Big Ten Basketball Preview: #9 Indiana Hoosiers

2013-14 Season Results: 17-15, 7-11 Big Ten, 9th in Big Ten, 64-54 loss to Illinois in Big Ten tournament

Key Losses: Noah Vonleh, Will Sheehey, Jeremy Williams

Key Returnees: Yogi Ferrell, Troy Williams

2014 Recruit Class: James Blackmon (#20 overall), Robert Johnson (#47 overall), Max Hoetzel (#56 SF), Jeremiah April (unranked), Tim Priller (unranked), Emmitt Holt (unranked)

It seems like centuries ago that Tom Crean took the Hoosiers to back-t0-back Sweet 16s. Since then, for lack of a better phrase, all hell has broken loose. The accident that put Devin Davis in the hospital and the suspensions that followed for failed drug tests the following days were just the latest in a long spiral down.

Last season, despite having one of the Big Ten’s best point guards and a top-1o draft pick, Crean and company struggled throughout the season. Despite upsetting a host of ranked opponents at home – #3 Wisconsin, #10 Michigan, #20 Iowa, and #22 Ohio State – the Hoosiers barely managed to finish above .500.

The Hoosiers then played the “Better Than That” card by refusing to play in the CBI Tournament because “We’re Indiana.”

The culmination of it all? Crean’s seat has grown uncomfortably warm.

Heading into this season, Yogi Ferrell will lead Crean’s crew. Ferrell comes in as one of the best point guards in the nation, finding himself on the watchlist for the Cousy Award for the top point guard in the nation. His 17.3 points and 3.9 assists don’t show the full impact he had on the Hoosiers, becoming the unequivocal leader of the team.

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After Ferrell, however, the Hoosiers have little else returning. Instead, they’ll rely on incoming shooting guard James Blackmon, who showed an ability to score the ball during Indiana’s scrimmage tour through Canada. Blackmon will provide the Hoosiers with one of the better one-two punches out of the back court this season.

Where the Hoosiers will struggle, though, is in the paint. With the departure of Vonleh for the draft, the Hoosiers lack a true center aside from Jeremiah April, an incoming freshman who was a three-star recruit.

Hanner Mosquera-Perea will have big expectations, while fellow freshman Emmitt Holt had decent expectations prior to his involvement in the Davis incident last weekend. Holt will obviously still play a big role, and hopefully he can put his early season off-court issues behind him.

For all the depth the Hoosiers lack in the front court, they have in the back court. After Ferrell and Blackmon, the Hoosiers have Williams and Robinson, who will play big roles. The duo has obviously been in the news for all the wrong reasons of late, but their on-court production will be key. Robinson really come on late for Crean, dropping 17 points in the upset win over Iowa.

On top of that, fellow freshmen guard Robert Johnson and freshman small forward Max Hoetzel will likely see minutes. Unfortunately for the Hoosiers, Davis would have played a big role on the team, but obviously the concern for him is in regards to health and nothing with basketball production.

With an emotional and passionate fan base, Crean is under the microscope for his off-the-court. With a season of struggling projected, we have a crazy season in store for the Hoosiers.