Indiana males’s basketball has had a nightmare season, and now their postseason destiny rests within the fingers of the NCAA match choice committee. The Hoosiers are out of the Large Ten match after a humiliating 72-59 loss to the Oregon Geese on Thursday afternoon. The Geese ran away with the sport regardless of an 11 a.m. tip-off that felt like 9 a.m. for gamers coming from the West Coast. Indiana was projected as one of many final 4 groups into the 2025 NCAA match discipline earlier than the sport, nevertheless it’s exhausting to be ok with their standing after the loss.
Indiana is already in search of its subsequent head coach. This system introduced a mutual parting of the way with Mike Woodson earlier this season after a yr that noticed Indiana spend large cash within the switch portal however fail to get the outcomes they have been hoping for. Woodson made the NCAA match in every of his first two seasons, however he missed the 2024 match and finds himself on the bubble this yr. Hoosiers followers have been notoriously robust on Woodson for failing to dwell as much as their expectations, however the actuality is that Indiana basketball has been down for a very long time.
Indiana actually spent cash in NIL this previous offseason. Large man Oumar Ballo was the crown jewel of Woodson’s switch portal haul, reportedly getting $1.2 million to switch in from Arizona. Myles Rice and Kanaan Carlyle have been two extra expensive additions within the backcourt, however the items by no means match. Ballo had one other productive season of inside scoring, however Indiana didn’t put sufficient taking pictures round him, and finally seemed like a disjointed workforce all year long. For as a lot warmth as Woodson felt this season, it was even worse for the gamers.
Ballo talked to the media about his Indiana expertise after the sport, and revealed the tough interactions he had with the Hoosier followers all year long. “The followers’ act allow us to down as an entire unit.” Ballo stated in a viral interview. “We lose one recreation, two video games, and subsequent factor you realize your DMs are loopy. Dying needs, demise threats. Nobody needs to dwell like that.”
Watch Ballo’s full interview right here.
“Dying needs, demise threats.” – Indiana Hoosier heart Oumar Ballo on interactions over social media this season. “No person needs to dwell like that.”
“I am not speaking in regards to the true followers as a result of I do know they’ve our again. In the event you’re not cheering for us, depart us alone.” #IUBB pic.twitter.com/t5rN9b0jOo
— Brett Bensley (@brettbensley) March 13, 2025
That is disgusting habits from the Indiana followers, however sadly it isn’t too stunning. Ballo went out of his solution to say this isn’t the “true followers,” however moderately the trolls who can’t come to phrases with the true state of Indiana basketball.
Indiana has solely superior out of the primary weekend of the NCAA match as soon as within the final 11 years, however many across the fanbase act just like the workforce ought to be competing for a nationwide championship each season. The heyday of Bobby Knight is lengthy gone at this level. Indiana is loads nearer to a ‘one coach program’ than it’s a actual blueblood. This system hasn’t been to the Ultimate 4 since 2002, and it hasn’t received a nationwide championship since 1987. Hoosiers followers ought to be cool with Woodson leaving this system higher than he discovered it by constructing some aggressive groups in a difficult panorama, however as a substitute they’d immense hostility for the gamers and training workers throughout a attempting season.
Indiana followers’ desires of touchdown somebody like Brad Stevens are completely delusional. Why would he depart a unbelievable job main the Boston Celtics entrance workplace to step into the strain cooker in Bloomington? Michigan coach Dusty Might has little interest in going again to his alma mater proper now, both. Heck, Indiana can’t even get somebody like Iowa State coach TJ Otzelberger. At this level, they need to be fortunate if they’ll get somebody like Drake coach Ben McCollum, who was teaching on the DII degree simply final yr.
The Hoosiers have tons of cash to spend, however the tradition across the program is so poisonous that it doesn’t really feel like a very good job. The boosters and alums who maintain unreasonable expectations and exert a suffocating quantity of strain have to look within the mirror. Ballo’s feedback ought to be humiliating for anybody who cheers for this system. Hopefully, it would result in higher habits sooner or later.
The coach who can flip round Indiana basketball can be handled like a king, however this system is so distant from getting there. Earlier than it may well win, Indiana wants to begin respecting itself and its gamers. Ballo’s feedback present they’re nonetheless nowhere shut.
