William McDermott - The Hoosier Network

Men's Basketball

Roundtable Discussion: After Indiana's collapse against St. Mary's, we grade Mike Woodson's first season and look ahead

William McDermott | March 18

Disappointing would be an understatement. Indiana’s season comes to a close after an 82-53 loss in the round of 64 against fifth-seeded St. Mary’s. To wrap up the season, our guys answer and discuss some of the biggest questions. What went wrong against St. Mary’s? William McDermott: They ...

Men's Basketball

'He's a freak': Jordan Geronimo keeps smiling and Indiana keeps winning

William McDermott | March 16

DAYTON, Ohio -- Jordan Geronimo brought a Core Power protein drink to the postgame press conference after Indiana’s 66-58 win over Wyoming in the First Four. He placed the bottle on the table, next to the microphone and it was quickly snatched up by an NCAA employee as the product isn’t a March ...

Men's Basketball

Film Breakdown: Xavier Johnson and the pick and roll hold the reins to Indiana's offense

William McDermott | March 14

Indiana has been known for its defense all season long. It’s floated around the top 25 in the country all year in terms of efficiency and IU even has an All-Big Ten Defensive Team player to show for it in Trayce Jackson-Davis. But what really got the ball rolling and allowed Indiana to clinch its ...

Men's Basketball

Indiana's never-back-down attitude and resilience in win over Illinois likely clinch trip to NCAA Tournament

William McDermott | March 11

INDIANAPOLIS — Down one, the Fighting Illini’s speedy guard Andre Curbelo snatched the ball off the rim after a missed Miller Kopp free throw and went coast to coast with 10 seconds left. In the way was Indiana sophomore Trey Galloway, who forced Curbelo to his left hand and beautifully contested ...

Men's Basketball

The energy of Xavier Johnson and Trayce Jackson-Davis propels Indiana past Michigan in historic comeback

William McDermott | March 10

INDIANAPOLIS -- It was written all over the players' faces coming into the locker room at halftime. Defeat. Indiana was down 41-28 and was never even competitive. Whether it was the 11:30 a.m. start time or the pressure of needing a win to improve its NCAA Tournament hopes, it all looked to be ...

Men's Basketball

McDermott: Tears, flowers and framed jerseys mean more than heart-wrenching loss

William McDermott | March 2

The tears were flowing, the jerseys were framed and the flowers given to parents were fully bloomed as Race Thompson and Parker Stewart waved goodbye to the Assembly Hall crowd for, potentially, the last time. Just like 10 times prior this season, Indiana lost. This time, just before the buzzer in ...

Men's Basketball

Three Takeaways: Scrappy Hoosiers implode down stretch, again, at Ohio State

William McDermott | February 22

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- It was going so right for Indiana. Until the last minute of the game. Up by four with 56 seconds to go it was almost sealed. They just needed to get a stop. But after two Ohio State free throws, IU committed a rare defensive miscommunication that led to a wide open E.J. Liddell underneath ...

Men's Basketball

Inability to guard Johnny Davis kindles inevitable mid-February losing bug for Indiana

William McDermott | February 16

On No. 15 Wisconsin’s first possession, Badgers guard Johnny Davis slipped by Indiana’s ball watching Miller Kopp on a pindown screen and found himself wide open underneath the basket for an easy layup. On Wisconsin’s most important possession with Indiana up 69-68 and 1:12 to go, Johnny Davis ...

Men's Basketball

How Indiana's Race Thompson became one of college basketball's best 'glue guys'

William McDermott | February 8

On a chilly 2020 February evening in Minneapolis, just about 15 miles west of then-sophomore Race Thompson’s hometown, Indiana was down three to a subpar Minnesota team. After being subbed in at the 17:50 minute mark in the second half Thompson immediately drained his first shot attempt. Then, ...

Men's Basketball

Illinois out-muscles Indiana in disappointing second-half effort for Hoosiers

William McDermott | February 5

It was to the surprise of nobody that Trayce Jackson-Davis found himself in foul trouble early against No. 18 Illinois in the 74-57 loss. Having to guard a seven-plus footer in Kofi Cockburn was a challenge on its own but Indiana relied on Michael Durr off the bench for most of the first half. A similar ...