NCAA Basketball: Arkansas, UConn among 10 teams in need of a big offseason
Indiana Hoosiers
It was not the season Hoosier fans wished for, going just 19-14 (10-10), a far cry from the NCAA Tournament picture. (At least they finished the season strong?)
Despite the issues that took place last year, Mike Woodson received a vote of confidence from the University's athletic department, returning for 2024-25 with a big offseason ahead not only for the program but for Woodson’s job security.
Losing Kel’el Ware to the NBA Draft alongside Xavier Johnson unquestionably hurts but Woodson was able to return Malik Reneau and Mackenzie Mgbako -- two integral pieces to last year’s team -- and now is left with six scholarship spots left to fill.
The Hoosiers have been incredibly active in the transfer portal, targeting big names such as Arizona’s Oumar Ballo, Indiana State’s Ryan Conwell and Washington State’s Myles Rice, to name a few, according to a report by Jack Ankony, writer for HoosiersNow.com.
If Indiana wishes to get back on track, filling those six scholarships, ideally with a large sum stemming from the transfer portal, Indiana just might be a team to look out for in the Big Ten. If not, it could be another long season ahead in Bloomington.
Michigan Wolverines
Fresh off an incredibly successful tenure in Boca Raton, first-year head coach Dusty May finds himself in a unique situation compared to last year at Florida Atlantic.
In Ann Arbor, May is looking to put the pieces of the puzzle together to field a competitive roster compared to dealing with what he dealt with last year -- returning (almost) the entirety of his roster when leading the Owls.
As of April 11, Michigan has five players on its roster: George Washington III (who recently withdrew his name from the portal), Nimari Burnett, Durral Brooks, Jace Howard and Will Tschetter, according to Brock Heilig of Michigan Rivals.
The question lingers: can Dusty May lure in his former players, such as Johnell Davis, Vlad Goldin, Nick Boyd and/or Alijah Martin? In addition, Michigan is set to host Yale transfer Danny Wolf.
The roster is slim, and May will need a big spring to get Michigan back on track.