Indiana

IUBB’s Biggest Potential Roadblocks to a Renaissance in 2024-2025

Published

6 months ago

June 9, 2024

IUBB’s Biggest Potential Roadblocks to a Renaissance in 2024-2025

All signs seem to indicate that a renaissance is on the horizon for the Indiana men’s basketball team in 2024-2025. With Mike Woodson back to lead a revamped/rejuvenated roster jam-packed with talent, there are simply not a lot of reasons to be pessimistic about the Hoosiers’ outlook.

But while there may not be an abundance of obvious uh-oh’s when you look up and down this team, the small sample of potential issues could realistically prove lethal to the overall mission. That being said, the 3 tallest hurdles that Woody and his team will have to overcome will combine to try to sway your mind in favor of the Hoosiers faltering once again. Do not budge. We believe that they will prevail over these potential problems.

In good knee-related new, Jakai Newton appears to be fully back on the court and ready to make a name for himself in Bloomington.

Wait till you see Jakai Newton!
— Xavier Johnson “X” (@XavierJ0hnson) June 3, 2024
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In bad knee-related news, human spark plug Trey Galloway is currently on the mend from an operation he recently had done on his meniscus. While Gallo has been spotted with the team and on campus, the timeframe for his return to the court seems suspiciously vague. We hope that he will be able to rejoin his teammates soon, but more importantly wish Galloway a major comeback from this minor setback.

Last season, Indiana finished the season as the 265th best 3-point shooting team out of 351 qualifying teams. The addition of Luke Goode should help mask some of these deficiencies, but who else on this roster has proven the ability to hit a steady dosage of shots on a consistent basis?

Both Myles Rice and Kanaan Carlyle looked legitimate during their respective freshman campaigns, and they also shared inefficient shooting splits. Trey Galloway makes a lot of winning basketball plays, he just does not make a ton of jumpers. Mackenzie Mgbako came into his own by the end of last season, but was wildly unpredictable when it came to hitting shots. Bryson Tucker has NBA potential, but also has a ton of work to do on his jump shot.

Kanaan Carlyle, Indiana Men's Basketball

Fortunately, there are numerous guys capable of leading the team in scoring on any given night. Catch this team on a night when everyone’s feeling confident with their outside shot and you may as well wave the white flag and call it a night.

With all due respect to newcomer Langdon Hatton, who should provide some nice backup center minutes behind Oumar Ballo, it feels like IU could still use another big body. Hatton’s 6’10”, 240 pound frame, subtle agility, and respectable shooting range make him a viable candidate for minutes sparing Ballo.

In 31 games played last season (all starts), he strung together solid averages of 27.8 MPG, 10.5 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 1.3 APG and 0.8 BPG on shooting splits of 48% FG/33.3% 3(made 15 total)/67.5% FT. He made vast improvements in his game as a junior at Bellarmine (ASUN), but unfortunately the team finished the season with an ugly 8-23 record.

Ballo should have a solid 25-30 MPG in him, and it would not be shocking to see Mike Woodson experiment with Malik Reneau at the 5 similar to how he did as the season waned on in 2023-2024. Between Reneau, Hatton, and potential small-ball 5’s Goode, Tucker, and Mgbako the rest of the frontcourt corps will need to band together to fill out those additional 10-15 MPG at the center spot each night.

One bright spot in regards to this potential dilemma is the fact that Ballo has shown an ability to stay out of foul trouble on a consistent basis. Last season, he averaged just 2.1 fouls per game in 25.9 MPG. In the season prior to that, he averaged 2.3 fouls per game in 27.6 MPG. If nothing else, it is encouraging that his foul tendency appears to be on a downward trend.

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Indiana

Where is Indiana basketball ranked going into the Battle 4 Atlantis?

Published

7 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Press Room

Where is Indiana basketball ranked going into the Battle 4 Atlantis?

BLOOMINGTON — Indiana basketball heads to the Bahamas as a top 15 team.

The undefeated Hoosiers (4-0; 0-0) jumped three spots in the latest USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll to No. 15 and two spots in the latest AP Poll to No. 14. They spent nine weeks ranked in the top 15 of the AP Poll during the 2022-23 season.

Indiana will compete in the Battle 4 Atlantis this week starting with a game at noon on Wednesday against Louisville. No. 4 Gonzaga and West Virginia are on the same side of the bracket and No. 23 Arizona is also among the teams in the field.

