Indiana Basketball: Joe Lunardi continues to disrespect Hoosiers

ESPN Bracketologist Joe Lunardi continues to disrespect Indiana basketball when it comes to its tournament resume.

Joe Lunardi has become the ‘face’ of the Bracketologists over the past five years, thanks to his ESPN connection, and is always vocal on social media, radio, and tv about his bracket reveal. On Thursday, however, it was Indiana basketball that he took a shot at.

While on the Dan Dakich radio show, Lunardi had some strong words to say about the Hoosiers and their tournament resume.

"“All that Indiana and Purdue have really proven this year is an ability to lose regularly to good teams,” Lunardi said. “… Indiana is alive by a fraction, and I’m not sure that either fraction holds for either team without a win (in the Big Ten Tournament)…If you’re a fan of either Indiana or Purdue, you’re rooting for favorites because that’s the only good outcome for you.”"

For an Indiana team that has the second most ranked wins in the country, with five, and seven ‘quality’ wins, its tournament resume is pretty rock solid.

Yes, the road record of 2-8 isn’t ideal and definitely is a worrisome stat, but when you stack up the quality wins at home and on a neutral court, it outweighs that record to a certain extent.

The main downfall for Indiana’s resume is the non-conference strength of schedule which is currently ranked at 175 according to ESPN. Albeit having wins over Florida State, Notre Dame, and UConn, the loss at home to Arkansas still stings.

With one game remaining in the regular season, the Hoosiers are sitting in the ‘last four in’ category in Lunardi’s latest bracket with Wisconsin coming to town on Saturday.

A win against Wisconsin would give Indiana a sixth-ranked win, another quality win, and a .500 record in the Big Ten, the most difficult conference top-to-bottom in the country. With that type of resume, you’re telling me the Hoosiers are still a fringe tournament team?

When the Hoosiers are on, they are on. Despite the struggles at points this season, Indiana is a team that could catch fire and win a couple of games come tournament time.