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NCAA Basketball: Indiana, Illinois, Virginia Tech, Maryland headline Sunday Mailbag

By Bryan Mauro

Nov 23, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Da'Monte Williams (20) walks with guard Andre Curbelo (5) to a timeout against the Kansas State Wildcats during the first half at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 23, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Da'Monte Williams (20) walks with guard Andre Curbelo (5) to a timeout against the Kansas State Wildcats during the first half at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /
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NCAA Basketball Indiana Hoosiers head coach Mike Woodson Khristian Lander Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
NCAA Basketball Indiana Hoosiers head coach Mike Woodson Khristian Lander Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports /

Are Mike Woodson’s coaching decisions losing Indiana games?  To take it further will his coaching keep the Hoosiers out of the NCAA Tournament? – Patrick Madden (@TheSportsJD)

The short answer is no. Coaching is a huge deal in the College Basketball world but players still need to make shots and in the case of Indiana that is the very same. They have a ton of talent and they are going to be in a position to win a ton of games if they continue to defend and make shots. The Hoosiers have finally made the right hire after two pretty dreadful ones in Tom Crean and Archie Miller, who were hired trying to replace Mike Davis and Kelvin Sampson.

Mike Woodson comes from the NBA where he was the head coach for the New York Knicks. He was able to take the Knicks to two straight playoff appearances before being fired. The College game is different as the players have to be recruited. I will withhold judgment on how good of a college coach Woodson is once he has to recruit his own players. He was able to secure a slew of great transfers and already had one of the best players in the Big Ten in Trayce Jackson-Davis to work with.

In-game coaching is going to be a learn-as-you-go situation for Woodson in the first year as the college game has different nuances that the NBA game doesn’t. One thing that is for sure is that Woodson is going to be given every opportunity as he is an Indiana grad and has an NBA pedigree. He understands what it means to play for Indiana and is going to know what it takes to get his players to the league. Those are things that matter a great deal in recruiting.

The Hoosiers are still expected to make the tournament this year, likely will make the tournament this year, and have a good enough team to finish in the top half of the league this year. The first year of the Woodson era is going well and provided they all stay healthy the in-game coaching decisions of Woodson even the questionable ones shouldn’t affect Indiana that much.

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