The Darian DeVries era in Bloomington is off to a rocky start. The Hoosiers looked primed for an NCAA Tournament appearance in mid-February, but a 1-6 finish to the season including a non-competitive one-and-done performance against 15th-seeded Northwestern in the Big Ten Tournament led to Indiana missing out on March Madness once again.
Darian DeVries should target this mid-major transfer to boost Indiana’s scoring depth
With the vast majority of the minutes played and points scored from last season now out of eligibility, DeVries and his staff now face an uphill battle rebuilding IU's roster for next season.
The official schedule for IU hoops next season has yet to be released, but the non-conference slate is coming together. The newest addition to the schedule presents a test that DeVries must pass.
Indiana vs Syracuse presents a matchup Darian DeVries has to have in 2026
On Wednesday afternoon, Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports reported that Indiana and Syracuse will meet in a neutral site game next season on November 9. The game will be played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, giving the Hoosiers a bit of a home court advantage despite it being a neutral site game.
The game presents a massive opportunity for DeVries and Indiana. Syracuse is a program that has lost its way in recent seasons, and new head coach Gerry McNamara has to essentially start from scratch with the Orange in his first season.
NEWS: Indiana and Syracuse will meet in a neutral site game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on November 9th, according to multiple sources.https://t.co/xEoruYn5i4
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 1, 2026
After playing for the Orange from 2022-06 and winning a national title in 2002-03, McNamara joined Syracuse's coaching staff in 2009 as a graduate assistant and stayed with the program through 2024 as the associate head coach.
He spent the last two seasons as the head coach at Siena, and led the Saints to the NCAA Tournament this past season. The 16th-seeded Saints gave the No. 1 overall seed Duke Blue Devils a run for their money in the Round of 64 but eventually fell by a score of 71-65.
DeVries needs to take advantage of his opportunity against McNamara and Syracuse
The coaching matchup between DeVries and McNamara is an intriguing one for many reasons. On one side, DeVries is coming off a disappointing first season in Bloomington and faces a significant roster overhaul after losing his top-five scorers from this past season.
There were some bright spots this past season, but DeVries ultimately failed to get the Hoosiers back to the NCAA Tournament. Pressure continues to build, and IU fans are hungrier than ever for a March Madness run. Needless to say, missing the NCAA Tournament again next season won't do DeVries any favors.
On the other side, McNamara is taking over a Syracuse program that has fallen on tough times in recent seasons. He faces an uphill battle in getting the Orange back to national relevance, and enters Year 1 looking to make a statement.
With Syracuse aiming to build things back up, the matchup between the Hoosiers and Orange presents a great opportunity for DeVries in Year 2. It would serve him well to take advantage and find the win column.