Indiana University Athletics
Why Wait -- Woodson Pushes Title-Winning Urgency
5/31/2022 10:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Mike Woodson braces for speed -- in his coaching and in his Indiana players' development.
And if he gets it, well, one thing is as sure as a Steph Curry jump shot:
Patience has its limits when championships top the priority list.
"I took this job for one reason," Woodson insists, "and it's to win the Big Ten and national titles."
Year Two of his Indiana coaching quest finds Woodson wanting more, expecting more, demanding more.
The return of All-American Trayce Jackson-Davis, plus key veterans such as Race Thompson, Xavier Johnson, Jordan Geronimo and Trey Galloway, combined with the addition of a top-five recruiting class has the Hoosiers joining Michigan as Big Ten title favorites, and perhaps a lot more.
"The only thing I'm pushing," Woodson says via recent Huber's Winery availability, "is trying to win a Big Ten title, and once we get into (NCAA tourney play), if we are fortunate enough to make that happen, we'll go from there."
One thing is certain, he adds.
"The process has to be speeded up."
That's certainly true for freshmen Malik Reneau, Kaleb Banks, C.J. Gunn and Jalen Hood-Schifino. They comprise IU's highest rated class since 2013. The adjustment period can't linger if the Hoosiers are to thrive at a national level.
"Freshmen are freshmen," Woodson says. "They come from high school and are trying to learn the college game. I've got to help them speed the process up.
"They will play next year. They will be a big part of our rotation."
As for the returning veterans, "I need them to make a major step in terms of where I'd like to see this team go.
"We've got a lot of work to put in."
Work follows IU's return to the NCAA tourney for the first time since 2016. That included a First-Four victory over Wyoming and a final record of 21-14.
"I thought our season was very productive considering where we started when I came in as the coach," Woodson says. "We had a lot of barriers to knock down."
That included "damage control" to retain players signed by former coach Archie Miller.
Jackson-Davis topped that list.
"We had to make sure that we kept the right pieces in place," Woodson says, "and it started with Trayce. He gave me the opportunity to coach him and everybody else seemed to fall in line. Then we were off and running.
"We had our ups and downs, but we made the late run (beating Michigan and Illinois to reach the Big Ten tourney semifinals) that we needed to break that streak of not being in (NCAA Tournament) play. I was happy because it gave our kids an opportunity to experience what NCAA basketball is all about.
"I hope it's something that we can build on."
Building starts with Jackson-Davis' return. Woodson supported Jackson-Davis' NBA-option exploration, but made it clear he wanted the forward back, even traveling to Los Angeles where Jackson-Davis was working out.
"I was chasing Trayce all summer, basically, trying to get him to commit to come back. Things fell in place for us."
Woodson is committed to pushing the 6-9, 245-pound Jackson-Davis to add outside jump shooting to his dominating inside game. He has career averages of 16.9 points and 8.5 rebounds. Last season he set career highs for assists (66) and blocks (81).
"There's a lot that he's got to bring to the table next season. I'm going to put added pressure on him.
"This past season, it wasn't like we didn't tell him to shoot, but he's got to feel good about shooting. He's going to make some and he's going to miss some. I mean, I missed a lot of shots in my career and I made a lot. It's a part of the game."
Jackson-Davis's outside shooting reluctance is well documented. He's only taken three 3-point shots in his college career. But he showed outside accuracy during his Indiana Mr. Basketball days at Center Grove High School, as well as during IU practices.
"I've got to somehow get him over the hump and make him understand," Woodson says, "that it's okay, when guys are playing off of you, to shoot the 15-, 17-, 18-foot shot and knock it down."
Woodson sees Jackson-Davis as capable of the inside-outside versatility necessary for NBA success.
"Trayce handled the ball a lot more last year than he did in the past out on the floor, making plays with the ball. He even led breaks at times when he got the rebound.
"I have got to get Trayce in a better place because his shot is not that bad. I've got to get him mentally where he's okay (to shoot jumpers), because it's okay with me. If the coach says it's okay, it should be okay with you.
"I've got to get him more confident and I don't think it's going to take away from what he does (inside). He's going to have opportunities to handle the ball. He's got to be able to make plays when he has it in his hands."
Woodson also wants more from Jackson-Davis from the line. He's a career 67% free throw shooter.
"He improved in a lot of areas last season, but he's got to make a major jump. We've got to ride him pretty much like we did next year, but I think the supporting cast around him will be a lot better."
