Hopeful Hoosier

A Hoosier’s hopeful look at the team, the tradition, and the road back

  • Welcome to the Hopeful Hoosier

    Indiana basketball is in a new era, and for the first time in a long time, there’s a real reason for optimism — not because of hype, not because of…

  • The Next Test Awaits in Champaign

    Sunday 1 pm ET, CBS Sunday presents one of Indiana’s toughest challenges of the season. No. 8 Illinois is physical and playing at home, where momentum builds quickly and mistakes…

  • If Indiana’s Big Men Align, the Ceiling Changes

    If there was one position group that raised eyebrows before the season began, it was the frontcourt. Indiana rebuilt almost the entire roster on a compressed timeline. When you do…

  • Becoming, Revisited: How This Indiana Team Has Grown

    This feels like a good moment to pause and look at the progress of this Indiana team. Not because the season is finished — far from it — but because…

  • One of the Best Halves I’ve Seen — and a Team Worth Enjoying Again

    I’ve been watching Indiana basketball for more than 50 years, and I don’t say this lightly: that second half was one of the best offensive halves I’ve ever seen a…

  • Bad Bunny Sunday, Bad Bison Monday

    It’s kind of wild that we already get another IU basketball game on a Monday night. Coming off that overtime thriller Saturday. After a Super Bowl Sunday. With the Hoosiers…

  • Heart Attack Hoosiers Strike Again — OT Win at Assembly Hall

    What a day in Bloomington. Indiana held on to beat Wisconsin 78–77 in overtime, pushing its record to 16–8 overall and 7–6 in Big Ten play with a victory that…

  • Hoosier Hopeful: Wisconsin & Oregon — Home Matters Now

    Coming off a tough, hard-fought loss at USC, Indiana gets back to Assembly Hall with a chance to reset and regain its identity before the schedule gets even tougher. The…

  • Still Fighting, Still Learning

    IU drops a grinder at USC, but the bigger picture still looks promising Over the last couple weeks, Indiana has looked its best when the offense feels shared. Four or…

  • The Week Ahead: Two Tests, One Opportunity

    There aren’t any routine weeks left on Indiana’s schedule, and this one might be the least routine of all — two good opponents, two very different challenges, and not a…

  • They’re Getting Better — And That’s the Whole Point

    When Darian DeVries took the job, the thing I hoped for most wasn’t instant wins. It was growth. I wanted to see a staff that could teach. Develop. Help a…