The IU men's basketball team is 6-0 and off to its best start in eight years. But does it mean nearly as much when it has played the 313th strongest schedule in the country as of Sunday?*
By comparison, schools like Loyola Chicago (7-0, 305), South Dakota State (5-0, 295) and Iowa State (6-0, 280) have had similar success with a tougher slate of opponents. IU ranks 23rd in the nation in effective field goal percentage, 12th in defensive 2-point field goal percentage and 19th in defensive turnover percentage.
Yet legitimate questions remain about if IU can continue its winning ways once it plays stiffer competition. Those questions will be answered as soon as Wednesday.
IU is currently ranked No. 58 in the country by Pomeroy, and the Hoosiers face a string of opponents ranked higher.
Boston College (54), Kentucky (11), Penn State (56) and Ohio State (3) all await the Hoosiers in December, while record-boosting teams such as Savannah State (310) and SIU Edwardsville (341) are still set to visit.
Pomeroy statistically predicts IU will lose every game against teams ranked higher in December except Penn State and is currently projecting the Hoosiers to finish 17-13.
Nothing is guaranteed - win or loss - but one thing is certain: We will know what kind of team these Hoosiers are by the new year.
*Note: All rankings taken from Pomeroy as of Sunday afternoon. Full view of IU scouting report follows the jump.
