Indiana's Mike Woodson: 'I Go Into Any Season With the Same Attitude — to Win'

Indiana accomplished a lot in Mike Woodson's first year as a college basketball head coach. The Hoosiers won 21 games, including two in the Big Ten Tournament, and reached the NCAA Tournament. Still, Woodson left last season with a "nasty" taste in his mouth and is even hungrier for sweeter wins this season.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — In Mike Woodson's first season at Indiana, there were plenty of good wins but a lot of tough losses, too. A 21-14 season that included a trip to the NCAA Tournament ended with a thud after a 29-point loss to Saint Mary's in the first round. 

Woodson, back at his alma mater with full intentions of rebuilding the program to its previous glory, left his rookie year wanting more.

"The way we ended last season, it left a nasty taste in my mouth because I know our team was better, and I'm not taking anything away from Saint Mary's," Woodson said. 

The Hoosiers knocked out Wyoming in the First Four in Dayton, Ohio, beating Wyoming 66-58 following a 29-point performance from Trayce Jackson-Davis just three days after playing three games in three days in the Big Ten Tournament. 

They flew all night to Portland, Ore., and played a very good Saint Mary's team two nights later. The Hoosiers shot just 33 percent from the field and got clobbered 82-53 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, their first in six years.  

"They played an unbelievable ballgame, and we didn't show up," Woodson said. "I don't like that."

Mar 17, 2022; Portland, OR, USA; Saint Mary's Gaels guard Tommy Kuhse (12) and Indiana Hoosiers guard Xavier Johnson (0) fight for the ball during the second half during the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center / © Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Aside from the sloppy loss, Indiana had milestones to be proud of, mostly beating Purdue for the first time in six years and beating Michigan and top-seeded Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament before losing to Iowa in the semifinals on a half-court shot by Jordan Bohannon. 

"We were really a shot away, up nine with four and a half minutes to go," Woodson said. "I've got to get them over the hump in that Iowa game. Those are the things I look at. We've got to win that ball game to go to the Big Ten finals to try to win a Big Ten Tournament, and we didn't get it done."

Indiana Hoosiers forward Trayce Jackson-Davis (23) passes the ball while Iowa Hawkeyes forward Filip Rebraca (0) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse / © Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Woodson and the Hoosiers learned their lesson, and are antsy to get this season rolling to see what their offseason progress looks like in game action. They have their first exhibition game on Saturday, taking on Marian at 3 p.m. ET at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

 It will be Woodson's second season as a collegiate head coach, and not much in his approach has shifted.

"I go into any season with the same attitude — to win," Woodson said. "At the end of the day, we've still got a lot of work to do. That's kind of how I look at it. That's my only approach when I start a season."

Another factor that hasn't changed that much is the roster. Indiana will get back nine returning players, including four starters in Jackson-Davis, Race Thompson, Miller Kopp and Xavier Johnson.

Key bench players like Trey Galloway, Jordan Geronimo, Tamar Bates, Logan Duncomb and Anthony Leal are also available to add more depth.

As if the roster wasn't loaded enough, four freshmen enter the scene, including Jalen Hood-Schifino, who was rated the highest incoming freshman recruit in the Big Ten according to the 247 Sports rankings. 

"I mean, a lot of guys didn't know who I was last year," Woodson said. "I was new, they were new, and the fact that we've got a big part of our team back, adding in the freshmen, these guys, they kind of know who I am from an offensive standpoint and a defensive standpoint."

Since that Saint Mary's game that left a "nasty" taste in Woodson's mouth, the Hoosiers have gotten plenty of national attention, even earning a No. 13 ranking in the Associated Press preseason poll. Jackson-Davis also earned Preseason AP All-American honors as well as Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year.

But the Hoosiers don't shine too much light on what hasn't happened yet. Woodson is more concerned about trying various lineups in Indiana's exhibition game against Marian on Saturday.

"We've just got to go out and play the game and see how it plays out," Woodson said. "I'm just kind of anxious to get to a game and just see where we are."

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