Indiana college basketball preview of NCAA Division I teams – IndyStar

Welcome to the 2023-24 Indiana college basketball season! This is the debut of State of Hoops, which will track all 11 Division I teams from tipoff to final elimination.
We will have weekly rankings and updates from all the programs, including items you may have missed. Here’s what we know heading into this week’s openers:
∎ Five Indiana programs had winning records last season (Ball State, Purdue Fort Wayne, Indiana, Indiana State, Purdue. IU and Purdue played in the NCAA tournament, and ISU in the College Basketball Invitational.
∎ Two programs have new head coaches: Micah Shrewsberry at Notre Dame and Roger Powell Jr. at Valparaiso.
∎ Scholarship newcomers make up more than half the roster at eight programs. Purdue, Indiana and IUPUI have the most continuity from last season.
∎ Notre Dame, Southern Indiana and Valparaiso have no returning players who averaged at least 5.0 points per game last season.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown of this season’s roster. Averages are from the 2022-23 season.
Cardinals second-year coach Michael Lewis faces a rebuilding effort after his three leading scorers from last season transfer to more prominent programs. BSU went 20-12 last season.
KenPom preseason ranking: 228th, 6th in 12-team Mid-American Conference
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Newcomers (10): Jalin Anderson (6-4 senior; 9.8 ppg at at Loyola Marymount last season); Ethan Brittain-Watts (6-2 fifth year; 8.6 ppg at Boston University); Micah Bell (6-3; appeared in one BSU game last season); Davion Bailey (6-4 junior; 14.7 ppg at Southeastern Community College); Jurica Zagorsak (6-6 freshman); Trent Middleton Jr. (6-3 freshman); Quincy Adams (6-5 redshirt freshman); Joey Brown (6-5 freshman from North Central High School); Mason Jones (6-7 freshman from Valparaiso High School); Zane Doughty (6-9 freshman from Ben Davis High School).
Returners (4): Mickey Pearson Jr. (6-7 junior; 7.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg); Basheer Jihad (6-9 junior; 7.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg); Jack Futa (6-5 sophomore; appeared in 5 games); Ben Hendriks (6-10 junior; appeared in 13 games).
Key departures: The Cardinals lost their four leading scorers from last season — Jarron Coleman (to Nebraska), Jaylin Sellers (UCF), Payton Sparks (Indiana) and Demarius Jacobs (graduation).
The Bulldogs have almost completely turned over the roster after a 14-18 season. Coach Thad Matta is in his second year of his second stint on the Butler sideline.
KenPom ranking: 96th, 9th in 11-team Big East
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Newcomers (9): Augusto Cassia (6-8 freshman from Brazil); Artemios Gavalas (6-0, appeared in 4 games at St. John’s); Ethan McComb (6-1 freshman from Center Grove); D.J. Davis (6-1 senior; 15 ppg, 40.2% 3FG at UC-Irvine); Posh Alexander (6-0 senior; 10.2 ppg, 4.2 apg at St. John’s); Jahmyl Telfort (6-7 senior; 16.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg at Northeastern); Finley Bizjack (6-4 freshman); Landon Moore (6-3 sophomore; 13.1 ppg, 3.6 apg at St. Francis, Pa.); Pierre Brooks (6-6 Jr.; 3.6 ppg at Michigan State); Andre Screen (7-1 senior; 11.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg at Bucknell); Boden Kapke (6-11 freshman).
Returners (3): Jalen Thomas (6-10 fifth-year player, 7.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg); Connor Turnbull (6-10 sophomore, 2.0 ppg); John-Michael Mulloy (6-10 senior, redshirted).
Key departures: Jayden Taylor (North Carolina State), Simas Lukosius (Cincinnati), Manny Bates (graduation), Chuck Harris (SMU), Eric Hunter Jr. (graduation), the Bulldogs top scorers from last season.
Coach David Ragland continues the rebuild in his second season with the Purple Aces, who finished 5-27 last season.
KenPom ranking: 332nd, 12th in 12-team Missouri Valley Conference
Newcomers (10): Tanner Cuff (6-7 junior, via Salt Lake Community College); Antonio Holmes (6-2 fifth year from Kentucky Wesleyan); Cam Haffner (6-2 sophomore; 7.5 ppg, 42.7% 3FG at Eastern Illinois); Braylon Jackson (6-5 freshman); Joshua Hughes (6-10 freshman); Tyler Myers (5-10 freshman); Ben Humrichous (6-9 senior, via Huntington); Gui Tesch (6-9 freshman); Dakota Candler (6-5 freshman); Michael Day (6-11 freshman); Weston Aigner (6-3 freshman).
Returners (5): Gage Bobe (6-0 fifth year; 5.6 ppg, 39.3% 3FG); Yacine Toumi (6-10 senior, 10.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg); Kenny Strawbridge (fifth year, 14.4 ppg); Sekou Kalle (6-10 junior, 3.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg); Cameron Gehlhausen (6-5 sophomore, appeared in 2 games).
Key departures: Marvin Coleman (graduation); Antoine Smith (graduation).
Jon Coffman enters his 10th season as coach with a lot of turnover from a 17-15 team.
