Indiana picked to win the Big Ten by Lindy’s Sports

  • 09/13/2024 12:01 pm in

The Lindy’s Sports 2024-25 preview magazine – an annual publication previewing the upcoming college basketball season – hit newsstands recently.

Here are some notes on Indiana and the Big Ten at large from the annual publication. (You can purchase the regional cover featuring Mackenzie Mgbako here.)

• Ten Big Ten teams are ranked in the Lindy’s preseason, which is topped by No. 1 Alabama. The Big Ten teams in the top 40 include Indiana (No. 15), Purdue (No. 17), UCLA (No. 19), Illinois (No. 21), Ohio State (No. 22), Michigan State (No. 26), Oregon (No. 30), Washington (No. 33), Rutgers (No. 35) and USC (No. 37).

• Potential IU opponents in the Battle 4 Atlantis ranked in the top 40: Gonzaga (No. 5), Arizona (No. 10) and Providence (No. 40).

• Ten Big Ten teams are projected to make the 2024 NCAA tournament: Indiana, Purdue, UCLA, Illinois, Ohio State, Michigan State, Oregon, Washington, Rutgers and USC. Lindy’s projects Indiana as the only Big Ten team to reach the Sweet Sixteen.

• Lindy’s ranked all 31 conferences in college basketball and has the Big Ten second behind the Big 12.

• Three Big Ten players earned Lindy’s preseason All-American honors. Ace Bailey of Rutgers, Purdue’s Braden Smith and Indiana’s Oumar Ballo are preseason third-team All-American selections.

• Lindy’s ranked the top 150 players in college basketball and included the following Big Ten players: Smith (No. 11), Ballo (No. 12), Bailey (No. 13), Dylan Harper of Rutgers (No. 19), Washington’s Great Osobor (No. 27), Michigan’s Vladislav Goldin (No. 41), Iowa’s Payton Sandfort (No. 46), Minnesota’s Dawson Garcia (No. 48), Northwestern’s Brooks Barnhizer (No. 54), Penn State’s Ace Baldwin Jr. (No. 57), Kasparas Jakucionis of Illinois (No. 70), Michigan State’s Frankie Fidler (No. 79), Indiana’s Mackenzie Mgbako (No. 82), Ohio State’s Bruce Thornton (No. 100), Iowa’s Owen Freeman (No. 107), Indiana’s Myles Rice (No. 120), Oregon’s Kwame Evans Jr. (No. 134), USC’s Desmond Claude (No. 139), Maryland’s Derik Queen (No. 144), Nebraska’s Brice Williams (No. 145) and Oregon’s Jackson Shelstad (No. 150).

• Lindy’s picked Indiana to win the Big Ten, followed by Purdue, UCLA, Illinois, Ohio State, Michigan State, Oregon, Washington, Rutgers, USC, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Maryland, Northwestern, Iowa, Penn State and Minnesota.

• On Indiana: “Nobody in the Big Ten has more talent – it’s just a matter of putting the pieces together.”

• Smith is Lindy’s pick for preseason Big Ten player of the year and Ballo is the pick for newcomer of the year. Ballo is named as the Big Ten’s best rebounder.

• Indiana’s frontcourt is ranked the 6th best nationally behind Kansas, Alabama, Duke, UConn and Gonzaga.

• Lindy’s first-team All-Big Ten: Harper, Smith, Bailey, Osobor, Ballo.

• Lindy’s second-team All-Big Ten: Baldwin Jr., Sandfort, Garcia, Barnhizer, Goldin.

• Lindy’s third-team All-Big Ten: Thornton, Jakucionis, Fidler, Mgbako and Freeman.

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