Want to feel normal for a few minutes?
As it does each year in August when classes begin, the IU basketball program released its updated roster on Monday. While that should not be interpreted as meaning the 2020-21 season will start on time, briefly reveling in a sense of normalcy is both allowed and encouraged.
And as we do each year when the new roster is released, here are all of the key notes, updates and observations based on our review of the details of the 2020-21 squad.
ROSTER COMPOSITION
The roster composition is exactly the same as 2019-20. Indiana has 16 players on its roster:
- 11 scholarship players (out of an available 13)
- 5 walk-ons
NUMBERS FOR NEWBIES
Indiana has five new faces on its roster this season. Here are the numbers that each new player has claimed.
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- Anthony Leal – 3
- Khristian Lander – 4
- Sebastian Scott – 15
- Jordan Geronimo – 22
- Trey Galloway – 32
Leal, Lander and Geronimo will all be wearing numbers claimed by someone else last season.
Leal wore No. 3 throughout his high school career, and Justin Smith’s transfer to Arkansas allowed him to claim it at IU.
Lander was able to land his preferred No. 4 through roster turnover as well, while Geronimo forced a walk-on to give up his preferred digits.
Geronimo and Galloway both wore their respective numbers in high school too.
Galloway will be the first person to wear No. 32 since Derek Elston in 2013.
Scott, the lone new walk-on and the son of Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott, will wear the number last donned by Zach McRoberts, and once worn by former Indiana Governor Frank O’Bannon.
NUMBERS FOR OLDIES
Two returning players will wear new numbers this season, and both tie back to the freshmen.
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- Trayce Jackson-Davis – 23 (formerly 4)
- Jacquez Henderson – 12 (formerly 22)
Jackson-Davis was able to return to his preferred number upon the transfer of Damezi Anderson. That also allowed Lander to claim his preferred number too.
Henderson, a walk-on, was no doubt asked to give up No. 22 to Geronimo.
𝙉𝙚𝙬 year. 𝙉𝙚𝙬 roster. pic.twitter.com/22Yn4wQMm5
— Indiana Basketball (@IndianaMBB) August 24, 2020
CLASS BALANCE
This is how Indiana’s 11 scholarship players are distributed across the classes:
- Seniors – 2 (Brunk, Durham)
- Juniors – 2 (Thompson, Phinisee)
- Sophomores – 3 (Jackson-Davis, Hunter, Franklin)
- Freshmen – 4 (Leal, Geronimo, Galloway, Lander)
POSITIONAL BALANCE
There is better positional balance on the 2020-21 roster. Last year IU had just four scholarship guards. This year the roster has a much more desirable distribution:
- Guards – 6
- Forwards – 5
A more realistic look at the true positions might go something like this:
- Point guards – 2 (Phinisee, Lander)
- Shooting guards – 2 (Durham, Leal)
- Combo guards – 2 (Franklin, Galloway)
- Combo forwards – 2 (Hunter, Geronimo)
- Power forward – 2 (Jackson-Davis, Thompson)
- Center – 1 (Brunk)
HOME GROWN TALENT
IU’s roster has taken on a decidedly in-state flavor, with 7 of the 11 scholarship players, and 9 of the 16 players overall hailing from the state of Indiana.
WEIGHT GAINERS
Only one returning player gained weight during the offseason.
- Joey Brunk – 255 (+10)
Brunk weighed 230 on Butler’s 2018-19 roster, gaining 25 pounds since he arrived at IU.
It is worth noting that Geronimo (6-foot-6/ 220), Leal (6-foot-5/ 210) and Galloway (6-foot-4/ 210) all arrive at IU relatively big and strong for freshmen. Lander (6-foot-2/ 185) was listed at 165 pounds on his 2019-20 high school roster.
WEIGHT LOSERS
While you don’t typically think about college athletes losing weight, restrictions during the pandemic left many players with limited access to equipment. Whether due to those limitations, or perhaps as a result of improved body composition, three returners lost weight during the offseason.
- Rob Phinisee – 187 (-3)
- Jerome Hunter – 215 (-5)
- Race Thompson – 228 (-7)
HAPPY THE WAY THEY WERE
Three returners are listed at the same weight as last season:
- Al Durham – 185
- Armaan Franklin – 195
- Trayce Jackson- Davis – 245
STAFF CHANGES
The lone change to the IU basketball staff is not yet included in the updated roster. But you likely know by now that Kenya Hunter has been hired as the new assistant coach to replace the recently departed Bruiser Flint.
To see the official roster on the IU website, GO HERE.
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