KenPom ranking: 298th, 8th in 11-team Horizon League
Newcomers (10): Rasheed Bello (6-0 junior from Div. III Wisconsin-Parkside, 17.9 ppg); Jalen Jackson (6-2 sophomore, 7.1 ppg at Illinois-Chicago); Destin Whitaker (6-5 senior, 2.2 ppg at Fresno State); Chris Morgan (6-2 freshman); Corey Hadnot II (6-3 freshman); Maximus Neslon (6-8 sophomore, 4.6 ppg at Valparaiso); Jermaine Coleman (6-7 freshman from Park Tudor School); Deangelo Elisee (6-9 junior via Triton College); Khoi Thurmon (6-1 freshman); Keyon Miller (6-2 freshman from Southport).
Returners (5): Anthony Roberts (6-4 fifth year, 7.3 ppg); Quinton Morton-Robertson (5-8 fifth year, 6.7 ppg, 38.2% 3FG); Eric Mulder (6-8 sophomore, 2.8 ppg); Johnathan DeJurnett (6-8 senior, 2.1 ppg); Keaton Dukes (6-3 sophomore).
Key departures: Jarred Godfrey (graduation); Bobby Planutis (graduation); Damian Chong Qui (graduation); Deonte Billups (graduation).
Coach Mike Woodson, entering his third season, is swinging big in recruiting and the transfer portal while keeping key players from last season. The Hoosiers were 23-12 last season, winning one NCAA tournament game.
KenPom ranking: 49th, 9th in 14-team Big Ten
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Newcomers (6): Kel’el Ware (7-0 sophomore, 6.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.3 blocks at Oregon); Gabe Cupps (6-2 freshman); Anthony Walker (6-8 fifth year, 2.8 ppg at Miami); Jakai Newton (6-3 freshman); Mackenzie Mgbako (6-8 freshman); Payton Sparks (6-10 junior, 13.3 ppg, 8.7 rpg at Ball State).
Returners (6): Xavier Johnson (6-3 fifth year, 9.9 ppg, 5.1 apg); Anthony Leal (6-5 senior, appeared in 11 games); Malik Reneau (6-9 sophomore, 6.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg); Kaleb Banks (6-8 sophomore, 2.0 ppg); C.J. Gunn (6-6 sophomore, 2.0 ppg); Trey Galloway (6-5 senior, 6.7 ppg, 46.2% 3FG).
Key losses: Trayce Jackson-Davis (graduation, NBA); Race Thompson (graduation); Jalen Hood-Schifino (NBA); Miller Kopp (graduation).
Coach Josh Schertz hopes to build on last season’s 23-13 record that included a College Basketball Invitational appearance, but the Sycamores’ top three scorers from last season are gone.
KenPom ranking: 111th, 3rd in 12-team Missouri Valley Conference
Newcomers (9): Isaiah Swope (5-10 junior; 15.6 ppg, 3.5 apg at Southern Indiana); Ryan Conwell (6-4 sophomore; 5.1 ppg at South Florida); Augustinas Kiudulas (6-8 freshman); Eli Shetlar (6-6 freshman); Aaron Gray (6-7 junior; 12.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg at Niagara); Cooper Bean (6-4 freshman); Jaden Daughtry (6-7 freshman); Jake Wolfe (6-5 fifth year; 9.1 ppg, 36.2% 3FG at Morehead State); Derek Vorst (6-10 freshman).
Returners (5): Julian Larry (6-3 junior; 7.0 ppg, 46.4% 3FG); Robbie Avila (6-10 sophomore; 10.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg); Xavier Bledson (6-6 fifth year; 6.4 ppg, 36.2% 3FG); Jayson Kent (6-8 junior; 5.1 ppg); Masen Miller (6-2 junior; 1.4 ppg).
Key departures: Courvoisier McCauley (graduation); Cooper Neese (graduation); Cameron Henry (graduation).
Coach Matt Crenshaw enters his third season with a relatively stable roster as the Jaguars try to improve from 5-27.
KenPom ranking: 320th, 10th in 11-team Horizon League
Newcomers (4): Qwanzi Samuels (6-9 graduate student, 1.6 ppg at George Washington); Abdou Samb (6-8 sophomore, 3.6 ppg, 2.7 rpg at Rhode Island); Braden Allen (6-3 freshman); Yves Nkomba (6-11 senior, appeared in nine games at Kennesaw State).
Returners (10): Vincent Brady (6-4 sophomore from Cathedral High School, 10.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg); Jlynn Counter (6-3 junior, 14.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3.3 apg); Cooper Dewitt (6-6 senior, 1.2 ppg); John Egbuta (6-6 senior, 6.2 ppg, 40% 3FG, 3.2 rpg); Daylan Hamilton (6-3 senior, 4.8 ppg); D.J. Jackson (6-4 sophomore, 9.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg); Amhad Jarrard (6-4 sophomore from Mt. Vernon High School, 4.5 ppg); Armon Jarrard (6-3 sophomore from Mt. Vernon High School, 5.3 ppg); Bryce Monroe (5-11 senior, appeared in four games); Derek Peterson (6-2 senior from Greenwood Christian High School, appeared in 15 games).
