Why IU Fans Should Believe Mike Woodson
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Last season Indiana basketball fans really started losing trust in the direction that Mike Woodson was leading the basketball program. The emotions of those fans have only gotten stronger this season, but why should fans still believe in him?
“What we inherited and played under with Coach Knight when you look at Indiana basketball, Coach Knight is always the standard. Bringing back Coach Woodson, reset the standard for us. I thought for a long time we went away from Indiana basketball.” Former Indiana Hoosier point guard Isiah Thomas on Query & Company Friday afternoon.
The Hoosiers have made the tournament in Woodson’s first two seasons. Indiana advanced to the second round in both tournaments, but lost by 29 to St. Mary’s in 2022 and 16 to Miami (FL) in 2023. Unless the Hoosiers turn things around this season, they’re on path to missing the tournament for back-to-back years.
“When he loses, it affects him personally, his friends, family, fans, it affects everyone. He’s from the state of Indiana. He can’t hide. You can’t run away to the next state and say I coached at Indiana but grew up in Maryland. Your friends, media, and everyone else is here so there’s a lot of eyeballs on you. There’s a lot of pressure to succeed. We want that coach to have the pressure to succeed.” Thomas added.
There are a lot of opportunities left on Indiana’s schedule to play its way into the tournament.
- 1/31 at Purdue
- 2/4 at Wisconsin
- 2/8 vs Michigan
- 2/11 at Michigan State
- 2/14 vs UCLA
- 2/23 vs Purdue
- 3/4 at Oregon
Not to mention there will be chance for the team to pick up a win or two in the conference tournament, assuming they make it. During his conversation with Jake Query & Jimmy Cook, Thomas eluded that Woodson should have this team on the right track because of his belief in Woodson.
To listen to Jake Query and Jimmy Cook’s conversations with Isiah Thomas, download the podcast containing the conversation below! You can always listen to the Query & Company from 12pm-3pm on 93.5/107.5 The Fan. You can also watch and interact with the show by going to the 107.5 The Fan YouTube Channel.
