Indiana basketball listed as a top team in way-too-early Big Ten power rankings: ‘…Indiana can be the Big Ten’s best team.’

Indiana basketball was arguably the winners of the offseason with the amount of work Mike Woodson and his staff did when it comes to bringing in some of the top talent out of the transfer portal. According to many national media outlets, the Hoosiers were ranked as the No. 1 team when it came to their transfer portal recruiting class.

Indiana basketball did not have a good season last year. Yeah they finished in the top half of the Big Ten at No. 6, but failed to win 20 games or make the NCAA Tournament for the first in Mike Woodson’s tenure as head coach. Last season was one that almost every Indiana basketball fan would like to move on from and leave in the past.

Mike Woodson, however, completely overhauled his roster from a season ago. With three players opting to transfer out, two players graduating, and their main man in the post, Kel’el Ware, opting to go to the NBA, the Hoosiers were left with multiple spots to fill.

Not only did they keep an outstanding core together of Malik Reneau, Mackenzie Mgbako, Trey Galloway, and others, they replaced Liam McNeeley with 2024 five-star wing Bryson Tucker and bright in guys like with Myles Rice, Kaanan Carlyle, Oumar Ballo, Luke Goode, and most recently Langdon Hatton with only one more scholarship left to fill if they choose too.

With the amount of talent and roster balance that Mike Woodson now has with Indiana basketball, many have considered the Hoosiers a possible top 10 team in the country next season. That means Indiana basketball should be competing to be kings of the Big Ten and compete for a conference championship next season.

In the latest way-too-early Big Ten power rankings by 247Sports’ Isaac Trotter, he has Indiana basketball listed as the No. 2 overall team right behind new addition UCLA.

“Indiana may very well have the most resources of any team in the Big Ten,” said Isaac Trotter. “It flexed its muscles in the transfer portal, reeling in Myles Rice, Kanaan Carlyle and Oumar Ballo, to transform the makeup of this roster. It also shored up two of its biggest weaknesses. Indiana was a poor rebounding team last year. Ballo will help change that. Indiana’s guards were terrible in pick-and-rolls last year. Rice and Carlyle will help change that.”

“The talent is clear, but the fit of Reneau and Ballo together could be a bit clunky unless Mike Woodson opts to ditch the two-big lineup, at times. He has the roster flexibility to do it thanks to the addition of freshman sensation Bryson Tucker and Illinois transfer sharpshooter Luke Goode. Will he pull the trigger during the moments when Ballo and Reneau are crowded on top of each other? If Woodson is open to acclimating to more pace and space, Indiana can be the Big Ten’s best team.”

The Hoosiers are starting to add a ton of external expectations heading into next season. Even with the pressure that has been placed on them, there are no excuses for Mike Woodson if the team struggles once again like last year.

The roster not only has the talent to win a Big Ten Championship, but can make a deep NCAA tournament run, as well.

SEE ALSO: EYBL Session 3: Kyler’s Indiana Basketball Recruiting Notebook

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