Indiana basketball head coach Mike Woodson joined the College Hoops Today podcast with Jon Rothstein this week to provide some insight into the offseason and the upcoming 2024-25 campaign.
Here are some key news items and notes from Woodson’s comments.
FEELING BETTER ABOUT PERIMETER SHOOTING AND GUARD PLAY
Woodson said the guard play and shooting needed to improve from last season, and he believes IU is on the right path.
“I’m hoping and feeling good about us addressing our shooting from the perimeter by bringing in (Luke) Goode and getting Mack (Mackenzie Mgbako) back. You know, I think Kanaan Carlyle and guys like Myles Rice can knock shots down. Gabe (Cupps) is shooting the ball extremely well this summer and then we got Gallo (Trey Galloway) and Anthony (Leal) and Jakai Newton coming back. I mean I feel good about our perimeter play. We just gotta put it all together and get ‘em comfortable when they’re on the floor making shots.”
CUPPS AND GOODE STANDING OUT
Woodson specifically called out Gabe Cupps and Luke Goode as two players who have impressed him this summer.
“Gabe has really played well for us this summer. I just think he’s made a nice jump from his freshman year coming into summer play. I think he’s going to be steady and solid for us as well.”
“Goode has really played extremely well for us this summer. So I’m looking for big things out of him because he is a senior and he has experience in playing in the Big Ten.”
AN OUTSIDE IN OFFENSE?
Woodson said he plans to continue to run a healthy amount of pick-and-roll offense. He says he’ll opportunistically look to play through the post with Oumar Ballo and Malik Reneau.
“People thought with Trayce Jackson-Davis and Ware, we strictly played inside-out. We ran more pick-and-rolls than we did post-ups with Trayce Jackson-Davis. So I’m looking to hopefully run more pick-and-rolls this year and still utilize Malik (Reneau) and big fella (Oumar) Ballo on the inside when we have to. But it should open up the doors a little bit if they’re double teamed for guys to still get those same looks and feel good about knocking them down.”
ON THE HEALTH OF GALLOWAY AND NEWTON
Woodson said guard Jakai Newton has been in and out of summer workouts. He missed all of 2023-24 with an injury and returns as a redshirt freshman. He also talked about the rehabilitation of Trey Galloway’s knee, which you can read more about here.
“This summer play we’ve had, the eight-week program has been very competitive and we still haven’t had Gallo or Jakai Newton, two guys that I think are tough and hard nosed players that are very competitive. So I’m looking to get both of those guys back. Jakai has been in and out a little bit but Gallo is still rehabbing from knee surgery.”
ON MISSING THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
Woodson shared his comments he delivered to his team after missing out on the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
“It wasn’t fun my man. Not at all. I made it very clear to our ball club after we realized that we weren’t going to make the tournament that I’m not going to sit another year and watch basketball on TV during March Madness and that we had to go out and get better as a ball club and then we gotta come back and put it all together and we made that start this summer and it’s gotta be a carry over into official practice and then get ready for this upcoming season because it’s a lot of work. That’s frustrating. You don’t play college basketball to watch it on TV during March Madness. You want to get a shot at it and see how you fare and see if you can make it all to the Final Four and win it. That’s what it’s all about.”
WOODSON’S BEST TEAM AT IU?
Rothstein asked Woodson if the 2024-25 Hoosiers, his fourth IU squad, are his best team since taking over in 2021?
Woodson’s response will do nothing to temper already high expectations for this year’s team:
“There’s no doubt it’s the best talent and it’s the best roster we’ve had. And that’s not taking anything away from the last three previous seasons. But we’re deeper than we have been in the past. And that’s important when you go through a grueling season, especially the Big Ten, I feel good now that if somebody happens to trip a little bit and can’t play, there is someone there to back him up and give him some support until he’s able to get back. So we got hurt the last few years, we had our struggles until key guys got back. You know I’m hoping that won’t be the case this season.”
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