Mike Woodson hopes to restore prominence to Indiana basketball.

As he embarks on his sixth college season, point guard Xavier Johnson stated, “My goal is nothing individually.” “I’m hoping to prevail. Winning is the last thing I want to accomplish in college.”

Woodson is aware. His four years in college sandwiched between Bob Knight’s first two national championship runs, and in order to win the league championship in his senior year, he had to overcome an injury.

However, during the last three years, Bloomington has seen changes. Indiana has won three league titles since winning 12 conference crowns between 1972–73 and 1992–93: an outright title in 2012–13 and a shared championship in 2001–02.

The Hoosiers are one of seven conference teams without a Big Ten Tournament victory. UCLA, a new team, will take over as the Big Ten leader in national titles after the Hoosiers lose their five titles to them the following season. The last occurred in Indiana in 1986–1987.

Woodson is going to need to rebuild quickly if this is going to be the year. Guard Jalen Hood-Schifino is in the NBA, while three starters—All-American forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, forward Race Thompson, and guard Miller Kopp—graduated. Therefore, Woodson is relying largely on Johnson and Trey Galloway, a third-year guard, to assist in acclimating the ten new players.