In-Depth Look: Indiana Basketball's Non-Conference Schedule

Head coach Archie Miller and the Indiana Hoosiers released their full schedule today.

TheHoosier.com takes an in-depth look at the non-conference opponents below, and will continue the series with the Big Ten foes later:

All-time series: 3-0 (last: 92-40 win in 2006)

2018-19 Record: 10-21 overall, 4-12 in the Summit (8th)

Returning Starters: 3

Quick look: The Fighting Leathernecks haven’t been above .500 since the 2012-13 campaign (22-9), and will try to break that streak behind the return of last year’s top two leading scorers, guards Kobe Webster (17.0 points per game) and C.J. Duff (11.2).

The squad doesn’t boast much size — only two players on the roster are listed taller than 6-8, and one is a freshman — and lost its top two rebounders, making Webster the top returning rebounder as well (4.4). In addition to three freshmen, the squad brought in a trio of junior college transfers, led by combo guard Dreshawn Allen, who was 14th in the junior college ranks with a clip of 21.4 points per game last season at Gillette (Wyo.) College.

All-time series: First meeting

2018-19 Record: 16-16 overall, 11-9 in the Big Sky (4th)

Returning Starters: 2

Quick look: According to KenPom.com, the Vikings were one of the worst defensive teams in the country last year (314th of 353) and only slightly better on offense (224th). They were, however, the best offensive rebounding teams in the land (38.7 percent offensive rebounding rate) and could be that again.

Senior point guard Holland Woods will lead the way once again after pacing the squad with 15.0 points and 5.3 assists per game. Senior forward Sal Nuhu is the top returner down low after averaging 9.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.

All-time series: First meeting

2018-19 Record: 10-22 overall, 7-9 in the Atlantic Sun (6th)

Returning Starters: 3

Quick look: The Lions began the transition from Division II to Division I in 2018-19 under first-year head coach Tony Pujol and went 7-9 in the Atlantic Sun to finish sixth out of nine teams and surpass expectations. The team was picked to finish last in the preseason conference poll.

Sophomore guard Jamari Blackmon will lead the way for the Lions; he paced them with 14.6 points per game and tied for the team lead with 2.7 assists per contest a year ago. Classmate and fellow guard Christian Agnew is also back after he finished third on the squad with an 11.3-point clip. 6-7 sophomore forward Emanuel Littles led the squad with 8.0 rebounds per game and is the only returner to post more than 3.5 boards a year ago.

Although this will be the first official meeting between the two schools, the Hoosiers did host North Alabama for a 2007 exhibition contest and won 121-76.

All-time series: First meeting

2018-19 Record: 12-18 overall, 5-13 in the Sun Belt (11th)

Returning Starters: 1

Quick look: After 12 years as the head man at UT Arlington, where he averaged 19 wins a campaign, and one year as an assistant at TCU, Scott Cross takes over at Troy. He’ll pilot a squad that looks much different than a season ago, after three of the top four leading scorers — who combined for 43.0 points per game last year — all graduated. To make matters worse, the third-leading scorer, Javan Johnson (10.4 points per game), transferred this offseason.

That means year one will be square one under Cross. Junior guard Darian Adams is the top returning scorer, after averaging 7.9 per game a season ago. He also led the team with 3.3 assists per game.

No other returner started more than twice or averaged more than 5.4 points per game last year. Junior college transfer Nick Stampley, who averaged 10.1 points and 7.0 rebounds per game at Eastern Florida State College, could be a key player from day one.

All-time series: 2-2 (last: 59-49 win in 1996)

2018-19 Record: 16-12 overall, 8-6 in the Ivy (3rd)

Returning Starters: 4

Quick look: Last season started with a 12-5 mark for Princeton. From there, the Tigers stumbled to a 4-7 finish that concluded with a four-game losing streak.

Then-senior guard and leading scorer Devin Cannady was lost for an off-court incident after 16 games, and the loss of his 18.2 points per game hurt. This year, in addition to Cannady, Princeton must replace first-team All-Ivy leaguer and second-leading scorer Myles Stephens (13.6 points per game).

Senior center Richmond Aririguzoh should continue to improve and be an even more important part of the team after averaging 12.1 points and 6.4 rebounds last season. Sophomore guard Jaelin Llewellyn should also have a bigger role after a debut campaign that saw him average 10.1 points per game and lead the squad with 55 assists.

Due to Cannady’s early departure, the team does return four players who started at least 12 games a year ago and four others who started between three and six contests.

All-time series: 2-0 (last: 73-44 win in 1996)

2018-19 Record: 20-13 overall, 9-9 in the Conference USA (8th)

Returning Starters: 4

Quick look: The Bulldogs return four starters off of last year’s 20-win unit, which was a nice rebound after the school failed to reach 23 wins for the first time in 2017-18 (when they finished 17-16). The team has now reached 20 wins in six of the last seven years.

