Indiana Climbs College Basketball Preseason Top-25 Rankings

After several roster additions and subtractions, Indiana coach Mike Woodson's 2024-25 roster is widely considered a top-25 team and a Big Ten contender in various preseason rankings.

Indiana Hoosiers guard Trey Galloway (32) high-fives Mackenzie Mgbako (21). / Bobby Goddin/Herald-Times / USA TODAY

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Coach Mike Woodson has rebuilt Indiana's roster over the last few months. He replaced six outgoing players with five transfers and one incoming freshman, along with returning a core group of talent.

Despite missing the 2024 NCAA Tournament, this roster overhaul had led to widespread optimism around the Hoosiers on a national scale. While the 2024-25 season is still more than five months away and Indiana has one scholarship available – if Woodson chooses to fill it – Indiana is a consensus top-25 team as it currently stands.

Here's where the Hoosiers rank, based on national media projections.

No. 15 overall, No. 2 in Big Ten – FOX Sports

"Indiana is the biggest transfer portal winner in the country, with Oumar Ballo coming from Arizona, a bucket-getter in Myles Rice, who powered Washington State out of the darkness and to the NCAA Tournament this past season, and a couple of additional guards in Kanaan Carlyle and Luke Goode. Mike Woodson has made some big splashes," John Fanta of FOX Sports wrote.

No. 16 overall, No. 2 in Big Ten – ESPN

"The winners of the first wave of portal season," ESPN's Jeff Borzello wrote. "The Hoosiers landed Arizona transfer Oumar Ballo, the top-ranked player in the portal, as well as top-15 guard transfersMyles Rice (Washington State) and Kanaan Carlyle (Stanford). Three starters also return: Malik Reneau, Mackenzie Mgbako and Trey Galloway. They added Illinois transfer Luke Goode to address their shooting woes, although another perimeter sniper with size could help."

No. 17 overall, No. 3 in Big Ten – CBS Sports

"This ranking is based on Mike Woodson's Hoosiers returning three of the top four scorers -- specifically Malik Reneau, Mackenzie Mgbako and Trey Galloway -- from a team that finished tied for sixth in the Big Ten," Gary Parrish of CBS Sports wrote. "The additions of Myles Rice (Washington State), Oumar Ballo (Arizona), Kanaan Carlyle (Stanford) and Luke Goode (Illinois) from the transfer portal means Indiana is adding four experienced pieces, three of whom just spent a season starting in the Pac-12."

Indiana also came in a No. 21 overall and No. 3 among Big Ten teams in On3's rankings. 247 Sports tabbed the Hoosiers No. 3 in their Big Ten power rankings, behind No. 1 UCLA and No. 2 Purdue.

"Indiana may very well have the most resources of any team in the Big Ten," Isaac Trotter of 247 Sports wrote. "It flexed its muscles in the transfer portal, reeling in Myles Rice, Kanaan Carlyle and Oumar Ballo, to transform the makeup of this roster. It also shored up two of its biggest weaknesses. Indiana was a poor rebounding team last year. Ballo will help change that. Indiana's guards were terrible in pick-and-rolls last year. Rice and Carlyle will help change that."

"The talent is clear, but the fit of Reneau and Ballo together could be a bit clunky unless  opts to ditch the two-big lineup, at times. He has the roster flexibility to do it thanks to the addition of freshman sensation Bryson Tucker and  transfer sharpshooter . Will he pull the trigger during the moments when Ballo and Reneau are crowded on top of each other? If Woodson is open to acclimating to more pace and space, Indiana can be the Big Ten's best team."