As far as non-conference scheduling, Woodson is determined to revive the IU-Kentucky rivalry.
The Hoosiers have already upgraded the non-conference schedule. They will play Kansas and Arizona next season, plus participate in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge and the Gavitt Games (which matches Big Ten and Big East teams).
Woodson says he had early discussions about playing Kentucky when he first got the job in the spring of 2021, and "I'm not going to let it die."
IU and Kentucky haven't played in the regular season since Christian Watford's buzzer-beating game winner at Assembly Hall in December of 2011.
After that game, UK coach John Calipari said he would only play the Hoosiers at a neutral site, and was fine with Indianapolis, which had hosted the annual rivalry for years, often drawing more than 40,000 fans.
Then coach Tom Crean and athletic director Fred Glass wanted to continue the home-and-home arrangement in some form.
A compromise wasn't worked out, a disappointment that has lingered for a decade.
Woodson feels it as much as anyone. He faced the Wildcats four times in home-and-home non-conference action, including a 68-67 overtime victory at Assembly Hall in 1978.
"Over the years, that was a hell of a game, going to Lexington and them coming up to Bloomington," Woodson says.
"(A new series) might not be Bloomington or Lexington. I don't know. But however way we can get it done, I'll take it. We've just got to figure that part of it out."
Woodson also hopes to resume a series with Louisville, which has a new head coach in Kenny Payne. The Hoosiers and the Cardinals played three straight years from 2016-18 -- one time in Indianapolis, and then home and home.
Woodson says Louisville officials indicated the teams could play, "Once Kenny got up and going."
As far as next season's non-conference opponents, Woodson says he has "No idea who we are playing (in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge), but "it's going to be somebody good."
Kansas won the national title this past season. Arizona was a No. 1 seed in last spring's NCAA tourney.
"Kansas and Arizona are two great teams that will be competing at the end when it's all said and done," Woodson says. "We'll see what we're made of when we face those teams. They will be pretty good."
Woodson insists such high-profile opponents won't distract IU from the rest of its non-conference schedule.
"I'm not taking any team lightly. I've never done that as a coach. "Everybody that's on our schedule can beat you if you're not ready to play."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Mike Woodson braces for speed -- in his coaching and in his Indiana players' development.
And if he gets it, well, one thing is as sure as a Steph Curry jump shot:
Patience has its limits when championships top the priority list.
"I took this job for one reason," Woodson insists, "and it's to win the Big Ten and national titles."
Year Two of his Indiana coaching quest finds Woodson wanting more, expecting more, demanding more.
The return of All-American Trayce Jackson-Davis, plus key veterans such as Race Thompson, Xavier Johnson, Jordan Geronimo and Trey Galloway, combined with the addition of a top-five recruiting class has the Hoosiers joining Michigan as Big Ten title favorites, and perhaps a lot more.
"The only thing I'm pushing," Woodson says via recent Huber's Winery availability, "is trying to win a Big Ten title, and once we get into (NCAA tourney play), if we are fortunate enough to make that happen, we'll go from there."
One thing is certain, he adds.
"The process has to be speeded up."
That's certainly true for freshmen Malik Reneau, Kaleb Banks, C.J. Gunn and Jalen Hood-Schifino. They comprise IU's highest rated class since 2013. The adjustment period can't linger if the Hoosiers are to thrive at a national level.
"Freshmen are freshmen," Woodson says. "They come from high school and are trying to learn the college game. I've got to help them speed the process up.
"They will play next year. They will be a big part of our rotation."
As for the returning veterans, "I need them to make a major step in terms of where I'd like to see this team go.
"We've got a lot of work to put in."
Work follows IU's return to the NCAA tourney for the first time since 2016. That included a First-Four victory over Wyoming and a final record of 21-14.
"I thought our season was very productive considering where we started when I came in as the coach," Woodson says. "We had a lot of barriers to knock down."
That included "damage control" to retain players signed by former coach Archie Miller.
Jackson-Davis topped that list.
"We had to make sure that we kept the right pieces in place," Woodson says, "and it started with Trayce. He gave me the opportunity to coach him and everybody else seemed to fall in line. Then we were off and running.
"We had our ups and downs, but we made the late run (beating Michigan and Illinois to reach the Big Ten tourney semifinals) that we needed to break that streak of not being in (NCAA Tournament) play. I was happy because it gave our kids an opportunity to experience what NCAA basketball is all about.
"I hope it's something that we can build on."
