No. 17 Indiana’s revamped roster gives Hoosiers ability to mix, match and chase Big Ten title
No. 17 Indiana’s revamped roster gives Hoosiers ability to mix, match and chase Big Ten title
FILE - Indiana forward Malik Reneau (5) drives past the defense of Wisconsin forward Tyler Wahl (5) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Feb. 27, 2024, in Bloomington, Ind. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler, File)
FILE - Arizona center Oumar Ballo (11) dunks during the second half of a Sweet 16 college basketball game against Clemson in the NCAA tournament, March 28, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File)
Indiana head coach Mike Woodson speaks during the Big Ten men’s NCAA college basketball media day Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Rosemont, Ill. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Indiana’s Trey Galloway speaks during the Big Ten men’s NCAA college basketball media day Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Rosemont, Ill. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
FILE - Indiana forward Malik Reneau (5) drives past the defense of Wisconsin forward Tyler Wahl (5) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Feb. 27, 2024, in Bloomington, Ind. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler, File)
FILE - Indiana forward Malik Reneau (5) drives past the defense of Wisconsin forward Tyler Wahl (5) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Feb. 27, 2024, in Bloomington, Ind. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler, File)
FILE - Arizona center Oumar Ballo (11) dunks during the second half of a Sweet 16 college basketball game against Clemson in the NCAA tournament, March 28, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File)
FILE - Arizona center Oumar Ballo (11) dunks during the second half of a Sweet 16 college basketball game against Clemson in the NCAA tournament, March 28, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File)
Indiana head coach Mike Woodson speaks during the Big Ten men’s NCAA college basketball media day Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Rosemont, Ill. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Indiana head coach Mike Woodson speaks during the Big Ten men’s NCAA college basketball media day Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Rosemont, Ill. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Indiana’s Trey Galloway speaks during the Big Ten men’s NCAA college basketball media day Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Rosemont, Ill. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Indiana’s Trey Galloway speaks during the Big Ten men’s NCAA college basketball media day Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Rosemont, Ill. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Indiana (19-14, 10-10 Big Ten)
After missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time in coach Mike Woodson’s three-year tenure, he revamped the roster. Woodson brought in seven players from the transfer portal, added a junior college player and recruited a McDonald’s All-American. The result: The oldest, deepest and most versatile roster of Woodson’s college career. He can lean on familiar faces such as 6-foot-9 forwards Malik Reneau and Mackenzie Mgbako or fifth-year guard Trey Galloway. No. 17 Indiana was picked second in the Big Ten’s preseason poll.
Players to watch
Oumar Ballo (7-foot C, 12.9 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 1.3 bpg): The two-time first team all-Pac 12 selection at Arizona brings a strong, experienced post presence and believes Woodson’s NBA experience can help him improve his draft stock.
Luke Goode (6-7 SF, 5.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg). He wanted to find a school that would better utilize his shooting skills than Illinois did over the past three seasons. So he returned to his home state, adding a desperately needed 3-point shooter to the roster.
Reneau (6-9 SF, 15.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg). After starting 33 games and posting career numbers last season, Reneau wasn’t necessarily expected back for his third season. But he wants to win a championship, extend his shooting range and become a better facilitator — all of which could help him add to his NBA resume.
Departures and arrivals
Ballo and Goode might be the most familiar names among this season’s transfers, but they’re certainly not the only prominent players. Guard Myles Rice was the Pac 12 freshman of the year at Washington State. Kanaan Carlyle, a 6-3 guard, averaged 11.5 points with Stanford. Bryson Tucker, a 6-7 forward from Maryland, is Indiana’s lone first-year player and a highly touted recruit. It should be more than enough to replace center Kel’el Ware, who left for the NBA, and PG Xavier Johnson, who graduated.
Top games
Nov. 6 opener, vs. SIUE; Nov 27, vs. Louisville at the Battle 4 Atlantis; Jan. 8, vs. Southern California; Jan. 31, at Purdue; Feb. 14, vs. UCLA; Feb. 23, vs. Purdue; March 4, at Oregon.
Facts and figures
Five national championship banners hang in Assembly Hall, but Indiana hasn’t reached the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 since 2016. ... The Hoosiers have four redshirt or super seniors on their 19-player roster (Ballo, Galloway, guard Anthony Leal and 7-foot center Dallas James, a transfer from South Carolina State). ... Rice missed the 2022-23 season to undergo chemotherapy treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma. His final treatment was March 2023.
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