IUWBB @ Michigan - Wednesday, 02.12.25 @ 7:00 on B1G+

[OGIUAndy 857]

17 minutes ago, Aaron said:

Its pretty sad we are calling a likely 20 win season and first or second round appearance in NCAA's a forgettable season. Fan base has gotten spoiled similar to post-Schwarber days with baseball where an NCAA Tourney appearance most seasons is considered is "forgettable".

There is a big gap between elite and forgettable and too many people have adapted the 'if your not first you are last" mentality. This season is not like last few but definitely not forgettable. It is very similar to 18-19.   

I know people don't like to be called out as fans (as we know from Woody's faux pas) but there are a lot of fair weather fans when it comes to certain sports. 

[Aaron 4,355]

13 minutes ago, OGIUAndy said:

I know people don't like to be called out as fans (as we know from Woody's faux pas) but there are a lot of fair weather fans when it comes to certain sports. 

Absolutely. Outside of men's basketball, many fans will not watch a product at IU that is not a top-10-20 team. Lets see if an 8-9 win Cignetti era yearly leads to full stadium each week. I have my doubts as Mallory era had great attendance early and dropped of for "only winning" 6-8 games.

I'd like to think this will be different, but every program outside men's basketball has the same story told again and again that if you are not a top 10-20 team, many people consider it a failure and stop coming and complain season is forgettable or a failure. Women's basketball is latest example and after what has happened with baseball in similar situation I see no evidence fans will support any team not named men's basketball that isn't elite.   

Unfortunately you need casual fans to sustain a program and at IU that group of people is always following men's basketball and other sports only if at very top. There is some level of fair weather fans everywhere but this describes way to many people here.

Fans are welcome to keep having this attitude, but don't be surprised when nothing but men's basketball fails to sustain long term success as has happened again and again with IU's other 23 programs.

[TheWatShot 14,781]

39 minutes ago, Aaron said:

Its pretty sad we are calling a likely 20 win season and first or second round appearance in NCAA's a forgettable season. Fan base has gotten spoiled similar to post-Schwarber days with baseball where an NCAA Tourney appearance most seasons is considered "forgettable".

There is a big gap between elite and forgettable and too many people have adapted the 'if your not first you are last" mentality. This season is not like last few but definitely not forgettable. It is very similar to 2018-2019.   

We're 15-9 with only two likely wins left on the schedule. We'll be underdogs in the rest. We're probably getting 1 win at most in the BTT. I'm not sure how you can say 20 wins is "likely" right now. I think our 20-win season streak is actually in jeopardy. 

 

Overall, it just hasn't been a real fun team to watch. The long scoring droughts every game and high turnover rate would be tough for someone who's never watched an IU women's team before, let alone what we got used to seeing. We've had 3 games scoring under 50 points and we've lost at home 4 times. If we can reload and have a strong team next season, no one's going to be reminiscing about any of these games. 

[TTT 1,114]

4 minutes ago, TheWatShot said:

We're 15-9 with only two likely wins left on the schedule. We'll be underdogs in the rest. We're probably getting 1 win at most in the BTT. I'm not sure how you can say 20 wins is "likely" right now. I think our 20-win season streak is actually in jeopardy. 

 

Overall, it just hasn't been a real fun team to watch. The long scoring droughts every game and high turnover rate would be tough for someone who's never watched an IU women's team before, let alone what we got used to seeing. We've had 3 games scoring under 50 points and we've lost at home 4 times. If we can reload and have a strong team next season, no one's going to be reminiscing about any of these games. 

Things have gotten tougher in big ten.  IU Ladies whether it’s performance and/or Recruiting including transfers have to keep pace.  IU Ladies have always operated a little lean and it’s catching up…bottom half of big ten vs in the running for championships. 

[Aaron 4,355]

45 minutes ago, TheWatShot said:

We're 15-9 with only two likely wins left on the schedule. We'll be underdogs in the rest. We're probably getting 1 win at most in the BTT. I'm not sure how you can say 20 wins is "likely" right now. I think our 20-win season streak is actually in jeopardy. 

 

Overall, it just hasn't been a real fun team to watch. The long scoring droughts every game and high turnover rate would be tough for someone who's never watched an IU women's team before, let alone what we got used to seeing. We've had 3 games scoring under 50 points and we've lost at home 4 times. If we can reload and have a strong team next season, no one's going to be reminiscing about any of these games. 

I expect them to beat Purdue twice, one of the three other Big Ten games, and first game of Big Ten Tourney which will get you a bid as a 10 seed at 19-12. You would indeed need to win first NCAA game which would be toss up to get to 20. 

Season has certainly not been perfect and far from it but it is not a failure either. Its not always a case of elite of failure. Truth can be in between which is exactly what has happened this season. 

[Aaron 4,355]

24 minutes ago, TTT said:

Things have gotten tougher in big ten.  IU Ladies whether it’s performance and/or Recruiting including transfers have to keep pace.  IU Ladies have always operated a little lean and it’s catching up…bottom half of big ten vs in the running for championships. 

They are way closer to the Big Ten Championship than the bottom of the league for sure. The top of the Big Ten is UCLA and USC and IU gave both those teams all they could handle before losing late. Meanwhile they are 4-0 against the bottom five (with two vs. Purdue to go) with a combined winning margin of 71 points.   

You have three teams at top (UCLA, USC, and OSU), five (PSU, Wiscy, PU, NW, Rutgers) at bottom, and 10 you can more or less throw in to one big pot that are kind of between elite and awful. IU is very much right in the thick of that group. 0-2 vs. Top 2, 3-4 vs. the teams in their group and 4-0 vs. bottom of league. Ultimate definition of right in the middle which is exactly what they are.

[NatHillIV 28]

On 2/13/2025 at 4:37 PM, Aaron said:

They are way closer to the Big Ten Championship than the bottom of the league for sure. The top of the Big Ten is UCLA and USC and IU gave both those teams all they could handle before losing late. Meanwhile they are 4-0 against the bottom five (with two vs. Purdue to go) with a combined winning margin of 71 points.   

You have three teams at top (UCLA, USC, and OSU), five (PSU, Wiscy, PU, NW, Rutgers) at bottom, and 10 you can more or less throw in to one big pot that are kind of between elite and awful. IU is very much right in the thick of that group. 0-2 vs. Top 2, 3-4 vs. the teams in their group and 4-0 vs. bottom of league. Ultimate definition of right in the middle which is exactly what they are.

PERFECT analysis.  Creme says the five in the middle of the Big10 are all four on the "last 4 byes list," with Washington (13th in BigTen at the moment, 14-12 overall) in the "last 4 in" list.  So they are essentially all almost exactly the same in his eyes.  Even Washington?  I think we will have to drop to the "bottom of the middle of the Big10" to not make the tournament.
I also think that it will take being passed by several teams to keep us out of the big dance.  I would feel better if we beat OSU, MSU, or Maryland.  Since 2 of those 3 are here, I don't think it's impossible to steal one.  Do that, and I feel very confident we're in the BigDance.  Which is a big deal.

Edited Monday at 08:44 PM by NatHillIV