Building starts with Jackson-Davis' return. Woodson supported Jackson-Davis' NBA-option exploration, but made it clear he wanted the forward back, even traveling to Los Angeles where Jackson-Davis was working out.
"I was chasing Trayce all summer, basically, trying to get him to commit to come back. Things fell in place for us."
Woodson is committed to pushing the 6-9, 245-pound Jackson-Davis to add outside jump shooting to his dominating inside game. He has career averages of 16.9 points and 8.5 rebounds. Last season he set career highs for assists (66) and blocks (81).
"There's a lot that he's got to bring to the table next season. I'm going to put added pressure on him.
"This past season, it wasn't like we didn't tell him to shoot, but he's got to feel good about shooting. He's going to make some and he's going to miss some. I mean, I missed a lot of shots in my career and I made a lot. It's a part of the game."
Jackson-Davis's outside shooting reluctance is well documented. He's only taken three 3-point shots in his college career. But he showed outside accuracy during his Indiana Mr. Basketball days at Center Grove High School, as well as during IU practices.
"I've got to somehow get him over the hump and make him understand," Woodson says, "that it's okay, when guys are playing off of you, to shoot the 15-, 17-, 18-foot shot and knock it down."
Woodson sees Jackson-Davis as capable of the inside-outside versatility necessary for NBA success.
"Trayce handled the ball a lot more last year than he did in the past out on the floor, making plays with the ball. He even led breaks at times when he got the rebound.
"I have got to get Trayce in a better place because his shot is not that bad. I've got to get him mentally where he's okay (to shoot jumpers), because it's okay with me. If the coach says it's okay, it should be okay with you.
"I've got to get him more confident and I don't think it's going to take away from what he does (inside). He's going to have opportunities to handle the ball. He's got to be able to make plays when he has it in his hands."
Woodson also wants more from Jackson-Davis from the line. He's a career 67% free throw shooter.
"He improved in a lot of areas last season, but he's got to make a major jump. We've got to ride him pretty much like we did next year, but I think the supporting cast around him will be a lot better."
As far as non-conference scheduling, Woodson is determined to revive the IU-Kentucky rivalry.
The Hoosiers have already upgraded the non-conference schedule. They will play Kansas and Arizona next season, plus participate in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge and the Gavitt Games (which matches Big Ten and Big East teams).
Woodson says he had early discussions about playing Kentucky when he first got the job in the spring of 2021, and "I'm not going to let it die."
IU and Kentucky haven't played in the regular season since Christian Watford's buzzer-beating game winner at Assembly Hall in December of 2011.
After that game, UK coach John Calipari said he would only play the Hoosiers at a neutral site, and was fine with Indianapolis, which had hosted the annual rivalry for years, often drawing more than 40,000 fans.
Then coach Tom Crean and athletic director Fred Glass wanted to continue the home-and-home arrangement in some form.
A compromise wasn't worked out, a disappointment that has lingered for a decade.
Woodson feels it as much as anyone. He faced the Wildcats four times in home-and-home non-conference action, including a 68-67 overtime victory at Assembly Hall in 1978.
"Over the years, that was a hell of a game, going to Lexington and them coming up to Bloomington," Woodson says.
"(A new series) might not be Bloomington or Lexington. I don't know. But however way we can get it done, I'll take it. We've just got to figure that part of it out."
Woodson also hopes to resume a series with Louisville, which has a new head coach in Kenny Payne. The Hoosiers and the Cardinals played three straight years from 2016-18 -- one time in Indianapolis, and then home and home.
Woodson says Louisville officials indicated the teams could play, "Once Kenny got up and going."
As far as next season's non-conference opponents, Woodson says he has "No idea who we are playing (in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge), but "it's going to be somebody good."
Kansas won the national title this past season. Arizona was a No. 1 seed in last spring's NCAA tourney.
"Kansas and Arizona are two great teams that will be competing at the end when it's all said and done," Woodson says. "We'll see what we're made of when we face those teams. They will be pretty good."
Woodson insists such high-profile opponents won't distract IU from the rest of its non-conference schedule.
"I'm not taking any team lightly. I've never done that as a coach. "Everybody that's on our schedule can beat you if you're not ready to play."
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's BasketballMBB: Inside IU Basketball with Darian DeVries (12/15/25)
Monday, December 15
IUWBB Highlights vs. EMU
Sunday, December 14
IUBB Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, December 14
IUWBB Highlights vs. ULM
Friday, December 12