As the buzzer sounded on Tuesday night and Indiana basketball dropped its fourth straight game and sixth in the last seven, the score didn’t indicate how lopsided the game really was. In fact, it was quite indicative on how the season has progressed and how far the program has fallen. As Indiana tries to hang on to the past, doing so with Mike Woodson, the future state of the program feels all-too-blurry and more off track than it has in the past.
The fact of the matter is, Indiana has a bleak outlook on the future. Whether it’s this year or next, there is no clear path forward as the program is currently constructed. As Mike Woodson stands on the sidelines, answers questions postgame or discusses the season as a whole, there remain more questions than answers; and 23 games into year four of his tenure, the questions continue to mount.
As Indiana looked at the scoreboard at the 15:40 mark of the first half in Tuesday’s 76-64 loss to Wisconsin, it read 19-2. The wheels were off before the car was even in drive. The last few weeks brought some optimism to the program based on the hard work and effort it showed on the court. The issue is, that is the bare minimum. That is the baseline. That should be the expectation, not a sign for optimism.
Tuesday’s performance sent Indiana into a new frenzy; one that it didn’t want to be in.
“Right now, we’re just not a tough team right now,” Woodson said. “We’re not. Mentally, we’re not tough.”
From 19-2 to 26-4, Indiana was blown out of the water and outclassed in every way before it could even catch its breath.
“You spot teams on the road 20 and it’s going to be tough to get back in it,” Woodson continued. “Again, that’s on me, man. We’re pushing and pulling and scraping, trying to get what we can get and guys just didn’t step up again tonight.”
Indiana now sits at 14-9 overall and 5-7 in Big Ten play, 11th in the league.
Trending: Disastrous start buries Indiana basketball from the beginning in frustrating road loss to Wisconsin
With eight games remaining in the season, the opportunities still present themselves for quality wins. That’s the saving grace of this team at the moment. The issue is, opportunities continues to get passed up as each game comes and goes. Whether it is lack of execution causing two straight losses to Maryland and Purdue, or blowout losses to Iowa, Illinois — at home — and now Wisconsin, those ‘opportunities’ are useless unless Indiana basketball can get on the right side of the column; with a win.
“We’ve got to get it fixed because we only have eight left and five of them are at home,” Woodson said. “We have to figure out (how to win) all our games at home and the three that’s on the road, we have to figure those out as well.”
Indiana, who has made two NCAA Tournament appearances under Mike Woodson, are on the verge of missing its second-straight NCAA Tournament. How did this team get here, though? Rewind a few months and you’ll find Woodson saying this was the most talent he’s had on a roster at Indiana. He’s not necessarily wrong. So where does the finger need to be pointed? It’s clear, because there has been one constant over the past four years.
So, what’s next for Indiana?
“It’s not rocket science. Right now, our backs are against the wall,” Woodson said. “We’re not playing great basketball. We’re playing in spurts. I thought the last three games prior to tonight, we played pretty good ball and we came up short — if we won maybe one or two of those, you’re feeling good about yourself. I’ve got to figure out a game where we can get these guys feeling good about themselves and see where it goes from there.”
Where it goes from here is four straight Quad 1 games upcoming, followed by two more to the end the season. Five of the remaining eight games are also at home.
But with no identity and no consistency, it’s hard to grab a hold to a successful feeling that Indiana basketball has had this year. It’s been few and far between.
“I don’t know. It’s hard for me to explain it, but we’re running out of games and I’ve got to figure these next eight games out,” Woodson said. “Because it’s going to be very pivotal for our basketball team in terms of making tournament play.
“None of these guys like to lose. I don’t like to lose.”
Unfortunately, the losing continues to mount.
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