Category: Indiana University Hoosier (I.U) Sports (Page 4 of 28)

Sadly, to put a heart-shattering, double exclamation mark on the 2022-23 season, the Hoosier women lost the BIG Tourney to Ohio State but won a NCAA Tourney first round game against Tennessee Tech, however, just like the men, lost to Miami “The U” to end the season. I would have to wait at least another year. The UConn men, on the other hand, would make a statement about how the “Magic of Sixty” applies to any championship team.

It was just announced that the 2023-24 Hoosiers will play the defending NCAA champion Huskies in the Empire Classic at Madison Square Gardens on November 19^th. Since both teams experienced major turnover in the off-season with the NBA draft and transfer portal moves, no one is really sure what to expect. UConn is projected in the Top 10 while Indiana barely makes the Top 25. Dan Hurley and Mike Woodson will match coaching wits for the first time in a battle that will likely boil down to defense.

After just five years at the helm, Hurley’s Huskies claimed the top prize and tied Indiana with five NCAA Championship banners (1999, 2004, 2011, 2014, and 2023). The difference is that it took UConn only 24 years to get there as opposed to I.U.’s 47-year span. All of UConn’s titles have come well after the Hoosier’s last triumph in 1986 – 38 years ago.

In doing so, Coach Hurley took a page out of Coach Bob Knight’s book of defensive magic, leading his Huskies in the Final Four over the same Miami squad that had eliminated Coach Woodson’s Indiana in the second round. They, in fact, coincidentally held the Hurricanes to 59 points to get the chance to do the same 59-point defensive damage to San Diego in the Championship. Double the Magic to finish the season!

To get there, they had already held high-scoring Gonzaga to 53, Arkansas to 29-points at the half, St. Mary’s to a game total of only 55, and Iona to 24 in the second half. It’s that same Magic of Sixty (or two 30-point halves) that I’ve been preaching throughout this book. They apparently learned a lesson going into the NCAA Tourney when Marquette beat them for the Big East title because the Golden Eagles held the Huskies to just 30 in the second half, showing how defensive magic can work against them. Yes, UConn had their ups and downs throughout the season but went 17-1 when holding their opponent to 60-or less. The only loss was to Creighton 56-53, and that was countered earlier in the season with a 69-60 win over the same Blue Jays. Villanova, DePaul, and Oregon each only managed 59, Seton Hall 55, Butler 46, Iowa State 53, Delaware State 60, Boston University 57, and Stonehill 54 – all victims of the Magic of 60. If you get there first, you will likely win.

The game of basketball has changed since IU won their first title in 1940 over Kansas 60-42. Defenses are challenged even more with the shot clock, the 3-pointer, and other regulation shifts. However, as UConn just proved, THE MAGIC OF 60 STILL RULES!

(For Background See Post #1936)

March Madness is filled with Sadness and Gladness, but for the I.U. men it ended early on a sour note. The sad part is that we’ll never see this starting lineup again, as graduation and the NBA takes its toll. It’s particularly difficult because there are no supportive players, with the exception of Xavier Johnson if he gets another year, and sole returning starter Trey Galloway, that made any kind of significant contribution this season. Granted, Geronimo, Leal, and Duncomb have been hurt, while Reneau had to play in the shadows of TJD and Race Thompson. Gunn, Banks, and Bates have been disappointing, so we’ll have to rely on the transfer portal and the two incoming freshman, Jakai Newton and Gabe Cupps, to put together any kind of competitive team.

The BIG 10 once again failed to deliver in the tournament, showing that the talent in our league is relatively average. The Big East and SEC each have three representatives. The defending champion Big 12 has two competitors, while the remaining eight conferences send one each, including the Big 10 that started with eight possibilities. Michigan State in 2000 was the last BIG to win it all, twenty-three long years ago. To be fair, Indiana was the runner-up in 2002 to Maryland, before the Terps joined the conference in 2014.

I.U. has yet to win a BIG 10 basketball tournament in the 25-years since its inception, let alone add another national championship banner. Adding more teams will make this even more difficult, not to mention physically draining after a long season of butting heads. As a fan, I find this all very discouraging. Thinking about next year’s chances certainly doesn’t make me feel any better. Mine is a seemingly hopeless, two-decade-plus case of March Sadness. 

It was a late night for the No. 4 Seed Hoosiers in Albany, but the 71-60 final score over No. 13 Kent State says it all about the ‘Magical Rule of 60.’ In its simplest form, keep the opposition from more than 60 points and mark it in the victory column. By the same token, No. 1 Seed Purdue fell short of No. 16 Farleigh Dickinson 63-58, marking the third consecutive NCAA Tourney year that the Boilermakers have been stunned by a team seeded 13 or worse. Defense is still the key to winning key college basketball games.

