Big Ten Basketball: Way-too-early power rankings for 2024-25 season

1. Indiana Hoosiers

2023-24 season record: 19-14 (10-10 Big Ten)

At the start of the offseason, it looked as if the Hoosiers were in complete disarray. There were varying reports of Coach Mike Woodson possibly being on the hot seat and they lost the commitment of 5-star wing prospect, Liam McNeeley, who has since picked UConn. And there was a chance that a roster exodus was going to occur.

Instead, Indiana only lost Xavier Johnson and Kel’el Ware, who went to the NBA. A few bench players also departed but most importantly, a few key rotation pieces returned. Guards Trey Galloway and Gabe Cupps came back, along with former 5-star prospect Mackenzie Mgbako, who had a strong final month of the season. Plus, Malik Reneau (15.4 ppg and 6.0 rpg) opted to return as well.

But the reason why the Hoosiers have climbed to the No. 1 spot is due to how the transfer portal has gone for them. Oumar Ballo averaged a double-double at Indiana and was one of the top players in the portal, while Myles Rice and Kanaan Carlyle are two double-digit scorers at Washington State and Stanford respectively. They even added some needed shooting with Luke Goode, who comes over from Illinois.

This doesn’t even include Bryson Tucker, a 5-star wing prospect whom Indiana was surprisingly able to land. There may be concerns as to the overall fits of the current roster but from a talent standpoint, no one has more right now than Coach Woodson’s team.