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The Indiana basketball program is heading into the 2022-23 season as one of the favorites to land atop the Big Ten rankings once the season ends. Most of that is due to returning four starters from an NCAA Tournament team and 21-win team last year, including All-Big Ten forward Trayce Jackson-Davis.
Race Thompson, Xavier Johnson and Miller Kopp all return as starters from last season and key role players like Jordan Geronimo, Trey Galloway and Tamar Bates are all back as well.
Bates, a former four-star recruit ranked No. 34 overall in the 2021 class, is expected to see a significant jump in production from a season ago. Last year, Bates averaged 3.9 points, 1.3 rebounds and shot 33.8 percent from the field in 32 games.
Despite his numbers, he showed his skill and potential, just not consistently. On the season he had four double-digit scoring games and his career-high (twice) of 13 points came against Nebraska and Michigan State.
Earlier this week, The Field of 68 continued with their breakout players for next season and Tamar Bates came in at No. 10 on the list.
Bates has long been known for his ability to create instant offense and showed that last season. His confidence with the ball in his hands is something that should come in handy this upcoming year as well, giving Indiana another playmaker option off of the bench or in the starting lineup.
"He's figured out how to put the ball in the hole," IU head coach Mike Woodson said earlier this season. "The thing I'll say about Tamar, he's not scared of the moment. He'll take a big shot, and sometimes it's a bad shot, but hey, I'm not complaining... I like everything about Tamar. That's why he's here wearing an Indiana uniform.''
"For me, it's just all about staying confident, believing in myself and the fact that my teammates believe in me, and they are going to keep swinging it to me because I'm knocking it down," Bates said earlier this season. "That makes me just want to make the shot because they believe in me the same way I believe in myself.''
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