Indiana’s 2024-25 non-conference schedule was finalized on July 9 and Contained in the Corridor could have a team-by-team take a look at every opponent. Immediately: Jap Illinois.
After opening the common season in opposition to SIU Edwardsville, Indiana will play one other Ohio Valley Convention opponent simply 4 days later for its second sport of the 2024-25 season.
Jap Illinois, which completed 14-18 general and 8-10 in OVC play final season, will come to Meeting Corridor on Sunday, November 10. It is going to be the third all-time assembly between the Hoosiers and the Panthers. IU beat Jap Illinois 94-55 within the 1992 NCAA match in Boise and 88-49 in Bloomington in November 2015.
The Panthers are led by Marty Simmons, who performed at Indiana from 1983 by way of 1985 earlier than ending his school profession at Evansville. Simmons, a local of Lawrenceville, Illinois, owns a profession 310-314 all-time as a head coach. The majority of his head teaching profession was at Evansville, the place he served from 2007 by way of 2018 and compiled a 184-175 file.
Jap Illinois completed final season ranked 320th within the remaining KenPom scores and in Bart Torvik’s scores. In Torvik’s present projections for the 2024-25 season, Jap Illinois is 313th within the nation.
Simmons returns two of his prime three scorers from final season in guard Nakyel Shelton and ahead Kooper Jacobi, a Silver Creek product.
The 6-foot-3 Shelton averaged 11 factors, 4.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 27 minutes per sport. He performed in 29 of the group’s 32 video games and made 24 begins. He additionally made a team-high 38 3-pointers and shot 33.9 p.c from distance.
Jacobi, a 6-foot-7 ahead, started his profession at Toledo earlier than transferring to Jap Illinois. In 17 video games final season for the Panthers, Jacobi averaged 10.5 factors and seven.7 rebounds in 29.4 minutes per sport.
One other semi-regular starter, guard Corey Sawyer Jr., additionally returns for the Panthers. The 6-foot-4 Sawyer began 16 instances for Jap Illinois and averaged 8.9 factors and a couple of.3 rebounds in 25.4 minutes per sport. Sawyer shot 34.2 p.c on 3s in 79 makes an attempt.
Senior Roldolfo Rufino Bolis, who began 14 instances final season, ought to tackle a bigger function within the Jap Illinois frontcourt this season. The 6-foot-8 ahead averaged simply 1.7 factors and three.3 rebounds in 11.4 minutes per sport as a junior.
A Division II switch, 6-foot-2 guard Zion Fruster, is anticipated to be a serious a part of the backcourt for Simmons. Fruster missed the ultimate month final season for Virginia Clever, however avearged 18 factors, 4.6 rebounds and three.6 assists in 17 video games.
Wanting on the Jap Illinois offense over the past three seasons beneath Simmons, the Panthers have been one of many nation’s worst groups. Jap Illinois completed 357th in adjusted offensive effectivity in 2021-22, 350th in adjusted offensive effectivity in 2022-23 and 332nd final season.
Defensively, issues haven’t been a lot better because the Panthers haven’t ranked higher than 246th within the nation over the past three seasons. Final season, Jap Illinois beat solely two Division I opponents in non-conference play they usually had been each among the many backside three groups in the entire nation in IUPUI and Coppin State.
Just like the season opener in opposition to SIU Edwardsville, the matchup in opposition to Jap Illinois is one Indiana ought to win and must win convincingly. The Hoosiers had too many shut calls final season in opposition to inferior groups, which dragged down its pc rankings regardless of placing collectively wins.
Filed to: Jap Illinois Panthers
