Indiana’s anticipated return to the ground will come on Sunday in opposition to Tennessee in a charity exhibition in Knoxville at Thompson-Boling Area.
This season’s roster appears to be like a lot completely different than it did a yr in the past, because the Hoosiers welcome seven new faces.
Sunday’s exhibition will probably be Indiana’s first time stepping on the ground in a aggressive setting with its revamped roster. It will permit Indiana to find out its standing in opposition to a top quality opponent.
“We’ve type of revamped our crew, and so they revamped their crew,” Mike Woodson mentioned Friday morning. “That they had some guys that they misplaced as nicely however introduced guys in. And so it gave each groups a chance, at this early stage, to type of gage just a little bit on the place their crew is.”
An early take a look at in opposition to a top quality opponent
This preseason matchup won’t have an effect on both crew’s win or loss report, however it’s the first time since final season that both crew will play in opposition to somebody aside 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 high 25 ballot.
The Volunteers have 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 report 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 isn’t a pushover crew. Their crew 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 crew and seeing the place it’s good to enhance and proceed to develop as a basketball crew.”
Like IU, Tennessee additionally added a number 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 keeping with 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, and so they haven’t absolutely recovered,” Woodson mentioned. “You realize, they could inform you guys that, however you understand 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 absolutely prepared but. However I believed within the scrimmage the opposite day, each performed nicely for the minutes they performed.”
Neither participant has been training each 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 Large Ten media day. Woodson will take a while to talk to each his gamers and the Indiana medical workers to gauge their standing for Sunday.
“It’s type of exhausting to throw them proper within the recreation and say, you understand, let’s go play 25-Half-hour,” Woodson mentioned.“So, I don’t know. We’ll see the following couple of days and have interaction it from there.”
The debut of the Kanaan Carlyle, Myles Rice backcourt
This recreation will give a small style of what’s to come back for Indiana’s new offensive identification, which is thrilling for Woodson and the remainder of the crew.
Carlyle and Rice will play vital roles in Indiana’s success this yr, 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 have been instrumental pickups this offseason within the switch portal. Indiana, beneath Woodson, has had a heavy post-style offense. That would change this yr 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: progress.
“Taking what we’ve taught them and given them over the past 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 probably be Indiana’s most important 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 now we have given them so much, and so they have been working their asses off. And I simply need to see if a few of this may repay for us.”
Filed to: Tennessee Volunteers
