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Mike Woodson addressed the media on Wednesday at Huber’s Winery in Border to provide an offseason update on IU basketball.
Right here’s a full transcript of his feedback, by way of ASAP Sports activities:
MIKE WOODSON: Let me simply say that I’ve by no means been on this a part of the nation. That is form of good, lovely drive arising. And the trigger is for excellent trigger whenever you discuss giving scholarships to children. I’m on board large time. Trying ahead to this night and I hope all people has a beautiful time.
Q. Clearly you’ve had a pair months to course of your first full 12 months as a coach. How have you ever self-evaluated and what went properly and what do you wish to do otherwise?
MIKE WOODSON: Effectively, once more, I took this job for one cause and it’s to win the Large Ten faculty and nationwide titles. We fell wanting that. I assumed our season was very productive this previous season contemplating the place we began after I got here in because the coach. You recognize, we had plenty of obstacles to knockdown. We have been making an attempt to place a ball membership collectively the place you had gamers that didn’t increase their hand to remain on board, and you realize, we needed to do plenty of harm management to guarantee that we stored the appropriate items in place and it began with Trayce Jackson Davis. He gave me the chance to teach him and all people else appeared to fall in line after which we have been off and working.
You recognize, we had our ups and downs. However for essentially the most half, you realize, we made the late run that we wanted to make to interrupt that streak of not being in event play and we have been in a position to get in event play. I used to be blissful as a result of it gave our youngsters who had by no means had a possibility to expertise that the possibility to see what NCAA Basketball is all about. So I simply hope it’s one thing that we are able to construct ongoing into this season as a result of that’s what it’s going to take.
Q. Figuring out Trayce is again, having your roster settled at this level, how do you consider it and what do you’re feeling are the priorities?
MIKE WOODSON: The method must be sped up. While you herald freshmen, freshmen are freshmen. They arrive from highschool and are attempting to be taught the school recreation. So I’ve acquired to assist them velocity the method up. I believe that they’re — they’ll play subsequent 12 months. They are going to be a giant a part of our rotation. After which the fellows that have been right here final season, you realize, I would like them to make a serious step when it comes to the place I’d wish to see this crew go.
Once more, the one factor I’m pushing is very first thing’s first is making an attempt to win a Large Ten title subsequent season and as soon as we get into event play, if we’re lucky sufficient to make that occur, then we’ll go from there.
We’re going to take it a recreation at a time and a observe at a time and simply see the place it leads us. however we’ve acquired plenty of work to place in, I do know that.
Q. You talked about having vital items in place. Trayce Jackson-Davis making his choice this week. How vital is that in permitting you to do what you wish to do and the way are you going to stability his recreation?
MIKE WOODSON: Effectively, once more, that was the key piece to our puzzle, getting him again. I assumed it was nice that Rayce made the dedication to return again however I used to be chasing Trayce all summer time, mainly, making an attempt to get him to commit to return again, and issues form of fell in place for us. Per week in the past I went out to L.A. to see him and I went to Chicago however he didn’t present up in Chicago for causes that he needed to return again.
So I got here again dwelling to Indianapolis and he decided to return again. Now, you realize, he’s acquired — he’s acquired lots that he’s acquired to carry to the desk subsequent season. I’m Notre Dame going to place added strain on him. This previous season, it wasn’t like we didn’t inform him to shoot the basketball however he’s acquired to shoot the ball and be ok with capturing and he’s going to make some and he’s going to overlook some. I imply, I missed plenty of pictures in my profession and I made lots. It’s part of the sport and I’ve simply acquired to someway get him over the hump and make him perceive it’s okay and guys are taking part in off of you to shoot the 15-, 17-, 18-foot shot and knock it down. Free throws has acquired to get higher. I believe he improved in plenty of areas final season, I assumed, taking a look at his play in previous seasons. However he’s acquired to make a serious bounce and we’ve acquired to journey him just about like we did subsequent 12 months however I believe the supporting solid round him will likely be lots higher, and based mostly on how I attempt to velocity it up, to get to the place I believe they must be to assist us win basketball video games.
Q. How do you tackle capturing in the course of the low season? What’s your philosophy on tinkering with type?
MIKE WOODSON: There was an article that my spouse despatched me based mostly on the previous three or 4 years of Last 4 groups and the way they shot the three-ball and you realize, we ended up 33 % in capturing. We went via a section after I began the season, I didn’t know who was going to have the ability to make threes. And we struggled after which we went — we went on rage the place we have been making 3s. After which coming down the house stretch, we acquired a means from knocking them down.
I believe whenever you shoot them, confidence has lots to do with it. I believe we now have added a couple of items that I believe guys will have the ability to make the three-ball and guys that have been right here final season, they’re within the fitness center now engaged on the three-point shot. It’s a giant a part of our recreation, I get it. However I nonetheless assume you want low publish play and I nonetheless assume your protection must be strong sufficient to generate offense for you. And we have been fairly good in that space as properly final season. So we’ve acquired to proceed to work however I’m blissful the place we’re as a ballclub. Getting Trayce again is big for us. And now we’ve simply acquired to get to construct on it and see the place it takes us.
Q. Throughout the season you remarked that you just at all times had a 4 that might make 3s. How a lot of an element is that to develop that with the fellows on the 4 within the offseason and what’s your total impression of that group – Malik, Race and Jordan?
