At least IU isn’t playing on Wednesday … an improvement over last year.

Where is everybody?

and if iowa can beat illanoy...
and if we can make izzo cry in the 1st round...
and if wisconsin's johnny davis is hobbled with the injury bug...

that's a lot of if'n

Didn’t realize he and JHS were teammates

anyone catch their games before his injury? Did they both play on the floor at the same time?
In a situation where there is more guard attrition than desired… would he be worth the call? Would JHS want to play with him in college?

was brunk asked to leave or did he go on his own?

anybody know?

For those interested in watching today or knowing more...

• Tip is 4 PM in Gainbridge (Banker's Life) Fieldhouse
  
  
• ESPN2 has the television broadcast. 105.5 FM in Beford (http://www.wqrk.com/) is the radio broadcast flagship for IUWBB.
  
  
• If you want to attend in person, tickets are $16 for single tix, $60 for a 'family four pack' of four tickets + vouchers for a soda, hot dog, and chips.
  • If you want tix in hand before getting to the arena, go to https://www.ticketmaster.com/big-te...lis-indiana-03-06-2022/event/05005B19D0079B9B. Note you will pay Ticketmaster fees (my 'family four pack' purchase came out to $68.50). Tix are delivered electronically.
  • The Fieldhouse box office will be open if you want to skip fees, but maybe not lines. All tickets purchased at the box office are also delivered electronically via text.
    
• How did IU get there?
  • IU entered the tournament as the #5 seed, a spot they tumbled to after losing four of their last five regular season games.
  • Opening round game win over #13 seed Rutgers, 66-54. IU played a steady, unflustered game against the conference's top defensive teams, forcing them to face an equally tough defensive effort.
  • 2nd round win over #4 seed Maryland, 62-51. The win avenged IU's final regular season loss, a 64-67 L at Maryland. IU upped the defensive intensity and kept Maryland's role players in check while frustrating their stars. Mackenzie Holmes showed her first signs of looking like the player she was in the early season, pre-injury and surgery, scoring 17 points. IU did not allow a Maryland 3-pointer throughout the game.
  • 3rd round win over #1 seed Ohio State, 70-62. OSU claimed a share of the conference championship and #1 overall seed thanks heavily to a schedule weighted toward the bottom teams in the conference. IU started the game without usual starter Aleksa Gulbe, who was dealing with a non-COVID illness. Gulbe did enter the game later. IU once again maintained a defensive toughness and showed an adeptness at breaking the OSU press for most of the game. IU held OSU's strong 3-point shooting game to under 20%. A late surge by OSU paired with missed free throws by IU made the final score look closer than the game actually was.
    
• How did Iowa get there?
  • Iowa claimed a conference co-championship via a 104-80 throttling of Michigan in their final regular season game. Iowa is peaking late, going on a six-game win streak with two wins over IU, the win over Michigan, and wins over likely tournament teams Nebraska and Northwestern.
  • Iowa overcame a slow start vs Northwestern in their opening game, grabbing a 72-59 win. NW had a poor shooting night, shooting under 30% for the game. Iowa scored at their usual clip, hitting just under 50% of their FG attempts and over 40% of their 3-point attempts. Iowa starters Caitlin Clark, Monica Czinano, and Kate Martin combined for 55 of Iowa's 72 points.
  • Iowa's Saturday win over Nebraska, 83-66, had a similar script. Nebraska took a first quarter lead and went into the locker room down 3. The Iowa offense took off in the 2nd half, scoring 45 points over the two quarters. Nebraska's 3-point shooters struggled, going 3-26 on the day while Iowa was over 50% on FG attempts.
    
• Recent history
  • Iowa won both games vs IU this year - a 91-96 win in Bloomington and a 82-88 win in Iowa City. The two wins came at the conclusion of a 5-games-in-10-days / 3-games-in-5-days stretch bestowed on IU due to COVID rescheduling.
    • Iowa took early control in Bloomington and never looked back, carrying a 22-point lead into the final quarter. IU put together a conference record 42-point quarter to make the game interesting, but the outcome was rarely in doubt.
    • IU bounced back two days later to keep things closer in Iowa City. The Hoosiers let Iowa chip away at an 11-point halftime lead to put the game away in the 4th quarter.
  • IU was 2-0 vs Iowa in the 20-21 season, including getting the program's first win at Iowa.
    
