BLOOMINGTON — Indiana men’s basketball’s frontcourt could easily end up the determining factor for how good the team can be in 2026-27.
IU has needed a player like Samet Yigitoglu for several years now, with the size and physicality to combat the same type of players scattered across the Big Ten. The SMU transfer merely scratched the surface of his capabilities during Wednesday’s exhibition, with six points and five rebounds.
But power forward Aiden Sherrell starred in this game. He led IU with 16 points on 6-for-11 shooting, along with a team-high three blocks and tying for the team lead with six rebounds. The Alabama transfer is a versatile player, with the sort of inside-out game to unlock a lot for the Hoosier offense. He looked very comfortable in both pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop looks, even if not all the shots went down.
“Our thing with Aiden is we want him to be that guy that just does everything and getting him to be in that position where he’s got the ball a lot on the perimeter, he’s got the ball inside, he can take advantage of mismatches. I think you saw a little bit of it tonight. … There’s really not a lot he can’t do,” IU head coach Darian DeVries said after the game. “Our thing for him is just to be that dominant guy every night. That’s what we’re challenging him to be, is every night out we know that we’re going to be able to rely on him.”
Indiana has attempted frontcourt pairings in recent years trying to get what it has in these guys now. There is obviously a lot of time left until the Hoosiers are playing meaningful games, but Sherrell and Yigitoglu should generate optimism around Bloomington.
Prince looks the part
It’s always difficult — and dangerous — to make any long-term projections for freshmen based on preseason action.
IU’s freshmen have all shown potential during practices and in this exhibition game, but none shined brighter than Prince-Alexander Moody. He earned multiple ovations from the crowd on Wednesday for his high-effort performance. Moody racked up five steals, and finished second on the team with 13 points on 5-for-11 shooting.
“What I love about him, he just plays hard. That’s No. 1,” DeVries said. “That’s what gets you production. That’s what gets you on the floor. And he certainly showed that tonight.”
Moody is unafraid to go play ball and make things happen, which is a good early sign for a young player. He’s also a vocal presence on the court, which is certainly not common for freshmen.
Time will tell if Moody becomes a rotation piece for the Hoosiers this year, and whether he’s ready for that sort of role. But he’s already starting to look like a fan-favorite due to his playing style, and it’s clear DeVries might have something in this freshman.
“His motor, his talk — so to speak — is nonstop, on and off the floor. He’s fun. He loves the game. He loves competing,” DeVries said. “It was great to see him out there. And I thought he gave us a great spark off the bench. I thought the last couple of weeks his play has really improved as well. He’s getting more confident in what he’s doing and understanding it.”
Backcourt humming
Indiana shot just 27.5 percent from 3-point range in this game. That number might seem a red flag to some, particularly given the program’s struggles from beyond the arc over the last several years.
But, again, this was an exhibition game in July. And IU’s guards did a nice job facilitating the offense on Wednesday — the Hoosiers created a lot of good, open looks from 3-point range. At this stage of preseason, that’s a more encouraging sign than the missed shots are discouraging. Bryce Lindsay was the biggest culprit for the team’s lower shooting clip, as he went 1 for 6 from 3-point range. But the open looks he got are a good sign — he should knock down more of those down the road.
IU did not have Jaeden Mustaf available, but Lindsay, Darren Harris, and Markus Burton looked solid on Wednesday. They have the sort of court vision a good backcourt needs, and they look to create for themselves as well as teammates.
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