News and notes from Mike Woodson’s radio show

Mike Woodson returned to “Inside Indiana Basketball” Monday for the show’s sixth episode of the 2023-24 season, after missing the previous week due to a “family matter”.

Woodson and Don Fischer spoke about Indiana’s win over Michigan, loss to Auburn, and the break the team has before they play Kansas on December 16.

Here’s a recap of what Woodson had to say:

• On Indiana’s 78-85 win over Michigan; “I thought we played extremely well. Our bench really set the tone coming off and making plays… they carried us until our guys were able to get back in. It was just a solid win across the board.”

• Woodson credited Kel’el Ware’s blocks and hook shot in the final minutes of the game against Michigan and said Malik Reneau was “phenomenal” in his play-making down the stretch.

• On fighting to get the win in Ann Arbor: “There were a lot of incredible plays made to secure that win, and as we continue this journey we’re going to need guys to step up and do that.”

• Woodson said the new guys didn’t really know what the Big Ten was about before the Michigan game, but it was made clear to everyone that conference play required a higher level of play. “I thought our guys met the challenge,” Woodson said.

• On balanced offensive contributions against Michigan: “That’s the kind of team that we have assembled… as we go through this Big Ten, and even this weekend (against Kansas), we’re going to need guys to step up and make plays off the bench, because our starters are not going to be there every night.”

• Woodson said he thought inside play was the difference-maker against Michigan and that Ware and Reneau “had their way.”

• Woodson noted CJ Gunn’s contributions on the perimeter against Michigan. Gunn had two key 3-pointers in the game, his first made perimeter shots since December 20, 2022.

• On Anthony Walker’s production in recent games: “He’s been really steady for us… he’s really played well the last five games for us. You expect that. He’s a senior and we need his production.”

• On instilling team confidence in shooting 3-pointers: “I’ve got to get these guys in a good place… that’s so important when you’re talking about making shots, and we’re not there yet.”

• Woodson said because of the interior play from players like Ware and Reneau, the perimeter players are going to get good looks so “(they’ve) got to get used to it.”

• Woodson said the biggest things Ware and Reneau need to work on is understanding the game, and time-management, and the physicality they need to play with.

• On improving the team’s toughness: “It’s okay to be nasty sometimes.”

• On Indiana’s 104-76 loss to Auburn: “We got away from the game plan in terms of our coverages, and we had so many miscues defensively… it was probably more miscues in a game since I’ve been here, and we paid dearly for it.”

• Woodson said he counted 41 total miscues in the loss to Auburn.

• More on the loss to Auburn: “Auburn had a lot to do with how we played. They pressed us early, and we built a 12-point lead. They didn’t do anything differently from when they started the ballgame. We didn’t stay the course.”

• On matching opponents’ physicality: “My job is to get them over the hump and understand when you get in a game where it’s a slugfest, you have to keep fighting.”

• On Gabe Cupps: “I know what I’m going to get, and that’s important when you’re building a basketball team.”

• On Reneau adapting to double-teams: “That’s a sign of respect, is how I look at it… it’s what you do with it once you get it. I think he’s starting to make some nice reads in terms of passing the ball… it’s all new to him. And he’s scoring… he’s improved from a year ago.”

• On Walker: “I think he’s skilled… he just lost his way (at Miami). We’ve been trying to help him find his way back. He’s given us some positive minutes, he’s done a little bit of everything for us… we’ve got to continue to have that kind of performance from him… he’s been a bright spot for our club this season.”

• Woodson said he is looking more at the defensive side of things, referencing the amount of new players that have to learn new concepts and saying that has sort of “put the team behind” where they originally thought they would be.

• Liam McNeeley: “He’s a winner. He does all the necessary things on and off the floor, which you like. But I just like the fact that he competes…there’s a lot of good quality things that he does on the floor. We were fortunate enough to get him.”

• Woodson said McNeeley is “college-ready” in terms of his physicality, in that he won’t need to put on a lot of weight. The big focus will be teaching him the college game.

• On Jakai Newton: “He’s a tough competitor, a little bulldog… unfortunately, he’s probably not going to play this season because of the knee injury… I haven’t made that decision for sure yet, but it looks like it’s heading in that direction.”

• Woodson says he thinks Newton will excel defensively because of his toughness.

• Woodson emphasized the need to stay on the recruiting trail, and recognizes the portal will play a big part in building future teams as well.

• On this week being full of final exams: “We work around their classes. We’ll have different times set this week for practice… that’s first and foremost with me. I try to work around their schedule.”

• On Kansas: “Any time you’ve got a Bill Self team, they’re going to compete… Kansas is very talented… (Hunter Dickinson) is a load. We’ve got to make sure we come to compete with him… I’m anxious to see where we are and if we can rebound from the Auburn game.”

• Says Indiana is most focused on improving toughness this week in practice.

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