“I AM LEAVING”: Anthony Leal announced that he is leaving Indiana Hoosiers today….

IMS has the inside word on Maryland’s efforts to add players through the transfer portal.

Jamie Kaiser Jr.’s surprise entry into the transfer portal meant that not only was DeShawn Harris-Smith the only freshman remaining in Maryland basketball after Kaiser and Jonathan Lamothe left, but also two-thirds of the team was gone. Additionally, it released another scholarship, giving Terps head coach Kevin Willard two more to use for transfers. With the first pick, it was obvious what kind of player Maryland would look for; however, with fresh entering the fray this week, it may become more apparent what he would prefer to get with the vacant place.

Coach Curt Cignetti of Indiana was not happy with the Hoosiers’ ninth spring practice, so he sent the players a “stern message” afterward.

Curt Cignetti presented his blueprint for rebuilding the Hoosiers during his Indiana introduction press conference four months ago. Cignetti highlighted complacency as a non-negotiable that he intended to address immediately and urgently, among a number of other action items.

Let’s go back to Tuesday morning in Bloomington, when Indiana is having its ninth spring practice. From hundreds of feet away, Cignetti’s thunderous voice could be heard as the squad assembled to close out the day’s work. The normally composed and unflappable figure had something to say, and not a good one.

The majority of IU students were excused from class on Monday due to the Eclipse, giving the Hoosiers a rare day off from the routine of spring camp. However, It seems like Cignetti was not happy with Indiana’s general performance level when the players returned for practice on Tuesday.

Cignetti made it rather evident that Indiana is still going through a cultural transition, even though he chose not to go into great depth about the specifics of his displeasure during his Tuesday media appearance.

Cignetti remarked on Tuesday, “I knew it would be a challenge this morning, and it was.” “I still believe that there was probably a solid core group of guys who improved and left with the correct attitude, but far too many didn’t. And we are unable to accomplish our goals with such approaches. I consequently had to give a somewhat harsh message.”

Cignetti continued, saying, “I believe that today was difficult because the guys took a little break. Yesterday was a full day off for them. Furthermore, I’m sure that a lot of people had a great time, even though I have no idea what happened downtown. Additionally, the guys haven’t been seen since last Saturday’s scrimmage.”

For Cignetti, even a single day away from Indiana’s usual practice schedule was sufficient to galvanize his team. He undoubtedly would have loved things to be different and not to have to remind the Hoosiers of the new standards, but maybe a wake-up call this early in the offseason was warranted.

Local and national commentators have mostly praised Indiana for its successful transfer portal haul and its potential for a revival in 2024 under new leadership since Cignetti’s hiring. But no program transfer or coaching shift is complete without its share of early difficulties, and it was probably only a matter of time until Cignetti had to confront it head-on.

For Cignetti, that moment arrived on Tuesday, when he openly and to the media for the first time expressed his dissatisfaction with what he observed on the practice field. Difficult? In any case, as seen by Cignetti. A chance to grow and progress? Indeed.

“A lot of them were mature enough to come out and have the right mindset to get better,” Cignetti stated. However, there are too many individuals

that come after Indiana I believe that our players came out looking like the “old Indiana,” and that’s the mindset, choice, and habit that we need to break.”