The offensive attack for the Indiana Hoosiers was way too reliant on Lamar Wilkerson in Darian DeVries' first season in Bloomington. Wilkerson paced the Hoosiers averaging 20.9 points per game, which was good for 2nd in the Big Ten.
After Wilkerson, the only other Hoosier to average double-digit points per game was Tucker DeVries with 13.7. Wilkerson carried the offense for a good chunk of the season, and the lack of scoring depth behind him played a big role in Indiana missing out on the NCAA Tournament for the 8th time in 10 seasons.
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Indiana's graduating class of Wilkerson, DeVries, Tayton Conerway, Sam Alexis, Reed Bailey, and Conor Enright accounted for nearly 78% of the minutes played and 84.1% of the scoring from this past season. With IU's top-five scorers from this past season out of eligibility, DeVries will likely dip into the portal in an effort to not only replace the scoring production from this past season, but improve it.
A recent mid-major standout just announced his intention to enter the portal, and he could make for a great fit in DeVries' offensive system.
Brant Byers' skill set could be a perfect fit in Indiana's new-look offense
On Tuesday afternoon, Joe Tipton of On3 reported that Miami (OH) guard Brant Byers plans to enter the transfer portal when it opens on April 7. Byers enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign for the RedHawks this past season, and was a big reason for their 31-0 regular season and First Four win over SMU in the NCAA Tournament.
NEW: Miami (OH) guard Brant Byers plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, @JoeTipton reports.
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) March 31, 2026
Byers averaged 14.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per game this season. https://t.co/DPpwUanDsI pic.twitter.com/xAfJ2Plomn
On the season, Byers averaged 14.2 points and 4.1 rebounds while playing in all 34 games with 33 starts. He is an effective shooter, as he shot 47.8% from the field and a strong 39.2% from beyond the arc.
For comparison, Indiana's top three-point shooter was Nick Dorn, who shot 38% from three-point land. As a team, the Hoosiers finished 11th in the Big Ten by shooting just 34.7% from deep. Needless to say, a shooter of Byers' ability could be a welcome sight for IU next season. Byers also has solid length, as he owns a 6'8" 200-pound frame.
Byers scored 19 points and shot 4-for-9 from beyond the arc in Miami's 89-79 win over SMU in the First Four in Dayton on March 18. His effort helped lead the RedHawks to become the first team in NCAA Tournament history to score 80+ points, dish out 20+ assists, knock down 15+ three's, and commit less than five turnovers.
During his time at Drake, DeVries constructed rosters that scored efficiently by moving the ball around, playing with pace, and emphasizing early shot-hunting and high-volume three-point shooting. Indiana fans didn't see much of that playing style this season, but Byers could he a piece that helps change that. Miami perfected that open and free style of basketball this season, and Byers is a shooter who can find a rhythm quickly and has an extremely quick release. That skill set could make for an ideal fit in Bloomington for DeVries and the Hoosiers.