Luke Goode isn't ready for his college career to be over.
Not after a disappointing performance in Indiana's Big Ten Tournament loss to Oregon, not after growing up dreaming of wearing the candy stripes and certainly not when he believes he has a case for an extra year of eligibility.
Goode, a senior forward, plans to file for a medical hardship waiver in hopes of returning to the Hoosiers for the 2025-26 season. The decision comes with uncertainty, as the NCAA's waiver requirements present an uphill battle for his case.
Indiana's head coaching situation remains in flux with Mike Woodson stepping down after the season, but Goode is doing what he can to secure another year. Regardless of who takes over, Goode is hoping he can spend one more season in the cream and crimson.
"As long as the next coach takes me," Goode said after Indiana's 72-59 loss to Oregon.
Goode's claim hinges on a foot injury he suffered as a sophomore at Illinois. The injury sidelined him for much of the 2022-23 season.
NCAA rules state that to qualify for a hardship waiver, a player must not have participated in more than 30% of the team's games and must not have played after the midpoint of the season. Goode played in 10 of Illinois’ 33 games that year—just over the 30% threshold—and all of his appearances came in the second half of the season.
On paper, his case doesn't look promising, but Goode still believes he has a chance.
"I know it's not the typical situation because I came back at the end of the year," Goode said. "You talk about the NCAA giving JUCO and non-Division I players all these years and all this stuff—it’s worth a try."
"I think a guy that only played 10 games and came back and helped his team instead of taking a redshirt—I elected to come back and help my team. I was selfless," Goode continued. "Hopefully, they realize that."
Goode has been working with people familiar with the waiver process and plans to formally file a claim in the coming weeks. He knows it's a long shot, but he has seen other cases, such as that of former Hoosiers Xavier Johnson, receive approval despite not meeting all the criteria.
Johnson played in 11 of Indiana’s 35 games in 2022-23—31.4% of the season—before suffering a season-ending foot injury. His situation differed in that he missed the end of the season rather than the start, but it showed the rules aren’t always rigid.
A key part of Goode’s argument is that he put his team first by returning when he could have sat out to preserve a redshirt year. That mindset has extended into his time at Indiana, where he became a vocal leader for the Hoosiers.
Though the team’s season has been filled with ups and downs, Goode has been a consistent presence, averaging a career-high 9.4 points per game while shooting 40.3% from three-point range. He has become one of the leaders Woodson has leaned on down the stretch as Indiana has attempted to play its way into the NCAA Tournament.
That made Thursday's game all the more frustrating. Goode scored just one point and missed all five of his shots. If Thursday was his final college game, it wasn’t the way he wanted to go out.
"There's a ton of what-ifs, and I think a lot of those were in our hands," Goode said.
But he hopes there’s more to his college basketball story. As he sat in the locker room after the game, uncertainty surrounded him, but one thing was clear—he wants to be back.
"I love this place," Goode said. "I grew up dreaming of playing for this program. I would love nothing more than to represent this school again."
If the NCAA grants his waiver, Goode will still need the approval of Indiana’s next head coach. But he’s ready to fight for another year.
"I’d do anything I can to play in the candy stripes again, man. Everybody knows my story, but it’s more than special to be able to come represent this jersey," Goode said. "If I’m fortunate enough to get that year, I’d love nothing more than to represent this university once again. So hopefully, people are working as hard as they can to get me another year."
For now, all Goode and the Hoosiers can do is wait. Indiana’s NCAA Tournament fate remains uncertain, and so does Goode’s future in college basketball. But if he gets his way, Thursday won’t have been his last time suiting up for the Hoosiers.
"We’ll start really looking into that after the season," Goode said of the waiver process. "We’re really focused on this [season] right now. But I think with everything going on in college basketball and all the extra years they’re giving, I think only playing 10 games in a season will be more than justifiable."
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