Representing Team USA and donning the red, white, and blue, the Indiana Hoosiers cruised to a 98-64 victory over Canada's Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf in an exhibition game at Assembly Hall on Wednesday night. The contest served as Indiana's first public performance of the new season.
With plenty of new faces on the roster, there was a lot to like in Indiana's performance. Here are the three biggest takeaways that should have Indiana hoops fans fired up for the upcoming campaign.
The Hoosiers pushed the pace and moved the ball quickly
Entering his second season in Bloomington, Darian DeVries rolled out a starting lineup that consisted of five transfers. The starting group consisted of PG Markus Burton (Notre Dame), G Bryce Lindsay (Villanova), G Darren Harris (Duke), PF Aiden Sherrell (Alabama), and C Samet Yigitoglu (SMU). Every player in that group has multiple seasons of high-major experience, which DeVries is hoping pays off throughout the course of the 2026-27 season.
The starters had a slow start offensively over the first few minutes, but were able to find a groove. The ball was in Burton's hands a lot, and he was constantly looking to push the pace. In total, Burton ended with 11 points and a team-high 6 assists. Harris also played with a noticeable sense of urgency in transition, and he also collected 6 assists on the night.
The first group off the bench included sophomore Trent Sisley and freshmen Prince-Alexander Moody and Vaughn Karvala. In total, 13 Hoosiers saw playing time, with Sherrell pacing the team with just over 25 minutes of action. Yigitoglu (21:48), Burton (22:27), Lindsay (23:59), Harris (21:46), and Manhertz (22:21) all saw 20+ minutes of playing time. It's worth noting that Georgia Tech transfer SG Jaeden Mustaf was unavailable with a lower body injury.
All in all, Indiana's new cohort of players seemed to gel well and were able to generate good shots. They shot just 11-for-40 (27.5%) from three-point range, but the looks were there. The ball was moving around at a solid clip and the Hoosiers were rarely stagnant. There are obvisouly still some kinks to work out, but that is to be expected in an exhibition game in July. But it's clear that the Hoosiers have plenty of talent and athleticism all over the floor.
Aiden Sherrell's versatility was on full display
If there was an MVP of this exhibition game, it was Alabama transfer Aiden Sherrell. The Detroit native did a little bit of everything, as he led Indiana with 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting and paced the Hoosiers with 6 rebounds -- 3 of which came on the offensive end.
Sherrell's elite versatility was on full display from the jump. He was effective in the paint, and was able to stretch the floor by knocking down multiple three-point shots. He also brought the ball up the court on multiple occasions when the IU guards were being locked down in the backcourt. That may not be what DeVries' wants to see, but it's nice to know that Sherrell is capable of handling that task if needed.
After averaging 11.1 points and 6.2 rebounds per game at Alabama last season, Sherrell could be poised for a monster season in Bloomington. He is capable of playing both the 4 and 5 positions, and his 6'11" 255-pound frame gives the Hoosiers the size they desperately missed in the frontcourt last season.
Sherrell and Yigitoglu, a 7'2" transfer center from SMU, were also on the floor at the same time early and often. Together, they have the potential to be a tremendous frontcourt combination for the Cream and Crimson.
The freshmen were impressive
Indiana's incoming freshmen group consisting of Prince-Alexander Moody, Vaughn Karvala, and Trevor Manhertz all saw significant playing time, and they made the most of their respective opportunities. Karvala was making plays above the rim on both ends of the floor, and Manhertz totaled 10 points and knocked down a pair of three-pointers.
But the standout rookie on the night was Moody. The 4-star prospect saw significant time as IU's floor general, and racked up 13 points to go along with 3 assists and 3 rebounds. He displayed great chemistry with his fellow freshmen, as he made multiple impressive plays in transition with both Karvala and Manhertz. He also caught fire from deep, going 3-for-7 from three-point land on the night which included knocking down back-to-back triples in the second half.
Furthermore, Moody was extremely pesky defensively. He was constantly pressuring the ball, and led the Hoosiers with 5 steals. In turn, that defensive effectiveness led to quick transition buckets the other way. In total, Indiana basketball fans have a lot to be excited about when it comes to this group of freshmen.
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