Indiana Basketball looks to bounce back from a disappointing season and finally make a run in the tournament under Mike Woodson.
The tradition continues! CBB Review is again ranking the top 100 teams heading into the new college basketball season. Each day, we will reveal the next team until we reach the team slotted at number one. Up next: Indiana basketball.
Indiana comes in after an underwhelming season ranked in the preseason top 25, and is our 17th ranked team. With some familiar faces, a strong transfer portal class, and an elite prospect, Mike Woodson is hoping to finally get over the hump and make a run in the tournament.
Kel’el Ware and Xavier Johnson leaving is not something a coach would necessarily ask for when looking to turn the corner in their program, but Mike Woodson has had an excellent offseason. The fourth year college coach brought in two new faces for their backcourt, as well as a headlining piece at center.
Bryson Tucker is ranked the 21st national recruit, and has a real high ceiling. Luke Goode and Langdon Hatton are two transfers who also could contribute more than at their previous schools.
All eyes are on Mike Woodson and his squad this season. Another year of lofty expectations puts Indiana in every discussion, but are the Hoosiers finally able to put it together and make a serious run in the NCAA Tournament?
Click here to learn more about our preseason top 100 teams heading into the 2024-25 college basketball season.
Head coach: Mike Woodson (4th season at Indiana, 4th season overall)
2023-24 record: 19-14 (10-10)
2024 postseason finish: No postseason
Notable departures:
- Kel’el Ware (15.9 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 1.5 APG)
- Anthony Walker (5.0 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 0.6 APG)
- Xavier Johnson (12.2 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 4.7 APG)
Notable non-conference games:
- vs. South Carolina (Nov. 16)
- Battle 4 Atlantis (Nov. 27-29)
Projected Rotation
PG: Kanaan Carlyle (6-3, 182, So.)
2023-24 stats: 11.5 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 2.7 APG, 0.4 SPG (Stanford)
SG: Myles Rice (6-3, 185, R-So.)
2023-24 stats: 14.8 PPG, 3.8 APG, 3.1 RPG, 1.6 SPG (Washington State)
SF: Mackenzie Mgbako (6-9, 222, So.)
2023-24 stats: 12.2 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 1.3 APG, 39.5 FG%
PF: Malik Reneau (6-9, 232, Jr.)
2023-24 stats: 15.4 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 2.7 APG, 57.8 FG%, 33.3 3P%
C: Oumar Ballo (7-0, 265, Gr-Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 12.9 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 0.8 APG, 1.3 BPG, 49.5 FG% (Arizona)
6: Trey Galloway (6-5, 205, Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 10.6 PPG, 4.6 APG, 2.9 RPG, 1.2 SPG, 46.6 FG%
7: Bryson Tucker (6-7, 207, Fr.)
247Sports Composite #21 ranked recruit
Indiana Basketball Team MVP: Oumar Ballo
Ballo comes in from Arizona where he had a very productive career. Although there are higher scorers on this years loaded Indiana roster, the center has been the main piece in Mike Woodson’s offenses since his arrival in Bloomington, and this season will not be any different.
Ballo’s touches should increase and he will be a dominant force in the paint. At 7’0″, Ballo will likely be the heaviest guy on the floor at 265 lbs. His strength and physicality should lead to a lot of buckets around the rim, and Indiana is hoping the big man developed even more touch from outside the paint to play in the mid-range.
Ballo was Indiana’s biggest get from their busy transfer portal season. He fits in perfectly with what Woodson wants to do, and if Indiana is able to avoid double teams down low, he should dominate this season.
Indiana Basketball make-or-break player: Luke Goode
The make-or-break player and key analytic go a little hand-in-hand for the Hoosiers. Their goal is to get Oumar Ballo one-on-one touches down low. Similar to Purdue with Zach Edey, avoiding double-teams is crucial. How do you do that? Stretch the floor. How do you do that? Show that you can knock down three-pointers.
Goode is the guy Indiana hunted in the portal to knock down threes. The Illinois transfer and Indiana native, Goode knocked down just below 40% of his shots from beyond the arc last season in limited minutes. Although coming off the bench this year, he will be called on to be their shooter.
If Goode shoots it at a reliable clip, not only will he see more minutes, but Ballo will get more solo touches, and his offense will thrive. It is a symbiotic relationship, as when Ballo dominates, defenses will be forced to double down low, leaving Goode with open threes, ones he will have to sink in order for the Hoosiers to be successful.
Key analytic: 3P%
Three point shooting cannot fall just in the hands of Luke Goode. Kaanan Carlyle, Myles Rice, Trey Galloway, Mackenzie Mgbako, and even newcomer Bryson Tucker will need to shoot at high clips. Indiana had a well below average shooting season last year, shooting just 32.4% from range, and losing 3 of their top 4 guys in 3-pointers made.
Whether it is Goode or someone else, if Mike Woodson wants to spread the floor to allow his bigs to work inside, someone needs to show that they are a threat from 3. When they can do that, Ballo and co will get solo touches down low and when the defenses make the decision to collapse, the rest of the team can make them pay.
Indiana Basketball 2024-25 projections
Projected conference finish: 2nd in the Big Ten
Projected postseason ceiling: NCAA Tournament Elite 8 Exit