As we get set to embark on the 2025-26 season, Indiana basketball has a bunch of veteran players. IU is the only program to bring in at least 10 transfers with 30-plus collegiate starts.
And the Hoosiers have a proven veteran coach. Through seven seasons as an NCAA Division I head coach, Darian DeVries holds a career record of 169-68 and ranks sixth among active head coaches in Division I winning percentage with at least 100 wins.
But Indiana is not in the traditional preseason rankings (AP/Coaches Polls) and they’re not a trendy pick to contend at the top of the Big Ten.
So what are the national folks and computer models saying about DeVries’ first IU squad?
Let’s take a look.
No. 36 nationally, No. 9 in the Big Ten.
What they said:
The Hoosiers are hoping Darian DeVries can return them to March relevance. The program has only two NCAA tournament wins over the past nine seasons — and one was during the First Four in 2022. With two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year Tucker DeVries following his father to Bloomington, Indiana could be a dangerous bubble team.
ESPN – JEFF BORZELLO AND MYRON MEDCALF
“Dangerous Bubble Team”
What they said:
Tucker DeVries played only a handful of games at West Virginia last season, but the two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year followed his father, new Indiana head coach Darian DeVries, to Bloomington. The Hoosiers lost five players who averaged at least 9.0 points last season but could still be a bubble threat in DeVries’ first year at the helm after regrouping around his son, a potential All-American.
No. 11 in the Big Ten.
What they said:
Indiana’s combination of skill and shooting jumps off the tape. Tucker DeVries and Lamar Wilkerson are professional net-shredders, and toolsy 6-10 big man Reed Bailey has the handle, vision and slippery drives that draw comparisons to former Michigan star Danny Wolf. Indiana is primed to take a ton of treys in 2025-26, which will feel like paradise after four years of finishing last or second-to-last in the Big Ten in 3-point rate under Mike Woodson.
Keep an eye on the point guard play. Troy transfer Tayton Conerway and DePaul transfer Conor Enright need to ace their roles. Indiana desperately needs its zoom-zoom guards to pressure the rim consistently and create those open 3-pointers. Darian DeVries also needs ’em to be nasty point-of-attack defenders because the interior defense is going to be a major cause for concern. When Indiana’s 3-pointers are dropping, the Hoosiers could beat anyone in the league. But a shaky rim defense could lead to some rocky moments. Florida transfer big man Sam Alexis needs to be an asset.
No. 38 nationally, No. 11 in the Big Ten.
What they said:
Darian DeVries takes over in Bloomington, Ind., bringing a much-needed modern approach on the offensive end. He’s a proven winner at both Drake and West Virginia, but we’ll see how much he can do with a roster in transition. His son Tucker is a legitimate star to lead the way, and Sam Houston State transfer Lamar Wilkerson is an electric shooter to pair with him. Playing Davidson transfer Reed Bailey at center should create some mismatches on the offensive end but might expose the Hoosiers on D.
No. 9 in the Big Ten.
What they said:
The way I think about it is like this: Last year, UConn finished as the 15th best offense in America. For much of the season, they ranked outside the top 125 in defensive efficiency and looked like a bubble team. In February, they figured some things out on that end, won their last four regular season games and took Florida to the wire in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. They finished as a top 75 defense. Iowa was the 18th best offense in America. They never were able to put it all together defensively, ended the year ranked outside the top 150 and went 17-16, finishing with the third-worst league record. To be, that’s the best and worst case scenarios for Indiana.
No. 31 nationally, No. 10 in the Big Ten.
What they said:
The Hoosiers will have a healthy Tucker DeVries to make sure they are relevant in March.
Indiana not in top-45 nationally, 15th in the Big Ten
First four out.
No. 29 nationally, No. 7 in the Big Ten (as of Wednesday morning).
No. 38 nationally, No. 10 in Big Ten (as of Wednesday morning).
No. 40 nationally, No. 11 in Big Ten (as of Wednesday morning).
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