[Observing]

Prognosticators have been in a big hurry to make IU their heavy preseason favorite for next year. But they all seem to be overlooking a little something:
Indiana wasn't all that great last year.

They were a vastly improved team, and were a solid top 20 team. But they weren't any threat to win the title. They only finished 5th in a typically overrated Big 10, and most of their hype was based on their two games against UK. They of course beat us in Bloomington in UK's 1st real road game.
But they benefited greatly from the UK effect. The adrenaline rush that comes with playing the tem that EVRYONE wants to beat, and leads teams
to play FAR beyond their normal abilities for one game. Which effect was exacerbated by UK's #1 ranking at the time.

And in the NCAA matchup, they played an entertaining game against UK, but
were only in it because it was the only game all year in which UK's team didn't
bother to expend any defensive effort. It almost seemed as if Calipari was
willing to let his team rest and have fun showing off in a game where IU
was willing to (suicidally) try to run with the Cats. The Hoosiers' play the rest
of the year, was far from as impressive.

The Hoosiers have signed a highly ranked recruiting class, but let's face it, Crean hasn't exactly been a guru with freshmen. And until the big leap forward last year, his performance at IU had been VERY disappointing.
They should be considered a solid preseason top 5 team. Likely may be a legit
FF contender, but to paint them as a heavy favorite in the mold of UK last year, is premature at best.