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Rodney Rice

Visiting Villanova & Tennessee

Another IU miss
is it a miss if we didn't swing? I don't know why so many feel compelled to post individual names who have entered the portal with so many variables out there. I'm only worried about the guys we've shown any interest in and especially the ones who reciprocate or visit campus. Too many guys already know where they're going, so why fret over the ones who were never interested in coming here or even would take a call from IU?
 
An alternative (and perhaps naive and optimistic) view of this news...IU feels very good about getting Lamar Wilkerson and did not see a need for another 3-point gunner with suspect defensive metrics/ability. I think Rodney Rice is a good player (and he has two years remaining) but I don't know if IU really pursued him beyond an initial "reaching out" inquiry. Villanova is now coached by Willard so that makes sense. I think it's a bigger miss for Maryland as that's home for him and he did not want to give Buzz Williams a chance.
 
Visiting Villanova & Tennessee

Another IU miss

Even the top programs miss. Simply put, each kid is going to generate interest from a dozen or more teams, and he's only going to pick one of them. Indiana has only made the tourney twice in the past 9 years. In that span they've lost 127 games (that is 14 losses per season on average). We just hired coach number 4 in that 9 year span. These kids want a bag sure, but they also want the exposure and the chance to win. IU has the bag, and more exposure than many, but haven't won consistently and haven't had stability in a long time. While the NIL and the portal creates opportunity for quick turnarounds, the reality of IU's place in the pecking order of things should temper the expectations a bit.
 
An alternative (and perhaps naive and optimistic) view of this news...IU feels very good about getting Lamar Wilkerson and did not see a need for another 3-point gunner with suspect defensive metrics/ability. I think Rodney Rice is a good player (and he has two years remaining) but I don't know if IU really pursued him beyond an initial "reaching out" inquiry. Villanova is now coached by Willard so that makes sense. I think it's a bigger miss for Maryland as that's home for him and he did not want to give Buzz Williams a chance.
Plus a basic understanding that most teams will recruit/contact 30+ (up to 70 for weirdos like Crean and Buzz) players per cycle and only sign a few would go a long way ..

There's far more misses than makes in recruiting, exponentially more.
 
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