The long wait is officially over. On Tuesday evening, the Indiana Hoosiers will begin their 124th season of Men's Basketball as they host Florida Gulf Coast at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The Hoosiers made some nice progress last season, making some noise in the conference and winning an NCAA Tournament game. With a lot of roster turnover, can they continue that progress this season, or will they take a step back? Let's dive in.
Who's gone- Trayce Jackson-Davis and Jordan Hood-Schifino are obviously significant losses. Replacing a legend like TJD will be a challenge, but will also present an opportunity for the program to build and play differently. Hood-Schifino was a lottery pick in the NBA Draft, and while Purdue won't miss his departure, Indiana will look to replace his production. Multi-year starters Race Thompson and Miller Kopp each graduated, while Jordan Geronimo and Tamar Bates transferred. This means 1988 points from last season have walked out the door (76% of total points scored).
Who's left- Xavier Johnson and Trey Galloway return and will be expected to lead as the veterans of the group. Sophomores Malik Reneau, Kaleb Banks, and CJ Gunn are back and will all need to step into larger roles this season. Anthony Leal is also still here and could be in the rotation in his fourth season. The Hoosiers only return 628 total points from a season ago (24% of total points scored), but there's still a lot of talent in this returning group.
Who's new- Oregon transfer (and former 5-star recruit) Kel'el Ware and 5-star freshman Mackenzie Mgbako headline the new group. Development from the returning players will mean a lot for this team, but Ware and Mgbako are the meal tickets. Both guys are ranked in the top-35 on ESPN's NBA Draft list for 2024, and they give Indiana the pure talent that many teams will lack. Freshman Gabe Cupps is also here and ready to contribute from day one. He has the potential of being one of those fan-favorites for years to come. The Hoosiers also added some strength and size with transfers Payton Sparks and Anthony Walker. Don't forget about freshman Jakai Newton, a top-100 combo guard that will look to contribute if he can get healthy. Coach Woodson said a red-shirt would be possible for Newton, but there's still hope for him to play at some point this season.
Key questions for the season-
•Can the Hoosiers hit enough 3's?
A year ago, Indiana attempted the fewest 3's in the conference, but did have a high percentage from behind the arc. The additions of Ware, Mgbako, and Cupps to go along with Johnson and Galloway should give Indiana plenty of threats from deep. But will they shoot enough, and will they be consistent enough?
•Will the sophomores step up?
Malik Reneau was a 5-star recruit. He had a solid freshman season, but will now be asked to develop quickly. He needs to stay out of foul trouble, grab a lot of rebounds, and give this team a post-up presence. Kaleb Banks and CJ Gunn are also expected to play bigger roles this season. Indiana's fate largely rests on the development of this class.
•Can Indiana win on the road?
This is one of my concerns for the season. I fully expect Indiana to be a great team at home as they typically are. Can they do enough when they're away from Assembly Hall? Every night is a battle in this conference, and every road game is a major challenge.
•What does the offense look like without TJD?
The Hoosiers have more length and athleticism this year, which means the defense should create a lot of offense. But in the half-court, what will things look like without the legend in the middle? We've yet to see a Mike Woodson offense that isn't reliant on Jackson-Davis on the block. If this coaching staff can bring a modern offense that includes all five at a time, it could be an exciting team to watch.
•How high can Ware/Mgbako fly?
If anyone is sleeping on the Hoosiers this year, they're probably sleeping on the talent of these two kids. Both young men are probably headed to the NBA in the near future. They both have major talent. If Woodson can unlock the full potential here, look out.
•Can Indiana avoid bad losses?
There aren't many "bad losses" in conference play, with the exception of a select few opponents beating you on your home court. The non-conference portion of the schedule is another story. Even the opener against Florida Gulf Coast will be a unique challenge for the Hoosiers. This team will need to find its identity quickly to avoid any upsets that will hurt their tournament resume.
Predictions-
Most national projections list the Hoosiers in the "good, but not great" category this season. To list a few:
-CBS Sports- 6th in conference.
-The Athletic- 6th in conference.
-BustingBrackets.com- 5th in conference.
-247sports- 6th in conference. “Widest range of outcomes in the league. Most NBA talent in the league.”
-SportsKeeda- 5th in conference.
-ESPN- 10-seed in tourney.
Here are our staff predictions for the season:
Head Coach Mike Woodson is ready to go, and he's anxious to see what this team can do as the real games begin.
"When it's for real, I mean, I don't have a concern," Woodson said. "I just want to make sure that our guys are prepared and ready to play at a high level and just keep doing the things that we've been doing. I mean, we've done some pretty good things from an offensive and defensive standpoint and we've got to build on those things and don't forget how we've done them. That's what's important moving forward. And everybody's got to push each other to get better. We've still got a long way to go and it starts on Tuesday."
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