That one hurt, again.
Indiana men’s basketball dropped its fourth straight home game last night as UCLA was able to come to Assembly Hall and survive an admiral comeback attempt from the Hoosiers.
This time, Mike Woodson was drawing up some good plays down the stretch, and the team was able to survive Myles Rice apparently going off script for an awkward shot that landed directly in Mackenzie Mgbako’s hands for a putback layup.
Mgbako missed the layup and missed a 3-pointer that would have given Indiana the lead and likely a comeback win. It was that kind of night for everyone on Indiana, and with that I am ready to call the season.
Here is one thing we learned:
It’s Over
It wasn’t the first time this season, but Indiana looked like a team that appeared to be completely mentally defeated. Given everything that’s happened this season, it would be hard to blame him.
Mike Woodson has failed to put this team in a position to succeed, as he himself will admit. He refers to it as getting over the hump, but at times, his coaching has appeared to be the hump that the team would have had to overcome to win.
With Woodson on his way out after this season, it’s not worth piling on, but it does bear repeating that these players have faced an uphill battle from the beginning of the season and justifiably could have quit at any point.
Instead, the players fought and continue to fight hard for forty minutes per night. It’s not always organized or high-IQ basketball, but a team that’s given up doesn’t play this many close games against good teams.
What became abundantly clear in the loss at UCLA is that the players have lost all confidence in themselves, their coach, and the team’s ability to win close games. Guys rushed wide open shots, hesitated with the ball, and passed up good looks for contested jumpers.
Again, this isn’t their fault.
There are probably fewer than five players on the current roster that can state with confidence if/where they will be playing basketball season. There aren’t really any Hoosiers on the NBA radar, not to mention the possibility (maybe likelihood) of a high roster turnover in the offseason, no matter who the next coach is.
Then there’s the fact that they’ve been booed on their home court. Multiple times this season.
Whether or not these boos were primarily directed at Woodson is irrelevant to the fact that these are college students confronting a basketball angst that’s been building for roughly two or three times as long as they’ve been alive.
A team lacking confidence is unlikely to go on a miracle run to save its postseason chances, no matter how many quality opponents remain on the schedule or how good the coaching is.
Indiana only has five games guaranteed on the schedule, and the margin for error is essentially zero at this point. Adding a lack of confidence to execution issues and poor coaching just might be the nail in the coffin of a (hopefully) forgettable season of Indiana basketball.