The tournament is IU’s only chance to pick up any wins away from Assembly Hall during its non-conference schedule.

Indiana beat Louisville, 74-66, in last year’s Empire Classic. The Cardinals parted ways with Kenny Payne and hired Pat Kelsey as his replacement. They head into the event 3-1 this season — they suffered a 22-point loss to a Tennessee team that IU defeated in a pre-season exhibition — without a single returning player in their starting lineup.

The Hoosiers have won all four of their games by double-digits and averaging more than 80 points per game with four of their five starters — Mackenzie Mgbako (18.8 points per game), Myles Rice (14.8), Malik Reneau (13.5 points) and Oumar Ballo — averaging in the double-digits.

Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.

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Indiana

How to Watch: Louisville Cardinals vs. Indiana Hoosiers

Published

15 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Press Room

How to Watch: Louisville Cardinals vs. Indiana Hoosiers

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Following a four-game home stand to open up the 2024-25 season, the Louisville men’s basketball program is heading back to The Bahamas to participate in the Battle 4 Atlantis, and will kick off the event against regional rival Indiana.

The Pat Kelsey era of the Cardinals is off to solid start, although they have played imperfect basketball during their 3-1 start to the season. They’re averaging 81.0 points per game and have a 18.3 scoring margin, but have shot just 29.4 percent from deep on the year, and lost by 22 to Tennessee in their lone game vs. a power conference team.

As for the Hoosiers, they’re off to an undefeated start in year four under head coach Mike Woodson. All of their games have been won by at least double figures, including an 87-71 victory over South Carolina. Mackenzie Mgbako is leading the charge for IU with 18.8 points per game.

This will be the 22nd all-time regular season meeting between Louisville and Indiana, with the Hoosiers owning a 12-9 advantage. IU has won the last two matchups against UofL, including a 74-66 decision back on Nov. 20, 2023 in their last matchup in the Empire Classic.

(Photo of Chucky Hepburn: Jamie Rhodes – Imagn Images)

You can follow Louisville Cardinals On SI for future coverage by liking us on Facebook, Twitter/X and Instagram:

Facebook – @LouisvilleOnSI
Twitter/X – @LouisvilleOnSI
Instagram – @louisvilleonsi

You can also follow Deputy Editor Matthew McGavic at @Matt_McGavic on Twitter/X

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Indiana

New Orleans takes on Indiana, seeks to end 4-game slide

Published

23 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Press Room

Golden State takes home win streak into matchup with Oklahoma City

Associated Press

New Orleans Pelicans (4-13, 15th in the Western Conference) vs. Indiana Pacers (7-10, ninth in the Eastern Conference)

Indianapolis; Monday, 7 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Pacers -5.5; over/under is 228

BOTTOM LINE: New Orleans heads into the matchup against Indiana as losers of four straight games.

The Pacers are 5-2 in home games. Indiana ranks fifth in the league with 17.0 fast break points per game led by Bennedict Mathurin averaging 4.5.

The Pelicans have gone 1-7 away from home. New Orleans averages 14.2 turnovers per game and is 3-4 when turning the ball over less than opponents.

The Pacers are shooting 48.7% from the field this season, 0.2 percentage points higher than the 48.5% the Pelicans allow to opponents. The Pacers average 103.8 points per game, 14.3 fewer points than the 118.1 the Pacers allow to opponents.

TOP PERFORMERS: Pascal Siakam is averaging 20.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists for the Pacers.

Brandon Ingram is scoring 22.9 points per game and averaging 5.8 rebounds for the Pelicans.

LAST 10 GAMES: Pacers: 4-6, averaging 111.7 points, 38.9 rebounds, 26.1 assists, 9.0 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 47.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.5 points per game.

Pelicans: 1-9, averaging 100.2 points, 42.7 rebounds, 23.0 assists, 7.8 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 42.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.7 points.

INJURIES: Pacers: Aaron Nesmith: out (ankle), Andrew Nembhard: out (knee), Isaiah Jackson: out for season (calf), James Wiseman: out for season (calf), Ben Sheppard: out (oblique).

Pelicans: Zion Williamson: out (hamstring), Yves Missi: day to day (shoulder), CJ McCollum: day to day (thigh), Herbert Jones: out (shoulder ), Dejounte Murray: day to day (hand), Jose Alvarado: out (hamstring).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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