If the Indiana men’s basketball team has made any major statement in Darian DeVries’ first season as head coach, it’s that the NCAA should never expand the size of the Division I men’s basketball tournament.
In most projections, the Indians are pretty solid heading into the second half of February and even have a bye. They lost six of their last seven games, including only one loss by double digits. The team that lost this game defeated Indiana by 13 points in the Hoosiers’ first and only Big Ten Conference tournament game.
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There’s really only one way things could get worse for Indiana, and that’s a loss to Minnesota, which already happened back in December. Little comfort. Ultimately, Indiana finished 10th in the Big Ten standings. It’s just a small consolation that this is exactly where this team was expected to be in the preseason.
The Hoosiers lost once to four NCAA tournament teams and twice to a team that was nowhere near March Madness. Even if the bubble around Indiana collapses like it does now, there’s absolutely no reason for this program to accept bids, and we’ve seen enough evidence recently of how it stacks up against championship-level competition. If pure luck is in Indiana’s favor, kudos to a mid-major team that’s winning right now. A man who earns it.
It’s a shame, indeed, that a guy like Lamar Wilkerson probably won’t have an NCAA tournament patch on his jersey. Wilkerson lit up opposing defenses last spring after committing for his final season in a rebuilding program. The program failed to put the right pieces together to be successful in its final year.
Of course, there’s a lot to digest. But for now, don’t let a bad bubble let an Indiana team that’s just as bad or worse slip into the tournament. It is earned, not given.