I.U. got only 4-points from the bench, but Trayce and Race combined for 44-points and 20-rebounds, earning the right to play No. 5 Seed Miami for a potential trip to the Sweet 16. The Hoosiers got to 60 on a TJD dunk at the 8:12 mark, securing a 12-point bulge over the Golden Flashes. It was the first step to the second round of the NCAA Tournament since 2016, reminiscent of the 2002 match-up between the two teams when Indiana made a Cinderella run to the Elite Eight and then defeated Oklahoma, coached by Kelvin Sampson, to get to the finale against Maryland. Sampson’s Houston team looms ahead in this year’s bracket. 

The top-seeded, I.U. women face No. 16 Seed Tennessee Tech in their NCAA Tourney opener in Bloomington. Mackenzie Holmes, matching Trayce Jackson-Davis’ honors, was also named a First Team All-American. The regular season champion Hoosiers failed to win the BIG Tournament, falling to Ohio State, despite a team-high 20-point performance from Grace Berger. They hope to regain some momentum in their drive to win the program’s first National Championship. 

I was out of town for the last three games of the season and had to monitor the play-by-play via the internet. When I first checked the score against Michigan, Indiana looked to be off to in good start on senior day at Simon Skjodt. The Hoosiers widened the margin to 14 at 4:02 before a Kobe Bufkin dunk started a run for the Wolverines and I could just hear Don Fisher saying, “suddenly, Indiana’s lead is just two at the half 29-27.” Fouls were a big issue as Galloway had three and Schifino two. Fortunately, Michigan was just 2-for-11 on 3s, while I.U. continued its season-long struggle from beyond the arc at 1-for-9. the second half for Indiana. The Wolverines pulled ahead 49-38 with 14:02 remaining and still had a double-digit lead at 10:02.  Thoughts of melancholy senior speeches, just like last year, entered my head.  However, the Wolverines seemed to stall on 59, as if they were haunted by my ‘Rule of 60’ and let the Hoosiers close the gap to 60-59 at 6:11. Despite the fact that Michigan got to the magic mark first, the game would go to overtime after both Hunter Dickinson and Trayce Jackson-Davis missed game-winning opportunities. 

I.U. took advantage of new life and scored the first six points in overtime to make it 75-69, but Dickinson’s trey cut the lead to 75-72 with 1:58 left. Race Thompson could have sealed it with12.5 seconds left, but missed both free throws and again with 4.1 seconds remaining. However, his hustle and rebounding became the difference in a 75-73 much-needed victory. He also finished with a double-double, second in scoring behind TJD’s 27-points, coupled with nine rebounds, and 4 assists, in both players’ final home game. It earned them the No. 3 conference seed in the BIG tournament, with Maryland as the first opponent.

First team All-American, Trayce Jackson-Davis and BIG Freshman of the Year, Jalen Hood-Schifino sought revenge against the Terps and responded with 24 and 19 respectively. Once again, foul trouble haunted the Hoosiers, but the bench bailed them out. Reneau and Bates were both impressive as part of the 13-point back-up contribution. It was also the eighth time  Indiana has been behind in the second half of a game but came back to win anyway, a habit we could probably do without, responding to the seven-point Maryland edge. The final score of 70-60, once again supports the magic nature of the number 60. As a result, they got the chance to avenge their worst road loss, after giving up a ridiculous 18 made three-pointers by the Penn State Nittany Lions in Un-Happy Valley.

Sadly, the United Center was also unfriendly to the Hoosiers, falling short to Penn State, missing a third shot at sweeping Purdue, and winning their first Big Ten Championship in 22 tries. However, the 22 total victories this year plants them firmly in the field for the first time in seven long seasons. I was not on the edge of my seat waiting to see if they were bound for the NIT. 

The three-point-shot continues to consistently be the downfall of this team. They either can’t make them or defend against them. Although Penn State only managed 8-23 this time, the Hoosiers responded with a disappointing 2-14 in the 77-73 loss. At the 5:25 mark, Camren Wynter hit his second trey of the night to make it 61-51, and although I.U. came back at the end, Hood-Schifino missed the game-tying three with :09 seconds to go. He finished with only 11-points playing more like a freshman than top NBA draft choice. Trayce Jackson-Davis had another double-double, as Purdue went on to win the Big Ten Tournament Championship in addition to their regular season crown and I.U. settled for the No. 4 seed in the Midwest against Kent State. The Hoosier women claimed a No. 1 tourney seed.

