What is the ceiling and floor for Indiana basketball this year? IU has a ‘rare opportunity to compete for a Final Four’

After a disappointing 2023-24 season for the Indiana basketball program, there were a lot of questions surrounding the team, head coach Mike Woodson and what the future of the program looked like. Heading into a critical summer, all eyes were on this coaching staff to see if they would be able to revamp the roster, which was looking to fill seven open scholarships.

April and May proved to be extremely productive months for the Indiana basketball staff, landing numerous high profile transfers and putting together a roster that — on paper — should be one of the top two in the Big Ten next season.

Paper is paper, however, and that doesn’t always translate to on the court production.

Indiana’s offseason was highlighted by guard depth and playmakers in the backcourt. IU landed commitments from Myles Rice — Pac 12 Freshman of the Year — and fellow Pac 12 freshman guard Kanaan Carlyle — a former top-60 recruit.  Then, it landed the second-best player in the portal, another Pac 12 standout in 7-footer Oumar Ballo. After adding a few additional pieces in the final weeks of the spring, IU is heading into summer workouts with talent, skill and depth at nearly every spot on the floor.

“The one thing I have learned is we had to be deeper in certain positions,” Mike Woodsons said last month. ” … You think about our guard play over the last three years … no knock on them, but we couldn’t keep anybody healthy. I’ve learned in the short period of time I’ve been in college, you win with good guard play. It’s great to have big guys who can play and do the things we’ve had over the last three years we’ve coached but you win with perimeter and good guard play and that was something we came out of this past season, with the games X missed, that we needed to amp up our backcourt and I thought we did that.”

Now, Indiana is loaded with the most talent, skill and depth it’s had at the guard position in Woodson’s tenure. Joining Rice and Carlyle are Trey Galloway, Gabe Cupps, Anthony Leal and Jakai Newton as true guards. Then you have Bryson Tucker and Luke Goode on the wing. All bring much different skills to the floor.

“I tried to build our team around how I played a little bit in New York,” Woodson said. “We had guys like Jason Kidd and Raymond Felton, (Pablo) Prigioni. Guys that can create, make plays not only for themselves, but for their teammates. That was one of the things when we (the staff) sat down after the season in terms of evaluating players that entered the portal — that was going to be an emphasis on players that we brought back here from a perimeter standpoint.”

Trending: Mike Woodson has been trying to emulate his Knicks style of play with Indiana basketball and thinks ‘we can this year’

So as Indiana looks to improve on a 19-14 season last year and the first time under Mike Woodson without an NCAA Tournament appearance, what are and what should be the expectations for the Hoosiers next year?

Full Ride Network founder Ant Wright joined Hoosier Illustrated’s Talkin’ Bout the Hoosiers show this week to discuss the Indiana basketball offseason and what to expect for the 2024-25 season.

“I say Final Four as the ceiling and I don’t think they can win a National Championship. And I say that because they don’t have a pro on their roster as of today. And I said that about Purdue last year … I said Purdue is a Final Four team, they’re not going to win because they don’t have a pro on the perimeter … so Final Four,” Wright said. “And, I think they can finish around .500 as a floor. And if they finish there — injuries will do that, but I think injuries (also) answer a lot of rotation problems … it’s going to be because of jelling issues. Guys aren’t buying in. Guys are upset. Guys want to do them. Guys aren’t buying into the bigger picture and that’s winning a Big Ten Championship and competing for a National Title which I think this team can do.

“I think everything will be the in-between stuff. they have the talent, they have the guys … I was down on the team last year, but not this season. not this season. I believe in this group. They have an opportunity, a really rare opportunity, to compete for a Final Four. Like legit compete for it. I think they can, it’s just a matter of the guys coming together and realizing how good they can be.”

Six new faces — all expected to play significant roles — is not something that is easily maintained. All six of these guys have expectations of what their role should and can be. These next eight weeks in summer workouts will set the groundwork for the upcoming season.

It’s a critically important next two months for Mike Woodson, his staff and the entire Indiana basketball program. Woodson has been adamant about getting this team back to competing atop the Big Ten and regaining national relevance again. Last season was a major shot in the arm.

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