21. Indiana

Granted, it's early. But one can't help wonder whether Bob Knight is finally mellowing. After a summer spent hunting, fishing and golfing all over the country, the slimmed-down Indiana coach was scarcely recognizable at preseason practices. More teacher than tyrant, he eschewed obscenity and raised his voice loudest to razz New Jersey Nets forward Brian Evans, a former Hoosier who was working out in Bloomington during the NBA lockout. "He might be going kind of easy on us now," says junior point guard A.J. Guyton. "We'll see what happens after we lose a few games."

That might take awhile. Though young, Knight's 28th team at Indiana has four starters back from last year, including Guyton, who spent his summer helping the U.S. win a gold medal at the Goodwill Games. Also back is sophomore swingman Luke Recker, who is so confident after holding his own (sort of) against Michael Jordan at His Airness's camp that he's considering turning pro after the season. Those two potential All-Americas will get help from hard-nosed guard Michael Lewis, a starter last year, and 6'4" freshman Dane Fife, the younger, more talented brother of former Michigan guard Dugan Fife.

If the backcourt is an embarrassment of riches, the Hoosiers are impoverished on the blocks. With the departure of center Jason Collier—a Norm Peterson regular in Knight's doghouse, who transferred to Georgia Tech in the middle of last season—the Hoosiers are left with no upperclassman taller than 6'8". That means force-fed minutes for Kirk Haston, a 6'10" freshman from Lobelville, Tenn. "We'll have to play quick and help each other out on defense," says Guyton. "But I think we're headed in the right direction."

A program that claimed two NCAA titles in the 1980s, Indiana has won but one tournament game since '94 and is overdue for a breakthrough season. The strength of the guards will ensure that the Hoosiers contend in the watered-down Big Ten, earn an NCAA berth for the 14th straight year and perhaps even neutralize Knight's Vesuvian temper. But unless Indiana can magically spackle the chasm in the middle, its shot at a bigger prize—like this team's talent—is strictly outside.

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