• Deeper history
  • Iowa
    • This is Iowa's 6th trip to the tournament finals, winning in 97, 01, and 19 with runner-up honors in 10, 14, and last year when they lost to Maryland 104-84.
    • Iowa is a traditional WBB power in the Big 10. They've claimed 10 regular season championships, second only to OSU's 16.
    • Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder has been with the program 21 years and has guided them to 15 NCAA tournament appearances, including an Elite Eight run in 2019. Two of the program's Big 10 season and tournament championships have come under her tenure.
  • Indiana
    • This is IU's 2nd trip to the tournament finals. They won their only other visit in 2002.
    • IU has one regular season championship in the Big 10, coming in 1983
    • IU head coach Teri Moren is in her eighth season. She's put together 7 consecutive 20-win seasons, besting the total number of 20-win campaigns in program history prior to her arrival. She's guided IU to it's deepest run in the NCAA tournament, an Elite Eight appearance in 2021, and a WNIT title in 2018.
      
• What to expect today
  • Iowa is the conference's top offensive team, averaging nearly 85 points a game. They would love nothing more than to make the game a track meet and take full advantage of IU playing its 4th game in 4 days. IU is more a mid-pack scoring team, averaging 72 a game, good for 6th in the conference.
  • IU's defensive efforts have gotten the squad to the finals. The Hoosiers are the #2 defensive team in conference, holding opponents to 61.5 ppg. Iowa leans on offense to win games. They sit at 11th in defense in the conference, allowing 71 ppg.
  • Playing Iowa is a 'pick your poison' gambit. You can focus on their stars - Clark and Czinano - and hope their supporting players (who combine for over 40% 3-point shooting) have an off day. Or you can let Clark and Czinano get theirs and hold the rest of the team in check. The latter has been more of the strategy for IU in games vs MD and OSU in the tourney.
  • Fatigue could heavily come into play, especially on the offensive end where the legs needed to hit jumpers may not be there.
  • IU's first two tournament games felt like "first to 60 wins" rock fights. The OSU game was more a "first to 70 wins" duel. Today may be a "first to 80" affair. Iowa's propensity for a 2nd half surge is also worrisome.
    
• What's on the line (besides a tournament title) - both teams are likely locks for at least a 4-seed in the women's tourney, granting them an opportunity to host 1st and 2nd round games in their home arenas. IU has been projected as high as a 2-seed earlier this season. A win today could push them up to the 3-line and put them in the conversation for a 2-seed thanks to their season resume. Iowa also likely moves up with a win today.

I can’t think of a worse match up for IU. During the first meeting I felt like we had no chance from the tip. Hope I’m wrong

Of the entire B10… it’s the team I least wanted them to draw.

IU played with every team this season except Michigan, who spanked them.
Terrible match up.

Archie made a run at him, but didn't make his final 8. Any chance Woody goes after him? He's another Montverde player, so we have that connection already with JHS, and with Rob graduating we will need another PG.

I’ve seen it mention Woodson is still recruiting for next year but can’t seem to find any info on who he is going after? So any info is appreciated thanks

He had 30 pts, 14 rebounds and 10 blocks. To me the blocks was what got me off my seat. I hope IU can get him. He plays for Kokomo in case it wasn't known.

They’re going back to the tourney. Two in a row, first time in program history!

I guess their previous coach was not all that, huh?

TheHoosier.com is in Cincinnati for Centerville (OH) vs Lakota West in the District Final.

2023 IU commit Gabe Cupps and 2022 IU target Rich Rolf look to keep Centerville's undefeated season going.

@Knickoson is in person for us tonight and will provide updates.

As much as I despise all the BUTTRUMP posts, I'm starting to think that if he tones down his divisive rhetoric, even to just Desantis levels, he will be the nominee in 2024. The tax evasion/fraudulent valuations (case(s)) in NY appear to be toast. DA clearly has zero appetite for filing them. Obstruction as set forth in the equivocal Mueller report is about to be time barred, leaving only GA election shit left standing.

Trump's obviously awful. Only the most loyal adherents can forget his meltdown during the summer of love and the early stages of Covid, which are nothing compared to perpetuating The Big Lie. In the same vein only the most loyal adherents would support Biden and/or Harris at this point. As bad as Biden is, and as old as he is, he's still preferable to Harris who is simply an unmitigated disaster.

So, for the first time, and recognizing the difficulty and obstacles inherent to running as a third party candidate, is it possible that we could have a viable third party/independent candidate in 2024? Unlike any time in history (I think), we have individuals that have the wealth to fund it themselves (Ross Perot obviously, but even he didn't have the money of some folks today (even adjusted). I believe he and Wallace have done the best as a third). My understanding is that there are no campaign loan caps, only reporting requirements. I know Marv and other posters I think a lot of, Sope I believe, value gov experience. I don't. I like the idea of an outsider. Might 2024 be the year? One would think seeing Trump vs. Harris/Warren/Pete/AOC would inspire one with the means to think that this might be a rare station in time to pull a Trump 2.0 but as a true third party candidate. Thoughts? And as much as I'd love to see a libertarian win, Jo doesn't have the juice or the "It" factor to ever do much. Plus Clemson Taters are arguably as insufferable as OSU fans. That alone is disqualifying.


