NCAA Basketball: Preseason top 25 power rankings for 2024-25 season

14. Indiana Hoosiers

Like Xavier, Indiana had a rough past season and missed out on the postseason. They also lost key pieces, including leading scoring big man Kel’el Ware and starting point guard Xavier Johnson. The offseason also got off to a rough start by losing Liam McNeeley, a 5-star wing prospect who ultimately went to UConn.

Ever since then, it was nothing but up for the Hoosiers. They started by landing Oumar Ballo, one of the best bigs who entered the portal. The all-conference center from Arizona averaged around a double-double in the past two years and will anchor the defense. He’s paired with Malik Reneau, who produced with 15.4 ppg and 6.0 rpg as one of the top frontcourt players in the Big Ten.

The new-look backcourt includes two other Pac-12 transfers. Myles Rice averaged 14.8 ppg and 3.8 apg at Washington State, while Kanaan Carlyle was a freshman starter at Stanford, producing 11.5 ppg and 2.7 apg. Trey Galloway (10.6 ppg and 4.6 apg) is a two-year starter returning, while Luke Goode comes over from Illinois to give them shooting.

If former 5-star prospect Mackenzie Mgbako breaks out as a sophomore and top-30 freshman wing Bryson Tucker gives them a scoring boost. This could be the team to beat in the Big Ten but shooting concerns do remain among the projected rotation pieces. If that’s not worked out then there will be issues.