Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Earns Bid to NCAA Tournament, Plays Wyoming
3/13/2022 10:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Rob Phinisee gets his NCAA tourney shot. So do all the Indiana Hoosiers, and if it comes with a Last Four-in, First Four play-in tag, no matter.
With a No. 12 seed, Indiana (20-13) is in the NCAA tourney field for the first time since a 2016 Sweet 16 appearance. A Tuesday East Regional matchup with Wyoming (25-8) looms in Dayton, and life is first-kiss good.
"We're super excited," Indiana's senior guard said.
Excitement comes with a formidable schedule challenge.
Beat Wyoming, then fly to Portland, Ore., to face No. 5 seed Saint Mary's (a 25-7 West Coast team) on Thursday.
Saint Mary's beat No. 1 overall seed Gonzaga during the regular season, before losing to Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference title game.
"At the end of the day," coach Mike Woodson said, "we're in. We've got to play the play-in game. That's my only concern. We have to start studying. Get our guys ready to go, and head to Dayton."
IU, which has won five national championships, is making its 40th NCAA appearance.
No Hoosier has ever played in the NCAA tourney. Making it, Phinisee said, is special.
"Everyone knows we haven't been to the tournament since 2016, so it's huge for our state and huge for our fan base."
For those unhappy with IU's draw, consider UCLA reached last season's Final Four with a similar Dayton First-Four start.
"That was spoken about even before the Big Ten Tournament, how our season isn't over," Phinisee said. "You can always make a run.
"We know what happened with UCLA last year, but we're just focused on Wyoming. We're looking forward to that game."
Guard Xavier Johnson, as passionate and as competitive a guy as you'll ever meet, found motivation in IU's draw.
"They'll pay for it," he tweeted.
Forward Trayce Jackson-Davis used an Instagram video to echo his coach's thoughts.
"We're in," he said. "That's all that matters."
IU, Wyoming, Rutgers and Notre Dame were the last four teams to make the field. The Hoosiers wouldn't have made it without beating Michigan and Illinois (also NCAA tourney teams) in the Big Ten Tournament.
"Winning those two games were huge," Phinisee said.
The Hoosiers didn't find out they'd made the field until near the end of Sunday night's Selection Show. They are one of a record-tying nine Big Ten teams to make it.
"We were super nervous," Phinisee said. "We were super anxious because we were the last region. Every time a team came up, we thought we would get chosen.
"We have to get ready to work and have a quick turnaround to Dayton. Guys are super excited and ready to go."
IU seemed NIT bound after losing seven of its final nine regular season games. Everything turned around after the Hoosiers rallied from a 17-point, second-half deficit to stun Michigan in the Big Ten tourney opener.
"Since then," Phinisee said, "everything has changed. Everyone is building off that momentum.
"Even though we had a tough one against Iowa (an 80-77 Saturday loss to the Big Ten tourney champ), we'll still build off that because we're playing really good basketball. Teams don't want to play us because we're playing really well. We want to carry that over unto Tuesday."
Woodson took the IU job last spring to return the program to its previous glory. Making the NCAA tourney was part of that, but he redirected attention.
"This is not about me. It's about our program and the work these players have put in this season.
"Now we're here. We've got our marching orders, so we have to start prepping."
It will be an exciting prep, he added in so many words.
"If you come to college to play basketball, you come to make the tournament and get an education.
"A lot of these guys have been sitting on the sidelines for years watching the NCAA tourney being played and never knowing what it's about.
"Now they get an opportunity on Tuesday to play in the tournament and win and perhaps
move on. I think it's a beautiful thing. These guys have worked their butts off to get here. I want to see them move on and continue to win. That's what it's all about."
As for the short turnaround since losing to Iowa, Woodson said, "It's what it is. We're in. We have an opportunity to win and advance. It won't be hard for me to get these guys to understand what's at stake.
"We're in the tournament. We want to stay in the tournament."
While Woodson has never coached in the NCAA Tournament (he spent his coaching career in the NBA before taking over the IU program last spring), he did play in it as a Hoosier All-America under Bob Knight.
"Our fan base is like no other fan base," he said. "You're playing for a national title.
"You try to get to the Big Dance and get an opportunity to win a title. That's what it's all about. Come to try to win a national title, try to win a Big Ten title. We fell short in that area, but it was a nice run for our club.
"Now the stakes are even higher. Nobody wants to go home. Games become even tougher."
Wyoming won 24 regular-season games, its most since the 1951-52 season. The Cowboys are in their first NCAA tourney since 2015, and 16th overall. It's their first at-large bid since 2002.
Wyoming is led by Ike Graham, a 6-9, 252-pound forward who averages 19.6 points and 9.6 rebounds. Hunter Maldonado, a 6-7 guard, averages 18.4 points and 5.8 rebounds. Drake Jeffries, a 6-5 guard, averages 10.5 points and 5.7 rebounds.
It has six players 6-8 or taller on its roster.
The Cowboys have Power 5 Conference experience on their resume. They lost at Arizona, a No. 1 NCAA tourney seed, 94-65. They also lost to Stanford, 66-63.
IU has no intention of making this a one-and-done experience, Phinisee said.
