The Indiana Hoosiers got a huge Quad One win against rival Purdue last night. That followed an emphatic blowout win at Rutgers (who just somehow took MSU to overtime). Those two victories, primarily the win against Purdue, have resuscitated the team's NCAA Tournament hopes. IU still has a lot of work to do but it's at least worth paying attention to now that there's a legitimate quality win on the resume. As we near February, what does IU need to do to feel good about things on Selection Sunday? Indiana is now 14-7 and 5-5 on the season. They have a Quad One win and no bad losses, as long as Minnesota does not collapse and fall to Quad Three.
Current Resume Metrics
Q1-A: 1-5, Q1: 1-6, Q2: 1-1, Q3: 5-0, Q4: 7-0
As of now, they have Q1 games remaining at UCLA (43), at USC (50 so just hanging on to Q1), at Illinois (1A, 5), at Purdue (1A, 8), Michigan State (1A, 10) and at Ohio State (1A, 39). That's six Q1 games remaining and would leave Indiana with 13 Q1 games entering the Big Ten Tournament. If IU got two of those six, they'd sit at 3-10 in Q1 games. If you avoid any bad losses and take care of business against teams like Oregon/Northwestern and Minnesota at home, that would be a 10-10 Big Ten record and a 19-12 record overall. Would that be enough to get in? I think so but we'd be sweating.
Now, there's a chance that Wisconsin creeps up to a Q1 game. They are currently 33rd and IU needs them to be top 30 as they play the Badgers at home on February 7. The only current Q3 opponents remaining are Oregon and Minnesota at home. It feels like IU needs to pick up one of these games on the West Coast swing. Getting them both would be fantastic and put the Hoosiers in a great spot. For context, Bart Torvik has IU projected to finish 20-11 with an 11-9 Big Ten record and that would give them a 92.2% chance to make the NCAA Tournament and would have them slated as an eight seed.
On the one hand if nothing else goes our way, it's always good to beat Purdeww. I hope we're seeing things starting to gel and looking at the start of a streak. It would have to be for us to actually have tourney hopes.
On the other hand it's kind of a sad statement on the program that we're celebrating a single and so far our only Q1 win and it's almost February. But I'll take it!
I think the knowledgeable fans understand that this dead cat bounce isn’t really something to get excited about right now.
Beats the alternative.
I think the knowledgeable fans understand that this dead cat bounce isn’t really something to get excited about right now.
Going to have to beat alot more than the likes of Purdue and Rutgers to get in the tourney. Not sure Purdue will still even be ranked next week honestly. We shall see how we do at UCLA I watched them some last night and they look pretty decent.
Gotta beat NW, Oregon, Minnesota, and Wisconsin at home then find a way to get one more. Maybe out West or MSU at home. .500 should be enough. This is a weak bubble.
On the one hand if nothing else goes our way, it's always good to beat Purdeww. I hope we're seeing things starting to gel and looking at the start of a streak. It would have to be for us to actually have tourney hopes.
On the other hand it's kind of a sad statement on the program that we're celebrating a single and so far our only Q1 win and it's almost February. But I'll take it!
Watching on TV, I thought there was an interesting fan vibe.......it felt like "Basketball gods, I know we're not very good, I don't trust this team, but Purdue chokes a lot here, so at least give us this game". I know that was my attitude.
We walked away with some life and some renewed interest, but the way the last 5 minutes went fit that narrative. As McClure said, better than the alternative, but after a darn good first half effort only 5-10 good minutes in the 2nd, so this team still hasn't come close to playing a "complete game" against a decent opponent. Mostly standing around on offense, lots of dribbling, although for the most part the D did hold up.
Then 3 straight 1 & 1 misses by Bailey & DeVries balanced by CE's clutch play and Wilderson's coolness at the FT line.
I wondered if there might be a bit of a court rush, but I think the way we 'survived' and the low stakes involved just resulted in a bit of relief. A lot of Doubting Thomases who don't know what to make of the team and debate the upside of the coach.
Trying to be objective. This looks like a play-in team unless we can pick up a couple of W's in the BIG Tourney. History tells us that's unlikely.
@mushroomgod " ... I wondered if there might be a bit of a court rush ... "
I was silently thanking that the students had the pride and good sense not to rush the court against PURDUE .
Good job students. 😎 We are the Indiana Hoosiers!
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I guess we'll never get to hear Coach say "I'm tired of losing to Purdue!"
He'll only know beating them as a right. With the odd misstep.
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I would take 20-11; 11-9 - would be the first time in awhile IU had a winning BT record! would def get us in - I think the conf. get 10-12 bids, and we sweep the west coast trip, and win out at home
I would take 20-11; 11-9 - would be the first time in awhile IU had a winning BT record! would def get us in - I think the conf. get 10-12 bids, and we sweep the west coast trip, and win out at home
10-12 bids seems way high.
I'd like to see a 7-3 finish but may be a bit bullish. Will 6-4 get it done?
DD needs to instill in the team that they need to play as hard @UCLA as they did against Purdue if they want to win.
I'd like to see a 7-3 finish but may be a bit bullish. Will 6-4 get it done?
DD needs to instill in the team that they need to play as hard @UCLA as they did against Purdue if they want to win.
7-3? That means the only losses are at Illinois and Purdue plus one more loss. Beating Wisconsin and Michigan State at home will be no easy task either and Minnesota is also no push over they almost won at Wisconsin last night with 7 healthy players. I could maybe see 6-4 if they played really good ball but that is the ceiling I see.
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