Is Mike Woodson stepping down as Indiana’s basketball coach too soon? After the Hoosiers won their regular season finale against Ohio State on Saturday, the coach couldn’t help but wonder.
Saturday’s win was big, as Indiana clinched a bye in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament. Following the win, Woodson, with his team celebrating behind him, was interviewed by Jim Spanarkel of CBS Sports.
“Mike Woodson, you’re one of the best players ever at Indiana,” Spanarkel said. “Great coach. Can you try to sum up your feelings right now?”
“Maybe I’m leaving too soon, I don’t know,” he said. “This brings back old memories. My last game on this floor was against Ohio State for the Big Ten title back in 1980. For these seniors, this is what it’s all about. For them, they don’t get another shot at it. So I couldn’t be more proud of a group of guys that have hung in there with me. You know, we’ve had a lot of ups and downs this year — we have. But they are competitors. They keep competing. And we still gotta go try and win the Big Ten Tournament. That’s what’s next.”
When asked to describe the feeling of hearing his players and Indiana’s fans at Assembly Hall celebrating the win, Woodson struggled to find the words.
“It’s tough, you know,” he said. “My whole life was shaped in this building. Gonna be tough.”
“Maybe I’m leaving too soon, I don’t know.”
What a moment for Mike Woodson. Vibes are good for @IndianaMBB as they clinch a bye in the @Bigten tournament. pic.twitter.com/zZYy6b9pHw
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 8, 2025
Woodson’s tenure at Indiana has been bumpy. The Hoosiers reached the NCAA Tournament in his first two seasons as coach. Both trips were quick, though, as Indiana fell in the Round of 64 in 2022 and the Round of 32 the next year. A 19-14 record (10-10 in Big Ten play) was not enough to get the Hoosiers back to the NCAA Tournament in 2024. Saturday’s win moved Indiana to 19-12 overall and 10-10 in the conference.
And while the Hoosiers are in a stronger position than they were earlier in the year, when it was announced that Woodson was stepping down, they are still viewed as a bubble team and likely need a decent run in the Big Ten Tournament to solidify an NCAA Tournament spot. But if nothing else, a strong finish to the season has given Woodson a chance to finish his tenure at Indiana on a high note.
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