2025-2026 IUBB Season Expectations

[OKHOOSIER]

5 hours ago, Home Jersey said:

Nobody is expecting less. They’re just saying having a year like UK or UM or UL is not a minimum requirement for DDV to work out here. People who are rightfully upset by missing the tournament would just have to deal with it and hope he does better next year. Our payroll doesn’t guarantee a thing. 

I think the main thing is missing the tournament provided the weakness of the bubble in this era of humongous conferences where teams are getting 15+ Q1 and Q1A games increases the pressure. Which, to me, is before you get into the “with IU resources” argument. Most years, .500 or a little better in B1G play with maybe one decent non-con win and no terrible losses should be enough to get in. The tournament is so diluted now, it really should be the floor at a place like IU. Anything more like a year comparable to the teams you mentioned would really just be icing. Just my two cents. 

[IU Prof]

I get that having too much talent is a good problem to have...but where would Avdalas fit in the rotation? Would it be Wilkerson-Avdalas-TDV at the 2-3-4 with Miles off the bench? 

Or would that move Bailey to the bench with a true, rim-protector at the 5?

The biggest unanswered question in my mind right now is whether DDV is currently planning on playing TDV and Bailey at the 3-4 or 4-5? It obviously depends on who we can get at the 5, but I'm solidly in the camp that thinks Bailey would be more effective in a pseudo Danny Wolf role (without the same handle, of course) at the 4.

[Asha’man]

2 minutes ago, IU Prof said:

I get that having too much talent is a good problem to have...but where would Avdalas fit in the rotation? Would it be Wilkerson-Avdalas-TDV at the 2-3-4 with Miles off the bench? 

Or would that move Bailey to the bench with a true, rim-protector at the 5?

The biggest unanswered question in my mind right now is whether DDV is currently planning on playing TDV and Bailey at the 3-4 or 4-5? It obviously depends on who we can get at the 5, but I'm solidly in the camp that thinks Bailey would be more effective in a pseudo Danny Wolf role (without the same handle, of course) at the 4.

Bailey is a backup 4/5 imo. Our best starting 5 will include Tucker DeVries at the 4. 

[AH1971]

3 minutes ago, IU Prof said:

The biggest unanswered question in my mind right now is whether DDV is currently planning on playing TDV and Bailey at the 3-4 or 4-5? It obviously depends on who we can get at the 5, but I'm solidly in the camp that thinks Bailey would be more effective in a pseudo Danny Wolf role (without the same handle, of course) at the 4.

Bailey is a luxury in my opinion because offensively you can play him at the 4 and 5. Assuming we add a solid rim protector at the 5 who isn't offensively gifted, I think you'll see Bailey get split minutes at both spots.

[CSP]

5 minutes ago, IU Prof said:

I get that having too much talent is a good problem to have...but where would Avdalas fit in the rotation? Would it be Wilkerson-Avdalas-TDV at the 2-3-4 with Miles off the bench? 

Or would that move Bailey to the bench with a true, rim-protector at the 5?

The biggest unanswered question in my mind right now is whether DDV is currently planning on playing TDV and Bailey at the 3-4 or 4-5? It obviously depends on who we can get at the 5, but I'm solidly in the camp that thinks Bailey would be more effective in a pseudo Danny Wolf role (without the same handle, of course) at the 4.

Based on his WVU roster/starting lineup... Bailey is the 5, TDV is the 4. 

[AH1971]

Just now, Certified Sunshine Pumper said:

Based on his WVU roster/starting lineup... Bailey is the 5, TDV is the 4. 

I don't think next years roster looks anything like his West Virginia roster. 

[CSP]

1 minute ago, AH1971 said:

I don't think next years roster looks anything like his West Virginia roster. 

So far, it's pretty darn close. I'm not sure why you'd think that. 

[CSP]

6 minutes ago, Asha’man said:

Bailey is a backup 4/5 imo. Our best starting 5 will include Tucker DeVries at the 4. 

a backup? Doubt it. 

[LamarCheeks]

2 minutes ago, jermhoosierfan said:

Isn't anyone who signs with the team a Hoosier "as soon as he signs"? 

LOL. I had the same thought ... 

[Asha’man]

1 minute ago, Certified Sunshine Pumper said:

a backup? Doubt it. 

Doubt all you want. He isn’t going to be good enough defensively to start with the other offensive weapons. Get a rim protector to help on defense bc there is plenty of offense already out there.  Then when some of those offensive weapons go to the bench he can come in and put up some points. Can he shoot it? Yes. But he isn’t a prolific shooter on volume. 

[CSP]

1 minute ago, Asha’man said:

Doubt all you want. He isn’t going to be good enough defensively to start with the other offensive weapons. Get a rim protector to help on defense bc there is plenty of offense already out there.  Then when some of those offensive weapons go to the bench he can come in and put up some points. Can he shoot it? Yes. But he isn’t a prolific shooter on volume. 

I mean, you can tell he isn't a prolific shooter from his stats. He shot less 3s per game last year than Malik did as a SO. 

I was just mentioning he is most like Hansberry, a higher usage big. He didn't start a rim protector last year at WVU and Bailey is bigger than Hansberry. 

 

"he isn't going to be good enough defensively to start with the other offensive weapons"... mmmmk.. well, how exactly do we think we GOT Bailey then? or why exactly would we have prioritized his recruitment, because we clearly did. But now he's not going to start? 

It's just not a coincidence. 

 

But believe what you want. 

