Mike Woodson Will Return To Coach Indiana Basketball in 2024-25
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Mike Woodson will coach a fourth season at Indiana in 2024-25.
The news was first reported by Zach Osterman of the Indianapolis Star and later confirmed by HoosiersNow.com.
Woodson's job security had come into question in the midst of his third season, as Indiana holds a 16-13 overall record and an 8-10 mark in the Big Ten. Barring a run to win the Big Ten Tournament, the Hoosiers will not make the NCAA Tournament for the first time under Woodson. Indiana is currently No. 101 in the nation in the NET, a rankings system used by the NCAA to help form the field of 68.
Near the end of his third season coaching the Hoosiers, Woodson holds a 60-39 overall record and a 29-29 record in Big Ten play.
Woodson, 65, was asked on Feb. 20 how much longer he wants to coach.
“I came back to try to put this team in the best position possible. I’m going to continue to do that,'' said Woodson, who played at Indiana under Bob Knight from 1976-80. "I’m almost 66, but I feel good and I still move around and I think that I still think well in terms of the game and I still think I can teach the game."
"I don’t know, there are coaches that are coaching into their 70s. I don’t know if that’s something I’ll do, I don’t know. But at this point, I’ll take it a day at a time, a year at a time. I’m not going anywhere anytime soon, guys. I’m just not. So I’m going to continue to build this team and try to put this team in the best position possible and see where it leads us.”
After a five-year NCAA Tournament drought in the final season under former head coach Tom Crean and all of Archie Miller's tenure, Woodson brought the Hoosiers back to the Big Dance as a No. 12 seed in 2022. Indiana defeated Wyoming in the First Four round, then lost by 29 points to No. 5 seed St. Mary's.
Last season, Woodson, along with consensus All-American Trayce Jackson-Davis and Big Ten Freshman of the Year Jalen Hood-Schifino, took the Hoosiers to a second consecutive NCAA Tournament, earning a No. 4 seed. Indiana defeated No. 13 seed Kent State, then lost to No. 5 seed Miami, an eventual Final Four team.
Woodson lost six major contributors from that 2022-23 roster, including Jackson-Davis, Hood-Schifino, Race Thompson, Miller Kopp, Tamar Bates and Jordan Geronimo. He added three transfers – Kel'el Ware, Anthony Walker and Payton Sparks – along with three freshmen: Mackenzie Mgbako, Gabe Cupps and Jakai Newton. It's been difficult to immediately replace all that lost production – injuries haven't helped, either – and the result is an Indiana team that ranks 12th in the Big Ten in both points scored and points allowed per game.
The Hoosiers play their final regular season road game of the year Wednesday at Minnesota at 9 p.m. ET, looking to win their third straight game.
