Do not look now, but Hoosier Hysteria is a measly 3 weeks away. It feels as though the 2023-2024 campaign came to a close just yesterday, and yet here we are on the cusp of what is shaping up to be a major comeback season for Mike Woodson and his Indiana basketball team.
This is the deepest roster that IU has holstered in recent memory, and Woody has his work cut out when it comes to deciphering the proper 5-man permutations to play together throughout each phase of every respective contest. It goes without saying that the cream and crimson commander will need to analyze each opponent in terms of matchups, and that could lead to an abundance of lineup assortments seeing the floor together throughout the season.
Units could certainly fluctuate as time goes on, but establishing steady rotations and finding the right times to turn to his bench mob will be crucial for Woodson early in the season. Obviously, the team's chemistry at the tail end of the year strongly outweighs how well everyone gels at the onset. And just like the end of the season will be the most pivotal point in this chapter of Indiana University men's basketball, the end of each game stands out as the highest priority segment on the battlefield.
The starting lineup of every basketball team is typically labeled the team's most prominent grouping, but that description feels much better suited for the final 5 guys chosen to take the court at the climax of a close game.
So, who will be the ones on this particular team that the coaching staff lands on for it's quintessential closing lineup?
Let's assume that at least 1 of Oumar Ballo and Malik Reneau finds themselves on the list, being that both (and more specifically Ballo) serve as formidable forces in the frontcourt. You can also count on Andy Katz's #3 ranked NCAA sophomore Mackenzie Mgbako finding and keeping his place with the finishers. Do not be shocked when Mgbako morphs into the alpha for this squad, claiming the responsibilities that come with closer status. He should be the one with the ball in his hands when the Hoosiers need a bucket at the end of a barn burner.
Let's go ahead and slot the team's new bonafide floor general Myles Rice into the equation as well. Rice balances his high octane rim attacks with a smooth sense of poise that makes him one of college basketball's top PGs this season. Slotting him, a high level point guard, next to the high level wing/big combo of Mgbako and Ballo/Reneau translates to heavy weaponry from all fields of the floor.
From there, you have an abundance of options to choose from in rounding out the final pair of spots: Kanaan Carlyle, Trey Galloway, Luke Goode, Bryson Tucker, and Gabe Cupps. While guys like Jakai Newton and Anthony Leal should also have a chance to earn a spot, that much coming to fruition early on seems extremely unlikely.
Carlyle could contend for the team's top spot on the scoring charts, but common sense tells us that Woodson and his staff will have a much higher comfort level with Galloway on the court come crunch time given his seemingly everlasting tenure at IU. The team will need a point of attack defender to harass the opposition's top perimeter scoring threat, and prior to last season Gallo has always filled the role of a hard-nosed energizer bunny type option who can push the pace offensively and get in someone's face defensively.
Last but certainly not least, we view Luke Goode as the most logical option for the 5th spot. For starters, he is far and away the most accomplished marksman on this team. The gravity which his jumpshot creates would surely put opposing defenders in some tough situations when it comes to helping. And similar to Galloway, you would have to think that the coaching staff is going to have a higher helping of trust for a graduate senior who has played over 4 seasons of B1G Ten basketball.
What do you think? Who should Mike Woodson's go-to closing lineup consist of? Would the Rice-Galloway-Mgbako-Goode-Ballo/Reneau collection be the team's best in times of increased pressure?
Only time can reveal the answers to these questions, and we are ready to witness the outcomes unfold in the weeks to come.
Go Hoosiers!