Indiana basketball gave fans a brief look at the 2026-27 Hoosiers on Friday night at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, and the open scrimmage had a clear edge to it.
This wasn’t a casual run-through. There was trapping, full-court pressure, hard half-court ball pressure, rim contests, and plenty of physical play.
The small crowd got a taste of how Darian DeVries wants his team to operate: hard, sharp, and with no wasted reps. It was not a “Hoosier Hysteria” kind of showcase.
The point was to get better.
Aiden Sherrell stood out immediately. Indiana lists him at 7-feet now, and he looks every bit of it, along with his listed 250 pounds.
He’s a real inside-out threat with shooting ability, good instincts as a rim protector, and enough size to matter. If he’s at the four, he’s going to be a problem on the offensive glass against smaller forwards.
Samet Yigitoglu also made his presence felt in a big way. His ability to seal defenders in the paint and finish over them with touch is already a real weapon, and one Indiana hasn’t had in years.
He looked more fit and athletic than he did in the summer, and he played with more force. His motor showed up, too.
He’s going to pile up putbacks.
Jaeden Mustaf looks like the kind of player fans will gravitate toward fast. He’s tough, physical, and at 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds, he can bother people defensively while still getting to his spots off the dribble. He’s the sort of player who makes winning plays that don’t always jump off the page.
Bryce Lindsay, meanwhile, is exactly the kind of shooter who can change a game in a hurry. He let it fly from deep, including several looks from 25 feet and beyond, and by an unofficial count he knocked down five threes. He has that kind of range that can turn into big nights or frustrating ones, but the ceiling is obvious.
The competition for starting spots among Mustaf, Lindsay and Darren Harris is worth watching, especially with Butler coming up next Sunday. There’s a case for all three, but only two can join Markus Burton, Sherrell and Yigitoglu in the starting five.
Sam Alexis was also on the floor, even as he continues his legal fight to be allowed a fifth year. Indiana introduced him as a fifth-year senior, which drew a quick laugh because that label sits right at the center of his case. Alexis showed good footwork and a soft touch, and he looks like a strong third big in the rotation.
Freshman center Clemens Sokolov, a 7-footer listed at 265 pounds, got his first real look in front of observers. The size is real, but Yigitoglu, at 7-foot-2, pushed him around some.
Athleticism may be the big thing to watch with Sokolov, though he does have a soft shooting touch and a solid base to build on. He can help in a pinch, but if Yigitoglu, Sherrell and Alexis stay healthy, his minutes figure to be limited.
Drew Snively, the walk-on, also turned heads. He made several noticeable plays and probably scored 8-10 points. He looked like a player who could be on scholarship somewhere else.
Indiana’s work on doubling the post still has some cleanup to do. On multiple possessions, big men had trouble getting the ball out once the trap came. That’s going to matter when the competition level rises.
One of the smaller moments also told you something about DeVries’ approach. Freshman guard Prince-Alexander Moody was pulled about 30 seconds into the scrimmage, and it looked like a teaching moment. He returned, hit some threes, and showed he can help.
Freshman wing Vaughn Karvala did not play because of an injury, but it doesn’t appear serious. He was on site and walking around normally. The Hoosiers are much healthier than they were at this point last year, when only 12 of 13 scholarship players were available and Indiana ended the 2025 scrimmage early after Jasai Miles started cramping.
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