IUBB vs Ruger - Thursday, 01.02.25 @ 8:30 on Peacock

[RaceToTheTop]

Hoping that Ballo plays.  I understand sitting him last game for obviously not being focused on what he should have been but the truth is on the court he is one of our most engaged players.  If we are going to sit people for not being focused on the right things then Woodson shouldn't show up.

[AZ Hoosier]

2 hours ago, RaceToTheTop said:

Hoping that Ballo plays.  I understand sitting him last game for obviously not being focused on what he should have been but the truth is on the court he is one of our most engaged players.  If we are going to sit people for not being focused on the right things then Woodson shouldn't show up.

Not sure Woodson has been showing up.

[coonhounds]

I am very surprised of the optimism some of you have. We can win but we will need to play better than our last 2 outings. This game is big for iu.

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[WayneFleekHoosier]

I am very surprised of the optimism some of you have. We can win but we will need to play better than our last 2 outings. This game is big for iu.

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Big game? Sure. But kind of must win if we take ourselves seriously. Rutgers despite some top talent and a good coach just isn’t a good team. Penn State will cook us this weekend and erase any goodwill we might earn with the home court advantage.


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[RaceToTheTop]

This is about an anti-Rutgers team as Pikiell has had.  65th offensively, 97th defensively, 57th in pace.  Both team play at a pretty fast pace.

[RaceToTheTop]

17 hours ago, AZ Hoosier said:

Not sure Woodson has been showing up.

We know that IU had the incident three years ago prior to the Northwestern game and that there had been a game prior where Xavier Johnson had pulled something similar.  Been rumors this year about players being out late and now a confirmed one with Ballo.

It's not that I'm against disciplining players but the fact is that when you see the head coach not putting the time in it is a learned behavior.  

[Stuhoo]

19 minutes ago, RaceToTheTop said:

We know that IU had the incident three years ago prior to the Northwestern game and that there had been a game prior where Xavier Johnson had pulled something similar.  Been rumors this year about players being out late and now a confirmed one with Ballo.

It's not that I'm against disciplining players but the fact is that when you see the head coach not putting the time in it is a learned behavior.  

Is it confirmed that Ballo was suspended, not injured?

I’m assuming so but haven’t seen confirmation.

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

1 hour ago, Stuhoo said:

Is it confirmed that Ballo was suspended, not injured?

I’m assuming so but haven’t seen confirmation.

All innuendo and speculation at this point.  Haven't seen any confirmation from the usually reliable sources.

[Stuhoo]

So all speculation.

I think the official pre-game announcement said “lower body injury,” and IU has gone with “undisclosed” in the past for suspensions.

[AKHoosier]

4 hours ago, Stuhoo said:

So all speculation.

I think the official pre-game announcement said “lower body injury,” and IU has gone with “undisclosed” in the past for suspensions.

Woodson saying "I'm not gonna get into that" when asked about it in the postgame press conference doesn't scream injury-related to me.

It would have been way easier to say "he's banged up a bit, so we held him out" than leave it open to speculation and rumor.

[Stuhoo]

6 minutes ago, AKHoosier said:

Woodson saying "I'm not gonna get into that" when when about it in the postgame press conference doesn't scream injury-related to me.

It would have been way easier to say "he's banged up a bit, so we held him out" than leave it open to speculation and rumor.

For sure.

But it also could be explained by a coach that  doesn’t comment on injury status and thinks that’s the way to move onto the next question. Woody’s words don’t always come out right.

[RaceToTheTop]

Current line is IU by 4.5.  If Ballo isn't playing, I would say at this point insiders don't know.  Point spread I would think would not be IU by 4.5 if it was known Ballo was out.

[TTT]

Ballo out = IU loss. Ballo in = IU loss. Pick em…a reason (excuse).

[Napleshoosier]

I got us winning and I think it’s a joke!  They gonna kick our @$$ and Woody will say…… I just gotta get em over da hump!  Get him outta there now!  I don’t care !  I’m over it!

[Dave from Dayton]

14 hours ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

All innuendo and speculation at this point.  Haven't seen any confirmation from the usually reliable sources.

We have to know...inquiring minds...

Round up the usual suspects. 

[Whoozhers]

On 12/31/2024 at 12:40 PM, Home Jersey said:

Not looking forward to seeing Harper and Bailey against our defense…

Maybe silly, but I think Dylan will take pleasure in carving us up like his older brother Ron Jr used to do. Jr used to talk a lot of smack about IU and then there was the whole thing with Dylan copying his brother’s celebration gestures from when they beat us on his visit here during the photo shoot… 

Idk, on paper this is one they should probably win. But I have no real confidence in it happening. 

Defense? What defense?

Does the word defense apply to IU basketball?

[maharkn]

I think Bailey is the bigger threat here. Don’t think there is anyone on the team that is able to guard him


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[Home Jersey]

10 minutes ago, maharkn said:

I think Bailey is the bigger threat here. Don’t think there is anyone on the team that is able to guard him

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I was thinking this too but really think both can/likely will torch us. Unless one is really off, they're going to combine for 40-48+ points easily IMO

[Dave from Dayton]

Is the Scarlet Knights a tribute to Indiana's Robert Montgomery Knight and the three National Championships won under his coaching?

Rutgers is decent on offense and soft on defense. They are still adjusting to Harper being so good on offense.  Bailey is still working through his adjustments.

  IU is a good shooting team, except for threes.  Defensively, they are ok if they try.  Do not lose the ball with turnovers and go after rebounds.

Both teams are struggling for different reasons.  Rutgers has whiffed on the transfer portal bigs.  And they are focusing on offense more than defense this year in order to recruit those that want to get into the NBA.  

IU is struggling because...well, we know why...effort, lack of focus, chemistry, ball handling, effort, few threes, coaching and effort.

[Stuhoo]

20 minutes ago, Dave from Dayton said:

IU is struggling because...well, we know why...effort, lack of focus, chemistry, ball handling, effort, few threes, coaching and effort.

You listed eight reasons we're struggling.

One of them is inaccurate (too few threes).

The other seven all are the same thing; coaching.

_____________________________________________

That having been said; I think that Pikell is pretty overrated and isn't the overachiever he's been portrayed to be. Soooooo......

GO HOOSIERS! Beat the snot out of them.