MIKE WOODSON: It’s going to be vital shifting ahead. I’m not going to place any added strain as a result of final 12 months, guys, was the primary time that I had ever coached a low-post participant and featured in my complete profession. Trayce and Race each benefitted from it. If we’re speaking about profitable a Large Ten title and going to the Large Dance and maybe profitable the nationwide title, you realize, you’ve acquired to have a stability. You may’t simply be inside. I’m simply hoping the summer time work that these guys are placing in, it pays off for us as a result of we’re going to want all people to shoot on the perimeter to have the ability to make that shot. We’ve acquired plenty of beauty final season. Statistically, it reveals that we’re within the prime 5 of getting open threes.
Q. The non-conference schedule, clearly you might have Kansas, going to play Arizona. How is that coming alongside and what else are you able to inform us when it comes to non-conference schedule subsequent season?
MIKE WOODSON: Once more, I’m nonetheless new at this. I do know we now have that ACC and the Large Ten deal and I do not know who we’re taking part in there. Nevertheless it’s going to be someone good, think about that. You recognize, once more, like I discussed coming in final season, I’m not taking any crew evenly. I’ve by no means completed that as a coach so I don’t assume we now have any fitness center mys. You guys may assume that however all people that’s on our schedule can beat you should you’re not able to play. And you realize, Kansas, Arizona, are two nice groups that will likely be competing on the finish when it’s all stated and completed, and you realize, we’ll see what we’re manufactured from once we face these groups. They are going to be fairly good.
Q. Trayce Jackson-Davis stated he thought one of many adjustments that might profit you guys is extra of a deal with offense within the season. Final season clearly began on protection. How would that play out?
MIKE WOODSON: Effectively, I don’t know if the main focus can be — I believe you’ve acquired to stability it out. You recognize, protection is what received us plenty of video games final season, and I’ll by no means get away from that. You recognize, I put the protection in early as a result of I knew we had the 2 video games within the Bahamas. So the offense just about needed to wait as a result of the system needed to be put in play for us to even be aggressive within the Bahamas.
I might by no means get away from our defensive system and the way onerous I push guys to defend. You recognize, I simply assume offensively, you realize, we’ve simply acquired to get a greater movement and get guys assured in making pictures. I imply, that to me is the large a part of it. It’s not like we didn’t work on capturing and issues of that nature. Taking pictures free throws, all of these areas, we acquired enchancment. It begins with them as properly.
Q. The second a part of that, should you make a bounce in three-point capturing, who’re three or 4 guys you take a look at and say they’re actually able to taking a step?
MIKE WOODSON: All of them. When you play minutes and you are taking these pictures, I’m relying on you to make them. The Galloways, the Xaviers, Kaleb Banks if he is available in and performs, C.J., Jalen, Geronimo, you realize, Tamar Bates. Now we have acquired sufficient guys which can be placing in time this summer time that I be ok with after they lace it up subsequent 12 months that they’ll make it. That’s the best way I really feel, they have to make pictures. I’m not placing strain on them however that’s simply the character of the sport whenever you discuss competing at a excessive stage.
Q. Speaking about Trayce and constructing an offense — what do you’re feeling such as you realized and I assume how do you perhaps take a few of that to problem this 12 months coming again, pushing him, whether or not it’s stuff he’s producing or his management, no matter it’s?
MIKE WOODSON: Let me say this, I had Amare and Melo in New York and each have been inside and outdoors gamers. However with Trayce, it was mainly for us inside. Though he dealt with the ball much more than he did up to now out on the ground, making performs with the ball, he even led breaks at occasions when he acquired the rebound. You recognize, I simply acquired to get Trayce in a greater place as a result of his shot will not be that unhealthy, guys, when he shoots it. You recognize, I’ve simply acquired to get him right here mentally the place he’s okay, as a result of it’s okay with me. If the coach says it’s okay, it ought to be okay with you.
So I’ve acquired to get him extra assured and I don’t assume it’s going to remove from what he does on the low — I actually don’t as a result of he’s going to have alternatives to deal with the ball. He’s simply acquired to have the ability to make performs when he has it in his fingers.
Q. I do know you’re buddies with Kenny, your response to him getting the job in Louisville and any progress on the potential of Indiana-Louisville or Indiana-Kentucky?
MIKE WOODSON: I couldn’t be extra blissful for a man. I’ve identified Kenny for a lot of, a few years and he lastly acquired his large break to return again dwelling to Louisville the place he performed. I believe he’s going to do nice issues there as a result of he’s a aggressive man and he is aware of the recruiting recreation. He’s been part of the school recreation. Only a brief stint within the neighbor. However I believe I’ve had the chance to speak to Kenny and their AD and he promised me one thing in two years. As soon as Kenny acquired up and going, that we may probably get — you realize, I’ll take that each one day lengthy as a result of I do know it to be a aggressive recreation and Indiana followers like taking part in Kentucky followers, anyway.
So the Kentucky recreation is one thing that I’ve acquired to return to the desk with Cal. He and I addressed it early on after I acquired the job however I’m not going to let it die. I’m going to remain on his heels about getting the Kentucky/Indiana sequence again on the desk as a result of I simply assume through the years, man, that was a hell of a recreation, going to Lexington and them coming right down to Bloomington. It won’t be Bloomington, Lexington, I don’t know. However nonetheless means we are able to get it completed, I’ll take it. So we’ve simply acquired to determine that a part of it out.
Filed to: Mike Woodson
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