What has happened to the Indiana men’s basketball program?
For the fourth time in the past four games, an Indiana Hoosier was given a flagrant foul, this time being CJ Gunn who was ejected from the Kohl Center in the second half. Indiana would go on to lose to the Wisconsin Badgers 91-79 Friday night, and things just do not seem right with the program.
“Indiana is better than this,” Robbie Hummel said on the FS1 broadcast Friday night. “Your program is better than this. Three flagrant fouls in four games, this is not what this program is about.”
Take away all the statistics, wins and losses, it’s just simple leadership on and off the court that’s been a looming problem all season long.
Go back to last season around this time, the Hoosiers were in the midst of a three-game losing streak heading into a game against Wisconsin back home. Trayce Jackson-Davis and the rest of his Indiana teammates called for a players-only meeting to work out the kinks and get things rolling.
What followed was a five-game winning streak that propelled the Hoosiers back into the Big Ten conversation.
“We got a long way to go man, we really do as a ball club,” head coach Mike Woodson said during the postgame radio interview. “I got to go back and get this fixed because we’re not playing well on the road.”
Who will step up for Indiana in the coming days? The Hoosiers’ two captains Xavier Johnson and Trey Galloway certainly need to raise their voices, but multiple other players can do the same.
Malik Reneau was one of the only bright spots for the Hoosiers Friday night, scoring 28 points in the defeat. The big man down low has been a huge piece for Indiana all season and has extended his game in multiple facets. Last season, Reneau knocked in just two triples all season compared to 13 treys already 19 games in.
Johnson broke out of his shell during the second half against the Badgers, scoring eight points while being a big part of Indiana’s defense. Johnson has struggled mightily since returning from injury, going scoreless in two outings.
“In my 51 years behind this microphone, I will say something that I’ve never said before. I’m embarrassed for this team,” Don Fischer said on the Indiana radio call. “And it has nothing to do with the score.”
Now riding a two-game losing streak, Indiana continues its road trip as it heads to Urbana-Champaign next Saturday to take on the 14th-ranked Fighting Illini. Will the Hoosiers come into town as a deflated team ready to give up on their season or will someone step up and lead the Cream and Crimson to victory? Only time will tell.
