It didn’t take long for the Hoosier crowd inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall to express their displeasure with Indiana men’s basketball Tuesday.
The boos first began before tipoff against No. 19 Illinois with the introduction of head coach Mike Woodson. They returned when Trey Galloway airballed a 3-pointer just over five minutes into the contest and once more moments later when the fifth-year senior guard headed to the bench.
However, the loudest outrage came with just under seven minutes to go in the first half, when nearly the entire student section echoed “Fire Woodson” chants as Indiana trailed by 25 points.
That margin was extended to 28 as the Fighting Ilini entered the half with a 60-32 advantage — the largest Hoosier deficit at home in 25 years, according to ESPN Stats and Information. And while that number was trimmed to 16 in the second half, Indiana ultimately fell 94-69 to Illinois on Tuesday night in Bloomington.
“I understand,” senior forward Luke Goode said postgame about the boos. “We got embarrassed. We have to wear this jersey with more pride as Indiana players. This program is too historical and too great to be represented like that.”
Entering the contest, both teams looked to improve from their previous performances. For Indiana, it meant recovering from the 85-60 disappointment against the Hawkeyes in Iowa City, Iowa, on Jan. 11. For Illinois, it meant bouncing back from its upset defeat at home to USC on the same day, albeit without standout freshman guard Kasparas Jakučionis.
As the scoreboard reflected, only one team truly learned from the loss.
Beyond the fact the 25-point loss was Indiana’s second-worst home defeat in history, knowing USC overcame this Fighting Ilini squad makes it that much worse. The same USC squad, mind you, the Hoosiers defeated 82-69 less than a week ago.
Whether it’s a reflection of Indiana’s preparation, its intensity or the importance of Jakučionis to Illinois’ success, the lopsided defeat is inexcusable and the worst in Woodson’s four-year tenure.
“Long season, man,” Woodson said postgame. “I mean, you can’t throw in the towel. We didn’t play well the first handful (of minutes). We were awful.”
For both Indiana and Illinois, Tuesday night’s result defined the state of the programs — one continuously at the top of the Big Ten and the other incapable of winning big games. Or, for that matter, competing in them.
And yet, it wasn’t long ago that both teams were in nearly identical spots.
Following the 2016-17 season, Indiana fired Tom Crean. The Hoosiers finished with an 18-16 record, including a first-round exit in the National Invitation Tournament. Similarly, Illinois parted ways with John Groce after a 20-15 season that finished in the NIT quarterfinals.
With head coaching vacancies, one team made what’s proven to be the correct choice. The other? One that has largely spelled disaster for nearly all of the next eight years.
Illinois hired Brad Underwood ahead of the 2017-18 campaign, a decision it won’t soon regret. Following losing seasons in his first two years in charge, Underwood and the Fighting Illini won the Big Ten regular season and tournament title in 2021-22 and reached the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight in 2023-24.
Conversely, Archie Miller landed Indiana’s coaching position. Although Miller managed winning records in his first two seasons, he never achieved a Big Ten finish higher than sixth nor an NCAA Tournament berth. He was fired after only four seasons.
Then came Woodson, who took Indiana to the NCAA Tournament in his first two seasons but failed to do so in the 2023-24 campaign. All the while, Underwood and Illinois continued their success, benefiting from a correct decision made nearly eight years ago.
But that’s the past.
Woodson and Indiana need to deal with what’s in front of them now — a conference stretch featuring nine consecutive Quad 1 games that will not get any easier. After a three-game slate of Ohio State, Northwestern and Maryland, the Hoosiers travel to No. 17 Purdue and No. 24 Wisconsin, host No. 20 Michigan and then visit No. 12 Michigan State.
A lot needs to change from these 25-point defeats for Indiana to make a serious challenge in the Big Ten, much less earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament. For starters, improvement with rebounding, 3-point shooting and defense is key, the same aspects that decimated any chance the Hoosiers had of winning.
Most important of all, however, is the effort.
At times, Indiana looked disinterested, disengaged and asleep. Only for a brief couple minutes in the second half did the team — and the crowd — come to life. But just as soon as it arrived, it was gone again, destroyed by Illinois’ scoring and the Hoosiers’ failure to hit perimeter shots.
As Woodson once again stressed the fact his team needs to “continue to work,” he also emphasized the possibility of a snowball effect with the upcoming gauntlet. After two disastrous defeats and barring any drastic changes, that snowball poses a real threat to Indiana.
A threat that could destroy its season.
Follow reporters Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) and Quinn Richards (@Quinn_richa) and columnist Mateo Fuentes-Rohwer (@mateo_frohwer) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s basketball season.