Indiana’s 2023-24 non-conference schedule was finalized on June 27 and Contained in the Corridor can have a team-by-team have a look at every opponent. At this time: Morehead State.
Indiana males’s basketball kicked off its 2022-23 season with a contest towards Morehead State, which the Hoosiers received in a dominant 88-53 style. The 2 will face off once more this season at Simon Skjodt Meeting Corridor on December 19.
The Eagles are coming off a 22-12 season through which they fell within the first spherical of the Ohio Valley convention match and misplaced within the second spherical of the Nationwide Invitation match. The 2022-23 season marked the third season in a row the Eagles posted 20 or extra wins. They went 14-4 in convention play and are projected because the No. 1 group within the OVC per Bart Torvik, who has the group ranked at No. 160 within the nation coming into the 2023-24 season.
Head coach Preston Spradlin, who was named OVC coach of the yr after the season’s conclusion, will likely be coming into his seventh season as head coach at Morehead State. He has a wealth of returning expertise and expertise on his roster and extremely regarded newcomers who may carry the Eagles to a different profitable season.
Their work will likely be minimize out towards the Hoosiers, however December’s sport may show to be thrilling nonetheless, as each groups can have had extra time to develop as a bunch. The Eagles will come into the season with a wholesome quantity of chemistry already, as a core group of upperclassmen make up the notable returnees. Mark Freeman is the headliner, because the 5-foot-11 guard was named the OVC participant of the yr and led the group in scoring (449 factors) and factors per sport (15), assists (112) and assists per sport (3.7), free throw proportion (86.4) and steals (36). The rising senior shot 40.5 % from the sphere and 36.2 % from past the arc. Freeman scored 14 factors and totaled three rebounds towards the Hoosiers final season.
The one returning Eagle who began in all 34 video games final season is available in Drew Thelwell, who will likely be coming into his junior yr. The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 11.1 factors per sport for third-best on the group and averaged 4.3 rebounds and a pair of.8 assists per sport. Thelwell was probably the most environment friendly three-point shooter on the group, making 51 3-pointers whereas capturing at a 38.1 % clip. In opposition to Indiana final season, he made three photographs from past the arc and scored 11 factors with 4 rebounds. Kalil Thomas, a 6-foot-6 guard who will likely be a graduate scholar this season, totaled 64 3-pointers to guide the group whereas additionally capturing 38.6 % from the sphere. Thomas performed in 33 video games and began in 24, averaging 7.8 factors and 4.9 rebounds per sport.
Morehead State will likely be with out a few of its acquainted faces from final yr, as Alex Gross and Jake Wolfe exhausted their collegiate eligibility. Each appeared in all 34 video games, with Gross, a ahead, beginning in each sport and Wolfe, a guard, beginning 33. Gross averaged 24.4 minutes per sport with 12 factors and seven.4 rebounds per sport and Wolfe averaged 9.1 factors per sport alongside 3.2 rebounds and a complete of 86 assists, good for third-best on the group.
Nonetheless, Spradlin and the Eagles doubtless will really feel these losses much less as incoming transfers and freshmen are anticipated to supply assist. Guard Jalen Windham and ahead Dieonte Miles will are available with some familiarity with Indiana basketball, as they previously performed at Ball State and Xavier, respectively. Windham, an Indianapolis native, averaged 5.9 factors per sport and shot 39.8 % from deep. Miles would be the tallest Eagle on the roster, at 7-feet tall. He averaged 1.5 rebounds and recorded 23 profession blocks in three seasons at Xavier. He performed seven minutes towards Indiana final November and recorded one block, one turnover and one private foul.
Incoming freshman George Marshall, the No.1 capturing guard in Mississippi, will be a part of the Eagles after one season at Itawamba Group School, the place he averaged 16.4 factors per sport. Guard Jerone Morton, ranked the No. 2 participant in Kentucky per Prep Hoops and Rivals, and 6-foot-10 ahead Mekhi Grant may also be newcomers on the Eagles roster.
Traditionally, Indiana has had nice success towards the Eagles and this season doubtless received’t be a lot totally different. However the Eagles, as they’ve for the previous couple of seasons, appear to face a minimum of an opportunity to compete and show their expertise on Department McCracken Court docket.
Filed to: Morehead State Eagles