First-year coach Micah Shrewsberry has reshaped the roster as the Irish try to improve on last season’s 11-21 record.
KenPom ranking: 165th, 13th in 15-team Atlantic Coast Conference
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Newcomers (7): Carey Booth (6-10 freshman); Julian Roper II (6-4 junior; 4.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg at Northwestern); Logan Imes (6-4 freshman from Zionsville High School); Markus Burton (5-11 freshman was 2023 Indiana Mr. Basketball at Penn High School); Braeden Shrewsberry (6-3 freshman); Tae Davis (6-9 sophomore from Warren Central High School; 2.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg at Seton Hall); Kebba Njie (6-10 sophomore; 3.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg at Penn State).
Returners (4): Alex Wade (6-0 junior, appeared in five games); Tony Sanders (6-7 senior, appeared in five games); J.R. Konieczny (6-7 junior); Matt Zona (6-9 senior, 1.7 ppg).
Key departures: Nate Laszewski (graduation); Cormac Ryan (graduation); Dane Goodwin (graduation); J.J. Starling (Syracuse).
The Boilermakers have been great in recent regular seasons (earning a No. 1 NCAA tournament seed in 2023), but they have struggled in the tournament (lost to No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson). That will hover over coach Matt Painter’s squad all season.
KenPom ranking: 1st in nation
Newcomers (5): Myles Colvin (6-5 freshman from Heritage Christian); Josh Furst (6-6 freshman); Camden Heide (6-7 redshirt freshman); William Berg (7-2 redshirt freshman); Lance Jones (6-1 fifth-year; 13.8 ppg at Southern Illinois).
Returners (8): Zach Edey (7-4 senior; 22.3 ppg, 12.9 rpg, 2.2 blocks); Fletcher Loyer (6-4 sophomore; 11.0 ppg, 32.6% 3FG); Braden Smith (6-0 sophomore; 9.7 ppg, 4.4 apg, 4.2 rpg); Mason Gillis (6-6 senior; 6.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg); Caleb Furst (6-10 junior; 5.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg); Trey Kaufman-Renn (6-9 sophomore; 4.5 ppg); Ethan Morton (6-7 senior; 3.8 ppg); Brian Waddell (6-8 sophomore, appeared in 17 games).
Key departures: David Jenkins Jr. (graduation); Brandon Newman (Western Kentucky).
Stan Gouard’s Screaming Eagles went 16-17 in their first season in Division I, but must deal with the departure of their top six scorers.
KenPom ranking: 336th, 9th in 11-team Ohio Valley Conference
Newcomers (8): Ryan Hall (6-5 redshirt sophomore after playing at Iowa Lakes Community College); Javius Moore (6-6 junior; 14.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg at Southwest Mississippi CC); Xavier McCord (6-5 junior; 17.3 ppg, 7.1 rpg at Laramie CC); Jordan Tillmon (6-2 junior; 10.6 ppg at Florida A&M); Nolan Causwell (6-11 senior; 3.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg at Tennessee Tech); Luther Smith Jr. (6-1 freshman); Johnny Semany (6-0 sophomore; via Lawrence University); Yarin Hasson (6-10 sophomore; appeared in 11 games for Connecticut).
Returners (7): Jack Campion (5-11 sophomore; 2.5 ppg); Sam Mervis (5-11 junior; appeared in 12 games); A.J. Smith (6-6 sophomore; appeared in 18 games); Jeremiah Hernandez (6-4 junior; 4.9 points, 41.2% 3FG); Jack Mielke (6-7 junior, 2.4 ppg); Nick Hittle (6-10 junior; appeared in 10 games); Kiyron Powell (6-8 sophomore; 1.5 ppg).
Key departures: Isaiah Swope (Indiana State); Jelani Simmons (pro); Trevor Lakes (pro); Jacob Polakovich (pro).
Roger Powell Jr. takes over a Beacons squad that went 11-21 last season. He comes from the Gonzaga bench, and he previously was a Valpo assistant.
KenPom ranking: 324th, 11th in 12-team Missouri Valley Conference
Newcomers (10): Jaxon Edwards (6-5 sophomore from Cathedral High School; appeared in 11 games at Murray State); Sherman Weatherspoon IV (6-2 freshman); Ola Ajiboye (6-7 sophomore; 3.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg at Central Michigan); Jahari Williamson (6-1 freshman); Lucas Scroggins (6-9 freshman); Cooper Schwieger (6-9 freshman); Isaiah Stafford (6-2 junior from Crispus Attucks High School; 12.5 ppg at Logan Junior College); Kaspar Sepp (6-7 freshman); Lual Manyang (6-10 redshirt freshman); Luke Carroll (6-4 sophomore from Hamilton Heights High School; played for Lake Land CC).
Returners (3): Jerome Palm (6-10 senior; 1.9 ppg, 4.0 rpg); Connor Barrett (6-6 senior; 4.1 ppg, 35.4% 3FG); Darius DeAveiro (6-0 junior; 1.8 ppg).
Key departures: Ben Krikke (Iowa); Kobe King (graduation); Quinton Green (graduation).

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