Indiana's non-conference slate in the upcoming 2026-27 college basketball season just got a whole lot tougher.
In IU's biggest matchup of the non-conference schedule, the Hoosiers will take on the Kentucky Wildcats on Friday, November 20 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Mark Pope's tenure in Lexington has been an interesting one, and Pope's recruiting reputation hasn't been all that great so far.
However, Pope seured a major portal victory by landing a commitment from former Iowa State forward Milan Momcilovic. The 6'8" 225-pound playmaker was one of the most coveted players on the market, coming in as the No. 3 overall player in the portal according to On3.
BREAKING: Iowa State star transfer forward Milan Momcilovic has committed to Kentucky, @JoeTipton reports😼
— On3 (@On3) June 2, 2026
Momcilovic averaged 16.9 points per game shooting 48.7% from three last season. https://t.co/mzMe9luCgH pic.twitter.com/5K622X0tp7
Momcilovic spent three seasons in Ames with the Cyclones, and he got better and better in each campaign. This past season, the Pewaukee, WI native averaged 16.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game. He shot 50.6% from the floor and led the country with a three-point shooting percentage of 48.7%.
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He brings more than 100 games of college basketball experience to Lexington, and figures to play a vital role on a Kentucky team looking to get back to the Final Four and compete for a National Championship.
Milan Momcilovic's move to Kentucky gives Indiana a bigger challenge
With Momcilovic joining Big Blue Nation, Darian DeVries and company now have a lot more to worry about when that November 9 matchup against Kentucky rolls around.
DeVries posted an overall record of 18-14 with a 9-11 mark in Big Ten play during his first season in Bloomington, and it ultimately wasn't enough to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. The Hoosiers struggled to find consistent scoring outside of Lamar Wilkerson, and lacked the size and physicality at the 4 and 5 positions to compete with the top teams in the Big Ten.
But DeVries has put together a solid portal haul that has things trending in the right direction. Indiana's portal additions of SG Jaeden Mustaf, (Georgia Tech), G Darren Harris, (Duke), PG Markus Burton, (Notre Dame), C Samet Yigitoglu, (SMU), PF Aiden Sherrell, (Alabama), and SG Bryce Lindsay, (Villanova) give the Hoosiers the high-major experience, athleticism, and frontcourt size that they desperatly missed last season.
Furthermore, Indiana's incoming recruiting class consisting of Vaughn Karvala, Prince-Alexander Moody, Trevor Manhertz, and Clemens Sokolov has the potential to raise Indiana's ceiling next season.
The talent appears to be there, but now it's on DeVries to put it all together. Indiana will play a handful on non-conference games before taking on Kentucky on November 9, which should give DeVries ample time to get his rotations in order.
When tip-off between the Hoosiers and Wildcats comes around, Indiana will have a chance to make a massive statement on the national stage. After missing out on the NCAA Tournament in each of the past three seasons, Hoosier fans are hungry for a March Madness run. Beating Kentucky could set the tone for that mission.
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