"It's super satisfying. Our goal was to win the Big Ten championship. All of our losses, we could have won. Everyone knows we can compete with anyone in the country."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Rob Phinisee gets his NCAA tourney shot. So do all the Indiana Hoosiers, and if it comes with a Last Four-in, First Four play-in tag, no matter.
With a No. 12 seed, Indiana (20-13) is in the NCAA tourney field for the first time since a 2016 Sweet 16 appearance. A Tuesday East Regional matchup with Wyoming (25-8) looms in Dayton, and life is first-kiss good.
"We're super excited," Indiana's senior guard said.
Excitement comes with a formidable schedule challenge.
Beat Wyoming, then fly to Portland, Ore., to face No. 5 seed Saint Mary's (a 25-7 West Coast team) on Thursday.
Saint Mary's beat No. 1 overall seed Gonzaga during the regular season, before losing to Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference title game.
"At the end of the day," coach Mike Woodson said, "we're in. We've got to play the play-in game. That's my only concern. We have to start studying. Get our guys ready to go, and head to Dayton."
IU, which has won five national championships, is making its 40th NCAA appearance.
No Hoosier has ever played in the NCAA tourney. Making it, Phinisee said, is special.
"Everyone knows we haven't been to the tournament since 2016, so it's huge for our state and huge for our fan base."
For those unhappy with IU's draw, consider UCLA reached last season's Final Four with a similar Dayton First-Four start.
"That was spoken about even before the Big Ten Tournament, how our season isn't over," Phinisee said. "You can always make a run.
"We know what happened with UCLA last year, but we're just focused on Wyoming. We're looking forward to that game."
Guard Xavier Johnson, as passionate and as competitive a guy as you'll ever meet, found motivation in IU's draw.
"They'll pay for it," he tweeted.
Forward Trayce Jackson-Davis used an Instagram video to echo his coach's thoughts.
"We're in," he said. "That's all that matters."
IU, Wyoming, Rutgers and Notre Dame were the last four teams to make the field. The Hoosiers wouldn't have made it without beating Michigan and Illinois (also NCAA tourney teams) in the Big Ten Tournament.
"Winning those two games were huge," Phinisee said.
The Hoosiers didn't find out they'd made the field until near the end of Sunday night's Selection Show. They are one of a record-tying nine Big Ten teams to make it.
"We were super nervous," Phinisee said. "We were super anxious because we were the last region. Every time a team came up, we thought we would get chosen.
"We have to get ready to work and have a quick turnaround to Dayton. Guys are super excited and ready to go."
IU seemed NIT bound after losing seven of its final nine regular season games. Everything turned around after the Hoosiers rallied from a 17-point, second-half deficit to stun Michigan in the Big Ten tourney opener.
"Since then," Phinisee said, "everything has changed. Everyone is building off that momentum.
"Even though we had a tough one against Iowa (an 80-77 Saturday loss to the Big Ten tourney champ), we'll still build off that because we're playing really good basketball. Teams don't want to play us because we're playing really well. We want to carry that over unto Tuesday."
Woodson took the IU job last spring to return the program to its previous glory. Making the NCAA tourney was part of that, but he redirected attention.
"This is not about me. It's about our program and the work these players have put in this season.
"Now we're here. We've got our marching orders, so we have to start prepping."
It will be an exciting prep, he added in so many words.
"If you come to college to play basketball, you come to make the tournament and get an education.
"A lot of these guys have been sitting on the sidelines for years watching the NCAA tourney being played and never knowing what it's about.
"Now they get an opportunity on Tuesday to play in the tournament and win and perhaps
move on. I think it's a beautiful thing. These guys have worked their butts off to get here. I want to see them move on and continue to win. That's what it's all about."
As for the short turnaround since losing to Iowa, Woodson said, "It's what it is. We're in. We have an opportunity to win and advance. It won't be hard for me to get these guys to understand what's at stake.
"We're in the tournament. We want to stay in the tournament."
While Woodson has never coached in the NCAA Tournament (he spent his coaching career in the NBA before taking over the IU program last spring), he did play in it as a Hoosier All-America under Bob Knight.
"Our fan base is like no other fan base," he said. "You're playing for a national title.
"You try to get to the Big Dance and get an opportunity to win a title. That's what it's all about. Come to try to win a national title, try to win a Big Ten title. We fell short in that area, but it was a nice run for our club.
"Now the stakes are even higher. Nobody wants to go home. Games become even tougher."
Wyoming won 24 regular-season games, its most since the 1951-52 season. The Cowboys are in their first NCAA tourney since 2015, and 16th overall. It's their first at-large bid since 2002.
Wyoming is led by Ike Graham, a 6-9, 252-pound forward who averages 19.6 points and 9.6 rebounds. Hunter Maldonado, a 6-7 guard, averages 18.4 points and 5.8 rebounds. Drake Jeffries, a 6-5 guard, averages 10.5 points and 5.7 rebounds.
It has six players 6-8 or taller on its roster.
The Cowboys have Power 5 Conference experience on their resume. They lost at Arizona, a No. 1 NCAA tourney seed, 94-65. They also lost to Stanford, 66-63.
IU has no intention of making this a one-and-done experience, Phinisee said.
"It's super satisfying. Our goal was to win the Big Ten championship. All of our losses, we could have won. Everyone knows we can compete with anyone in the country."
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