IU Basketball Preseason Questions
TYLER SMITH
ISL EDITOR
With the college basketball season quickly approaching, I.U. basketball fans have plenty of questions about how the Hoosiers will look this year. The following is a list of the most frequently asked questions I’ve received on Twitter about the cream and crimson. I’ll take my best shot at answering these questions from the Hoosier faithful:
1. Can this team be better than last year, even without Noah Vonleh?
I believe they can. Vonleh and Sheehey are both big losses to this program for numerous reasons. However, the Hoosiers have an excellent freshman class and the development of other players should help give them an edge they lacked last season. This team lost a lot of close games and blew several second-half leads that changed the season completely. If they can figure out a way to win some of those, they’ll have a chance to get back in the NCAA tournament. It’s still a fairly difficult team to predict, and they very well could have a similar season to last year if they don’t develop at a high level.
2. Will Tom Crean be on the hot seat this year?
I believe Tom Crean deserves all the credit in the world for turning this program around. I also believe, however, that he must now meet the very expectations that he himself raised. I wrote a full article on this topic after last season. You can read the full article here. There should be some understanding of one subpar season after losing four 1,000 point scorers in the same year. If that subpar play turns into a trend, however, Crean will more than likely be under more scrutiny than he already is. If I were guessing, I would say Tom Crean will be at Indiana for a very long time.
3. What will the new players bring to the team?
For starters, they’ll bring shooting. It was strange watching an Indiana basketball team struggle from the three point line last year. That shouldn’t be the case this coming season. James Blackmon Jr., Robert Johnson, Max Hoetzel, and transfer Nick Zeisloft can all light it up from behind the arc. Despite still being a very young team, the ability to shoot and spread the floor will help to cover up other weaknesses the team will have. Last year’s team shot just 34% from behind the arc, down from 40% the season before. The incoming players also seem to have a high basketball IQ, and they don’t rely on talent and athleticism alone.
4. What can we expect from returning players?
I fully expect Yogi Ferrell to take his play up another notch this season. He’s going to have more offensive weapons and shooters to play with, and that will only elevate his game. I also expect Troy Williams to look like a different player from a year ago. He’s been compared to Victor Oladipo many times. If he follows those footsteps at all, look for him to improve a great deal each season. Devin Davis and Stanford Robinson are both very talented players. Though they will only be sophomores, they will be asked to take on leadership roles. Those two players will be one of the biggest keys to the Hoosiers success or lack thereof this season. Limiting turnovers will also be big for this upcoming season and the returning players will need to carry the load in that regard. Last year’s team turned the ball over 15.1 times per game.
5. How much of the season hinges on Hanner Perea?
Brace yourselves: The answer is a lot. Perea has been working extremely hard this offseason and his game will be improved. The question is, by how much? Indiana will be tough to guard in the 1-4 spots of the lineup, but the 5 spot could definitely be a huge weakness for this team. They don’t necessarily need Perea to score, but they desperately need him to rebound, defend, and be a presence down low. As Tom Crean said earlier this year about Hanner: “It’s time to play.” Though his game was still very raw last season, he clearly made big improvements from his freshman year. If he can make another similar jump this season, it will go a long way in helping the Hoosiers return to the NCAA tournament. The Hoosiers need at least one big man to step up this year. All eyes are on Perea.
6. Is James Blackmon Jr. as good as advertised?
Without a doubt. That doesn’t mean he’ll be all-conference right away, but I think he’ll contribute at a very high level from day one. I also think Robert Johnson is getting overlooked a little bit because of Blackmon.
7. What are the realistic expectations for this team?
At this time last year, it looked like this year’s team would be a Final-Four contender. Since then, Vonleh went pro, Fischer transferred, and IU wasn’t able to land any top big men to take their place. Expecting a Final-Four run this year isn’t realistic. There’s even a chance it will be another year similar to last season. However, if some pieces fall the Hoosiers way, there’s a chance this could be an NCAA tournament team and possibly even a dangerous match-up once they get there. Predicting a college basketball team in August is a very difficult thing to do. Regardless, IU fans can look forward to some new talent and a much more exciting brand of basketball than last season.
Follow Tyler on Twitter: @sports_tys_20
