It’s simple for Indiana basketball — do whatever it takes to get Mike Woodson back to the NCAA Tournament. Why?: ‘That’s a hell of an accomplishment for him’

While Indiana basketball knows what will happen once the season ends, it doesn’t know exactly how or when it will end. At the conclusion of the season, the Mike Woodson era will be over. An era that began by snapping the five-year NCAA Tournament drought is now on the verge of missing two-straight NCAA Tournament’s. But despite the ups-and-downs that has been this season, there is still an opportunity to get back to playing in March.

There are five games remaining, in addition to whatever Indiana can do come the Big Ten Tournament — with the assumption it will stay in the top-15 and qualify. But, Indiana is currently in the midst of eight losses in 10 games and are clearly still trying to maneuver the difficulties of playing for a coaching staff that will not be anymore in just a months time.

The goal at the beginning of the season was winning the Big Ten and competing for a National Championship. While neither seems realistic at the moment, the new goal of just making it back in the NCAA Tournament remains achievable.

“Our goal is still to make it to the NCAA Tournament,” IU assistant coach Kenya Hunter said during Monday’s radio show. “I look back and I said this is our fourth year here with Coach Woodson, and our goal was to make it to the NCAA Tournament. And if we can leave, if Coach Woodson — he would’ve been to the NCAA Tournament three out of the four years here at Indiana, when is the last time that’s been done at Indiana? It’s been a while.”

The last time Indiana basketball was involved in three NCAA Tournaments over a four year span was from 2013-16. The last time IU was in three straight NCAA Tournaments? Even further, back from 2006-08 — nearly 20 years ago.

If Indiana is absent from postseason play this year, it’ll be the 10th time since 2009-10 that Indiana would have missed the tournament — unfortunately the new norm for this program. Indiana has made it to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament just five times since 1994.

“As far our coaching staff, that’s something that we’ve mentioned and talked about,” Hunter said. “I think it would be a hell of a thing if we can accomplish that in these last five games.”

IU’s next five games include: vs No. 13 Purdue, vs Penn State, at Washington, at Oregon, vs Ohio State — three quad 1 games.

“It’s tough, man. They know I won’t be back. That’s been tough on these guys. That’s been tough on me. But we’ve still got a lot of season left,” Woodson said last week after IU’s win over Michigan State. “I want these guys to believe. I want them to get in the tournament and experience it. And get in the Big Ten Tournament and see if we can win it. That’s what it’s all about. It’s not just being there. You want to get there and win a Big Ten Tournament and see where that leads you. I just have to keep pushing them, keep them positive, keep them up.”

Indiana basketball currently sits among the next four out in most of the projected brackets. With a 15-11 (6-9) record and a very limited resume, the next five games are critical in order to receive an at-large bid. While IU’s resume is nothing to note, the fact of the matter is — the bubble is extremely weak.

Entering Tuesday, Indiana sat at 2-11 against Quad 1 opponents, ranked No. 57 in the NET rankings and No. 53 in the KenPom ratings.

Still, there is a path.

“I think if we take care of business in these last five games and we go to the tournament and we’re able to make the tournament, and that’s three out of four years that he’s (Mike Woodson) gone to the tournament — knowing that last year we had injuries throughout that hampered us and still was very close to making the tournament,” Hunter continued. “That’s a hell of an accomplishment for him, and that’s the way we’d like to send him out.”

This isn’t new territory for Indiana, however. After a 2-8 stretch last year from January 16 to February 24, Indiana finished with four straight wins to close out the regular season and then a win in its opening round of the Big Ten Tournament. IU’s 2-8 stretch this year? From January 11 to February 14 — with the next game at home against Purdue being on the 23rd. Unlike last year, if Indiana were to go on a run like it did nearly 365 days ago, its fate would be quite different.

And at the end of the day — that’s what Indiana is fighting for.

“If we can go out the right way for Coach Woodson and be in the tournament three out of four years here,” Hunter said. “I’m fine with that.”