2024 FTN NFL Power Rankings Through Week 15: Who Takes Over the Top Spot?
Daniel Kelley
Check out our entire college basketball season preview!
The college basketball season is less than three weeks away, and here at FTN Fantasy we have you covered for what promises to be another thrilling year of upsets and incredible finishes. I will be taking you around the country with a betting preview of the major conferences. I recap the betting trends from last season, list projected starters, preview the season, identify a key player, and reveal how I’m backing or fading each team.
Let’s continue with the largest conference in college basketball, the Big Ten. This conference underwent massive changes, adding four new teams from the Pac-12 in Washington, USC, Oregon and UCLA. The expansion has not diluted the competitive level of the Big Ten, ranking third (same as last year) in KenPom preseason rankings.
Let’s start with our betting preview for the Indiana Hoosiers. I give a huge shout-out to our newest contributor, Gus Kearns, for his extensive research on the Big Ten.
2024-2025 College Basketball Season Preview: Indiana Hoosiers
Conference: Big 10
Head Coach: Mike Woodson (4th season)
2023-2024 Record: 19-14 (10-10)
ATS: 15-16-2
O/U: 18-15
Projected Starters: G Myles Rice; G Trey Galloway; F Mackenzie Mgbako; F Malik Reneau; C Oumar Ballo
Find someone who loves you like Mike Woodson loves his frontline. I had serious doubts on Woodson’s big man-heavy roster construction last year, fading their preseason media poll ranking of second overall. The Hoosiers had their moments last season, just not enough successful moments. A roster with an NBA draft pick (Kel’el Ware) and highly valued recruits did not uncover that “big win” inside a schedule loaded with opportunities in and out of the conference (UConn, Auburn, Kansas). As an encore, the Hoosiers again obtained top-tier transfer talent with returning talent on the wing. Myles Rice (Washington State) will run the offense, Oumar Ballo (Arizona) will occupy the paint, and Luke Goode (Illinois) will stretch the floor this season for the Hoosiers. The Hoosiers are loaded at the wing position with a future NBA player in 6-foot-9 Mackenzie Mgbako, 5-star freshman Bryson Tucker and fifth-year guard Trey Galloway, who missed the end of the season (meniscus), when Indiana was desperately searching for that marquee victory.
Forward Malik Reneau was Indiana’s best player within contests against ranked opponents (18 points vs. Connecticut; 21 points and 8 rebounds vs. No. 11 Illinois). Reneau embraces the urgency at Indiana surrounding the postseason.
Key Player: Myles Rice
Woodson can import all the big men he wants, but college basketball is a guard’s game. Indiana ranked just 255th in 3P accuracy (32.4%), including 11th in conference play (33.4%). Rice is not a 3P shooter (27.5%) but will need to set up easy baskets for Ballo, Mgbako and Reneau. He will also need to set up the stationary Galloway, who saw a massive decrease in his 3P accuracy (26%). If Rice plays well and improves his shooting, this team can reach the potential Woodson has stated. If he is just average, this could be Woodson’s last season in Bloomington.
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