[AH1971]

11 minutes ago, Certified Sunshine Pumper said:

So far, it's pretty darn close. I'm not sure why you'd think that. 

Huh?

Javon Small was a ball dominant, scoring first PG who could light it up from distance----Enright/Conerway had two of the highest assist rates in the country last year and will be pass first PG's in this system; neither are good 3 pt shooters

Okani/Harris were lengthy, athletic slashers slashers who excelled defensively----Wilkerson/Miles are high usage, three level scorers not known for defense that lack elite athleticism

Hansberry and Bailey's games aren't comparable. Bailey is a skilled point forward, Hansberry is a rim runner.

I don't think DeVries West Virginia team and his first IU team could be more opposite if we're being honest.

DeVries WVU teams wore opponents down defensively, IU more than likely going to have to outscore the opposition next year given the personnel. 

[CSP]

6 minutes ago, AH1971 said:

Huh?

Javon Small was a ball dominant, scoring first PG who could light it up from distance----Enright/Conerway had two of the highest assist rates in the country last year and will be pass first PG's in this system; neither are good 3 pt shooters

Okani/Harris were lengthy, athletic slashers slashers who excelled defensively----Wilkerson/Miles are high usage, three level scorers not known for defense that lack elite athleticism

Hansberry and Bailey's games aren't comparable. Bailey is a skilled point forward, Hansberry is a rim runner.

I don't think DeVries West Virginia team and his first IU team could be more opposite if we're being honest.

DeVries WVU teams wore opponents down defensively, IU more than likely going to have to outscore the opposition next year given the personnel. 

Hansberry is not a rim runner lol ... his usage was 24%+ and shot 4 3s per game in 25mins played. 

It's a perimeter-oriented team... just like the one we're building. 

 

WVU teams "wore others down" because 2 of his 3 best offensive threats were injured lol 

[CSP]

1 minute ago, Hoosierfanyuh said:

Take this to next years expectations please 

I mean... it's like a post an hour in this thread, someone has to come here to confess who they think will start. 

I don't see that discussion as expectations, it'd be a lineup talk, I guess. 

[AH1971]

6 minutes ago, Certified Sunshine Pumper said:

Hansberry is not a rim runner lol ... his usage was 24%+ and shot 3+ 3s per game. 

It's a perimeter-oriented team... just like the one we're building. 

 

WVU teams "wore others down" because 2 of his 3 best offensive threats were injured lol 

Last years West Virginia team was extremely long and athletic, especially out on the perimeter. They shot 32% from 3 as a team. They were one of the best defensive teams in the country. Next years team will rival some of the good Fran Iowa teams in my opinion. That's the anti-thesis of last years West Virginia team.

[Hoosier987]

9 minutes ago, AH1971 said:

Huh?

Javon Small was a ball dominant, scoring first PG who could light it up from distance----Enright/Conerway had two of the highest assist rates in the country last year and will be pass first PG's in this system; neither are good 3 pt shooters

Okani/Harris were lengthy, athletic slashers slashers who excelled defensively----Wilkerson/Miles are high usage, three level scorers not known for defense that lack elite athleticism

Hansberry and Bailey's games aren't comparable. Bailey is a skilled point forward, Hansberry is a rim runner.

I don't think DeVries West Virginia team and his first IU team could be more opposite if we're being honest.

DeVries WVU teams wore opponents down defensively, IU more than likely going to have to outscore the opposition next year given the personnel. 

Bailey is more of a hybrid - he can play forward and center, if we elect to go small.  I do tend to agree, that If we're expecting Bailey to be our primary center throughout the whole season, then we better score over 90 + points a game to have a chance of winning. Ultimately, CDD will get a rim protector who will be more of a true center in the sense. 

[CSP]

2 minutes ago, AH1971 said:

Last years West Virginia team was extremely long and athletic, especially out on the perimeter. They shot 32% from 3 as a team. They were one of the best defensive teams in the country. And weren't overly good shooters. Next years team will rival some of the good Fran Iowa teams in my opinion. That's the anti-thesis of last years West Virginia team.

Because two of the three best perimeter threats were hurt, yes. 

We are a perimeter-oriented team, just like WVU last season. His 5 last year... 24%+ usage rate but no all of a sudden we're starting a rim protector at center? idk about it. 

[AH1971]

Just now, Certified Sunshine Pumper said:

Because two of the three best perimeter threats were hurt, yes. 

His son and who?

[Hoosier987]

1 minute ago, AH1971 said:

Last years West Virginia team was extremely long and athletic, especially out on the perimeter. They shot 32% from 3 as a team. They were one of the best defensive teams in the country. And weren't overly good shooters. Next years team will rival some of the good Fran Iowa teams in my opinion. That's the anti-thesis of last years West Virginia team.

Yup...further proven by CDD tempo last year. It was slower than he typically likes to play. Why? because he didn't feel like he had the necessary shooters to play a high tempo offense. CDD wants to score within the first 12 seconds of the shot clock. They didn't do that last year. This year, it seems we're much closer to what style CDD wants to play. 

[CSP]

1 minute ago, Hoosier987 said:

Yup...further proven by CDD tempo last year. It was slower than he typically likes to play. Why? because he didn't feel like he had the necessary shooters to play a high tempo offense. CDD wants to score within the first 12 seconds of the shot clock. They didn't do that last year. This year, it seems we're much closer to what style CDD wants to play. 

not when TDV was healthy

They ran AZ and Gonzaga out of the gym in the Bahamas.