Before the Big Dance begins, early March provides a fun appetizer in the form of teams making their last-minute push to extend their seasons. I’ll preface this by saying – and I feel strongly about this – that tournament selection is based on a full-season résumé, not what have you done for me lately. While it’s nice to get key wins this late in the game, when comparing blind resumes, all that matters is overall performance. That being said, the end of the season still provides an opportunity to bolster that resume or pop your tournament bubble before it even really starts. And that brings us to the Indiana Hoosiers.
The Indiana Hoosiers in the 2020-2021 Season
As an alumnus and avid fan, this season has been a real rollercoaster to follow. I think I speak for much of the fan base though when I say that this doesn’t feel like a team that really has it. Sure, they’ve had a few nice wins along the way, but the consistency just hasn’t been there. With such a great program foundation in place, 12-12 ain’t going to cut it long term.
Yet, the Hoosiers still find themselves with a chance to punch their ticket to March Madness. With a 12-12 overall record and a 7-10 Big Ten record, you may be asking yourself how that is possible. And that’s a totally valid question. The answer is that they play in a strong conference and have beaten Luka Garza twice. If you want to go ahead and count wins against Minnesota, Providence, and Stanford, go ahead. But I’ll be waiting for you back in reality.
The Final Two Games of the Season
Regardless of the answer, the fact of the matter is that they have a chance and have two games remaining on their schedule to make their case. Those two games are both away games against Michigan State and then at Purdue. Both teams have winning records and would be considered good résumé-building wins.
The question for the Hoosiers and their fans is – Can they make a last-minute push? IU has already played both teams this season and lost both times. The first, against Purdue, was a home game in mid-January that they lost by 12. The second, against MSU, was just two weeks ago, and the Hoosiers actually had a lead at halftime but lost it down the stretch. And they have dropped the two games they’ve played since.
What This Means For the Future of the Indiana Hoosiers
If IU can’t scrape together a win or two to close out the season, it leads to a series of questions about the future of the program. Is Archie Miller the right coach? Does Trayce Jackson-Davis leave for the NBA? If so, what happens next?
To someone who doesn’t follow the program as closely, Indiana may just look like another Bubble team trying to make their case, and if they don’t make it then it’s onto next season. I think it’s bigger than that.
Archie Miller’s Future at Indiana
Archie Miller, the successor to Tom Crean who has been relied on to be the one to get IU that elusive 6th banner, hasn’t cut it so far. This is his fourth season at IU, and he’s yet to bring them to the Tournament. Granted, that is a bit unfair because they were 20-12 when the season ended early in 2020. But the bar at IU is high for coaches. And with each loss, the Hoosiers suffer this season, Archie’s seat is getting a little bit hotter.
With an overall record of 67-55, the fanbase is starting to get a bit restless. And I said earlier that recency bias doesn’t matter when being selected for the Tournament. Unfortunately, I don’t think the same rule applies when it comes to coaching decisions. Let’s put it this way – if IU can win out to end the season and make the Big Dance, I think Archie Miller keeps his job or at least has a much better chance depending on how they produce in Indy. On the flip side, if they drop their final two and don’t end up sniffing the Tournament, I think we’re singing a different song.
A Final Thought on the Indiana Hoosiers
Taking a step back, looking at the résumé for the Hoosiers, I can’t say I’m confident that this team ends up on the right side of the Bubble. I just don’t think they have enough signature wins compared to their competition. So a lot of eyes will be on IU in their season finale against Purdue. If they can win that one, or make a push in the Big Ten Tournament, they can steal a bid away from someone else. If not, let the offseason drama begin!
