We continue the recruit and return series with the Indiana Hoosiers, who did not make the NCAA tournament. A look at what the 2018-19 season could hold for Archie Miller and Indiana.
Possible 2018-19 starting five
F: Juwan Morgan
F: Justin Smith
F/C: De'Ron Davis
Who is lost: The Hoosiers will miss Robert Johnson's presence in the backcourt. Johnson finished second on the team in scoring (14 points per game) and made twice as many 3-pointers (66) as anyone on the roster. He also averaged nearly five minutes per game more than any other Hoosier. Fellow guard Josh Newkirk also departs after leading the team with 86 assists. Indiana also loses forwards Collin Hartman and Freddie McSwain Jr., both of whom averaged about 15 minutes per game with McSwain making eight starts.
Who is added: There's a big target still out there in Romeo Langford, ESPN's top shooting guard and No. 5 overall player in the 2018 class. Signing such a decorated in-state player would be huge for Miller. But Indiana knows it will add good pieces such as small forward Jerome Hunter, ESPN's No. 62 overall player in the class, who gives the team some needed perimeter shooting. Forwards Damezi Anderson and Jake Forrester aren't overly decorated recruits but add solid depth. Point guard Robert Phinisee is a strong passer with great court awareness who should be part of the rotation in 2018-19. Forward Race Thompson redshirted and will be in the frontcourt mix.
What it means for next season: After a predictably inconsistent first season, Indiana should start to better reflect Miller's vision in 2018-19. Team defense improved considerable from the start of the season into Big Ten play, and another jump can be expected. Indiana returns its most productive player, Morgan, who led the team in scoring (16.5 ppg), rebounds (7.4 rpg) and blocks (44) while averaging 29.4 minutes per game. He will form a strong frontcourt with Davis, who had a promising sophomore season derailed by an Achilles' injury. Green shot 40 percent from 3-point range in league play and can build on his performance. Langford would give Indiana another bona fide star to complement Morgan. Miller's best Dayton teams had strong depth, so Indiana will need its recruits to contribute in 2018-19. The Hoosiers should enter the season better equipped to avoid ugly losses and compete better against the Big Ten's best.
Trending: Neutral. Indiana improved its Big Ten record by two wins but was a streaky team throughout the season, ending on a down note. Miller needs time to get IU's defense in order and could have a more complete team in Year 2 if he can fill some holes in the backcourt. Morgan is a great piece to build around.