Inside the Hall roundtable: Predicting IU basketball’s 2024-25 season

With a revamped roster and hopes for a deep postseason run, expectations are high for Indiana basketball this season.

Mike Woodson gathered one of the top transfer classes in the nation, filling a once-depleted backcourt with depth and bolstering the frontcourt. Wednesday night, IU begins regular season play against SIU Edwardsville.

Inside the Hall writers Will Foley, Matt Press and Kevin Vera offer their preseason team superlatives and predictions for the season:

Team MVP

Will Foley: Oumar Ballo is unanimously the highest-ranked IU player in preseason player rankings, but I’ll say Myles Rice will be the team’s most valuable piece. The lightning-quick guard should lead a refreshing change of pace in Indiana’s backcourt. A reliable scorer with solid playmaking abilities, how well Rice performs could dictate IU’s season.

Matt Press: You can’t overlook how much Myles Rice transforms Indiana’s backcourt, but I’ll go with Oumar Ballo for my MVP. IU was a poor rebounding team last season and Ballo is a menace on the glass. He averaged a double-double with Arizona in 2023-24 (12.9 points and 10.1 rebounds) and is an intimidating shot blocker. The free throw shooting is a concern, but with a chance to expand his game under Mike Woodson, I foresee a dominant year in store for Ballo.

Kevin Vera: It’s hard to pick against Myles Rice for this superlative. Rice offers a lot of dimensions to this Indiana team in all the right ways. His instinct as a natural point guard will add layers to the IU offense and his leadership on and off the floor is undeniable. Rice is the exact type of player Indiana needed to get in the portal, and now, in his first season as a Hoosier, Rice should be the heartbeat for this year’s team.

Top newcomer

Foley: Since Rice is the obvious choice as my MVP pick, I’ll go the traditional route and say Bryson Tucker as the season progresses. The highly-touted freshman displayed his skills in the Hoosiers’ exhibition win over Marian with 19 points on 9-of-12 shooting. While adjusting to Big Ten-level physicality may take some time, I’d bank on him improving steadily throughout the year and inserting himself in an instrumental role.

Press: Ballo was my MVP pick, and Rice is probably equally as deserving, but I’ll switch things up and go with Kanaan Carlyle. Carlyle averaged 11.5 points per game as a freshman for Stanford last year and he has a chance to match that production this season. He’s athletic and confident, and while he wasn’t a highly efficient shooter in 2023-24, he won’t be relied upon quite as much to lead the offense at IU. Woodson raved about Carlyle’s scoring ability, and depending on his usage, I think Carlyle could star alongside Rice in the backcourt.

Vera: Mike Woodson brought in Ballo, which should excite many Hoosier fans. The Arizona transfer should find success in Woodson’s system. With the pieces around Ballo and his fierce presence around the rim, it is a recipe for success. He has the tools to put up one of his best seasons yet.

Biggest surprise

Foley: Indiana sweeps Purdue. Mike Woodson has won in West Lafayette before (thanks to Jalen Hood-Schifino’s best performance) and has a 3-3 record versus the Boilermakers through three seasons. Now facing maybe the weakest Purdue squad since Woodson arrived, it wouldn’t be too surprising if the Hoosiers gained bragging rights over their rivals.

Press: Jakai Newton becomes a major contributor. Much of that hinges on his health, as he’s consistently dealt with injury since arriving in Bloomington last year. Still, his talent is undeniable. Woodson dubbed Newton the best athlete on the team, and his stint of play in the exhibition against Marian backed that claim. Newton is fast, strong and crafty at the rim – barring any setbacks, I think he has some enticing scoring potential.

Vera: My prediction here stands again with the talent this team offers. There are several enticing pieces on this year’s squad, but I think Bryson Tucker will surprise many people with his mature style of play. The only freshman on this team, Tucker displayed great potential in Indiana’s exhibition against Marian and has been stirring conversations about how good he can be in his first season. I wouldn’t be surprised if Tucker starts a few games in the right situation and plays significant minutes for IU. He will become a solid piece in the IU rotation.

Toughest matchup

Foley: A lot of enticing choices, but I’ll settle with the matchup against Rutgers in Assembly Hall on Jan. 2. The Scarlet Knights’ star freshman tandem of Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey will be one of the most exciting duos to watch in not just the conference, but the country. Steve Pikiell has consistently performed well against the Hoosiers and every matchup between the teams is a battle.

Press: With a relatively weak nonconference slate, I’ll make a bland pick and go with IU’s game against Purdue on Jan. 31 in Mackey. Rutgers should be entertaining and I’m curious to see the Hoosiers against the new Big Ten additions, but Purdue should figure to remain in contention atop the conference. Even without Zach Edey, the Boilermakers boast a Big Ten player of the year candidate in Braden Smith and IU will be coming into the game hoping to avenge last year’s sweep.

Vera: Indiana and Illinois will be a very entertaining game to watch. Both rosters have a lot of new pieces and both teams are filled with talent. Brad Underwood is a coach with a knack for putting all his pieces together and Woodson should be able to do the same with his squad, giving us a fun head-to-head matchup in mid-January. Their lone matchup of the year has the potential to be an extremely fun battle in Assembly Hall.

Postseason predictions

Foley: I consider this a down year for the Big Ten, which leaves things wide open. The Hoosiers have the strongest roster on paper and I think this is the year it gets put together. I’ll say they just miss out on a regular season title but make a run in March and win the Big Ten tournament, earn a No. 3 seed and make the Elite Eight.

Press: Everything seems to break right for Indiana this season. The Big Ten isn’t quite as strong as it’s been in recent years, and Woodson certainly boasts the most talented team he’s coached at IU. A loaded transfer class and potential star freshman in Bryson Tucker should vault Indiana to a top three finish in the conference and I agree with Will about a Big Ten Tournament victory. While I won’t rule out a deeper NCAA tournament run, I think their journey ends in the Sweet Sixteen.

Vera: This is the year for Indiana to make a deep run in the tournament. It’s their most talented roster in quite some time and is talented enough to push them late in the season. They will be one of the top teams in the Big Ten and if they get everything clicking, this team could have strong momentum come March. I think Sweet Sixteen is where this team will land, but there’s a lot of promise for this year’s team that could give them greater results at the end of the season.

Category: Commentary

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