My Two Cents: Hoosiers on Verge of 'Sweetness' in Showdown With Miami

Indiana is one step away from reaching its first Sweet 16 in seven years, but a very good Miami team stands in the way on Sunday night in Albany, N.Y.. Mike Woodson is on a mission to return his alma mater to glory, and a win against the Hurricanes will go a long way in making that happen.

ALBANY, N.Y. — One of the great things about the NCAA Tournament is venturing out of your comfort zone and playing on what is — almost always — a very neutral court. You see new places, and new faces.  

And at press conferences and open locker rooms — something that never happens in Bloomington — you get a new perspective from fresh eyeballs. And as Indiana ventured out east to play the first two rounds in Albany, N.Y., a lot of national and New York media were on hand, too,.

Indiana coach Mike Woodson, one of the all-time Hoosier greats and now the program's coach, knows a lot of these New York writers from his time in the NBA with the New York Knicks.

They know all about the history of Indiana basketball too, and about Woodson's task to return it to glory. We talk about it all the time back home, of course, but it's nice to see the nation embracing Indiana basketball again. There are a lot of folks all across the country who will be tuned in to IU's game with Miami on Sunday night.

Woodson was asked about taking over this storied program, and dealing with the bright lights and high expectations from a fan base spoiled on championships. He loves challenge, because of what this Indiana program means to him personally. He's 

"It's a great question because I think back to when I first got into coaching and my journey as an (NBA) assistant coach to get to the top to be a head coach,'' Woodson said. "And once I became a head coach in Atlanta, when I got my first gig there, it was very humbling because I had just come off of winning an NBA title with the great Larry Brown and that crew.

"I took a young team from nothing back to the top in Atlanta, and it took me four years to do it. And in doing it, I just thought it didn't matter where I coached and who I coached. I honestly thought — and I don't mean this in a bragadocious way — that I could get a team to win. If you were around during the Knick days, there's nothing like New York, when it comes to the media in how they scrutinize and wiggle their way into your world. It wasn't fun at times, but my walk of life in New York when I coached the Knicks was unbelievable because we did some things there that hadn't been done in a long, long time.

"So I've been able as a coach to learn on the fly and deal with the media like yourself, and it's what it is. I understand you guys have a job to do, but I have a job to do as well. And Indiana hadn't changed, just like New York Knicks, they hadn't changed. Indiana has been the same from the time I stepped foot in there in '76 until now. It hasn't changed. Our fan base has been great, and our media expects us to win, and that's how it should be.''

Indiana coach Mike Woodson talks with players in the first half against Kent State at MVP Arena in Albany, N.Y. (David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports)

Woodson had a great playing career at Indiana, but he was there from 1976 to 1980, arriving just after the 1976 title team and leaving just before all his best friends won the title in 1981. That was my class, too, the one in between.

There is nothing he would love more than taking Indiana back to the promised land. He has unfinished business, even from way back when. 

"It's a big void. You don't come to college basketball, especially at Indiana, back during that time and not expect to win a Big Ten or a national title because that's how it should be, and that's how it was under the great Bob Knight,'' Woodson said. "And I honestly thought my senior year (1980) we were right there, heading in the right direction, and then injuries happen, and it's a part of sports, man. 

"Unfortunately for me, my senior year, we got hurt. Randy (Wittman) broke his foot, I had back surgery. I was able to come back, but we didn't get it done. So, yeah, there is a void. As a coach, I didn't come back to IU just to coach Indiana basketball. I want to win some Big Ten titles and a national title. We've got a chance, just like all the teams that are left in this tournament. I'm not selling them on anything less than that. We'll see what happens. Only time will tell.''

Indiana's journey continues on Sunday night against a very good Miami team. They made the Elite Eight a year ago, and were regular-season ACC co-champs this year with Miami. They're experienced, and can score points in bunches.

They have a lot.

What they don't have, of course, is a player like Trayce Jackson-Davis, a consensus first-team All-American who, in my opinion, has been the best player in the country this season. He's done it all in his four years at Indiana, with one exception. He hasn't had that NCAA Tournament run yet, but he's certainly hoping he's starting one now. 

Indiana played well on Friday night in beating a good Kent State team. Miami is very similar, just better — and more battle tested.

The Hoosiers handled Kent's four-guard attack well, and even did it without having to go small. Jackson-Davis was great, especially in the second half, and Race Thompson had 20 after averaging only 4.1 points in 10 postseason games.

All that has to happen again on Sunday night.

My thoughts? I think it will. I'm expecting a huge night from Jackson-Davis, who's going to put a lot of pressure on Norchad Omier, Miami's only real interior presence. He's only 6-foot-7 but very strong. Trayce, however, is taller and much quicker. He will get good looks at the rim.

For Indiana, it will all come down to winning the guard matchups again though, too. They were fabulous on Friday, and need to be that way again, leading from wire to wire in the 71-60 win.

They have to avoid long Miami runs to pull this out, and you don't want to leave anything to chance in the closing minutes. Get ahead, stay ahead.

That's easier said than done, of course, but Indiana has proven all year that they can come back in the second half of games, too. They've trailed eight times in the second half and come back to win. They're a 40-minute.

My prediction? The Hoosiers get it done, and advance to Kansas City for a very loaded Midwest Regional. I'll take Indiana, 78-74.

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• THREE THINGS TO WATCH: Indiana's perimeter defense versus a guard-heavy Miami team, Trayce Jackson-Davis' size advantage down low and which team controls the pace are three things we're keeping an eye on when No. 4 seed Indiana plays No. 5 seed Miami in the Round of 32. CLICK HERE
• OPENING LINE: Indiana is a very slight favorite over Miami on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. That may not be a good thing, because the Hurricanes are 4-3 straight up as underdogs, and are 6-1 vs. the point spread. Here's the opening line, and a great breakdown vs. the number for both teams. CLICK HERE
• GAME DAY PREVIEW: Miami will attack Indiana with a four-guard set for much of Sunday night's second-round NCAA Tournament game in Albany, and the Hoosiers' perimeter defenders will have to answer the call. They faced the same threat against Kent State in the first round, and handled it well. CLICK HERE