Indiana men’s basketball is being backed like a major spender heading into the 2026-27 season.
The Hoosiers are not among the very top NIL outfits across college sports, but Indiana Athletics has built a strong operation, and that support is now flowing into Darian DeVries’ basketball program as well.
There are no official public spending figures for programs outside of Xavier, but CBS Sports reporters Matt Norlander and Isaac Trotter have dug deep enough to paint a clear picture of where the money is going in the sport. Their reporting places the obvious heavy hitters near the top, with Kentucky, Duke, Florida, North Carolina and Illinois all reportedly spending more than $20 million on their rosters this year.
Indiana falls just behind that tier. The Hoosiers did not quite get over the $20 million mark, but they landed close enough to sit in the same cluster as Arkansas, Kansas and UConn.
What separates Indiana from those schools is hard to miss: those programs are regular NCAA Tournament teams. Indiana, by contrast, has not been operating at that level.
That spending helped fuel a transfer portal overhaul that DeVries had to make after nearly everyone from his first roster moved on, either by exhausting eligibility or entering the portal, with sophomore Trent Sisley the lone exception.
The roster shakeup also reflected a broader need for change. DeVries’ first version of Indiana basketball fell short of the tournament again, and the program needed a different look. The result was a team built to be bigger and more skilled up front, while adding speed in the backcourt.
That kind of roster construction does not come cheap, and Indiana moved quickly to get it done. The staff lined up nearly all of its key additions within a few weeks, not over the course of a long portal cycle.
In Other News...
Indiana Heads To Michigan With An Edge Fans Will Notice
A healthy roster has become one of Indianas quieter advantages heading into Saturdays trip to Michigan. While the Wolverines are juggling a long availability report that includes seven players out and seven more questionable, the Hoosiers arrive with no one listed as unavailable and a roster that looks close to full strength. Even better for Indiana, running back Khobie Martin is expected back after his injury, which gives the Hoosiers another option as they prepare for a Noon ET kickoff on FOX.
In a Big Ten game like this, that kind of stability can matter just as much as scheme or momentum. Michigan will still have plenty of talent on the field, but the uncertainty surrounding so many names on its report adds another layer to a matchup that already carries real weight. Indiana does not have to navigate the same injury concerns, and that edge could be one fans notice once the game starts to unfold. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Just Raised The Pressure On Two Big Ten Powers
Curt Cignettis start at Indiana has done more than change the mood around Bloomington. It has also sharpened the spotlight on two Big Ten heavyweights now dealing with the awkward reality that rapid turnaround is possible, and that patience is getting thinner in a conference where every stumble gets magnified. With UCLA also in the mix of coaching change and roster upheaval, the leagues latest wave of rebuilding has only made Indianas jump forward look more striking.
For Michigan and Penn State, that comparison is the uncomfortable part. New coaches Kyle Whittingham and Matt Campbell inherit the same modern pressures every program now faces, from the transfer portal to NIL, but Indianas rise under Cignetti is a reminder that excuses do not last long when results start showing elsewhere. The Hoosiers have effectively raised the standard in the room, and that puts even more pressure on the established powers to prove they can keep pace. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Faces A Make-Or-Break Test As Passing Game Draws Focus
Indiana heads into its upcoming Big Ten matchup with Michigan carrying more than just the usual conference pressure, because the passing game has become a major point of attention. Josh Hoover remains central to what the Hoosiers want to do offensively, and freshman Tommy Carr is part of the conversation as Indiana looks for answers against a Michigan defense that has earned its reputation for being difficult to move the ball against.
The matchup feels like a revealing one for Indiana because recent struggles have sharpened the focus on how the offense responds when the margin for error shrinks. Michigans defensive strength presents a tough test for the Hoosiers, and the way Indiana handles that challenge could say plenty about where the passing game stands right now, even before any final result comes into view. [Read more 🡒]