Don't expect another Sweet 16 appearance for IU basketball

Believe it or not, IU Coach Tom Crean has a distinct challenge awaiting him.

With the outset of the 2013-14 campaign slated Nov. 8 against Chicago State at Assembly Hall, the memories of the Hoosiers’ journey to last season’s Sweet 16 are but distant specks in the rearview mirror.

Not only is that collection of memories a thing of the past, so too are former Hoosiers Victor Oladipo and Cody Zeller, two cornerstones of IU’s storied
resurgence who were drafted No. 2 and No. 4 overall, respectively, in the 2013 NBA Draft.

Along with Remy Abell’s decision to transfer to Xavier, Crean was left with what should be considered a brand new team.

Sure, stalwarts Yogi Ferrell and Will Sheehey remain, but what’s left of this season’s nucleus is largely untested and unproven.

Of the 18 players listed on the official 2013-14 roster released by the University Wednesday afternoon, only four — Sheehey, Evan Gordon, Taylor Wayer and Jeff Howard — are upperclassmen in terms of athletic eligibility.

And among that quartet, only Sheehey and Gordon will be fixtures in the main rotation.
So, Hoosier fans will experience firsthand the live maturation and development of a young, inexperienced club.

Although there exist pockets of Crean doubters and detractors, I’m not among them.

In fact, I find it silly and naïve to bet against the 47-year-old head coach in his sixth season at the IU program’s helm.

You’ve heard and read it a million times, but Crean’s rebuild of a devastated Hoosier program can never be overlooked, nor should it.

Quite literally, Crean built his program from scratch — remember that 2008 team consisting of Tijan Jobe, Brett Finkelmeier and Kyle Taber, among others?

When he had finally acquired the amount and type of talent to finalize his winning formula, the results followed.

Crean’s past two Hoosier squads have combined for an overall record of 56-16 with two consecutive trips to the Sweet 16.

Although it’s certainly a stretch to expect a third consecutive Sweet 16 appearance, this season’s bunch, at the very least, should contend for a spot in the field of 68.

The key for these Hoosiers receiving an invitation to dance will come down to two components: How will the heralded group of freshmen mesh with the rest of the team? And how effectively will the team replace the 14.6 rebounds per game provided by former Hoosiers Christian Watford and Zeller?

The latter question might be the most pressing, as there isn’t much in the way of frontcourt depth.

Sophomore center Peter Jurkin is still very much an unfinished project, and sophomore forward Hanner Mosquera-Perea continues to be an enigmatic forward
loaded with potential.

That leaves two freshmen — Noah Vonleh and Luke Fischer — as, perhaps, the Hoosiers’ one-two punch in the paint.

That likely speaks to the alarming youth of this season’s team, which is tasked with running through the gauntlet that is the Big Ten Conference schedule.

Can the team come anywhere close to last season’s 7-2 conference road record? Probably not, but if it can achieve a .500 mark away from Assembly Hall beginning with a New Year’s Eve tilt at Illinois, a respectable conference record could be in store.

Another quandary facing the Hoosiers is reloading an offense that lost its four leading scorers from a season ago.

Zeller, Oladipo, Watford and Jordan Hulls combined to pour in 1,876 of IU’s 2,831 total points last season.

Sheehey is poised to become the Hoosiers’ leading scorer after finishing fifth on the team last seasonand averaging 9.5 points per game.

But it’s unclear who will come to Sheehey’s aid on offense.

Sophomore forward Jeremy Hollowell is a prime breakout candidate, after contributing just 93 points as a freshman last season. His 23.9 points per game average as a senior at Lawrence Central High School in Indianapolis is a beacon of hope for an
offense starved for proven playmakers.

Ambiguity persists in the form of freshmen Vonleh, Troy Williams and Stanford Robinson, who might fall short of their collective billing as lethal scorers.

Though, no matter how you frame it, expectations should lower from last season’s lofty Final Four aspirations.

A 21-10 regular season record — including an 11-7 mark in conference play — and a ticket to the NCAA Tournament should prove a realistic season outcome for Crean and Co.

Follow columnist Connor Killoren on Twitter @ConnorKilloren_IDS