Coming off a 12-15 season, the media sees the promise in the overhauled IU basketball coaching staff and roster.
The Hoosiers received votes in the preseason AP top-25 and are effectively ranked No. 27 based on those votes. After nearly running the table undefeated last season, Gonzaga will open the 2021-22 campaign as the No. 1 team in the country.
Michigan is the top ranked team in the Big Ten at No. 6, followed immediately by Purdue at No. 7.
Also ranked from the Big Ten are Illinois (No. 11), Ohio State (No. 17) and Maryland (No. 21). Michigan State is the team immediately in front of IU in the other teams receiving votes category at the No. 26 spot. Rutgers also falls in the receiving votes category.
Three of Indiana’s non-conference opponents — St. John’s, Syracuse, and Notre Dame are also receiving votes and below Indiana.
Indiana has not been ranked in the AP top-25 since the 2018-19 season. The Hoosiers play their first six games at home against teams who they should be favored against, providing a path to end the national rankings drought.
Here is the full preseason top-25 with votes (first place votes in parenthesis) —
1. Gonzaga, 1,565 (55)
2. UCLA, 1,459 (8)
3. Kansas, 1,427
4. Villanova, 1,332
5. Texas, 1,315
6. Michigan, 1,255
7. Purdue, 1,213
8. Baylor, 992
9. Duke, 963
10. Kentucky, 894
11. Illinois, 861
12. Memphis, 831
13. Oregon, 775
14. Alabama, 713
15. Houston, 694
16. Arkansas, 673
17. Ohio State, 581
18. Tennessee, 563
19. North Carolina, 547
20. Florida State, 381
21. Maryland, 294
22. Auburn, 267
23. St. Bonaventure, 238
24. Connecticut, 161
25. Virginia, 125
Others receiving votes:
Michigan State 87, Indiana 41, USC 30, Arizona 26, Virginia Tech 25, Oklahoma State 25, Xavier 22, Texas Tech 17, Richmond 13, Rutgers 11, Colorado State 11, LSU 7, Belmont 7, San Diego State 5, St. John’s 5, Mississippi State 5, Syracuse 5, Drake 4, Colorado 4, BYU 3, Notre Dame 3, Louisville 3
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