The women’s season has shown very consistent play throughout the year, but with the men you never know if Hoosier-Jeckyl or Hoosier-Hyde will show up on the court. At 26-1, the #2 women faced another ranked opponent with the #6 Hawkeyes. The game reflected the competitive nature of both squads with Iowa edging ahead at the end of each quarter and leading 40-39 at the half. Applying the “Rule of 60,” the third quarter ended ominously at 61-58 in favor of the Hawks and their fierce leader, Caitlin Clark. She then proceeded to hit a dramatic buzzer-beater to win the game 86-85. With this wake-up call to the men, who were in danger of a let-down after Purdue, I felt strongly that they would respond on the home court by coming out strong. How wrong this fan was!

Following the lead of the women Hawkeyes, the men jumped out to early leads of 8-0, 16-5, and 21-12 on three Kris Murray treys. By halftime it was nearly the reverse situation from the first game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, with the Hawks comfortably ahead 47-36 in Bloomington. Back in early January the Hoosiers held a 50-40 lead but faded down the stretch. This time, Iowa continued to stretch the lead for a 90-68 rout.

Kris Murray finished with 26-points and Tony Perkins added 23, plus 10-rebounds, and 8-assists, just short of a triple-double. The hot Hawkeyes crossed 60 at 15:44 with a dominant lead of 61-40. They would ultimately make 13-threes thanks to Payton Sandfort’s five. Indiana only hit two from beyond the arc in eleven attempts. Turnovers were not the issue or even free throw shooting, but rebounding again reared its ugly head, as I.U. missed their opportunity to clinch a double bye in the upcoming conference tournament. The high-flying Hawkeyes were coming off an unbelievable 13-point comeback in the final 94 seconds against Michigan State.

Trayce Jackson-Davis led the hapless Hoosiers with 26-points and 13-rebounds, following up nicely after his worst game of the season against Purdue. However, the hero of the Boiler bash, Jalen Hood-Schifino was disappointedly mediocre with 8-points, 5-rebounds, and 2-assists. TJD will play his last home game on Sunday against Michigan, but JHS may not be such hot property after these last few days of discussions and interviews about top draft expectations. He may need more NCAA time to prove consistency with his game. This fan is counting on a better performance just in case this freshman sensation is truly experiencing his Senior Day early.

It was the Hoosiers that came out “Spartan Strong,” jumping to 17-10 lead on a Miller Kopp trey and didn’t commit a turnover in the first eight minutes of the game. I think both the Spartans and their fans had mixed feelings about playing in the wake of a tragedy. The lead then grew to 22-13 before I.U. was outscored 22-7 in the final minutes of the half. This collapse coincided with the exit of Jalen Hood-Schifino after picking up his second foul. Trayce Jackson-Davis appeared to be lackluster without a break and managed nine points while committing four ugly turnovers. 

It seems as if Indiana is not taking advantage of the three, despite their efficiency. Tyson Walker countered with five in seven attempts, while the Spartans doubled the Hoosiers from behind the arc. It was 61-48 at the 8:24 mark, with I.U. failing to follow the “Rule of 60” in an 80-65 loss. TJD finished with 19-points, 7-rebounds, and 5-assists, followed by JHS with 16. The loss was the 24th out of the last 26 trips to East Lansing, reflecting my disappointing “O for East Lansing” fan experiences at Breslin Hall. 

With foul trouble and tired legs, the I.U. bench has provided little support for the starters, offering just one basket and four free throws. Tamar Bates was again scoreless and has averaged only 2.4 points per game since his 17-point gem in the first Spartan meeting at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. 

I don’t like the way this season is ending. Rather than finishing strong and on a roll, the Hoosiers look tired and wounded. With no bench strength, the Purdue five looking for revenge, a rematch with Iowa, the BIG tournament, and the Big Dance ahead, it’s looking like a recipe for disaster. We also don’t know what to expect from Xavier Johnson if and when he returns? If he can give Indiana 10-15 productive minutes a game, it could be just what the doctor ordered down the stretch.

The productive Spartans also dominated the boards, out-rebounding Indiana 33-24 overall. This will be a big factor in the upcoming Boiler battle, the second of the double road test, the first of which just fell flat on its face. Purdue went 11-1 at home in 2020-21, 16-1 in 2021-22, and 13-1 so far this season. It could prove to be Mission Impossible, since no one on this team, including Coach Mike Woodson has ever won in West Lafayette. 

