18 minutes ago, coonhounds said:

Praying purdue gets beat by 57 today. If iu needs help to get in the tournament I hope we don't get in. In fact year 3 Woodson better be winning the big 10 this year or running a close second. Tired of losing

Sent from my SM-A326U using Tapatalk
 

I think we are all tired of losing!  
 

I'm hoping they use this game as a confidence builder!  We just proved that we can compete with anyone in the country!  Once we get X back, that will push Cupps to a bench role and we will be much better that way.  Plus, we won't have to see Gunn as much, he sucks!

[Stuhoo 78,425]

I know it’s a message board and negative opinions are part of the territory, but now that I’m jumping in this thread, some of the hot take negativity is mind-boggling.

Today we saw the potential of this team, and saw it earlier than I hoped for.

Cupps was excellent again. Extremely mature against a top 5 pg nationally in only his tenth game. As the game slows down for him his offense will come; certainly during his time at IU.

Gallo is a worker. So when his shot broke he got to work and fixed it.

Mgbako continues to trend better defensively and that matters a ton.

Ware an Malik are a load…with tournament game winning talent.

The two backup bigs are active and athletic.

The third guard for March? We need X back 100%. Cupps is a good, low risk third guard.

Before I submit this post, I want add that I am NOT interested in moral victories, and this is not a ‘moral victory post’

Instead? It’s an assessment of the team’s potential, which is so, so much higher than last year. We can be the 8 seed that no one wants to face.

[Rico 2,978]

We pissed away a golden opportunity today. 

That being said, I liked what I saw.  Play like we did today the rest of the way out and the odds say we get to dance.

[Stuhoo 78,425]

21 minutes ago, Hornsby said:

Yep this was almost a must win for the ncaa Need at least 15 big ten wins now


Sent from my SM-A146U using Tapatalk
 

I hope you’re joking because that is just flat out not true, and in my opinion a ridiculous, credibility-crushing thing to say.

[OliviaPope40 6,361]

2 hours ago, FortWayneHoosier said:

Trey picked the right game to be on!!!! 

All part of my plan for the most part.

[FortWayneHoosier 5,878]

I think if we get 30 or more Big ten wins this season, we get a tourney bid. Just my two cents. 

[Stuhoo 78,425]

Just now, FortWayneHoosier said:

I think if we get 30 or more Big ten wins this season, we get a tourney bid. Just my two cents. 

Maaaaybe….maybe not 

[cbp4iu 1,350]

4 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

I know it’s a message board and negative opinions are part of the territory, but now that I’m jumping in this thread, some of the hot take negativity is mind-boggling.

Today we saw the potential of this team, and saw it earlier than I hoped for.

Cupps was excellent again. Extremely mature against a top 5 pg nationally in only his tenth game. As the game slows down for him his offense will come; certainly during his time at IU.

Gallo is a worker. So when his shot broke he got to work and fixed it.

Mgbako continues to trend better defensively and that matters a ton.

Ware an Malik are a load…with tournament game winning talent.

The two backup bigs are active and athletic.

The third guard for March? We need X back 100%. Cupps is a good, low risk third guard.

Before I submit this post, I want add that I am NOT interested in moral victories, and this is not a ‘moral victory post’

Instead? It’s an assessment of the team’s potential, which is so, so much higher than last year. We can be the 8 seed that no one wants to face.

I think 8 seed is the ceiling. We need more depth to reach that. Johnson has to stay healthy too

[IUFAN1976 2,677]

8 minutes ago, str8baller said:

The team that played today can. Shorten the bench and/or get X back and move on defense like we did, and I think we can compete with anyone in the B1G.  
 

I thought this was one of our best defensive games so far. We lost some guys, but mostly our positioning was better. The 3 they took to go ahead was contested. Ware could’ve fought Dickinson for better position, but the shots he hit down the stretch were defended. Cupps and Galloway did better staying in front of guys and Mbako didn’t get lost nearly as much.   
 

Our bench gave us no scoring again including Banks. Having Mbako go out early hurt the offense, especially since they just played off Reneau.   
 

Kansas is more talented, experienced, and plain better than us. We fought them short handed to a mostly even game. It just sucks to lose.

Well said!  I 100% agree with everything you said and the fact that our bench gave us only 3 points proves your point to shorten the bench.  Once X comes back, Cupps and Walker should be the first two off the bench and Banks should only play spot minutes and that is it.  No Gunn or Sparks at all, unless we have serious foul trouble or injuries. Woodson should take a page out of Self’s book as far as playing his bench

[Stuhoo 78,425]

1 minute ago, cbp4iu said:

I think 8 seed is the ceiling. We need more depth to reach that. Johnson has to stay healthy too

Woody has been pretty clear about goals: win the B1G and win National Championships. Pretty sure he never mentioned seed line in those goals.

This team has a better chance of reaching those goals than any team since 2016.

[str8baller 4,937]

3 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

Cupps was excellent again. Extremely mature against a top 5 pg nationally in only his tenth game. As the game slows down for him his offense will come; certainly during his time at IU.

I really thought so. You can see his offensive confidence growing like you can see Mbako’s defensive confidence growing.  
 

I thought Cupps got tired in the second half which is a small vindication of Woody’s attempts at getting regular subs in during previous games. With that said he started and acquitted himself well versus one of the most talented teams in the country as a frosh with less than a half dozen starts under his belt. I think the people claiming he isn’t athletic enough to compete at this level are going to have to revise those opinions…and probably sooner rather than later.   His defense was very good most of the time.  
 

Unless this is a Phinisee situation where he just never builds off of a good freshman year, I think you’re looking at the PG of the next 3 years. 

[OliviaPope40 6,361]

1 hour ago, Dave from Dayton said:

Someone sprinkle some pixie dust on IU.  We need the AH magic, now.

I tried to didn't have enough Christmas pixie dust with me.

[IUFAN1976 2,677]

6 minutes ago, FortWayneHoosier said:

I think if we get 30 or more Big ten wins this season, we get a tourney bid. Just my two cents. 

I think the committee will have us still on the bubble