Three things to watch for at Indiana men’s basketball showcase in Tennessee

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – There’s no secret nonsense when it comes to the Indiana men’s basketball team. Hoosiers fans will be able to watch the Hoosiers’ new look unfold before their eyes.

Nine days after Indiana fans got a look at the preseason No. 17 Hoosiers at Hoosier Hysteria in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, Indiana will give everyone a bigger look as they take on preseason No. 12 Tennessee to 3 p.m. ET on Sunday in Thompson. -Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The NCAA allows public scrimmages between Division I schools as long as proceeds from the game go to charity. In this case, the proceeds go to John McLendon Foundation.

Indiana will have another exhibition against Pat Knight-coached Marian on Nov. 1 at Assembly Hall. The Hoosiers open their regular season against SIU-Edwardsville on Nov. 6.

The Tennessee game will air on SEC Network+. It can be accessed via SECnetwork.com, WatchESPN.com, WatchESPN app or ESPN-plus with the TV provider’s username and password. Subscription costs $10.99 per month or $109.99 per year.

It’s an exhibition, so winning or losing isn’t entirely the point, but Indiana coach Mike Woodson wants his Hoosiers to show progress and come out strong.

“You want to win. I don’t think any player or coach comes into a game without wanting to win, but it’s a game that gives me the opportunity to evaluate what we’ve done in the summer and so far. You want to see those things come to light “Woodson said Friday.

“I’m excited to see how we play offensively. I’m excited to see how we defend,” Woodson added.

Here are three things to keep in mind as the Hoosiers battle the Volunteers:

1. Can Indiana shoot better?

Indiana fans have spent much of the season waiting to see Indiana’s new offense, which many hope will feature a revamped perimeter shooting attack.

The addition of Luke Goode, Kanaan Carlyle and Myles Rice is expected to give Indiana renewed prowess from beyond the arc. Hopes are also high for Mackenzie Mgbako to build on her late-season improvement from long range and for Trey Galloway to return to something close to his 46% 3-point shooting starting in 2023 after dropping to 26% in 2024.

Hoosier Hysteria did not turn out to be the showcase filming that some expected it to be. Overall, Indiana was 5 of 18 from 3-point range. Goode hit a pair of 3-pointers early from scrimmage, and Mgbako and Rice formed a trio on the final six scrimmage possessions, including a buzzer-beater by Mgbako.

Between those two moments, Indiana’s shooters combined to miss eight 3-pointers in a row.

Of course, it was just a fight, so there’s no reason to panic. However, a segment of Indiana fans are never far from the panic stage, so it would be good for the peace of mind of everyone involved if Indiana could shoot better in a game that will be much more competitive.

2. Let’s take a closer look at the newbies

The cup of coffee that Hoosier Hysteria gave us was delicious, but we all want to see more.

We saw that Goode is fearless when it comes to shooting from distance. Let’s see what he does with more intense defensive attention.

We saw that freshman Bryson Tucker has a pretty droopy jumper, but what else can he show that will get fans excited?

We saw that Carlyle is athletic and can use his speed to get free to make shots. He was also 0-for-3 from 3-point range. Is it striped or was Hoosier Hysteria just a bad night?

Rice stood his ground and became more aggressive as he looked for his own shot toward the end of the line of scrimmage. He was a scoring guard for Washington State. How much will he need to take on that role with the Hoosiers?

Finally, post player Langdon Hatton had a long look as Oumar Ballo’s opponent at the line of scrimmage. While Ballo wasn’t exactly attacking at full force, Hatton was tenacious. He scored 6 points, all thanks to opportunities born from staying in this place under the basket. Can Indiana expect more of the same from Hatton?

“We were looking at all kinds of greats and he wanted to be here. When players want to be here when you recruit them, that says a lot. We like some of the things he did on both sides of the ball,” Woodson said of what he found. I liked Hatton.

3. What will the rotation be like?

One thing Hoosier Hysteria didn’t reveal is what kind of rotation Mike Woodson might employ once the real thing starts for the Hoosiers in November.

The eternal caveat is that exhibition games are just that: coaches like to play and test groups of personnel. That is precisely the objective of an exhibition. Still, it’s better than nothing and offers a possible window into what Indiana’s coaching staff is thinking going forward.

One area that is of interest is how Woodson will utilize his big men. How long will Ballo and Malik Reneau be on the court together? How much will Hatton play?

The defense has a host of options, but how will they be implemented? How many small lineups will be seen on the court? Will Indiana put four guards on the court at the same time?

Will players who didn’t play on Hoosier Hysteria (Trey Galloway and Jakai Newton) join the rotation? You’d think discretion would be the better part of courage and they’d sit down, but it could also be an opportunity for either of them to come back for good.

Woodson said they both played between 15 and 18 minutes each in practice Wednesday, but he also said they have not fully recovered. Woodson was noncommittal about whether either of them would play Sunday.

It will be fascinating to see what the Hoosiers prepare for the Volunteers on Sunday.