News and notes from Mike Woodson’s radio show

  • Feb 20, 2024 7:43 am in

“Inside Indiana basketball with Mike Woodson” returned Monday night live from the Chop Shop Restaurant in Bloomington.

On this week’s show, longtime voice of the Hoosiers Don Fischer was joined by Woodson to recap Sunday’s loss against Northwestern and to look ahead to Wednesday’s home game against Nebraska.

Here’s a recap of what Woodson had to say on this week’s episode of Inside Indiana Basketball:

• Woodson said the first half issues against Northwestern were about “making shots.” He said the Hoosiers did a good job on Boo Buie.

• Woodson on IU’s free throw shooting against Northwestern: “That’s the basketball game, that’s the difference.”

• Woodson said Northwestern got on the floor after the 50/50 balls and IU didn’t do that. He also said Northwestern’s second-chance points really hurt the Hoosiers.

• Woodson said Indiana has been playing good basketball in “spurts.” “Somehow, I gotta keep working with our team to get us over the hump.”

• Woodson said IU has been “forced into” playing Trey Galloway at the point guard spot because of Xavier Johnson’s injuries. “I feel for him. I’m trying to keep him in a good place, good space right now.”

• Woodson said the hope is Indiana can get Xavier Johnson back in the next couple of weeks. “We’re hoping in the next week or two, he’ll be back. We hope. And if that’s so, that will give us an opportunity to have him the last three or four games and have him as we get ready for the Big Ten tournament.”

• On IU’s uniforms on Sunday: “I have no control over that. I’m about wearing our white uniforms at home like we’ve done for 40 something years when I was here. That was kind of out of my hands. We won’t wear that uniform again the rest of the season. I had nothing to do with it and I’m the head coach.”

• Woodson said Indiana has “the youngest team in the Big Ten.”

• Woodson on IU’s struggles: “I’ve been here before, as a player. I’ve been here as a coach. We had to win all six in 1980, man, and got it done and ended up winning the Big Ten title. Anything is possible, I just got to get these cats to believe and continue to work.”

• Woodson said he refuses to let this team throw in the towel. “We just gotta be patient and continue to work.”

• Woodson said Gabe Cupps had one of his “best games” this season against Northwestern. He said Cupps was very good defensively against Boo Buie.

• On what needs to happen to turn things around: “Win. Win games. We have six left. We’ve got to win all six. I don’t go into any game thinking less than that.”

• On the injuries and Xavier Johnson missing time: “It’s a big part of it. People don’t want to hear it. The media probably don’t want to hear it. But it is what it is, man. I don’t think any team in college basketball come in with their starting point guard not playing and expecting that. But it happens. Injuries happen and you gotta overcome it. And as a coach it’s my job to help overcome it even though I don’t play. I don’t shoot free throws and I don’t shoot 3s, I gotta get them comfortable where they’re doing that.”

• On the upcoming matchup against Nebraska: “Totally different team than the past few years. (Fred) Hoiberg has done a great job with his ball club. And they just got a bunch of guys who play hard. (Keisei) Tominaga really burnt us up there (in Lincoln). We really gotta key in, lock in on him. The big fella, (Rienk) Mast, he’s just a brute inside and outside in terms of initiating their offense. They’re well rounded in terms of their ball club. We’re going to have to guard the 3-point line because they do shoot a lot of 3s as well and win the rebounding game. I think that will be the two differences. And when we get fouled, make our free throws.”

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