- Indiana ended the season 19-14 after a late 5-game win streak took a number of the sting off a disappointing season.
MINNEAPOLIS – Indiana will decline any invitation to play within the NIT later this month, per a supply with data of this system’s intentions.
Friday’s Huge Ten event loss to Nebraska concluding their season, the Hoosiers will flip their attentions to recruiting and roster constructing. The spring switch portal window opens Monday.
An NIT berth solely turned a risk in current weeks, as IU (19-14) put collectively a five-game win streak throughout the tip of the common season and Thursday’s Huge Ten event opener. Regardless of that livid late run, the Hoosiers’ pc metrics and lack of wins over seemingly NCAA event groups meant they seemingly would’ve wanted to win this weekend’s showpiece occasion and safe the convention’s computerized bid to succeed in the sector of 68.
DOYEL:Mike Woodson stop on his staff in last sport. And he is supposed to repair this?
INSIDER:Mike Woodson should deliver fashionable basketball to Indiana, or Hoosiers might be previous information.
That now door now formally closed, this system will decline all different potential postseason alternatives.
“This factor goes to come back in a short time,” IU coach Mike Woodson mentioned after Friday’s loss. “We’ve bought to be ready to do our due diligence and our homework on these gamers.”
It’s a choice turning into extra commonplace throughout faculty basketball. Memphis and Ole Miss are amongst a handful of packages to have declined, publicly or privately, an NIT alternative earlier than it might be prolonged.
The trendy recruiting calendar — specifically the significance of the early weeks of the spring portal cycle — dampens the enchantment of postseason basketball outdoors the NCAA event. Indiana, which must substitute place to begin guard Xavier Johnson and might need to account for Kel’el Ware’s departure for the NBA draft, will have to be aggressive within the coming weeks, as Woodson works to rebuild his roster right into a event contender in 2025.
Woodson already having been confirmed as returning for a fourth season accountable for his alma mater, IndyStar understands he might be handed considerably elevated NIL sources in that effort. With 2024 wing Liam McNeeley requested out of his letter of intent, the Hoosiers have zero incoming recruits promised for subsequent season. Woodson will use the approaching weeks to remake his rotation, IU’s focus now turning absolutely to subsequent season.
Comply with IndyStar reporter Zach Osterman on Twitter: @ZachOsterman.