News and notes from Mike Woodson’s radio show

“Inside Indiana Basketball with Mike Woodson” had its fourth edition of the 2024-25 season Monday night. Woodson and Don Fischer spoke at Hoosier Hank’s in Bloomington.

Here’s what Woodson had to say after starting 1-1 in Big Ten play, most recently a 17-point drubbing to Nebraska last Friday:

• Woodson said he was very pleased with the team’s performance against Minnesota, particularly noting impressive showings from the bench and the defense throughout the contest. “For 40 minutes we competed… the second half we just stretched out and did everything we needed to do to secure the win. It was truly a total team effort,” he said.

• Against Nebraska, Woodson highlighted an inability to knock down open shots. “We couldn’t make shots coming down the stretch, which just hasn’t happened to our team very often. Especially, we had good shots that we couldn’t make.”

• Woodson was pleased with the defensive performance despite the loss, saying it was “pretty good” despite some lapses and that Nebraska made tough, contested shots.

• Woodson said IU charted 24 of its 35 3-point attempts versus Nebraska as “really open” and they just didn’t fall but is pleased with the ability to create open looks and will “take his chances.”

• After Fischer pointed out a combined three points between Oumar Ballo and Malik Reneau in the second half, Woodson said they did the “right thing” by sacrificing the ball to pass out of double teams. “Nebraska chose to take those guys out and not let them play and they benefitted from it.”

• Woodson said Myles Rice “helped us make the run to get back” when he scored 13 consecutive points in the second half, but he could have taken a better shot the next possession shortly before Nebraska started its game-ending run.

• Woodson on Bryson Tucker against Minnesota: “I thought he came off the bench and did a hell of a job.”

• Woodson on Mackenzie Mgbako against the Cornhuskers: “We’ve got to have him on the floor. He came out trying to be too aggressive… that’s something that we saw early in his freshman year. We’ve got to get him back going because he’s a big piece to what we’re doing.”

• Continuing on Mgbako, Woodson said he needs to make sure he’s doing the right things on both ends of the floor. “You can’t just play offense. You’ve got to defend, too, at that position.”

• Asked about rebounding, Woodson said they’ve fixed issues with offensive rebounds allowed and is more concerned with limiting turnovers.

• On communicating: “It’s huge… You add seven new faces, you’ve got to get familiar with one another very quickly. We’ve had our struggles in that area in terms of communicating, especially on the defensive end.”

• On the same topic, Woodson said the team’s defensive effort and communication is “not where I think it should be.”

• Asked about Myles Rice’s leadership, Woodson said he’s still growing into the role but that Luke Goode “has probably been the most outspoken guy on our ball club.”

• Woodson said he needs some of the veterans like Malik Reneau to step up and play a “major role” in the leadership aspect.

• Woodson said when Luke Goode shoots “I feel good about every time he lets it go,” and he needs the senior’s confidence to keep shooting.

• On working on zone defense: “We have played some zone in the past… we’re going to need it to slow teams down when they get on runs… We need to get our man-to-man defense where I think it should be.”

• Woodson said Gabe Cupps underwent successful knee surgery last week, but that he will “probably” be redshirted and sit out the rest of the season.

• Woodson said the players can go home for Christmas on Dec. 22 but must report back for practice the night after Christmas.

• On the passing of Dick Van Arsdale: “It’s a sad day for Hoosier Nation. When I look at Indiana basketball, there were so many players that paved the way for Mike Woodson and a lot of players that came after those guys. I have nothing but love and respect… he’s going to be missed.”

• Woodson said the team will start prepping for its Dec. 21 matchup against Chattanooga on Wednesday and that they will emphasize “mainly our defense and getting guys mentally back to making shots.”

• Woodson said Ballo has lost 20 pounds since joining the program and that he’s done everything that’s been asked of him so far. “We’ve just got to keep pushing him, because we’re going to need him to play at an even higher level to help us win basketball games,” he said.

Category: Media

Filed to: Mike Woodson