With a revamped roster and hopes for a deep postseason run, expectations are excessive for Indiana basketball this season.
Mike Woodson gathered one of many high switch courses within the nation, filling a once-depleted backcourt with depth and bolstering the frontcourt. Wednesday night time, IU begins common season play towards SIU Edwardsville.
Contained in the Corridor writers Will Foley, Matt Press and Kevin Vera provide their preseason crew superlatives and predictions for the season:
Staff MVP
Will Foley: Oumar Ballo is unanimously the highest-ranked IU participant in preseason participant rankings, however I’ll say Myles Rice would be the crew’s Most worthy piece. The lightning-quick guard ought to lead a refreshing change of tempo in Indiana’s backcourt. A dependable scorer with strong playmaking skills, how effectively Rice performs may dictate IU’s season.
Matt Press: You may’t overlook how a lot Myles Rice transforms Indiana’s backcourt, however I’ll go together with Oumar Ballo for my MVP. IU was a poor rebounding crew final season and Ballo is a menace on the glass. He averaged a double-double with Arizona in 2023-24 (12.9 factors and 10.1 rebounds) and is an intimidating shot blocker. The free throw capturing is a priority, however with an opportunity to increase his sport underneath Mike Woodson, I foresee a dominant 12 months in retailer for Ballo.
Kevin Vera: It’s onerous to choose towards Myles Rice for this superlative. Rice affords lots of dimensions to this Indiana crew in all the fitting methods. His intuition as a pure level guard will add layers to the IU offense and his management on and off the ground is plain. Rice is the precise sort of participant Indiana wanted to get within the portal, and now, in his first season as a Hoosier, Rice ought to be the heartbeat for this 12 months’s crew.
Prime newcomer
Foley: Since Rice is the apparent selection as my MVP decide, I’ll go the normal route and say Bryson Tucker because the season progresses. The highly-touted freshman displayed his abilities within the Hoosiers’ exhibition win over Marian with 19 factors on 9-of-12 capturing. Whereas adjusting to Huge Ten-level physicality could take a while, I’d financial institution on him bettering steadily all year long and inserting himself in an instrumental function.
Press: Ballo was my MVP decide, and Rice might be equally as deserving, however I’ll swap issues up and go together with Kanaan Carlyle. Carlyle averaged 11.5 factors per sport as a freshman for Stanford final 12 months and he has an opportunity to match that manufacturing this season. He’s athletic and assured, and whereas he wasn’t a extremely environment friendly shooter in 2023-24, he received’t be relied upon fairly as a lot to steer the offense at IU. Woodson raved about Carlyle’s scoring skill, and relying on his utilization, I feel Carlyle may star alongside Rice within the backcourt.
Vera: Mike Woodson introduced in Ballo, which ought to excite many Hoosier followers. The Arizona switch ought to discover success in Woodson’s system. With the items round Ballo and his fierce presence across the rim, it’s a recipe for fulfillment. He has the instruments to place up one in all his greatest seasons but.
Largest shock
Foley: Indiana sweeps Purdue. Mike Woodson has received in West Lafayette earlier than (because of Jalen Hood-Schifino’s greatest efficiency) and has a 3-3 file versus the Boilermakers by way of three seasons. Now dealing with possibly the weakest Purdue squad since Woodson arrived, it wouldn’t be too stunning if the Hoosiers gained bragging rights over their rivals.
Press: Jakai Newton turns into a serious contributor. A lot of that hinges on his well being, as he’s persistently handled damage since arriving in Bloomington final 12 months. Nonetheless, his expertise is plain. Woodson dubbed Newton the very best athlete on the crew, and his stint of play within the exhibition towards Marian backed that declare. Newton is quick, sturdy and artful on the rim – barring any setbacks, I feel he has some engaging scoring potential.
Vera: My prediction right here stands once more with the expertise this crew affords. There are a number of engaging items on this 12 months’s squad, however I feel Bryson Tucker will shock many individuals together with his mature type of play. The one freshman on this crew, Tucker displayed nice potential in Indiana’s exhibition towards Marian and has been stirring conversations about how good he could be in his first season. I wouldn’t be stunned if Tucker begins a number of video games in the fitting state of affairs and performs important minutes for IU. He’ll grow to be a strong piece within the IU rotation.
Hardest matchup
Foley: Plenty of engaging selections, however I’ll settle with the matchup towards Rutgers in Meeting Corridor on Jan. 2. The Scarlet Knights’ star freshman tandem of Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey shall be some of the thrilling duos to observe in not simply the convention, however the nation. Steve Pikiell has persistently carried out effectively towards the Hoosiers and each matchup between the groups is a battle.
Press: With a comparatively weak nonconference slate, I’ll make a bland decide and go together with IU’s sport towards Purdue on Jan. 31 in Mackey. Rutgers ought to be entertaining and I’m curious to see the Hoosiers towards the brand new Huge Ten additions, however Purdue ought to determine to stay in rivalry atop the convention. Even with out Zach Edey, the Boilermakers boast a Huge Ten participant of the 12 months candidate in Braden Smith and IU shall be coming into the sport hoping to avenge final 12 months’s sweep.
Vera: Indiana and Illinois shall be a really entertaining sport to observe. Each rosters have lots of new items and each groups are stuffed with expertise. Brad Underwood is a coach with a knack for placing all his items collectively and Woodson ought to be capable to do the identical together with his squad, giving us a enjoyable head-to-head matchup in mid-January. Their lone matchup of the 12 months has the potential to be an especially enjoyable battle in Meeting Corridor.
Postseason predictions
Foley: I contemplate this a down 12 months for the Huge Ten, which leaves issues large open. The Hoosiers have the strongest roster on paper and I feel that is the 12 months it will get put collectively. I’ll say they simply miss out on an everyday season title however make a run in March and win the Huge Ten event, earn a No. 3 seed and make the Elite Eight.
Press: All the pieces appears to interrupt proper for Indiana this season. The Huge Ten isn’t fairly as sturdy because it’s been in recent times, and Woodson actually boasts essentially the most proficient crew he’s coached at IU. A loaded switch class and potential star freshman in Bryson Tucker ought to vault Indiana to a high three end within the convention and I agree with Will a couple of Huge Ten Match victory. Whereas I received’t rule out a deeper NCAA event run, I feel their journey ends within the Candy Sixteen.
Vera: That is the 12 months for Indiana to make a deep run within the event. It’s their most proficient roster in fairly a while and is proficient sufficient to push them late within the season. They are going to be one of many high groups within the Huge Ten and in the event that they get all the pieces clicking, this crew may have sturdy momentum come March. I feel Candy Sixteen is the place this crew will land, however there’s lots of promise for this 12 months’s crew that might give them higher outcomes on the finish of the season.
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