Indiana Hoosiers: Why They Should Be Preseason No. 1

I think the Sweet 16 loss to Kentucky almost two weeks ago was just the beginning for something special for the Indiana Hoosiers.

I fully expect Cody Zeller to return to Bloomington as a sophomore next season and Christian Watford to get some sense in his head and return for his senior year to lead Indiana to possibly a deep tournament run and a national championship.

Indiana will only lose seniors Verdell Jones III, Tom Pritchard and Daniel Moore off of a 25-plus win team that reached the Sweet 16. Matt Roth has an option to return for one more season, but I'm not sure right now that he will do so.

The Hoosiers gain one of the top recruiting classes in the nation with point guard Yogi Ferrell, shooting guards Jeremy Hollowell and Ron Patterson, forward Hanner Perea, and 7-foot center Peter Jurkin.

Indiana will also gain back arguably the best player on their team the last couple of years—Maurice Creek—who missed all of this season, and parts of the last few seasons due to injuries.

That's the same Maurice Creek who dropped 31 on Kentucky just a mere two years ago.

Mix the addition of these six players to seniors Jordan Hulls, Christian Watford and Derek Elston, juniors Will Sheehey and Victor Oladipo, and sophomores Cody Zeller, Remy Abell and Austin Etherington, and not only is Indiana extremely talented but they will have depth and experience.

I think the Hoosiers will have a starting lineup of Ferrell, Hulls, Oladipo, Watford and Zeller.

Off the bench, they will be able to call on such quality as Sheehey, Perea, Hollowell, Creek, Elston, Abell, Patterson, Etherington and Jurkin.

Indiana will become one of the deepest teams that college basketball has ever seen, and will excel in getting teams in foul trouble like they did this season.

Look at the teams in the final four: Kentucky, Kansas, Ohio State and Louisville really only played seven to eight guys all season.

Indiana beat two of the four this campaign by having better depth and getting them in foul trouble.

What's going to happen next season when Indiana adds more depth—and even better skill?

Let's not forget that all of the big programs are sure to lose their top scorers and talent too, while Indiana returns everyone.

North Carolina loses their top four guys to the draft; Kansas is sure to be without Thomas Robinson and Tyshawn Taylor; Kentucky will inevitably see their big six go; and Ohio State is sure to lose Jared Sullinger and Deshaun Thomas.

I'm not saying Indiana is going to rival the 1975-1976 team and go undefeated. But honestly, who is going to beat them?

Don't tell me that these schools will load up with just as good freshmen. Indiana is not only loading with their own version of the fab five to match their freshmen, but returns the most talent and experience in the nation.

I'll take a deep, experienced team over a freshman-dominated team any day.

I think if head coach Tom Crean can keep these guys' egos in check—and Indiana improves even more in the offseason—then I don't see any way the Hoosiers are not only No. 1 in the preseason polls, but the national championship favorite.

Buckle up Indiana fans—it's about to be a real special era in Bloomington.