Indiana men’s basketball: Projecting the potential starting lineup

Indiana men’s basketball: Projecting the potential starting lineup

Given the additions that Indiana men’s basketball has made so far, it’s probably fair to start thinking about what a starting lineup could look like next season.

There are still moves to be made when it comes to the bench but also a few pieces to feel good about there. The Hoosiers till need depth in the frontcourt and probably a guy they feel comfortable with as a catch-and-shoot type off the bench.

But Indiana’s starting lineup could already be on the roster. If so, it’d probably look something like this.

• PG Myles Rice
• SG Kanaan Carlyle
• SF Mackenzie Mgbako
• PF Malik Reneau
• C Oumar Ballo

The only returning starters in this lineup would be Mgbako and Reneau, with Galloway assuming a bench role and Cupps returning to a reserve spot.

Let’s break it down, starting with the backcourt.

The duo of Rice and Carlyle give Indiana a level of creation it hasn’t had in years. Both had assist rates of around 20% and each can create shots for themselves off the dribble. It solves an immediate issue since last year’s roster lacked proven creators necessitating Trey Galloway to do so out of position.

This opens up a world of possibilities in the plays Indiana can run with multiple reliable passers on the floor and one (Galloway) on the bench. Not to mention any potential contributions from Gabe Cupps.

Rice will run the point as he did at Washington State, not exactly an easy program to lead to an NCAA Tournament berth. He pushes the pace and gets to the rim in transition, exactly what Mike Woodson wants out of a lead guard.

Carlyle can handle the ball and is a reliable spot up shotmaker. He’ll hit catch and shoot 3s and offers an option late in the shot clock if a play breaks down. There’ll be some growing pains, but he has a high ceiling as a scorer.

Together these two immediately raise the ceiling of the Hoosiers’ offense all on their own. Both can score themselves while being able to get the ball to guys like Mgbako, Reneau and Ballo.

Mgbako returns to start at the wing and should be set for a faster start than last year, when he was still learning Woodson’s system on defense and took a few games to get going. This lineup also allows Galloway some minutes at the wing for three-guard looks if the situation calls for it.

Another offseason will be good for Mgbako, who spends a ton of time in the gym working on his craft. Look for him to improve his shooting numbers from last year while also creating for himself more on the perimeter with some aggression getting to the rim off the ball and attacking closeouts.

He’s bigger than most wings at 6’8” and can use that size to draw fouls at the rim and was Indiana’s most reliable free throw shooter last season from game one. Real shot at an All-Big Ten finish from him.

Reneau returns and will be Indiana’s starting power forward. Some may disagree and not like that move, preferring him at the five, but there’s a few reasons for this move.

For one, it’s for him and part of why he’s here. Reneau was a five in high school but lacks the size, length or leaping ability to reliably defend that spot at the college or upper levels of the game. Woodson has prioritized rim protection, adding Kel’el Ware last year and Ballo this year. Between the above concerns and foul trouble, Reneau at the five could cause some real issues on that end of the court.

Woodson stated on the radio last season that the staff has been teaching Reneau to play the four, adding some elements of a face-up game and giving him the green light to shoot from the perimeter. If Reneau is going to have a professional career, it’ll be as a four.

He doesn’t quite have the lateral movement to defend the arc on a consistent basis, but he could be in for another leap after an already huge one last year.

Then there’s Ballo, whose role is as simple as anyone in this lineup. Get boards and buckets in the paint and as a roller.

Ballo was a dominant rebounder at Arizona, using his size and length to attack the boards on both ends of the floor. He’ll be there to clean up a solid amount of 3s that hit the rim while looking for opportunities in the halfcourt or just posting up. He gets up and down the court well for his size and it’s obvious why Indiana wanted his skillset because after ballhandling and shooting that was the Hoosiers’ biggest need heading into the offseason.

The bench will be an entirely different matter. Obviously Galloway and Leal are back, but Cupps will be looking to take a jump as a sophomore while we haven’t even seen what Jakai Newton could be capable of at the college level. There’s also Bryson Tucker, who could head in at the two or three, much more likely the latter.

But that’s a blog for another day.