Indiana University basketball coach Mike Woodson faced criticism from fans during the Hoosiers’ 94-69 loss to Illinois, with chants of “Fire Woodson” echoing throughout Assembly Hall. Despite the low attendance and dismal performance, Woodson addressed the concerns in a calm and collected manner.
“I love our fans and I respect our fans,” Woodson said, “but it’s up to me to get our players to play at a high level.” He emphasized that his job is to improve the team’s performance, not the fans’, and expressed hope that supporters would stick with him despite the current slump.
The coach acknowledged the team’s struggles against top competition, including a 14-31 record against Quad 1 opponents. However, he pointed out that there have been some positive performances against big-time opponents over the past three years.
“We’ve had some good games,” Woodson said, “but the record doesn’t indicate that.” With four tough road games on the horizon and several top 25 teams in their next stretch of schedule, Woodson vowed to remain focused on the current season.
“I mean, you can’t throw in the towel,” he said. Despite the fan backlash, Woodson remains committed to his role as Hoosiers head coach, determined to lead the team out of its recent slump.
Source: https://eu.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2025/01/15/what-mike-woodson-said-about-being-booed-chants-for-him-to-be-fired-iu-basketball-fans-illinois-loss/77709552007