Quick thoughts and reactions on conference matchups for Indiana basketball

While the schedule is not fully complete at this moment, Indiana basketball has started to get a clearer picture of who they will match up with for the 2024-25 season as the Big Ten matchups were announced on Wednesday afternoon.

The Hoosiers will play seven opponents at home, seven opponents away, and three opponents both home and away.

Home: Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Rutgers, UCLA, USC

Away: Iowa, Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin

Home and Away: Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue

In non-conference play, the Hoosiers will play compete in the 13th-annual Battle 4 Atlantis. Indiana will be joined by Arizona, Creighton, Davidson, Gonzaga, Louisville, Oklahoma, and West Virginia in the three-day event played at the Imperial Arena.

The dates may not be confirmed as of yet, but Indiana basketball now knows their path if they are wanting to compete for a Big Ten Championship next season. With that said, below are a few quick thoughts and reactions to Indiana’s 2024-25 Big Ten matchup schedule.

Only matchup with Wisconsin is on the road, perfect time to end the losing streak

Over the recent years, Indiana basketball has been slowing checking off bad streaks under Mike Woodson during his tenure as head coach of the Hoosiers. Got them back to the NCAA Tournament, won a game in the NCAA Tournament, snapped a losing streak to Purdue, among other things, as well.

However, there is still one really bad streak that Indiana holds onto at this moment, and that is still the awful 20-game losing streak to Wisconsin on the road. Since 2000, Indiana basketball 20 games in a row to the Badgers with coaches like Mike Woodson, Archie Miller, Tom Crean, Kelvin Sampson and Mike Davis all suffering to the streak.

Will this be the year that Indiana basketball can finally snap that streak? Both Indiana and Wisconsin are on two completely  different trajectories this offseason whereas the Hoosiers have gotten better on paper, and the Badgers have seemingly gotten worse getting hit hard in the transfer portal.

Indiana only plays Wisconsin once next year, and it is at the Kohl Center. If there is a perfect time for Indiana to get this monkey off their back, it would be this upcoming year.

Two west coast trips, nether in California

The Big Ten is going to look a whole lot different than what fans have been used to seeing starting next year. Starting in the 2024-25 season, the Big Ten increases to 18 teams with west coast additions of USC, UCLA, Washington, and Oregon.

For most of the east coast/midwest teams in the Big Ten, there was some worrisome from all that are involved as to what the travel for them might look like. Would some luck out and not have to travel to the west coast much? Would teams have to make four trips out to the west coast? Nobody really knew.

When the Big Ten matchups were announced, Indiana basketball got their draw which includes only two west coast trips, neither traveling to the state of California. The Hoosiers will, however, go on the road to face Oregon and Washington at some point next season. UCLA and USC will each make a road to Bloomington in turn.

All things considered, the is not really tough draw for the Hoosiers. It is a little bit of a wild card because you really don’t know what the road environment will be like, but that is all part of what the additions of the these four teams to the conference bring in year one.

Home and home with Purdue, just like it should be

Man, do you remember that weird stretch where Indiana and Purdue did not play a home-and-home series? That was a weird time however, we don’t have to worry about that this year, and hopefully ever again.

Just as it should be, Indiana basketball and Purdue will each play one another both at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall and Mackey Arena. Both teams in this heated rivalry will be looking to protect their home floor, while also looking to steal one on the road.

Last season, Purdue swept Indiana in the latest chapter in this rivalry winning both at home and on the road. With going 0-2 last season, Mike Woodson is now just 3-3 against Purdue as Indiana basketball head coach. Mike Woodson won his first meeting against Purdue, lost the next one, and then swept the Boilermakers in the 2022-23 season.

For awhile there, the rivalry was almost back to an equal level before last season went back towards Purdue’s favor. Purdue lost a few key pieces to their successful two-year run this offseason while Indiana has to have reloaded their roster. Will Indiana bounce back in this historic rivalry? We will find out in the 2024-25 season.

Great home draw

With rosters not fully secured yet for most teams in the country, let alone the Big Ten, it is kind of hard to gauge just exactly how Indiana basketball matches up to each team going into the 2024-25 season. While the Hoosiers look to have one their best rosters ever put together on paper, you really don’t know what the other Big Ten teams are going to bring to the table.

Just based off what we know at this current moment in time, Indiana basketball got probably the best draw they could have gotten next season. In home only games, the Hoosiers host Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Rutgers, UCLA, and USC. They will also play Purdue, Ohio State, and Penn State both at home and on the road, as well.

Illinois, Rutgers, UCLA, USC, Purdue, and Ohio State are all teams that for right now, look really tough on paper. If you going to have a chance to use home court as an advantage, this would be the year to do so given the uncertainty of what the Big Ten will shape out to be.

Indiana basketball needs to do what it didn’t do last year if they want to actually compete for a Big Ten Championship….protect home court. It will be a long season if they can’t pick up wins both at home and on the road.