The 2018-19 season began with a bang for the Bulldogs, when they shocked Wichita State with a 71-58 victory, at the time just the fourth loss in the last 76 home games for the Shockers.

Senior guard DaQuan Bracey led the way in scoring (15.5 per game) and assists (124) last year and returns. Big man Anthony Duruji (12.2 points and a team-high 6.2 rebounds per game) must be replaced, but junior guards Exavian Christon and Amorie Archibald, redshirt junior guard JaColby Pemberton and fifth-year senior guard Derric Jean all provide offensive firepower after combining for 41.5 points per game last season.

The 6-5 Pemberton is top returning rebounder (5.5 per game) and will be assisted on the boards by senior forwards Mubarak Muhammed (5.2) and Oliver Powell (5.1).

All-time series: First meeting

2018-19 Record: 24-9 overall, 14-2 in the Summit (1st)

Returning Starters: 1

Quick look: The Jack Rabbits won a Summit League regular-season championship last year but must replace its top four leading scorers. In the first year with former assistant Eric Henderson in the head coach’s chair, sophomore guard Alex Arians is the top returning scorer and rebounder after he averaged 6.2 points and 4.9 boards a game last season.

The squad doesn’t boast much size with a pair of sophomore 6-8 forwards tied as the tallest players on the roster. It will be hard for Henderson to continue the success that his predecessor, T.J. Otzelberger, had in his three years at the school, which included a 70-33 overall record and two NCAA bids.

All-time series: 4-0 (last: 81-78 win in 1992)

2018-19 Record: 29-8 overall, 13-5 in the ACC (4th)

Returning Starters: 2

Quick look: The Seminoles must replace three starters but are still in position to extend its NCAA Tournament streak to four straight seasons. Senior guard Trent Forrest could be one of the ACC’s best players, while junior guard M.J. Walker and five-star freshman wing Patrick Williams (ranked No. 20 in the class of 2019 by Rivals.com) should help provide reinforcements.

The timing of this contest could play into IU’s favor — in addition to replacing a lot, veteran head coach Leonard Hamilton likes to play nine or sometimes even 10 players, which forces them to typically take some time to jell. Additionally, there are major question marks in the post, though Hamilton brought in transfers Dominik Olejniczak (Ole Miss) and Malik Osborne (Rice).

All-time series: 3-6 (last: 59-58 loss in 2013, also at MSG)

2018-19 Record: 16-17 overall, 6-12 in the AAC (9th)

Returning Starters: 4

Quick look: Year two under Bobby Hurley will be UConn’s final in the American Athletic Conference before heading back to the Big East. Junior center Josh Carlton, junior guard Alterique Gilbert and senior guard Christian Vital combine to give the squad hope for improvement, after the trio averaged 35.8 points per game last year.

A pair of Rivals150 guards will back up Vital, the only scholarship senior on the roster, and Gilbert — James Bouknight (No. 84) and Jalen Gaffney (No. 134) — but there is a lack of depth down low. Freshman power forward Akok Akok, a former four-star recruit who enrolled midway through last season, may be called on to start right away.

All-time series: 50-22 (last: 80-77 win in 2017)

2018-19 Record: 14-19 overall, 3-15 in ACC (14th)

Returning Starters: 4

Quick look: The Fighting Irish went through an anomaly last year — a season under long-time head coach Mike Brey that resulted in less than 20 wins. Since suffering three such campaigns from 2003-04 through 2005-06, Notre Dame had done so just once (2013-14) prior to last year. It was just the second time under Brey the school failed to reach the postseason.

Senior wing Rex Pflueger should be healed from last year’s injury, but may be forced to slot in at the four in a small-ball lineup for the squad — and his true impact has never been reflected on the stat sheet. He and 6-9 forward John Mooney, a third-team All-ACC pick last season after he averaged 14.1 points and 11.2 boards a contest, could provide a formidable but undersized front line.

Senior guard T.J. Gibbs will provide scoring punch and experience after averaging 13.4 points per game a year ago.

All-time series: 2-2 (last: 63-60 win in 2019 NIT)

2018-19 Record: 18-16 overall, 8-10 in SEC (9th)

Returning Starters: 3

Quick look: The Razorbacks will be breaking in a new coach in Eric Musselman, who went an impressive 110-34 in four years at Nevada, winning the CBI in his debut and then reaching the NCAA Tournament each of the last three seasons.

Sophomore guard Isaiah Joe set a program record with 113 made three-pointers last year, shooting 41.0 percent from beyond the arc. Joe and fellow guard Mason Jones combined to score 27.5 points per game last season, and will lead the way.

UNC Wilmington graduate transfer forward Jeantal Cylla averaged 13.7 points and 4.6 rebounds per game a year ago, and will help the frontcourt replace NBA Draft pick Daniel Gafford, the team’s top player last season.

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