#6 Houston Cougars (23-8, 13-5)
AAC (t1st)
Off- 72.3 ppg / Def- 62.1 ppg
NCAA Appearances- 21 (Last: 2019)
Top Scorers:
Caleb Mills 13.2 ppg
Quentin Grimes 12.1 ppg
Nate Hinton 10.6 ppg
Fabian White 9.3 ppg
DeJon Jarreau 9.0 ppg
#11 Indiana Hoosiers (20-12, 9-11)
Big Ten (t10th)
Off- 71.4 ppg / Def- 66.7 ppg
NCAA Appearances- 39 (Last: 2016)
Top Scorers:
Trayce Jackson-Davis 13.5 ppg
Devonte Green 10.8 ppg
Justin Smith 10.4 ppg
Al Durham 9.8 ppg
Rob Phinisee 7.3 ppg
A year removed from setting a program-record for wins in a season along with a trip to the Sweet 16, Houston used the 2019-20 season to establish that they aren't just a flash in the pan. These Cougars are building a consistent winner following a second-straight AAC regular season championship. Not only that, but they're doing it with youth, as top scorers Caleb Mills (13.2 ppg), a freshman, and Quentin Grimes (12.1 ppg), a sophomore, are both expected to be back next year to give fellow AAC opponents fits. But this year's Cougars got things done with balance, and a tenacious defense that ranked 12th nationally. A 12 point-loss at Oregon was their only defeat by double digits, and 5 of them came within a single possession, meaning this Houston team would have made for a tough out for just about anyone they faced.
Life on the Bubble can be nerve-racking for any program, yet even for a tradition-rich one like Indiana, it had to be nice to at least be back in the conversation after 3 seasons. The Hoosiers may have had one of the lowest conference finishes of an NCAA Tournament team, but they also certainly had to feel they had done enough for the committee to invite them to the Dance after victories over Minnesota and Nebraska, which got them to 20 wins on the year. This was after an 8-0 start that included an impressive 80-64 win over Florida State. Big Ten play was less kind to the Hoosiers, but of their 9 conference wins, 4 came over Top 25 opponents. As for this hypothetical matchup, it would've been interesting to see which of these two younger teams with bright futures would've advanced, as Devonte Green of Indiana is the lone Senior among the 10 top scorers, with both teams being led by freshman guards.
AAC (t1st)
Off- 72.3 ppg / Def- 62.1 ppg
NCAA Appearances- 21 (Last: 2019)
Top Scorers:
Caleb Mills 13.2 ppg
Quentin Grimes 12.1 ppg
Nate Hinton 10.6 ppg
Fabian White 9.3 ppg
DeJon Jarreau 9.0 ppg
#11 Indiana Hoosiers (20-12, 9-11)
Big Ten (t10th)
Off- 71.4 ppg / Def- 66.7 ppg
NCAA Appearances- 39 (Last: 2016)
Top Scorers:
Trayce Jackson-Davis 13.5 ppg
Devonte Green 10.8 ppg
Justin Smith 10.4 ppg
Al Durham 9.8 ppg
Rob Phinisee 7.3 ppg
A year removed from setting a program-record for wins in a season along with a trip to the Sweet 16, Houston used the 2019-20 season to establish that they aren't just a flash in the pan. These Cougars are building a consistent winner following a second-straight AAC regular season championship. Not only that, but they're doing it with youth, as top scorers Caleb Mills (13.2 ppg), a freshman, and Quentin Grimes (12.1 ppg), a sophomore, are both expected to be back next year to give fellow AAC opponents fits. But this year's Cougars got things done with balance, and a tenacious defense that ranked 12th nationally. A 12 point-loss at Oregon was their only defeat by double digits, and 5 of them came within a single possession, meaning this Houston team would have made for a tough out for just about anyone they faced.
Life on the Bubble can be nerve-racking for any program, yet even for a tradition-rich one like Indiana, it had to be nice to at least be back in the conversation after 3 seasons. The Hoosiers may have had one of the lowest conference finishes of an NCAA Tournament team, but they also certainly had to feel they had done enough for the committee to invite them to the Dance after victories over Minnesota and Nebraska, which got them to 20 wins on the year. This was after an 8-0 start that included an impressive 80-64 win over Florida State. Big Ten play was less kind to the Hoosiers, but of their 9 conference wins, 4 came over Top 25 opponents. As for this hypothetical matchup, it would've been interesting to see which of these two younger teams with bright futures would've advanced, as Devonte Green of Indiana is the lone Senior among the 10 top scorers, with both teams being led by freshman guards.
