Answering Fans' Questions About Upcoming Indiana Basketball Season
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Indiana basketball season is right around the corner, with an exhibition game at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday against Indianapolis.
Before the Hoosiers take the court, we answered a handful of fan-submitted questions about various players, coach Mike Woodson, roster construction and more.
Q: "How many games will [Mackenzie] Mgbako play?" Joel Beasley asked.
A: Mike Woodson announced Friday that Mgbako will play in Sunday's exhibition game, saying, "All that's behind us. We've got to move forward." With that said, I'm expecting Mgbako to consistently be featured in the starting lineup, play upward of 25 minutes per game and finish among Indiana's top scorers because of his three-level scoring ability at 6-foot-8.
Q: "Who is likely to be the leading scorer this season, or will scoring be spread around to everyone? Will X be 100% back to form?" George McLaren asked.
A: Xavier Johnson is probably the safest answer for Indiana's leading scorer, but I'm expecting a much more even scoring distribution this season compared to the last few years with Trayce Jackson-Davis. As for Johnson's health, he's said repeatedly in the last few months that he's 100%. It'll be interesting to see if he still has the same speed after breaking his foot last season, as well as how he handles potentially needing to score more than he did in the past.
If Indiana runs a starting lineup of Johnson, Trey Galloway, Mackenzie Mgbako, Malik Reneau and Kel'el Ware, there's a chance each could lead the team in scoring on any given night. And with a largely unproven bench, the starting five each averaging double-digit points, or very close to it, wouldn't be surprising.
Q: "[Jakai] Newton and his likelihood to play this season," Westin Leach asked.
A: It was somewhat surprising to see Newton without crutches or a knee brace at Hoosier Hysteria. He didn't participate in any of the events, but seeing him walk on his own seemed like an improvement from the bulky knee brace and crutches he needed on Sept. 20 at Indiana basketball's media day. He remains out indefinitely, and Indiana won't rush him back.
To read our story with quotes from Newton in September, CLICK HERE.
Q: "Trayce [Jackson-Davis] and Race [Thompson] were a big part of last year's offense where we would feed the post almost every possession. With them missing, are we going to see a different style of offense?" Brady Huffer asked.
A: Mike Woodson has been cautious in his answers about Indiana's offensive style of play, mostly because I think he's waiting for real games to truly know how all the new pieces will fit together. We can still expect heavy pick-and-roll actions with Indiana, like last year, but probably less emphasis on post-ups now that Jackson-Davis and Thompson are gone. Reneau showed a nice post-up game last year and the 7-foot Ware will get his touches inside, so it'll still a part of the offense, but definitely less frequent. Reneau and Ware seem to have more well-rounded perimeter games than Thompson did, as well as Jackson-Davis did during first three seasons before Woodson trusted him to handle the ball more as a senior. Indiana was last in the Big Ten in 3-point attempts last year, and I expect that to change, as more players are capable of stretching the floor this year. Indiana also has the potential to push the pace more, with quick guards like Johnson and Galloway.
Q: "Will Woodson play Kel'el Ware and Payton Sparks together as twin towers, or will he use one with the first team and the other on the second team?" Joe Thomas asked.
A: All signs point to Ware starting and Sparks coming off the bench. Ware's versatility makes it possible to see these two on the court together for brief stretches, but I don't expect this to be a frequent duo used by Indiana, as both lean more toward the traditional definition of a center than a power forward. Sparks' offensive game almost entirely relies on posting up and being physical on the glass, but Ware can step out and knock down an outside shot. As a whole, having Ware, Sparks, Reneau and Anthony Walker gives Woodson plenty of options and flexibility in the front court.
Q: "What is the word on [Kaleb] Banks' groin injury?" Mark Voyles asked.
A: Woodson provided an update on Banks Friday. While it sounds like Indiana is holding him out as a precaution, it is a bit concerning that it has continued to linger.
"Banks could play if I wanted to play him," Woodson said. "But this groin thing, I've dealt with players that had groin pulls, and those and calf pulls, things like that is nagging, and if you don't watch it closely and rehab right, it could be a problem all season. I'm going to need Kaleb Banks, so we might not play him on Sunday for sure."
Q: "I would like to know how much Jakai Newton, Mackenzie Mgbako, and Gabe Cupps will play and what we should expect when they come on the court," Dallas Lamping asked.
A: As I answered earlier, Mgbako will play a major role on this year's team. At 6-foot-8, he can score from any spot on the court, and he's the type of scoring wing Indiana hasn't had in a number of years. He's tall, long and strong enough to score inside, but he also has an impressive 3-point shot for someone his size.
Newton's freshman year is up in the air at this point, as he remains out indefinitely with a knee injury. When healthy, he's an explosive athlete who is really fun to watch. He has a lightning-quick first step, athleticism at the rim and loves to compete on defense.
Cupps figures to be the backup point guard to Johnson, which could mean about 10-to-15 minutes per game, depending on how well he plays. Woodson has had nothing but great things to say about Cupps this offseason, highlighting his high basketball IQ, especially. Cupps made 19-of-25 3-pointers at Hoosier Hysteria, and he'll earn more and more minutes if he can knock down outside shots. He was a stingy defender in high school as a state champion and Ohio Mr. Basketball, but that's perhaps the biggest challenge as he transitions to college.
"He's been solid," Woodson said of Cupps. "I didn't mention him earlier, but he's been really one of the bright spots, too. He seems to do everything that we've asked him to do. I can't help but think in time he's going to continue to get better and grow once he figures out the college game. But he's done a lot of good things on the floor for us in terms of winning, winning basketball plays. That's what I like to call it, because he does a lot of good things to help you win games."
To read about Cupps' offseason, with quotes from himself, Woodson and Johnson CLICK HERE.
Related stories on Indiana basketball
- MGBAKO PLAYING SUNDAY: Indiana coach Mike Woodson said freshman Mackenzie Mgbako will play in Sunday's exhibition game against the University of Indianapolis. CLICK HERE
- INDIANA INJURY UPDATES: Heading into Sunday's exhibition game against the University of Indianapolis, Indiana coach Mike Woodson addressed the health of Jakai Newton, Kaleb Banks, Kel'el Ware and Anthony Walker. CLICK HERE
- HOOSIER HYSTERIA STANDOUT MOMENTS: Indiana basketball season is right around the corner, as Hoosier Hysteria took place Friday night at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Here are four standout moments, including impressive 3-point shooting performances from Gabe Cupps and Yarden Garzon, a three-quarter-court heave from Anthony Leal, and a potentially promising sign from Jakai Newton's injury recovery. CLICK HERE
- BOOGIE FLAND PICKS KENTUCKY: Indiana coach Mike Woodson missed out on one of his last remaining recruiting targets in the class of 2024 on Friday, when five-star guard Boogie Fland committed to Kentucky. Though Indiana has few recruiting options left, Woodson has roster flexibility with the transfer portal. CLICK HERE
- INDIANA LANDS LIAM MCNEELEY: With small forward Liam McNeeley picking Indiana over Kansas on Sunday, coach Mike Woodson has now landed five-star recruits in three consecutive classes: McNeeley, Mackenzie Mgbako and Jalen Hood-Schifino. CLICK HERE
