Despite football season being right around the corner, there are less than ten weeks until fans will get their first glimpse of the men's basketball team at Assembly Hall when they take the floor against Marian University on November 1st.
With practices starting back up in the next couple of weeks, Mike Woodson and his staff will begin establishing his rotation of players.
This is the most talented roster of the Woodson era, so there will be many guys vying for minutes.
The rotation on November 6th won't be set in stone; however, it will show which players have gelled in fall practices.
PROJECTED STARTERS
Guards: Myles Rice (R-So), Trey Galloway (5th Sr), Mackenzie Mgbako (So)
Forward/Center: Malik Reneau (Jr), Oumar Ballo (6th Sr)
It is an all but unanimous decision to have the combination of these five as the starters for the Hoosiers this season.
With three starters returning from last year's team, Indiana brings back experienced veterans in the such as Galloway, Mgbako, and Reneau, but it is the two first-team all-PAC-12 transfers Indiana brought in that will be a difference maker in the lineup.
Starting in the backcourt, Myles Rice averaged 14.8 points per game last season in Pullman with Washington State, earning the PAC-12 Freshman of the Year award and first-team honors.
Additionally, Rice averaged 3.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.6 steals for the Cougars last season.
There are high hopes within the Indiana program that Rice will exceed those numbers this coming season in his first season in Bloomington.
With the departure of Kel'el Ware, Indiana had a gaping hole at the center position and filled it in with one of the most dominant big men of the last couple of years with Arizona transfer Oumar Ballo.
The PAC-12 Player of The Year award winner averaged 13.1 ppg and 10.1 rpg, shooting an incredibly efficient 65.8 percent from the field for the Wildcats last season.
The only downside in Ballo's game is from the charity stripe, where he converts at a 56 percent clip throughout his career.
The combination of the three returning starters and the two transfers is a perfect storm for Indiana, creating their most talented starting lineup in quite some time.
PROJECTED ROTATION
Guards: Kanaan Carlyle (So), Luke Goode (Sr), Anthony Leal (5th Sr)
Forwards: Langdon Hatton (Sr)
Carlyle, Goode, Hatton, and Leal are the only four who are almost guaranteed regular minutes off the bench this year.
Leal, the only returner of the bunch, broke out in a big way towards the end of the last year, playing a significant role in the homestretch of his senior season. His work ethic has not gone unnoticed by Woodson, and he will be playing a role similar to that of he end of the last season.
After an impressive freshman season at Stanford, Kanaan Carlyle will be one of the first off the bench for Indiana this season, providing crucial minutes in the middle of each half to give Myles Rice a breather. The Atlanta native averaged 11.5 points last season for the Cardinal en route to Freshman Honorable Mention honors in the PAC-12. Don't be surprised if there are times when Carlyle is paired with Rice at times during games.
Last season, Indiana lacked a true spot-up shooter, and there was harsh criticism of Woodson for not addressing that issue last offseason. Indiana got their guy this year, adding Illinois transfer and Fort Wayne native Luke Goode as their sharpshooter this season. Goode shot 40 percent from three for the Illini last season, leading the team to their first Elite Eight appearance in nearly twenty years.
Malik Reneau and Oumar Ballo are both very susceptible to foul trouble, which makes Langdon Hatton's role on the team all the more important. The 6'10 center averaged 10.5 points, 7.1 rebounds for Bellarmine last season. If Hatton can provide a spark off the bench, Indiana will be a dangerous team.
WILDCARDS
Guards Gabe Cupps (So), Jakai Newton (R-Fr), Bryson Tucker (Fr)
As a freshman, Gabe Cupps stepped into an unexpected role when Xavier Johnson suffered an injury. He made 22 starts and appeared in 33 games for the Hoosiers last season, averaging 2.6 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 0.7 steals in 21.7 minutes per game. It is still unknown what role the Centerville, Ohio native will play this season with the slew of guards on the roster.
Jakai Newton, who redshirted his freshman season with an injury, has all the makings to be a great player, but there is a wealth of experience ahead of him on the roster. He will have to make the most of his minutes in the early season to earn himself a spot in the rotation.
On most rosters, a McDonald's All-American tends to not only be immediately in the rotation but is more often than not a starter. It is different for Bryson Tucker.
The freshman will have to scratch and claw for minutes this season because of the guys ahead of him on the roster. Like Newton, Tucker will have to impress the coaching staff in practices and the early games to solidify a rotation spot in his rookie season.
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