Mike Woodson is facing reality. He entered the job as Indiana’s head men’s basketball coach in 2021 confident in his coaching abilities. He’d experienced both success and failure at the NBA level, and thought that experience could pay dividends and help him thrive in the collegiate ranks. He experienced some success in his first two years in Bloomington, leading IU to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time in five years. But in just about every way, his third season has been an unmitigated disaster. Saturday’s 83-74 loss to Penn State only further perpetuated that situation. The Hoosiers faced…
Author: Seth Tow
BLOOMINGTON — With the pressure as high and the lights as bright as they’ve been all season, Indiana kept its cool. Well, mostly. The Hoosiers played with as much passion as they’ve shown all season in Thursday’s 86-69 win over Iowa, but channeled it into largely positive energy. Mackenzie Holmes played with her typical fire, knowing that gets her teammates going. It had that impact on Sara Scalia, who came up with a barrage of clutch plays. And it was the typically stone-faced fifth-year — of all people — whose emotions overflowed. After driving by Iowa’s Gabbie Marshall for a…
BLOOMINGTON — Indiana’s biggest home game of the season was always going to be Thursday’s battle against Iowa. But after Monday’s loss to Illinois, it became a must-win. The 14th-ranked Hoosiers couldn’t drop this game if they want to host NCAA Tournament games for the third consecutive season. And in front of an electric, big-game atmosphere at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, Indiana got the job done. IU turned in one of its more inspired performances of the season, and came away with the signature win it desperately needed — an 86-69 upset over the fourth-ranked Hawkeyes. Indiana (22-4, 13-3 Big…
BLOOMINGTON — Trey Galloway looked distraught. He walked into the media room at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Wednesday with Mackenzie Mgbako after Indiana’s 85-70 loss to Nebraska, already knowing the sorts of questions he was about to hear in the postgame press conference. They’d come from an obviously disappointed locker room, following IU’s third straight loss. The senior’s voice sounded heavy as he spoke. His hair was disheveled, as though he’d been pulling it in frustration. He resembled someone who’d just pulled an all-nighter. Galloway just appeared exhausted, as if Indiana’s disastrous season had worn him down. “We’ve got to…
Of all that’s plagued Indiana men’s basketball this season, free-throw shooting has been the most prominent issue. The Hoosiers are shooting 66 percent at the foul line this year with six games remaining in the regular season. That’s the 29th-worst mark in the country. IU shot a bit better from the stripe in Mike Woodson’s first two years as head coach — 71.1 percent in 2022-23, and 70 percent in 2021-22. Indiana hasn’t posted a free-throw percentage this low since it finished at 65.5 percent in 2018-19, which was 26th-worst in the nation. But it’s not a regular occurrence for…
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Mackenzie Holmes is not a well-adjusted loser. Indiana has lost just 31 games throughout Holmes’ five years with the program. So while the graduate student has encountered defeat, it hasn’t been a frequent occurrence. And after the Hoosiers dropped their fourth game of the season Monday, an 86-66 defeat at Illinois, Holmes made her feelings clear. She sat on the podium, and took a deep breath as she answered a question about her frustrations. “I don’t take losing very well.” As she continued, she became overwhelmed with emotion. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she exhibited…
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Indiana women’s basketball has found itself in plenty of difficult situations throughout this season. But few resembled what 14th-ranked IU found itself in on Monday at Illinois. The Hoosiers trailed at halftime by double digits for just the third time this year. They couldn’t overcome it at Stanford in November, and then turned it around for a huge win over Michigan State in early February. This time turned out more like the Stanford game. Indiana left itself too big a deficit to make up in the second half, as the Fighting Illini pulled off the 86-66 upset.…
BLOOMINGTON — Indiana men’s basketball sported a new look on Sunday against Northwestern. But the Fear of God uniforms were the only thing that looked different at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The Hoosiers looked like the same team that’s taken the court for 25 games this season. For a majority of Sunday’s game, they simply weren’t good enough. And the result was familiar: Northwestern won, 76-72. This game featured a plethora of this IU team’s worst traits. None was perhaps as glaring as its failure to capitalize on opportunities. The Hoosiers were in the game midway through the first half, when…
Indiana men’s basketball has dominated its long series against Northwestern. The Hoosiers and Wildcats have played 176 total games, dating back to 1908. IU is 119-57 in those matchups. NU has had a few successful periods in that time, but not many, and they don’t typically last long. But the Wildcats’ recent dominance over IU is unlike any stretch they’ve ever had against the Hoosiers. Northwestern’s 76-72 victory over IU on Sunday at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall is its fourth straight victory in the series. This is only the third time ever Indiana has lost at least four consecutive games…
Indiana women’s basketball is currently in line to host NCAA Tournament games. The NCAA Division I women’s basketball committee released its top 16 teams on Thursday in its midseason update, and the Hoosiers were ranked No. 15 overall. That would give them a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament, which would mean hosting the first two rounds at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall for the third consecutive year. IU is ranked No. 14 in the AP Poll and No. 12 in the Coaches Poll. Indiana is one of three Big Ten teams in this reveal. Ohio State, at No. 3…