The new college basketball season has been more eventful than planned for many Indiana programs. All this after 2013-14 seasons that weren't eventful enough, particularly after conference tournaments.
No Indiana schools earned NCAA tournament berths.
There are plenty of changes for all 10 of Indiana's Division I squads. Here's what's new:
BALL STATE
Closer to home: The Cardinals may pick up some more fans from Indianapolis with two newcomers from Tech High School. Jeremie Tyler was an IndyStar All-Star guard for the Titans, who won the Class 4A state championship last season. Tyler averaged more than 16 points and almost two steals per game. Getting playing time won't be easy for Tyler, considering sophomore guard Zavier Turner (Pike) was a team leader last season. Tech's Rashaun Richardson also joins the Cardinals.
Another short trip: Sean Sellers, part of Greensburg's dominance of Class 3A the past couple of seasons, joins the Ball State front court. Sellers averaged 20 points per game as a senior and topped 1,900 for his career.
Everything old is new again: Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana's grand old basketball barn, just underwent a $36-million renovation that included many more seats with backs, a modern video board and enhanced amenities and offices throughout.
On the bench: Chris Holtmann isn't new to coaching, but he's new to the Bulldogs. He left Gardner-Webb, where he was the head coach, to be an assistant at Butler. When coach Brandon Miller took a leave of absence to address health issues, Holtmann assumed the position on an interim basis.
On the court: Butler hopes the freshman class of Kelan Martin, Tyler Wideman and Jackson Davis is ready to help it move up in the Big East standings. A welcome return to the Bulldogs' lineup is Roosevelt Jones, the all-around star who missed last season to a wrist Injury.
EVANSVILLE
JUCO juice: The Purple Aces have no freshmen on their roster, but they have some new faces. Taylor Stafford, a 6-1 guard, averaged 25 points per game in junior college play, while 6-7 forward Willie Wiley averaged 13.6 points and 8.3 rebounds for Vincennes University.
From abroad: Sergei Vucetic, a native of Serbia, previously played at Nebraska.
Instant star power: James Blackmon Jr. comes to the Hoosiers after scoring 2,387 points in high school. His ability to score from anywhere -- particularly from the outside -- will be more than welcome in Bloomington. He is joined by a host of newcomers, including Robert Johnson, Max Hoetzel, Nick Zeisloft, Emmitt Holt, Tim Priller and Jeremiah April.
Big trouble: IU starts the season missing four players -- Devin Davis, Stanford Robinson, Troy Williams and Holt -- because of off-the-court issues. Holt struck Davis with a car during the early-morning hours after Halloween. (Davis' condition). Robinson and Williams failed drug tests.
Intense scrutiny: A failure to make last season's NCAA tournament and the off-court issues this calendar year make the seat hot for coach Tom Crean. Athletic director Fred Glass says he will stick by the coach.
IPFW
Expectations: The Mastodons,who won 25 games last season, are the Summit League favorites this season. If they win the league tournament, they will make the NCAA tournament for the first time. IPFW is led by two of conference's top returnees, senior big man Steve Forbes (12.1 points, 5.3 rebounds last season) and sophomore guard Mo Evans from Cathedral. It will get early tests from Georgia Tech and Purdue.
Closer to home: Max Landis, a former Perry Meridian standout, transferred to IPFW after playing two seasons at Gardner-Webb and is eligible.
New coach: You may recall the name Jason Gardner. He was the 1999 IndyStar Mr. Basketball after leading North Central to a state championship. He is a head coach for the first time and is eager to build a program that has struggled recently.
Shiny digs: The Jaguars are moving from the "Jungle" -- their on-campus gym that could handle crowds of about 1,000 -- to the renovated State Fairgrounds Coliseum. They are a few miles from campus, but they can handle several thousand fans and will play on a court featuring the Indianapolis skyline.
Fresh faces: Some new players may crack the Jaguars' lineup, including Guerin Catholic's Aaron Brennan and IndyStar Indiana All-Star D.J. McCall.
INDIANA STATE
Leadership: It only seems like Jake Odum played eight season for the Sycamores. The point guard has left Terre Haute, and it appears junior Khristian Smith (Pike) and senior Justin Gant are poised to step in as leaders. Smith was the Missouri Valley Conference's top reserve last season, but a lot more will be expected of him this year. The departures of Odum, Manny Arop and Dawon Cummings mean 34 points and 11 rebounds must be replaced per game.
Familiar names: Alex Etherington, whose brother Austin is at Butler after transferring from Indiana, and Brenton Scott, whose brother Bryson plays for Purdue, are eligible for ISU after redshirting as freshmen.
NOTRE DAME
Walking on: Matt Gregory, something of a designated 3-point shooter at Cathedral High School, is a Fighting Irish walk-on. He considered similar roles at some Ivy League schools and had a scholarship offer from the University of Indianapolis. Gregory is from Avon, hometown of Irish junior Austin Burgett.
Key return: Jerian Grant isn't new to the Irish, but he returns after missing most of last season to academic issues. He has averaged 12.8 points and 5.3 assists in his Irish career.
Twin towers? The Boilermakers hope a freshman, Isaac Haas, and junior A.J. Hammons can form an impenetrable wall of 7-footers near the basket. There are some unknowns, however: Can Haas play at the Big Ten level? Will Hammons provide consistent effort? Yes, those are big "ifs."
Who handles the ball? A host of players -- Bryson Scott, Jon Octeus, P.J. Thompson, Dakota Mathias -- want to be the playmaker now that the Johnson brothers -- Terone (graduation) and Ronnie (transfer) -- have left West Lafayette. A steady hand could help the Boilermakers be more offensively efficient, which was an issue last season.
Simmering seat? Consecutive losing seasons have some wondering if a postseason berth is necessary for Matt Painter to remain as coach. Has a program that not too long ago had Final Four hopes (with Robbie Hummel, E'Tuwan Moore and JaJuan Johnson) lost its way?
VALPARAISO
League of nations: The Crusaders have been active in international recruiting for quite some time, and this year is no different. The twist is that they have brought in the starting backcourt from one of Canada's top prep teams. Tevvon Walker and Max Joseph, both 6-1, are from Vanier in Montreal. Also, 6-8 David Skara comes in from Croatia.
Transfers: E. Victor Nickerson comes in from Charlotte after averaging 5.8 points per game as a sophomore two seasons ago. Junior college transfer Darian Walker averaged 13.4 points per game.
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