Indiana’s anticipated return to the ground will come on Sunday in opposition to Tennessee in a charity exhibition in Knoxville at Thompson-Boling Enviornment.
This season’s roster appears a lot completely different than it did a 12 months in the past, because the Hoosiers welcome seven new faces.
Sunday’s exhibition will likely be Indiana’s first time stepping on the ground in a aggressive setting with its revamped roster. This can permit Indiana to find out its standing in opposition to a top quality opponent.
“We’ve sort of revamped our workforce, they usually revamped their workforce,” Mike Woodson mentioned Friday morning. “They’d some guys that they misplaced as nicely however introduced guys in. And so it gave each groups a chance, at this early stage, to sort of gage a bit of bit on the place their workforce is.”
An early check in opposition to a top quality opponent
This preseason matchup is not going to have an effect on both workforce’s win or loss file, however it’s the first time since final season that both workforce will play in opposition to somebody apart from themselves.
That is excellent news for each Woodson and Tennessee’s Rick Barnes, as their groups can have a chance to see how they fare in opposition to an opponent ranked within the Related Press preseason prime 25 ballot.
The Volunteers had been 5 spots forward of the Hoosiers within the preseason ballot. They’re coming off a robust 2023-24 season, ending with a 27-9 file as SEC regular-season champions. Final spring, the Vols reached the Elite Eight.
“I’m simply anxious to see how we fare in opposition to somebody completely different,” Woodson defined. “Tennessee is just not a pushover workforce. Their workforce goes to be ranked. They’re well-coached. And I simply, I’m anxious to see how we play offensively. I’m anxious to see how we defend. So, all these issues play a job in constructing a basketball workforce and seeing the place you want to enhance and proceed to develop as a basketball workforce.”
Like IU, Tennessee additionally added a couple of new faces to its roster. Though it misplaced 4 of its 5 starters from this previous season, it reloaded within the switch portal. Chaz Lanier, a senior guard from North Florida, almost averaged 20 factors per recreation final season.
Tennessee additionally added some measurement to its lineup, with Igor Milicic (Charlotte) and Felix Okpara (Ohio State) as additions from the switch portal.
The standing of Trey Galloway and Jakai Newton is unsure for Sunday
When Woodson was requested if Galloway and Newton would play within the Tennesee exhibition, his reply was easy and direct.
“Don’t know,” the fourth-year IU coach mentioned.
There’s nonetheless no clear timetable for the return of both Indiana guard, however progress is being made, based on Woodson. He talked about Friday that each gamers noticed a while on the ground in Indiana’s most up-to-date inter-squad scrimmage. In response to Woodson, they performed round 15-18 minutes, and he preferred what he noticed from each of them.
“We’ve been slow-walking them again as a result of it’s a lengthy season, they usually haven’t totally recovered,” Woodson mentioned. “You recognize, they could inform you guys that, however you realize that that’s the entire motive why we’re being very cautious by way of how we’re approaching their practices and never making an attempt to kill them by way of the minutes as a result of they’re simply not totally prepared but. However I assumed within the scrimmage the opposite day, each performed nicely for the minutes they performed.”
Neither participant has been working towards day by day however is taking steps in the suitable path.
Galloway and Newton have hinted at their return previously few months, speaking with the media at Indiana and Huge Ten media day. Woodson will take a while to talk to each his gamers and the Indiana medical employees to gauge their standing for Sunday.
“It’s sort of laborious to throw them proper within the recreation and say, you realize, let’s go play 25-Half-hour,” Woodson mentioned.“So, I don’t know. We’ll see the subsequent couple of days and interact it from there.”
The debut of the Kanaan Carlyle, Myles Rice backcourt
This recreation will give a small style of what’s to return for Indiana’s new offensive id, which is thrilling for Woodson and the remainder of the workforce.
Carlyle and Rice will play vital roles in Indiana’s success this 12 months, and for the primary time, they are going to be functioning collectively in the identical backcourt with the Indiana script on their jersey.
Each gamers had been instrumental pickups this offseason within the switch portal. Indiana, below Woodson, has had a heavy post-style offense. That might change this 12 months because the Hoosiers will look to undertake extra of a fast small-ball model of play.
And it begins with the previous Pac-12 guards. Woodson needs to see one factor from each this Sunday: development.
“Taking what we’ve taught them and given them during the last 4 months, since summer time,” Woodson mentioned about what he’s seeking to see on Sunday. “And the way it interprets into an actual recreation.”
Win or lose, that will likely be Indiana’s predominant takeaway from Sunday. Woodson needs to see progress from each participant on the roster.
“That’s not simply these two; it’s everyone who’s new, and the fellows which can be with me. I’m simply anxious to see the place we’re as a result of we have now given them quite a bit, they usually have been working their asses off. And I simply wish to see if a few of this can repay for us.”
Filed to: Tennessee Volunteers
