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The Indiana basketball team fell to 4-3 in Big Ten action on Tuesday night with a blowout loss to rival Illinois. The Hoosiers fell behind nearly 30 points by halftime in what was the team’s most embarrassing showing of the season.
It was the squad’s second straight 25-point defeat, prompting many to be critical of the head coach. “Fire Mike Woodson” chants rained down from the stands in Bloomington as fans’ patience grows thin.
The game was ugly from start to finish for the Hoosiers. The home team allowed 60 first half points while watching the Illini run up and down the court.
Before the halftime break, many in the students’ section began demanding the head coach be removed. They couldn’t watch anymore!
“Fire Woodson” chant coming from the Indiana student section.
An embarrassing start from Indiana in the first half. #iubb pic.twitter.com/C6GbVBfwvL
— Dylan Traeger (@dylan_traeger) January 15, 2025
Those same students then began trickling out of the arena before the start of the second half. They had good reason to be upset.
How it looks https://t.co/q6AL5tIc1m pic.twitter.com/Uyn1fJp59S
— Gregg Doyel (@GreggDoyelStar) January 15, 2025
The Indiana basketball team gave up.
Effort was lackluster following the team’s slow start. After finding themselves down more than 20 points for a large part of the first half, many on the Indiana side packed it in.
Most notably, transfer center Oumar Ballo was seen loafing on one particular defensive possession that allowed Illinois multiple second-chance opportunities and an easy bucket. The players didn’t seem to care.
I mean, what in the world is this Indiana? Particularly Oumar Ballo. What in the world? This is gross effort. This is the kind of effort where you have to sit Ballo the rest of the game, I think. You can’t let that kind of effort go without serious accountability in terms of PT. pic.twitter.com/sdzuoEUCW0
— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) January 15, 2025
Ballo is the most expensive player on the Hoosiers’ pricey roster. Unfortunately, the spending hasn’t resulted in on-court dominance. Indiana has lost three conference games, each by double digits. Ballo’s posted more than respectable numbers throughout the season, but this most recent scene wasn’t the best look.
Making things worse, he was involved in controversy earlier this season. He was notably absent for a game vs. Winthrop. Mike Woodson refused to explain the absence, even after photos of his star transfer hanging late night at a popular bar surfaced prior to tipoff.
Ballo and his teammates don’t appear committed at times. Most believe it’s a coaching issue. Mike Woodson’s fumbled his pricey roster to this point, though there’s still time to right the ship. Indiana’s next chance to get a win will come on Friday against Ohio State.