The Contained in the Corridor Mailbag is a set of questions despatched to us by way of X (@insidethehall), by way of electronic mail, submitted by way of our neighborhood and our Fb web page. Submit your questions and we’ll reply as many as we will.
HoosierFan 76 writes: Why the heck would you place Purdue #1 within the rankings? They’re gonna suck with out Edey. My spidey sense is choosing up critical Hoosier sweep vibes this coming season.
Clearly, to troll Indiana followers. Kidding! Is Purdue taking a step again this season? Absolutely. How may they not with the lack of Zach Edey?
The truth of forecasting this yr’s Huge Ten race is each group has questions. If you happen to have been provided the sphere or Purdue to win the Huge Ten title subsequent season, take the sphere. Final season, you’d have been loopy to not take Purdue.
What we find out about Purdue is that this: Each season since 2015-16, the Boilermakers have completed within the prime 25 of the KenPom rankings. That’s 9 straight seasons. No different Huge Ten group has come near that consistency over that timespan. Zach Edey was on 4 of these groups. Matt Painter has confirmed he can adapt to his personnel and mould a group for fulfillment in addition to any coach within the Huge Ten.
@jeffderringer writes: Will Trey Galloway come off the bench for this group or will Woodson really feel senior loyalty and begin him? I pray it’s the previous.
This can be a good drawback for Indiana. The Hoosiers are a season faraway from having too little guard depth. Now, there’s a debate on whether or not Galloway ought to stay within the lineup or be supplanted by Kanaan Carlyle.
Each gamers ought to play a wholesome variety of minutes and be prepared to play no matter function is requested of them. Is it an issue for Woodson to be loyal to Galloway and begin him? Provided that he’s not deserving of the function. And from what we’ve seen of Trey Galloway over the course of his IU profession, he’s greater than earned the chance. He’s performed by way of damage, performed out of place and has at all times been a terrific teammate.
What we additionally find out about Galloway is that he’ll be advantageous with no matter units the group up for probably the most success subsequent season. If that’s coming off the bench, he’ll embrace the function and thrive in it. He’s additionally coming off an damage, so we’ll see how that impacts issues.
Hoosier Jake writes: If Indiana loses its first-round matchup within the Battle for Atlantis, just about guaranteeing that it gained’t play a event group within the non-conference portion of the schedule, do you assume it can qualify for the NCAA event?
There are some things to contemplate. Battle 4 Atlantis could have NCAA event groups past the plain candidates in Arizona and Gonzaga.
It’s tougher than ever to mission groups due to the entire motion from the switch portal. Two of the Battle 4 Atlantis groups in Louisville and West Virginia have new coaches and a ton of latest gamers. They might shock. The identical goes for Windfall and Oklahoma. These are packages with expertise and succesful coaches.
We additionally must learn the way good South Carolina will likely be subsequent season. The Gamecocks have been an NCAA event group final season and are simply exterior the highest 50 in Bart Torvik’s present projections.
To reply your query, it appears extremely unlikely that IU gained’t play a single NCAA event group in its 11 non-conference video games. And even when that occurred, it can have quite a few alternatives to file quadrant one wins in convention play. The idea right here is Indiana will likely be an NCAA event group.
Cincy Hoosier writes: With Victor Oladipo set to be inducted into the IU Athletics HOF, who else would you contemplate? Trayce and Yogi are certainly locks. A strong argument may very well be made for Cody Zeller and Jared Jeffries regardless of enjoying two seasons every. Kirk Haston and Christian Watford wouldn’t be loopy both.
Trayce Jackson-Davis and Yogi Ferrell, as you talked about, needs to be locks. Each performed 4 seasons at Indiana and have their names all around the program’s all-time statistics lists. And Ferrell gained a pair of Huge Ten common season titles.
As you talked about, strong arguments might be made for Zeller and Jeffries. Zeller was the catalyst in a exceptional turnaround for this system. He additionally gained a Huge Ten title and was an All-American. He shouldn’t be penalized for leaving after two seasons and turning into the No. 4 decide within the NBA draft. The identical goes for Jeffries, who was a lottery decide after two seasons however led Indiana to a nationwide championship sport look and a Huge Ten title.
Haston and Watford could be under Jackson-Davis, Ferrell, Zeller and Jeffries by way of consideration.
@HawksTank writes: With expectations being raised as a result of cash spent within the portal, what degree of manufacturing does Indiana have to succeed in to ensure that Woodson’s seat to not get sizzling? Are we speaking NCAA / 8-11 seed “okay” or is 24+ wins and 2nd weekend or bust territory?
As a lot as many would love this to be an easy query, it’s not. Any IU coach who doesn’t win a Huge Ten title or attain the second weekend of the NCAA event in 4 seasons ought to really feel some warmth. Tom Crean inherited a large number however made the Candy Sixteen by yr 4. Archie Miller didn’t make the NCAA event in 4 seasons and was dismissed.
Profitable the Huge Ten or reaching the second weekend of the NCAA event ought to place safety behind any coach.
If Indiana makes the NCAA event subsequent season – it might be Woodson’s third look in 4 seasons – however doesn’t win the Huge Ten or make the second weekend, context will likely be necessary in inspecting the season. Assuming accidents don’t derail the season, barely squeaking into the event gained’t be a constructive improvement within the eyes of the fanbase. The roster is nice sufficient to make the NCAA event safely.
If Indiana has a terrific common season (23+ wins), earns a positive NCAA event seed and falls sufferer to an upset (it occurs), there could be disappointment however most likely not overwhelming unrest. In the end, one of the best factor that might occur for Indiana subsequent season is to win a ton of video games and transfer previous this dialogue.
Filed to: Contained in the Corridor Mailbag