Indiana Basketball: Is it realistic to think that Indiana will repeat in Big Ten?
Without Yogi Ferrell, Indiana basketball will still have a solid big three that consists of James Blackmon Jr., OG Anunoby and Thomas Bryant.
With Indiana Hoosier fans calling for the firing of head coach Tom Crean, the team surprisingly finished with a record of 25-7 overall and 15-3 in conference play last season. They beat out Michigan State, Wisconsin, Purdue and others, winning the Big Ten regular season championship.
Moving forward to 2016-17, Crean is safe and the Hoosiers are projected to be one of the top teams in the conference.
But is it realistic to think that they can repeat as Big Ten regular season champions this season? Can they win the same amount of games without veteran point guard Yogi Ferrell and forward Troy Williams? Will Crean remain on Hoosier Nation’s good side?
The roster is anything but bare. The Hoosiers possess a legitimate ‘Big Three’ (James Blackmon Jr., OG Anunoby and Thomas Bryant) that is flanked by talented role players.
Blackmon is returning from a serious knee injury that forced him to miss 22 games in 2015-16, undergo surgery and sit out every practice this summer. However, Blackmon is a potent scorer who averaged more than 15 points per game in his first two seasons. He is a rather efficient scorer as well, and could very well become one of the leading bucket getters in the Big Ten.
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Anunoby came on at the end of last year, but should truly breakout in his sophomore campaign. The forward can guard all five positions on the basketball court and is an improving offensive player. Anunoby can give the Hoosiers major match-up advantages when he slides down to the four position. He can attack bigger, slower power forwards, using his strength and ball handling skills. While his jumper isn’t a consistent force, he is an elite athlete that thrives in transition.
And then there’s Bryant, who has one of the best motors in college basketball. He can run the floor like a gazelle, finish around the rim and protect the rim defensively. He plays effectively in pick-and-roll situations and can even step out and hit the occasional three.
Just think of a pick-and-roll combo that consists of Blackmon and Bryant, with Anunoby serving as a transition weapon and a lock down defender.
And as mentioned above, the supporting cast is not to be taken lightly. Pittsburgh transfer Josh Newkirk will take over at the point guard position for Ferrell. Robert Johnson is an underrated scorer and defender. Juwan Morgan can rebound the rock. Collin Hartman, who suffered a recent knee injury in practice, is a stretch big man and a competitive defender.
Finally, the newcomers include four-star shooting guard Curtis Jones, four-star power forward De’Ron Davis, three-star shooting guard Grant Gelon, three-star shooting guard Devonte Green and JUCO small forward Freddie McSwain. McSwain could have the biggest impact in 2016-17, but Jones, Davis, Gelon and Green will provide quality minutes off the bench.
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Indiana doesn’t have the experience that they had in 2015-16, but they also must be concerned with three other rosters in the Big Ten if they want to repeat.
Wisconsin is projected to be the best team in the league, as they return virtually every player that was on last year’s Sweet 16 team. Nigel Hayes should be much more efficient this season and Ethan Happ is a rising star within the conference.
Michigan State won’t have Denzel Valentine, Matt Costello and Bryn Forbes, however, Tom Izzo reeled in the program’s best recruiting class since he has taken over as head coach. Miles Bridges is a potential one-and-done prospect, and don’t forget the Spartans still have former West Virginia Mountaineer Eron Harris.
Finally, Purdue returns Isaac Haas and Caleb Swanigan. The Boilermakers still have point guard trouble, although Michigan transfer Spike Albrecht could provide a steady presence if he remains healthy.
While one team could sneak up to the top of the conference, it’s very likely that all four of these teams will be at the top of the standings in some order.
It is realistic to think that Indiana has a chance of repeating, but at this point, Wisconsin is my pick to win the league. They have so much continuity, experience and depth that I think it would be stunning to see them drop out of the AP Poll’s top-15 at any point this year.
The Hoosiers are going to make the NCAA Tournament and fans won’t be ganging up on Crean again, so everything is positive right now in Bloomington.
Expecting Indiana to win the Big Ten could result in disappointment though.
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