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Indiana basketball: Ranking the top 15 team frontcourts for 2022-23

By Connor O’Keefe

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 27: Trayce Jackson-Davis #23 celebrates a play on court with Race Thompson #25 of the Indiana Hoosiers against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the first half of the game at Williams Arena on February 27, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Hoosiers defeated the Golden Gophers 84-79. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 27: Trayce Jackson-Davis #23 celebrates a play on court with Race Thompson #25 of the Indiana Hoosiers against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the first half of the game at Williams Arena on February 27, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Hoosiers defeated the Golden Gophers 84-79. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) /
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Indiana basketball
CINCINNATI, OHIO – JANUARY 15: Paul Scruggs #1 of the Xavier Musketeers takes a shot over Ryan Kalkbrenner #11 and Arthur Kaluma #24 of the Creighton Bluejays during a college basketball game at the Cintas Center on January 15, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

Ryan Kalkbrenner, 7’0″ 235lbs, Junior Center
2021-22 Stats: 13.1 pts/g, 7.7 reb/g, 2.6 blk/g, 29.0 PER

Arthur Kaluma, 6’7″ 220lbs, Sophomore Forward
2021-22 Stats: 10.4 pts/g, 5.4 reb/g, 0.6 stl/g, 12.8 PER

Talk about one of the most underrated frontcourts and basketball programs in the country as Coach McDermott is returning four starters from last season and adding one of the best shooters in the country in Baylor Scheierman. If Ryan Kalkbrenner and Ryan Nembhard don’t go down for the season, I truly believe the Bluejays could have made a run for the Final Four.

In his sophomore campaign, Kalkbrenner was the second-leading scorer (13.1 PPG) and recorded six double doubles. Creighton’s big man averaged the second-most blocks per game in the Big East last season and, according to College Basketball Sports Reference, Kalkbrenner had the fifth highest offensive rating (132.8) last season.

In Arthur Kaluma’s freshman season, he showed flashes of what he can do on the offensive side of things, as the Bluejays were 11-3 (.786) when Kaluma scored 10+ points in a game last season, versus being 8-9 (.471) when scoring less than 10 points last season. The sophomore forward also showed his freshman mindset and had the second-most turnovers (79) on the Bluejays team last season, while he only averaged 1.3 assists.

Comparing to the Indiana basketball frontcourt

Many Hoosier fans will probably disagree here, but Kalkbrenner has the advantage over TJD with his length, defensive ability, and offensive consistency. Although Creighton’s frontcourt has the advantage at the five-man, Race Thompson takes the cake when it comes to matching up with Kaluma from experience to reliability to overall talent, give me Thompson 100 times out of 100.

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