Indiana basketball vs. Morehead State: Three predictions for season opener

As Indiana basketball tips off the season against Morehead State in just a couple of hours, here are three predictions and a preview for the Hoosiers.

The Hoosiers play a real live basketball game that actually means something tonight. Two “preseason” games against NAIA programs were fun and all but didn’t mean anything in the long run.

Indiana will be taking on the Eagles at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall at 7:00 PM EST and though it might seem like this game will be easy, it’ll be harder than expected to knock off more rust.

IU has one of the best returning players in the nation, Trayce Jackson-Davis coming back for his final season, but also returns four of five starters from a year ago. Adding onto that, the Hoosiers had one of the best-recruiting classes in the nation, with Jalen Hood-Schifino and Malik Reneau headlining it.

Three predictions for Indiana basketball vs. Morehead State

#3. The Hoosiers bench totals 30+ points

In the second exhibition game where almost every scholarship player was healthy for Indiana, the bench produced 52 points. Now that’s expected in an exhibition game where starters don’t play more than 20-25 minutes. But this Indiana basketball team is very, very deep this season.

Malik Reneau (5-star freshman), Jordan Geronimo (sophomore), and Tamar Bates (sophomore) combined for 35 alone, which makes my case for this first prediction.

Reneau, Geronimo, Bates, and Trey Galloway will be the key players off the bench that will be playing significant minutes for Coach Woodson all season long. Expect Reneau and Bates to come out firing and trying to score the ball at will against a lackluster opponent like Morehead State in the opening night game.

I believe the Hoosiers bench will go for at least 30 points (if not 40+) in this season opener on Monday night.