If nothing else, Indiana Hoosiers head coach Mike Woodson set a Big Ten Media Day building record for Most Expectations Managed. Everyone on the College basketball betting roster, it seemed, had “a lot of work to do.” Or “a long way to go.” Same for less tangible concepts like what the Hoosiers will do to score points. “Now, I don’t know what kind of team we’re going to be offensively,” he said. But if Malik Reneau has built himself into “much better shape,” as Woodson put it. In turn, that could catapult Indiana to where it wants to go.
2023-24 Indiana Hoosiers Basketball Preview
| National Championship Odds: | +7500 |
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2023-24 Indiana Hoosiers Basketball Outlook
Regarding Reneau, gamblers salivate at the 6-9 former top-30 recruit. Previously, he averaged 16.5 points and ten rebounds per 40 minutes as a freshman, being at the core of everything. At the onset, Indiana is entering year three under Mike Woodson. OF great concern is that they must replace plenty of offshore bookmaker talent from last year’s team.
Yet the program builds off its year one momentum with the best season of Jackson-Davis’ Indiana tenure. And off a stellar freshman campaign from one-and-done guard Jalen Hood-Schifino. Woodson has made the NCAA Tournament during both of his first two years in Bloomington. Correlate, he is the first Indiana coach to accomplish this feat since Mike Davis in 2002. Kelvin Sampson’s second team reached the postseason.
However, he resigned mid-season due to NCAA rules violations. Last year’s team was heavily reliant on the sheer ability of Jackson-Davis and the upside of Schifino. And it was Schifino who turned in a signature performance with 35 points against rival Purdue in Mackey Arena. The team ultimately fell to an eventual Final Four team in Miami.
Still, it’s worth noting that Indiana lost guard Xavier Johnson, a key player in the 2021-22 season. Johnson suffered an injury against Kansas in December. Hence, IU was thin in the backcourt for the remainder of the NCAABB betting year. Woodson and the staff were all over the country throughout the spring and summer. Cause by the need to acquire talent for this year’s roster to replace the massive losses. And Indiana has a few surprises coming along the way. Starting with portal additions, Indiana landed Oregon transfer and former 247Sports top-10 prospect Kel’el Ware. Following a disappointing freshman season in Eugene.
Ware has all the tools they could ask for from a modern big, from rebounding, post play, and perimeter shooting. On the other hand, the goal lies in greater consistency. Ware was accused of his perceived lack of energy with the Ducks. Correlate that if Indiana unlocks his talent, he’ll be among the best centers in the conference and a surefire NBA Draft prospect.
Indiana’s other two portal additions also came in the frontcourt. Namely Anthony Walker and Payton Sparks. Walker was on the same Miami team that beat Indiana and went to the Final Four. At the same time, Sparks starred at Ball State after growing up dreaming of playing for the Hoosiers. Specifically, Walker provides veteran leadership that the frontcourt lost from Jackson-Davis and Thompson. And he knows what it takes to win in the postseason. Sparks can more than handle the physical play present throughout the Big Ten. Additionally, he is more than willing to do work under the rim. In sum, Indiana’s ceiling is probably somewhere around a top-five team in the league.