The start of the 2026-27 college basketball season is almost here. Fans of Indiana Hoosiers basketball are desperate for a March Madness run, and Darian DeVries is hoping to make that dream a reality. After an underwhelming 18-14 season that included a less-than-ideal 9-11 record in Big Ten play, DeVries' first season didn't go as planned. But things could be looking up as he enters Year 2.
DeVries and the Hoosiers made several impactful moves in the transfer portal, and bring back Trent Sisley and Sam Alexis from last year's team. The incoming group of freshmen also look extremely promising, and could all make an impact right away.
The Hoosiers have played two exhibition games over the last two weeks, and there's a lot to like about their peformances. Indiana beat Butler 96-68 last weekend, and took down North Carolina 76-58 this past weekend. In those two outings, there are two key aspects that stand out from the rest that should give IU fans a lot to be optimistic about.
1. Indiana's rebounding has been elite on both ends of the floor
The Hoosiers have dominated the glass in their exhibition games against Butler and North Carolina. Last weekend, IU out-rebounded Butler by a margin of 53-33, which included a 17-7 edge on the offensive glass. In Sunday's win over the Tar Heels, the Hoosiers held a 53-31 advantage on the board. They also doubled up UNC on the offensive glass, 20-10. Those are impressive totals that fans hope continue once the regular season commences.
Indiana was one of the worst rebounding teams in the Big Ten last season. In total, the Hoosiers ranked 13th in the Big Ten by averaging 32.4 total rebounds per game. When it came to offensive rebounding, Indiana was dead last in the conference by averaging a measly 8.2 offensive rebounds per game.
There's no denying that improving the rebounding numbers is a major point of emphasis heading into the 2026-27 season. With transfer portal additions such as 6'11" power forward Aiden Sherrell and 7'2" center Samet Yigitoglu now in the mix, Indiana's frontcourt seems to be in much better shape than it was last season.
2. Indiana's scoring depth seems to be much-improved
Last season, Indiana was far too reliant on Lamar Wilkerson to generate offense. Wilkerson put up gaudy numbers, as he finished 2nd in the Big Ten by averaging 20.9 points per game. However, too much weight was put on his shoulders. Indiana had just one other player that averaged double-digit points per game (Tucker DeVries, 13.7), and that lack of scoring depth played a big part in the Hoosiers missing out on the NCAA Tournament.
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DeVries is looking to change that this season. Through two exhibition games, the Hoosiers have shown plenty of balance and depth when it comes to scoring. Against Butler, Darren Harris, Samet Yigitoglu, and Markus Burton all scored 13 points apiece to lead the Hoosiers. Aiden Sherrell chipped in 10 points of his own. In the North Carolina matchup, Bryce Lindsay paced the Hoosiers with 26 points, while Burton and Harris each had 11 and Sam Alexis had 10. They are just exhibition games, but seeing 3-4 players averaging double-digit points per game is certainly an encouraging sign.
Indiana's next exhibition game is slated for this coming Sunday, Oct. 25 against Western Kentucky. The game will be played at the Ford Center in Evansville. Tip-off is slated for 4 p.m. ET.
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