Coach Knight apparently continues to support the Woodson era, reporting to practice once a week. 38-years ago he hurled a chair across the Mackey court following a technical foul. The upcoming matchup will feature two consensus All-Americans for the first time since 1992-93 when Calbert Cheaney led Bob Knight to a pair of wins over Coach Gene Keady and Glenn Robinson. They did not necessarily go head-to-head like Zach Edey and Trayce Jackson-Davis. 2013 was the last Hoosier win in West Lafayette, since then it’s been nine straight Boiler wins, a habit that needs to be stopped!

While the men stumbled, the women thrived, claiming a Big Ten title for the first time in 40-years. They topped the Boilermakers in Bloomington on Senior Day as I.U. star Grace Berger and backup big Alyssa Geary received their accolades. Mackenzie Holmes and Sara Scalia have also been in the program for four years but still will maintain eligibility. At 25-1, their only loss this season has been in troublesome East Lansing, without an injured Berger. Former Boiler player, Teri Moran is completing her ninth year in Bloomington, as the women’s all-time winningest coach. South Carolina remains the only undefeated team left in the country. Thanks to Maryland, the upcoming game at Iowa is no longer a tie-breaker, as the Hoosiers, who beat the Hawkeyes earlier this year at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, claimed the outright regular season championship. 

When the men finally took to Gene Keady Court, I was not expecting what happened, as the odds were definitely against the road-weary Cream and Crimson five. For the first time since 1983, I.U. completed a four-game home-and-away sweep in men’s a women’s basketball. It still seems unlikely that both will claim a Big Ten title, as was the case 40-years ago, although the Woodson team is only 2-games behind with two to go, plus there is also the tournament championship possibility. He did finally secure his first win in West Lafayette as both coach and player in the 79-71 victory and move to 20-9 overall. Most importantly, the Hoosiers crossed the magical sixty mark first on a Trayce Jackson-Davis jumper at 9:55 for a 61-50 bulge. 

Reminding me of Isiah Thomas, freshman Jalen Hood-Schifino proved his worth as a potential NBA draft pick with a career high 35-points. Trayce Jackson-Davis scored just ten but dished-out seven assists, relying on the support of long-time teammates Trey Galloway and Miller Kopp, who each added 13 points.  Zach Edey proved to be a legitimate candidate for national player of the year. There is no rest for the weary in this stretch run, as the Hoosier women travel to Iowa and the men tackle the Hawkeyes at home. 

I

Trayce Jackson-Davis surpassed his coach, Mike Woodson (2,061), for fifth place on the all-time Indiana University basketball scoring list (2,081). After the narrow Illinois victory, his total stood at…. Calbert Cheaney leads the pack at 2,613, followed by Steve Alford at 2,438, Don Schlundt at 2,192, and A.J. Guyton at 2,100. TJD needs just 20 more to top A.J. Most likely that will happen in East Lansing. 

Coach Michael Dean Woodson was I.U. player Woodson from 1976-1980, under the watch of Coach Bob Knight. That team won the 1979 NIT over rival Purdue 53-52 on Tourney MVP Butch Carter’s dagger. Carter was also the hero with two seconds to go against Ohio State when he sank two free throws to get them to finals. Woodson was named to the first team All-Big Ten and went on to win a 1979 Pan American Games gold medal as captain of the U.S. basketball team. His senior year at I.U., Woodson, along with Isiah Thomas, won the conference title, was named the 1980 Big Ten Player of the Year, recognized as a NABC All-American, and ultimately awarded the Chicago Tribune Silver Basketball. Purdue evened the score with Woodson, upsetting the #2-seeded Hoosiers 76-69 in the 1980 NCAA Sweet 16. He then went on to play and coach in the NBA, winning a championship ring with the 2003-2004 Detroit Pistons as an assistant during the 2003–04 season.

The number 60 probably means little to Coach Woodson. He was born in 1958 and turned 60 in 2018 while serving as an assistant for the Los Angeles Clippers. The Atlanta Hawks hired him as a head coach in 2004, where he served in that capacity for six years before moving on to guide the New York Knicks 2012-2014. It’s now his second year at Indiana University. 

Coach Woodson was undoubtedly proud watching TJD score 26-points, grab 12-rebounds, and block five shots in leading the Hoosiers over the Illini 71-68. It was the senior’s fourth 25-10-5 game. Per ESPN Stats and Info: “No other player in the Big Ten has more than one such game in the last 25 seasons. In fact, the rest of the Big Ten has recorded 5 such games combined over that span.” It took that kind of effort to pass his coach on the list of I.U. scoring greats.