Busting Brackets
Fansided

Indiana Basketball: 5 keys for a successful 2019-20 season

By Lukas Harkins

BLOOMINGTON, IN - JANUARY 14: A rack of basketballs at the Indiana Hoosiers games against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Assembly Hall on January 14, 2019 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
BLOOMINGTON, IN - JANUARY 14: A rack of basketballs at the Indiana Hoosiers games against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Assembly Hall on January 14, 2019 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 6
Next
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 15: Coach Miller of the Hoosiers reacts. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 15: Coach Miller of the Hoosiers reacts. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Highly-touted freshmen make immediate impacts

Trayce Jackson-Davis is the ninth-highest rated player to ever commit to Indiana (in the 247Sports Database) and will thus be asked to play a major role right away this season. The 6-foot-9 big man was ranked at the No. 30 overall in the class and looks the part of a natural replacement for Juwan Morgan, who graduated after this past season. While the Hoosiers also return senior center De’Ron Davis, TJD will be the featured player in the frontcourt during this coming season. In order for the team to be successful, the freshman will need to be a force in that role.

The McDonald’s All-American might not be a tremendous shooter but he is outstanding in just about all other facets of the game. He is an incredible athlete, rebounds at a high rate, and finishes well around the rim. There is definitely still room for him to develop but his athleticism and size make him a matchup nightmare in the frontcourt. TJD should be a big-time impact player for the Hoosiers this season and they will need him to be.

Additionally, it is important to mention that fellow incoming freshman Armaan Franklin might also emerge as a solid piece this season. He comes in as the No. 150 overall prospect in the class as a 6-foot-4 guard with the ability to score at a high rate. It might be difficult to crack the rotation with the amount of returning backcourt pieces for Indiana, but Franklin is a glue-guy scorer that has the potential to be a strong four-year contributor.

Home/Indiana Hoosiers