After a strong start to the season, Indiana men’s basketball is suddenly staring down a stretch that feels more like a crossroads than a continuation. With a trip to face top-5 Michigan looming, this is not exactly the moment you want to be searching for your identity - but that’s exactly where the Hoosiers find themselves.
From the jump, it was clear that size was going to be an issue for this Indiana team. That concern has only grown as the season has worn on.
Head coach Darian DeVries has had moments where he’s schemed his way around it - like when Indiana managed to outrebound Washington - but those flashes haven’t turned into anything consistent. The physical mismatch against high-major opponents has become a recurring theme.
Lately, though, the problems have gone beyond the paint. The Hoosiers are being stretched thin by the sheer number of issues they’re facing - and the limited experience they have to lean on.
After a blowout loss at Michigan State, DeVries admitted he expected more composure from his group in that kind of environment. That expectation didn’t match the reality, and that gap is becoming hard to ignore.
It’s not just about leadership - though that’s certainly part of it - it’s also about production. Outside of Tayton Conerway and Lamar Wilkerson, Indiana’s most experienced players haven’t delivered.
Tucker DeVries and Reed Bailey, two of the team’s minute leaders, have failed to reach double figures in scoring in two of their last three games. For a team that needs its veterans to anchor the ship, that’s a problem.
DeVries built this roster with a clear philosophy: value experience and production at lower levels over recruiting hype. There’s logic in that - it’s a model that’s worked for other programs, including Indiana’s own football team.
But the challenge is that this approach comes with a short shelf life. When you rely heavily on upperclassmen transfers, you’re essentially hitting the reset button every offseason.
That’s fine if you’re winning. But right now, Indiana isn’t.
The lineup choices reflect that win-now mindset. Starting three players with limited high-major experience was a calculated risk to open the season.
Sticking with them as they struggle to adjust? That’s a tougher sell.
DeVries is clearly trying to squeeze everything he can out of this group, but the results haven’t followed.
There have been glimpses of a different path. When Conor Enright got into foul trouble, DeVries turned to Nick Dorn - an athletic, high-upside player with multiple years of eligibility remaining.
He’s also given minutes to true freshman Trent Sisley when Tucker DeVries has struggled. And Jasai Miles checked in late in the Iowa game, offering another young option.
These are the kinds of players who could form the foundation of the program’s next chapter. But for now, they’re mostly watching from the bench.
It’s understandable that DeVries wants to win now. This isn’t a rebuild in his mind - it’s a team that was supposed to compete.
But as the losses pile up, that urgency to win in the present is starting to clash with the need to build for the future. If the current group isn’t getting it done, it might be time to think about what comes next.
The loss to Iowa only magnified the issue. That Hawkeyes team brought back just one player from last season, yet looked more balanced and cohesive than Indiana. Other first-year coaches in the Big Ten are finding ways to blend short-term competitiveness with long-term vision - and doing it with fewer resources than DeVries has at his disposal.
There’s still time for Indiana to flip the script this season, but the margin for error is shrinking fast. If things don’t turn around, the offseason will bring some tough questions - not just about roster construction, but about the direction of the program under DeVries.
He’ll have plenty of spots to fill, whether through the transfer portal or high school recruiting. And with that, another chance to reshape Indiana basketball.
But for now, the Hoosiers are stuck in the in-between - not quite building for the future, and not quite winning in the present. That’s a tough place to be, especially with Michigan waiting on the schedule.