Head Coach Ben Howlett
Q: How would you rate your own physical mental health during this first year as head coach?
BH: "It's good. I try to stay really locked in to the team and just surround myself with my assistant coaches. Obviously things have been really tough for us this year. We knew there were going to be some speed bumps along the way, and this isn't just a first year thing. I think we've gotten better and now we're on to the tournament where all the regular season goes away and it's win or go home."
Q: What was the biggest hurdle in establishing your culture this year?
BH: "I think having a bunch of new guys that don't know me personally and don't know my coaching style. I think they did a really good job. It took a while, and that's part of the growing pains. I have a really good team - I like all those guys personally. It's certainly going to be a year that I think I've improved as a coach. I've never gone through something like this before. I am happy with this group and not satisfied and hopefully we can make a run here."
Q: When a player asks you to challenge a call, what do you as a leader agree or disagree on to make the right call?
BH: "Yeah, the good part about that is we have a support staff that's their main responsibility. We have an iPad that shows the replay, and if they give me the signal, then they think it's an adequate challenge, then I'll go ahead and challenge it. I also trust my players."
Q: How do you move forward when you don't think you're getting calls?
BH: "I think we've got to do a better job coaching these guys and put ourselves in a position where you don't foul as much. Sometimes I don't really understand some of it, but we just got to do better job coaching."
#7 Finley Woodward
Q: What are a few things you will miss most about playing for IU Indy? Whether practice, gameplay, outside the court with the team?
FW: "Honestly, everything. The game prep, the days leading up to a game. That's the one thing I kind of follow about is we've always been in tune with what we need to do. Everyone's buying in to practice, and it's really enjoyable to be around the guys. The game speaks for itself. The Jungle might not be the biggest arena, but when the crowd gets going, it's pretty fun."
Q: How have you grown as a player and a person since your freshman year?
FW: "Decision making, and then just overall composure. I feel like I'm a lot more mature in terms of my game now. I'm not trying to force shots. I don't really care about anything but winning. Off the court, I think I'm a more disciplined person overall. I just really care about how I'm perceived and how other people think of me. I want to be thought of as a positive person, not someone who's like dragging anyone down."
Q: What legacy do you hope to leave behind for the underclassmen?
FW: "Coming from a winning program to obviously not being successful this year, the level of buying in it takes. I hope that they carry over. The older guys that have been in the system understand the whole collective needs to be in order for it to be a successful season."
Q: What life lessons has basketball taught you that you will carry with you?
FW: "Perseverance, and being able to stick through tough times. This year has probably been my hardest year in terms of college basketball."
Q: What advice would you give someone wanting to play for the program?
FW: "Soaking every bit of information. Don't take criticism as an insult. Just be a sponge and accept anything that you've been told and grow from it."
#22 Ajay Holubar
Q: What are a few things you will miss most about playing for IU Indy? Whether practice, gameplay, outside the court with the team?
AH: "Probably the people the most. My teammates, coaches, just all the bonds that we created. Being around that is something I'll probably never experience again. It's like a one of a kind thing. After this it's going to be kind of weird to move on. The fact of not being able to see the same people I'm used to seeing every day and getting to grow. Then also watch us grow in the court and practice and stuff like that. That's one thing that I will miss for sure."
Q: How have you grown as a player and a person since your freshman year?
AH: "I've had a lot of growing up, both in the classroom, and as a person. There's so many lessons you learn on the court - being able to communicate, a team player, being able to be a teammate, being coachable. Other things like reacting on the fly, doing things like that, those are some invaluable skills you can learn."
Q: What legacy do you hope to leave behind for the underclassmen?
AH: "I hope someone that they can always reach out to. Hopefully they learn a little something from me, just coming every day, being an everyday guy, and just showing them everyday and doing my best. Hopefully that kind of rubbed off on them so they can carry that forward into their future as well."
Q: What life lessons has basketball taught you that you will carry with you?
AH: "Work ethic is the main one, for sure. Work ethic and discipline, those two kind of go hand in hand. Make sure you show up everyday. If you have a bad day, it's like everyone's gonna know about it. Then someone's just gonna destroy you out there. Like in the work world you have a bad day, hopefully your co-workers can pick you up. If they kind of see you working hard and things like that, that kind of carries, can help bring everybody else up."
Q: What advice would you give someone wanting to play for the program?
AH: "It's not for the weak for sure, but it's a really fun time. The coaches and players are all great. It's probably the most I've laughed and smiled in basketball. Being around a team, sitting in film and things like that. It's a lot of fun for sure. I definitely say it's worth it to play, even if it's not here, just college basketball in general. One hundred percent worth it."
Quotes compiled by Hannah Hodge for IUIndyJags.com
