Thoughts on a 61-50 defeat for the Scarlet Knights:
Here we were again.
The Hoosiers started out strong, instilling some hope, just to let it escape once again. It wasn’t so sudden or so drastic, the Hoosiers fans present provided some energy, but the result was the same. It is yet another defeat for the Hoosiers this horrible and bad season – the sixth in a row at the close of the 2020-2021 campaign.
Exactly a year ago, Indiana beat Nebraska in the Big Ten tournament and would probably go to the NCAA tournament, perhaps even winning another victory or two to help solidify things. But the pandemic closed everything from there. The pandemic is still affecting life and games 365 days later, when a handful of Indiana Faithful was allowed to enter Lucas Oil Stadium. As much as they gave Indiana life, especially during a second-round comings and goings, Archie Miller and his team also had to contend with what an almost empty Assembly Hall protected them from this season: frustration and disappointment from fans.
As Indiana failed to make a field goal in the last 9:49 of the competition, losing layups and free throws and everything, the unrest started to grow in the crowd. Boos and chants from “Fire Archie” reigned. It was a sad and sad way of ending things, but it is also the reality. There is discontent in the Hoosier nation and the coach and his players have heard it loud and clear tonight. (Despite postgame, Miller said he didn’t hear his name being chanted. Hard to believe, in my opinion.)
The Hoosiers hit just 2 of 16 in depth tonight, part of a terrible shooting trend to close the year. In her last four competitions of the season, Indiana scored just 13 out of 74 (17.5 percent). Simply terrible and an important factor that held this team back in the Miller era.
“You are not going to win many games by shooting at the percentage that we hit in the last three or four games,” said Miller after the game.
Right.
Khristian Lander and Anthony Leal didn’t leave the bench tonight, a likely sign that Miller decided he would mount his veterans as much as possible to try to break his team’s losing streak. That included Armaan Franklin, who returned to the schedule tonight for the first time since Indiana’s last defeat to Rutgers on February 24. Franklin still looked a little lame and did his best, but he finished just 3 out of 10, including a 0 out of 5 from a distance.
Miller answered some direct questions about his future and the direction of the program after the game. It is everything that goes on in anyone’s head today.
A few words about the direction of the program: “At the end of the day, we’ll be fine. We have good guys. Battling guys. Like any program right now, you need to take an inventory. “
About his future: “I am not going to enter any off-season period wondering if I am going to return. These decisions are made higher than me. My job is to train the team. “
We’ll see what happens. A purchase of more than $ 10 million is a difficult task, especially with an athletic department that is losing a ton of revenue due to COVID-19.
But this seems clear: if Miller returns next season and the results do not change, there are likely to be many more fans at Assembly Hall next season. And just like those at Lucas Oil Stadium tonight, the frustration will be expressed.
Filed Under: 2021 Big Ten Tournament, Rutgers Scarlet Knights