ESPN Men's Basketball

Two weeks into the season, the Indiana Hoosiers look as though they are deserving of their consensus No. 1 ranking in the country. They have talent, players who are buying into their roles, an offensive philosophy that gives players freedom to play in transition, a commitment to executing in the half court and a renewed commitment to getting consecutive defensive stops. They also have arguably the best player in the nation in the "Big Handsome," Cody Zeller.

Coach Tom Crean had a vision and a plan to return Indiana to college basketball's elite, and the results of that plan will be on display this season. He and his staff have done an excellent job of evaluating and developing players, and what makes the Hoosiers so special is that all of their pieces fit together very well.

Let's take a look at what makes Indiana the best team in the country and examine the areas in which the Hoosiers will need to improve in order to end the season as the nation's top team.

What makes Indiana No. 1?

When putting together a roster, it's important to build it with a strong perimeter. Crean's perimeter players complement each other well.

Jordan Hulls is a fierce, tough competitor, has a high basketball IQ, feeds the post well and, despite his size (6-foot, 182 pounds), is hard to screen. This toughness will serve him well when playing the 2. Also, his ability to shoot the ball with range forces defenses to find him early in transition, which opens the floor for Zeller to be a rim runner and creates driving lanes for Will Sheehey and Victor Oladipo.

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