*advance apologies for the screwed up parentheticals. Too many drinks today. The parentheticals read like a bad David Foster Wallace paragraph

IU's hot hitting carried over from yesterday as they jumped on the Bears in the 1st scoring six runs. Mathison had a two-run homer in the 1st and a triple in the 3rd scoring on a throwing error, Ellis had a single and two RBIs, and Tibbetts, who was 4 of 5 yesterday, has a single and two RBIs. Bradley Brehmer is on the mound and has not given up a hit through 3 innings so far. IU has 8 hits on the game through 3 innings.

You would have to watch the Nebraska Wisconsin game to believe it. Verge kid got a T for staring at an official after he got fouled and no call. Wisconsin player dives on a player and no call. Hard foul by Nebraska player given T2 and kicked. Of course W players don’t foul. 9-1 fouls.

About that Russian Convoy north of Kyiv:


Login to view embedded media

Looking at the bright side of the tourney, we have a chance to make some accomplishments and end some woeful streaks while also getting some demons off our back.

1). Beat Michigan. We have lost to them 8 games in a row with an avg margin of defeat of 16. In short, these games aren't even remotely close. Michigan is on the outside looking in just like us, albeit probably further away, but they have the same scenario as IU. Win the BTT and they are in the dance.
2). Beat Michigan and a rematch vs Wiscy. Another team that has owned us and won the league outright. We blew both games vs them. Wiscy will be trying to win the BTT so they can secure a 1 seed in the dance. So, certainly not going to lay down vs IU, but hey, played them very competitively both times and IU just pooped their pants in 2H in Madison and final 3 minutes in Bloomington. Again, "there's a chance" to win here.
3). Make it to Saturday of the BTT.
- The BTT began in 1998 making 2022 the tournaments 25th year. Obviously the 2020 year ended with IU playing the last game of the BTT and subsequently the last NCAA game played that season due to Covid. Subsequently, this is the only season IU has managed to go undefeated in the BTT.
- IU has made the semifinal played on Saturday four times out of 23 opportunities and is 1-3 in those games making the final game in 2001.
- IU's winning percentage in the BTT is .361 with only three teams worse. Of those three, Maryland, Nebraska and NW, only NW was in the conference dating back to the start of the tourney in 1998.
- If IU manages to upset Michigan and then Wisconsin, IU will be in the semifinal for only the 5th time with the last time being 2013.

The bottom line is this is the final final opportunity for IU to pull it together and make their case for a bid or a long shot automatic bid to the tourney. We have a chance to win against Michigan who owns us in recent history and then a redemption game vs Wiscy. Should we accomplish that, then we are one game from the final and two games from a BTT championship and auto bid to the dance. Is this a long shot? Hell yes it is! Do I think we will do it? I do not and do not believe we will even see Wiscy on Friday. But hey, there's a chance! Let's go!

I expect to see a lot of vitriol aimed at the IU Bball team after the two last-minute losses to cap off a season of last minute losses. But you know what? This team didn't quit. I feared they might get blown out at Purdue by 20 after that last second loss to Rutgers. Instead they play hard down to the final gun. They've never given up, in spite of a season that gave them every reason to. We all learn more about ourselves from how we respond to adversity than how we respond to success. I hope this team can take this attitude into the conference tournament, because I still believe they're good enough to win a few more games there. Don't give up on a team that hasn't given up on themselves.

... but jumped to #170 in 3-pt%.

But Woody couldn't shoot the ball for them. Or make sure they stayed in bed. Hardly traits of winning basketball programs.

Offensively this is who the Hoosiers have been for years. At least now the ship is pointed in the right direction.

Woody did put pride back in defense. Basically he accomplished what was in his control this season.

IU 135 - PU 134

IU wins the 2021-'22 Personal Pride Trophy for victory in the annual home and home series between the two schools. This is an honor bestowed within the state that can never be taken away from us. We have a whole year of never letting 'em forget it.

Did anyone at the beginning of last month think this was even remotely possible? I certainly didn't.

Enjoy, 'cause it's getting better. It's getting better all the time!.

In the ship game tomorrow

Shocking...

Login to view embedded media

Not that we don't know this already, but I thought I would do some research and share the numbers. Here's a list of our average Big Ten finishing position over the last 50 years:

RMK '71 - '80: Second
RMK '81 -'90: Third
RMK '90 - '00: Third
MD '01 - '06: Fifth
KS '07 - '08: Third
TC '09 - '17: Seventh
AM '18 - '21: Ninth
MW '22: Ninth

The bench has been awful the majority of the year. 2-12 fg today and spotty play. I suppose it’s been 6-7 years since we had a decent bench?