Indiana
Odds to win title: +3300
2014-15 Record: 20-14, 9-9 Big Ten
The Indiana Hoosiers are coming back strong with Yogi Ferrell, James Blackmon Jr and Troy Williams returning for another NCAA season after each flirted with making the leap to the NBA.
Tom Crean has a talented team that is +3300 to win the 2016 NCAA title according to college basketball oddsmakers at Bovada.
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Crean does not want this team to get too high on itself, though. Last year’s club was much hyped and rather mediocre on the court. “There’s something wrong if I don’t have great expectations for this team,” Crean told the Indianapolis Star, “We always should at Indiana. The history shows that.” That hope begins in the backcourt with Ferrell.
The Hoosiers have a three-guard rotation with he, Blackmon and returning starter Robert Johnson. Johnson averaged 8.9 points and 2.9 rebounds per game last year. Blackmon is coming off an offseason knee surgery. Nick Zeisloft will add some depth off the bench, and he averaged 6.6 points and 2.2 rebounds per game last year. His leadership is as valuable as his on-court contributions.
Ferrell is the key to the backcourt though and he looked like he might be a major player last year when he led one of the most efficient offenses in the NCAA. Last season he notched 16.3 points and 4.9 assists per game as a junior. He will be looking to impress NBA scouts this season.
Troy Williams’ return gives the Hoosiers a lot of strength up front. He showed a lot of improvement in his shooting stroke last season and averaged 13 points and seven rebounds per game. Thomas Bryant will be a big addition, as a five-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American. He’s a bruiser who will be big on the interior, and as he grows stronger, so too will Indiana.
Max Bielfeldt transfers in from Michigan and he will be immediately eligible to add further depth to the frontcourt. He averaged 5.1 points and 3.6 rebounds with the Wolverines.
Collin Hartman and freshman Juwan Morgan will fill out the bench, as the team parted ways with Hanner Mosquera-Perea, Devin Davis and Jeremiah April.
The Hoosiers returning of those key three prospects makes it a 2016 contender. The team should have no issues putting the ball in the bucket, but how good this team is defensively is what will possibly render it into a contender.
Crean believes he can pull this unit together, and Indiana basketball alone is something to play for. The Hoosiers will have two improve defensively to be taken seriously by Kentucky, Maryland and North Carolina, but it can certainly do so. Williams and Bryant are going to be a force inside, and Bryant has enough versatility to step out on the perimeter, adding another dimension to this team.
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