Indiana basketball is three open scholarships away from completing their roster for the 2024-25 season. Mike Woodson and his staff faced their most critical offseason this year during Woodson’s tenure as head coach with many spots to fill and just overall improvements needed to be made for this team if they wanted to get back to the NCAA Tournament next season.
So far, Indiana basketball has been the winner of the offseason among the college landscape with the pieces they have added thus far in dynamic guards Myles Rice, Kannan Carlyle, and center Oumar Ballo. Even with three open scholarships, the Hoosiers sit with the No. 1 overall transfer portal class according to 247Sports, with still more work to do.
When you narrow it down to what Indiana needed this offseason in order to make big improvements from last year’s ‘meh’ season, you really look at three things of importance: Shooting, rebounding, and dynamic guard play.
Yes, shooting is still a major need and one that the Hoosiers are working on as they have actively been in the mix with guys like Luke Goode and Zach Anderson over the recent weeks, but let’s focus on the areas that Indiana basketball has already addressed with dynamic guard play and rebounding. Mike Woodson and the Indiana staff brought in two of the more dynamic guards they could have brought in from the transfer portal in Rice and Carlyle and one of the top tier rebounds with Ballo.
“I think the shooting is definitely the main conversation around Indiana basketball this year, but if you look at two other aspects in the roster build, last year they really struggled in ball screens to be effective at all so I think if you are Mike Woodson and the Indiana coaching staff it’s like ‘how do we get better in our ball screen offense?'”
“Myles Rice was one of the top 100 in pick-and-roll offense last year and Kaanan Carlyle has a lot of experience in pick-and-rolls,” said 247Sports College Basketball Writer Isaac Trotter. “You got a 2-for-1 special and Oumar Ballo is a really, really good post presence.
Indiana basketball was a depleted team last season when it came to the backcourt. Xavier Johnson was injured most of the season, Trey Galloway was forced to learn how to be a primary ballhandler and playmaker, Gabe Cupps was only a freshman, CJ Gunn never developed, and Anthony Leal played inconsistent minutes. The depth and who Indiana had to work with in the backcourt last season was not an ideal one if you wanted to play the inside-out system that Woodson has stated he wants to.
Adding Rice and Carlyle immediately gives depth to the backcourt of Indiana while also providing two guys that be playmakers on the ball to make the inside-out game work. Indiana now how a chance to be an elite pick-and-roll team with these pieces.
With rebounding, even though Indiana basketball had a massive frontline with Malik Reneau, Kel’el Ware, and Mackenzie Mgbako, the Hoosiers still finished tenth in the Big Ten in rebounding only able secure the glass 32.1 times per game. With a team of that much size, being out-rebounded should never happen.
Indiana going to into the portal and picking up Oumar Ballo, who last season averaged 10.1 rebounds per game last season, automatically helps them when it comes to attacking the glass. Not only is a he a volume rebounder from game-to-game, Ballo also averaged 3.6 offensive rebounds last season so Indiana also becomes a better team in second chance point opportunities.
“The other thing, Indiana went big last year and they were horrible on the glass,” Isaac Trotter added. “They were not good on the glass even though they were playing Malik Reneau and Kel’el Ware at the 4 and the 5. Oumar Ballo, one of the best rebounders in the transfer portal.
“So yes, shooting is the concern, but I they buffed up their rebounding and think they buffed up their pick-and-roll offense, and they are still in the market for some of these shooters too.”
Indiana basketball is still in need of shooting, the thing that fans desperately want the most, but you have to give credit to Mike Woodson and the rest of the staff for filling the needs of dynamic guard play and rebounding.
Once the Hoosiers find that shooting, they will be a more complete team.
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