In this episode, Bob Moats and Mike Wiemuth dive into the chaotic world of the college basketball transfer portal, examining how it's reshaping rosters across the country and what strategies teams are employing in this new landscape.

After celebrating Mike's milestone birthday and discussing the historic announcement of the first Villanova alum Pope, Bob and Mike jump into their analysis of how different programs are using the portal to rebuild, reload, or completely transform their teams.

Portal Strategies and Team Transformations

Bob and Mike analyze several programs that have taken different approaches to transfer portal recruitment:

• Iowa: Under new coach Ben McCollum, they've essentially imported his successful Drake team, bringing in key players like Bennett Sturtz while implementing a dramatically different style from Fran McCaffrey's up-tempo approach

• Illinois: Bruce Underwood is building what Mike calls "the Serbian junior national team," bringing in international talent including Andre Cekovic (Peja Stojakovic's son) and the Tshiebwe brothers

• Louisville: After struggling last season, they've addressed their shooting deficiencies by adding marksmen Isaac McNeely and Ryan Conwell to complement their incoming freshman stars

• St. John's: Rick Pitino has assembled what could be "an Elite Eight level starting lineup just from the portal," showcasing how quickly a roster can be transformed

• Purdue: Despite losing Cam Heide and Ethan Morton, they've maintained continuity around their core of Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, and promising international talent

They also discuss how some programs like North Carolina and Baylor have been gutted by portal departures, highlighting the double-edged nature of this new era in college basketball.

Indiana's New-Look Roster

The final segment focuses on Indiana's roster under new coach Darren DeVries:

• DeVries has prioritized shooting ability, building a roster where "nine of these ten guys are pretty solid definitely in that 35-ish percent or above range" from three-point range

• Players like Lamar Wilkerson, Tucker DeVries, and Tayton Conerway bring complementary skills that should create better spacing and more dynamic offensive possibilities

• Bob and Mike discuss potential lineup combinations, with Conerway and Connor Enright potentially sharing point guard duties, Reed Bailey anchoring the frontcourt, and shooters spreading the floor

• Unlike previous IU teams that appeared "robotic" on offense, they expect this group to play with more flow and freedom while maintaining defensive intensity

• They highlight the coaching staff's recruiting connections, particularly Kenny Johnson and Rod Clark's ties to elite AAU programs in the talent-rich "golden crescent" from the Northeast through the South

This entertaining and insightful episode provides a comprehensive look at how the transfer portal is reshaping college basketball, with particular focus on what it means for Indiana's future under Coach DeVries.

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