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 evening, IU begins common season play towards SIU Edwardsville.
Contained in the Corridor writers Will Foley, Matt Press and Kevin Vera provide their preseason group superlatives and predictions for the season:
Crew 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 group’s most dear piece. The lightning-quick guard ought to lead a refreshing change of tempo in Indiana’s backcourt. A dependable scorer with strong playmaking talents, how effectively Rice performs may dictate IU’s season.
Matt Press: You’ll be able to’t overlook how a lot Myles Rice transforms Indiana’s backcourt, however I’ll go along with Oumar Ballo for my MVP. IU was a poor rebounding group 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 broaden his sport beneath Mike Woodson, I foresee a dominant yr in retailer for Ballo.
Kevin Vera: It’s arduous to select towards Myles Rice for this superlative. Rice presents plenty of dimensions to this Indiana group in all the best 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 kind of participant Indiana wanted to get within the portal, and now, in his first season as a Hoosier, Rice needs to be the heartbeat for this yr’s group.
High newcomer
Foley: Since Rice is the apparent selection as my MVP choose, 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 might take a while, I’d financial institution on him enhancing steadily all year long and inserting himself in an instrumental position.
Press: Ballo was my MVP choose, and Rice might be equally as deserving, however I’ll swap issues up and go along with Kanaan Carlyle. Carlyle averaged 11.5 factors per sport as a freshman for Stanford final yr 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 gained’t be relied upon fairly as a lot to guide the offense at IU. Woodson raved about Carlyle’s scoring capability, 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 certainly one of his greatest seasons but.
Largest shock
Foley: Indiana sweeps Purdue. Mike Woodson has gained in West Lafayette earlier than (because of Jalen Hood-Schifino’s greatest efficiency) and has a 3-3 document versus the Boilermakers by way of three seasons. Now going through perhaps the weakest Purdue squad since Woodson arrived, it wouldn’t be too shocking if the Hoosiers gained bragging rights over their rivals.
Press: Jakai Newton turns into a significant contributor. A lot of that hinges on his well being, as he’s persistently handled harm since arriving in Bloomington final yr. Nonetheless, his expertise is plain. Woodson dubbed Newton one of the best athlete on the group, and his stint of play within the exhibition towards Marian backed that declare. Newton is quick, robust 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 group presents. There are a number of engaging items on this yr’s squad, however I feel Bryson Tucker will shock many individuals together with his mature type of play. The one freshman on this group, Tucker displayed nice potential in Indiana’s exhibition towards Marian and has been stirring conversations about how good he will be in his first season. I wouldn’t be shocked if Tucker begins a couple of video games in the best scenario and performs vital minutes for IU. He’ll grow to be a strong piece within the IU rotation.
Hardest matchup
Foley: Plenty of engaging decisions, 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 might be one of the vital thrilling duos to look at 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 choose and go along with IU’s sport towards Purdue on Jan. 31 in Mackey. Rutgers needs 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 competition atop the convention. Even with out Zach Edey, the Boilermakers boast a Huge Ten participant of the yr candidate in Braden Smith and IU might be coming into the sport hoping to avenge final yr’s sweep.
Vera: Indiana and Illinois might be a really entertaining sport to look at. Each rosters have plenty of new items and each groups are crammed with expertise. Brad Underwood is a coach with a knack for placing all his items collectively and Woodson ought to be capable of do the identical together with his squad, giving us a enjoyable head-to-head matchup in mid-January. Their lone matchup of the yr has the potential to be a particularly enjoyable battle in Meeting Corridor.
Postseason predictions
Foley: I contemplate this a down yr for the Huge Ten, which leaves issues broad open. The Hoosiers have the strongest roster on paper and I feel that is the yr it will get put collectively. I’ll say they simply miss out on a daily season title however make a run in March and win the Huge Ten match, earn a No. 3 seed and make the Elite Eight.
Press: The whole lot appears to interrupt proper for Indiana this season. The Huge Ten isn’t fairly as robust because it’s been in recent times, and Woodson definitely boasts probably the most gifted group 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 gained’t rule out a deeper NCAA match run, I feel their journey ends within the Candy Sixteen.
Vera: That is the yr for Indiana to make a deep run within the match. It’s their most gifted roster in fairly a while and is gifted 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 things clicking, this group may have robust momentum come March. I feel Candy Sixteen is the place this group will land, however there’s plenty of promise for this yr’s group that would give them better outcomes on the finish of the season.
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