Indiana Hoosiers
Record: 20-13, 9-9 Big Ten
Head coach: Tom Crean (7th season)
Season summary: The Hoosiers were on the bubble and Crean’s job security was in question as the squad wrapped up the regular season with a 4-8 finish and a six-point loss to Maryland in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals. Indiana prides itself on shooting behind the arc, ranking eighth nationally in 3-point shooting percentage at 40.3 percent. With 6-foot-9 starting forward Hanner Mosquera-Perea suffering a knee injury in the Big Ten tournament, the Hoosiers may struggle even more on defense than they have all season; even though the junior is expected to return for NCAA tournament play, it is unclear how active he will be. Even with Mosquera-Perea in the lineup for most of the season, the squad is currently ranked 218th in defensive efficiency as measured by basketball statistician Ken Pomeroy.
How they make a run: Indiana rallies behind Yogi Ferrell, James Blackmon, Jr. and Nick Zeisloft, pouring in long-distance shots to run up the score and make a surprising run.
How they falter: The Hoosiers are contained beyond the arc and succumb to their defensive shortcomings early in the tournament, failing to force turnovers or block shots.
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