Indiana's defensive woes have been well-documented, but there is no denying that the team has improved from last season.
I'm gonna put this next sentence in bold and all-caps in hope that the message does not get twisted:
INDIANA'S DEFENSE IS STILL NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO LEGITIMATELY CONTEND FOR A BIG TEN TITLE BUT IT HAS SHOWN IMPROVEMENT SINCE LAST SEASON.
Ahem.
Let's look at the defensive metrics for the Hoosiers as they headed into the Crossroads Classic last season, provided as always, by KenPom.com. I've elected to use their ranks relative to the rest of basketball during that season, especially in light of all the rule changes that went into effect for this season.