In his first two seasons at Indiana, Mike Woodson led the Hoosiers to the NCAA Tournament, joining Mike Davis as the only Hoosiers head coaches to do so in their first two seasons leading the program. Indiana missed the Big Dance this year, and a return to the Tournament in 2025 might be the only thing that can help Woodson keep his job. In Bloomington, Indiana, a .612 winning percentage just isn't good enough when you're walking in the footsteps of Bob Knight, a controversial yet wildly successful figure in college hoops lore, and that's the exact position that Woodson finds himself in now. Some good news for Woodson is that one of the key contributors from a 19-14 Hoosiers squad will be returning next year.

On the Hoosier Hysterics Podcast, Malik Reneau announced that while he planned to put his name in the NBA Draft, he's doing so just to get feedback from teams around the league, and that instead of making the jump to the pros, he'll be returning to the Indiana basketball program for the 2024-25 season. Reneau averaged 15.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. He shot an impressive 56 percent from the field, and had three of his biggest games of the season — 28 points and 8 rebounds against Wisconsin, 27 points and 6 rebounds against Penn State, and 26 points and 14 rebounds against Ohio State — on the road in Big Ten play. For his consistent play, Reneau was named a Big Ten Honorable Mention selection at the end of the season.

Though Mike Woodson has yet to comment on Malik Reneau's decision to return for his junior season, two of the big man's Hoosiers teammates, Trey Galloway and Anthony Leal, have already taken to social media to express their excitement that they'll be sharing the floor with Reneau once again next year.

Indiana Hoosiers 2024-25 Outlook

Given the fact that the transfer portal has just opened and some 2024 recruits still haven't made their commitments, it's still undetermined, but Indiana could certainly be in a better position than they are right now. Sophomore center Kel'el Ware, who transferred to Indiana after spending the 2022-23 season with Oregon, is likely on his way to the NBA, where most draft analysts project him to be a 1st round pick, though Ware has yet to confirm his plans. But Ware isn't the only one who is likely on his way out.

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Kanaan Carlyle (Stanford) shooting or passing the ball, but put Indiana basketball (Hoosiers) logo on the ball

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Oumar Ballo next to the Indiana basketball logo

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Indiana basketball coach Mike Woodson watching his players.

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“Indiana already has at least five players departing via completed eligibility (point guard Xavier Johnson, forward Anthony Walker) or transfer portal (sophomore CJ Gunn, sophomore Kaleb Banks, junior Payton Sparks),” according to Jeff Rabjohns of 247 Sports. In addition to that quintet, Indiana has also lost out on Liam McNeeley, a top fifteen prospect in the 2024 class, decommitted from Indiana a couple of weeks back — coincidentally, this was just one day after it was confirmed that Mike Woodson would be returning to Bloomington for the 2024-25 season.

In addition to Malik Reneau, Trey Galloway represents a second starter who will be returning to Mike Woodson's squad for the 2024-25 season. Galloway averaged 10.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game last season. Over the last month of the season, Galloway had three games with double-digit assists.

Anthony Leal is a four-year Hoosier reserve and Bloomington, Indiana native who averaged 2.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists in 14.7 minutes per game last season. In 22 minutes versus Iowa, Leal put up a season best 13 points and 7 rebounds in a late-January Indiana victory.