The Hoosiers are going to need to build, not add, through the portal this offseason.
The men’s basketball postseason is here, but Indiana has to have an eye on the future. Barring a surprise run and victory in the Big Ten Tournament, the Hoosiers will not receive a March Madness bid.
The portal opens, officially, next Monday. I wouldn’t expect Indiana to accept an invite to the NIT if it receives one. There’s work to be done.
Here’s what, tangibly, they’ll need:
Looming losses
The Hoosiers will for sure lose the following for reasons of exhausted eligibility:
- G Xavier Johnson
- F Anthony Walker
Beyond that? Uncertain. Kel’el Ware is likely to declare for the NBA Draft, with multiple sites having him mocked in the first round during what’s largely perceived as a down year for the prospect pool. Mackenzie Mgbako has improved as of late but would be picked outside of the first round. Could be in his best interest to stay in Bloomington another year.
*This is not counting potential transfers out of the program. Some degree of roster attrition is to be expected in college basketball these days, but it’s not fair to anyone involved to speculate on who may or may not transfer without tangible knowledge.
Needs
- THREE POINT SHOOTING
The Hoosiers need someone who can reliably shoot the basketball from distance in the worst way. They’ve needed that for the better part of the past eight years. Any shooters they’ve had in that period have been inconsistent or limited in ability.
They had the perfect fit on the way as a freshman, but Liam McNeeley has since requested out of his letter of intent. It’s just another void for Indiana to fill in a short amount of time this offseason.
Ideally the shooting in question comes from the backcourt. Both Kel’el Ware and Malik Reneau were proficient in low-volume situations this past season, but Indiana’s guards left something to be desired.
If looking for a playmaking guard who can also shoot proves to be too much, a player who can create shots for themselves off the wing like Mgbako has of late would be another route to adding shooting. As we saw with Miller Kopp, shooting specialists don’t get a ton of looks in Woodson’s offense
Indiana both needs shooting in the first place and must prioritize offensive actions that get those shooters the ball, not just post kickouts.
- Experience at point guard
Indiana entered the 2023-24 season highly dependent on Xavier Johnson and found itself starting Gabe Cupps for the majority of the year. It wasn’t entirely fair to Cupps, who wasn’t ready for that type of role this early and was better suited as a bench option.
Galloway emerged in that role this year, but was somewhat limited as a scorer and did so out of position. Ideally, he’s a secondary ballhandler on an offense that can be a reliable energy presence off the bench.
The Hoosiers have to get more dynamic in the backcourt next year. They need a reliable scoring option at the one and some progress from Cupps, who more than has the work ethic to improve for his sophomore season.
Right now, Cupps’ biggest weaknesses are physical. This is not to say he won’t improve in the offseason, but it would be smart for Indiana to look for athleticism and speed alongside experience when considering backcourt additions.
- Frontcourt Depth
If Ware does indeed depart for the draft, Indiana needs to look into at least one reserve forward/center to help out Reneau and Sparks.
Knowing the way Indiana operates on both ends of the floor, I’d be surprised if they didn’t add a starting-caliber center. Reneau is an option at the five, but he doesn’t have high-level quickness or provide rim protection on defense.
I’d expect the Hoosiers to seek out a long, shot-blocking five to either come off the bench or play a role in the starting lineup.
If Indiana can retain most of Galloway, Mgbako, and Reneau, then adds a few guards who can score, the Hoosiers could probably sacrifice some offensive production at the 5 spot to prioritize rim protection and rebounds