As the NCAA Tournament comes to a close, GMS likes to review some of the power conference or power program teams that made it to the Big Dance and ask whether or not they’ve got a shot to return to the show next season. We continue on with teams eliminated in the Sweet 16.
Recruit and Reload: Indiana Hoosiers
Key Losses: Yogi Ferrell, Troy Williams, Max Biefeldt
Key Returners: James Blackmon Jr., Thomas Bryant
Key Newcomers: Curtis Jones, De’Ron Davis
Breakdown: Bringing back Blackmon Jr. and Bryant is monumental for Tom Crean, whose team could never quite capitalize on how good they were, despite winning the Big 10 regular season outright. Still, getting back to the Sweet 16 and dominating the conference bought Crean a bit of time, at least until this next season.
Blackmon Jr. has a chance to lead the conference in scoring next season, while Bryant and Davis have a chance to be one of the toughest, most physical frontcourts in the country–good thing, with Purdue in the conference and just up-state. The key, of course, will be point guard play and whether or not Crean can find someone capable of being a calming influence on the court, while distributing to IU’s playmakers.
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