What Does IU’s Men’s College Basketball Team’s New Offense Look Like Following a Recent Exhibition?
The Darian Devries era in Bloomington could not have started with a louder statement. In Indiana’s recent exhibition blowout win over Marian, the Hoosiers’ offense looked like something out of a different decade, or more accurately, a different program altogether. The ball zipped around the perimeter, threes rained down from nearly every rotation player, and the scoreboard lit up like Assembly Hall hadn’t quite seen in some time. IU shot a blistering 50% from beyond the arc with Tucker Devries, Trent Sisley, Conor Enright, Lamar Wilkerson, Reed Bailey, Tayton Conerway, and Sam Alexis all chipping in. For a program that, in recent memory, often lived and died by its post-play, this was a glimpse at a complete philosophical transformation. Under former coach Mike Woodson, Indiana rarely lit it up from long range; furthermore, his offenses were built around the interior dominance of players like Trayce Jackson-Davis, Malik Reneau, Kel’el Ware, and Oumar Ballo. Now, in just one exhibition, it’s clear Devries has installed a system built around floor spacing, tempo, and perimeter freedom, and the results are already paying dividends.
What stood out the most in the debut of Devries’ offense wasn’t just the perimeter shooting percentage, but the cohesion and rhythm the Hoosiers played with on every possession. All positions were crashing both the offensive and defensive glass, and it was refreshing for fans to see a fun style of play, not the typical back-to-the-basket offense. Tucker Devries, as expected, looked comfortable leading the charge for the Hoosiers, pouring in 23 points by capitalizing on five threes on only seven attempts. His combination of size, shooting, and feel for the game makes him the ideal system cornerstone. What made the performance special was the balance: freshman Trent Sisley also poured in 23 points while connecting on all four of his three-point attempts. Key transfers such as Enright, Bailey, Wilkerson, and Alexis all looked equally comfortable in their roles. Devries’ system looks so smooth, and it welcomed a change for IU fans who have watched some dreadful Indiana basketball lately. The modern evolution of college basketball sets up the Hoosiers for success because the guy at the helm runs a lethal style of offense.
Of course, it’s still early, and an exhibition win over Marian doesn’t guarantee Big Ten success. The true tests will come when Indiana squares off in a future exhibition game against Baylor, and when they have to face teams like Purdue and Michigan. The roster, while brimming with shooters and playmakers, doesn’t boast the same frontcourt dominance that defined the Woodson era, and cold shooting nights are inevitable in a system that relies so heavily on perimeter efficiency. Defense will also be an ongoing question. Can Indiana maintain its offensive rhythm and rebound against bigger teams? Still, what’s clear is that this version of Indiana will be difficult to guard and even harder to outscore when the shots are falling like they did the other night. The spacing and energy will alone force opponents to adjust, and in a conference that often values grind-it-out basketball, Devries’ up-tempo, sharpshooting approach could be a refreshing and dangerous outlier. It’s too soon to call the Hoosiers a Big Ten contender, but make no mistake, this is not the same Hoosiers team of the past few seasons. With a culture built on confidence, freedom, and creative expression, Devries may have just given Indiana basketball fans its long-awaited modern identity.
