Indiana kept rolling at the FISU America Games on Thursday, turning a tight first quarter into a runaway 120-63 win over the U.S. Virgin Islands and locking up first place in Group B.
The Virgin Islands came out with energy and kept Indiana from pulling away early, as the Hoosiers led by just 10 after one quarter. That changed fast.
Indiana put up 39 points in the second quarter and never gave the game back, then kept the pressure on with a strong third before Darian DeVries emptied deeper into the bench in the fourth. Freshmen and walk-ons finished the job, and Indiana closed with 22 points in the final frame.
Here are three takeaways from the win:
Vaughn Karvala was the headliner
The freshman forward had the kind of night that makes people sit up and take notice. Vaughn Karvala poured in 32 points and hit seven 3-pointers in just under 22 minutes, giving Indiana its most dangerous scoring punch of the game.
Karvala, a 6-foot-7 freshman from Oregon, Wisconsin, has already looked more polished than a first-year player usually does in these summer exhibitions, but Thursday was his best showing yet. He controlled stretches of the offense, went unofficially 11-for-14 from the field, and kept the ball moving when the Hoosiers needed it.
His game still looks built around the perimeter, just as it did in high school, where most of his shots came from beyond the arc. That said, he also showed he can do more than just launch.
Karvala made plays on defense against a physical, quick Virgin Islands team, including a steal off an inbounds pass after Prince-Alexander Moody drilled a 3-pointer in the third quarter. He turned that into an easy layup.
He also logged a hockey assist in transition in the second quarter.
Karvala is likely to come off the bench this season, but he’s already flashing the kind of shot-making that can change a game in a hurry. DeVries said after the Peru win, “I think Vaughn’s done a great job,” DeVries said after the Peru win.
“He’s really bought into doing the things we ask. He’s got great size, athleticism.
He can really run. He’s skilled.”
Bryce Lindsay steadied things before leaving with a leg injury
Indiana also got a strong early lift from Bryce Lindsay before the redshirt-junior guard went down in the fourth quarter with what appeared to be a leg injury away from the play. He was checked out for the rest of the game.
Before that, Lindsay was a major reason Indiana got moving. In about 19 minutes, he scored nine points, all on 3-point attempts, and every one of those makes came in the first quarter. But his biggest impact came as a facilitator: he finished with a team-high nine assists.
That part of his game matters even with Markus Burton expected to handle most of the point guard duties. Lindsay can still move the offense, and Thursday showed it. He set up three alley-oops during the game, added five rebounds, and picked up a steal as well.
Lindsay, who started 31 of 33 games for Villanova last season, gives Indiana a veteran option who can shoot, pass and hold up on both ends. He should be a spot-up threat first, but he can also handle point guard minutes when Burton sits.
Sam Alexis made his return under DeVries
Sam Alexis’ name on the roster had raised eyebrows, but he finally got on the floor Thursday and made the most of it.
The former Indiana player logged about 17 minutes and produced 15 points, six rebounds and three assists. He was 7-for-8 from the field, which fits right in with the efficiency he’s known for. Last season, he posted a program record 68.7% field goal percentage.
Indiana’s frontcourt situation explains why Alexis matters here. The Hoosiers are without 7-foot-2 junior center Samet Yigitoglu, who is ineligible for Team USA because of his Turkish roots, and 7-foot freshman center Clemens Sokolov, who is also ineligible because of his German roots.
DeVries said after the Peru win, “Adding Sam just gives us some more versatility without two of our other bigs, just to be able to sub a little bit more, also potentially slide Aiden into the four,” DeVries said after the win over Peru. “So just so we have enough bodies to be able to do that.
Alexis could still be in line to join the Hoosiers next season if he wins potential legal action. Right now, the NCAA’s new “5 for 5” rule does not apply to him. An Ohio judge did grant a preliminary injunction earlier this month for 24 men’s and women’s college basketball players in a similar situation, opening the door for them to potentially play this season.
For now, Alexis gives Indiana another experienced body in DeVries’ system, and that has value on its own.
In Other News...
Indiana Defender Suddenly Faces Serious Off Field Uncertainty
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Burrus appeared in two games last year and had been viewed as a candidate for an expanded workload in the fall, which makes the timing especially difficult for a defense that was counting on added depth up front. For now, the Hoosiers are left waiting on the next steps while the university determines how to respond as more information comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Faces A Massive Tight End Question Heading Into 2026
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The challenge is not just replacing bodies, but finding reliable production in a room that lost nearly everything from the previous season. Barker is the only returnee with any Indiana snaps, and the rest of the depth chart is built around players who have yet to prove they can handle a bigger role. For a team trying to sort out its offensive identity, tight end is suddenly one of the biggest questions on the board. [Read more 🡒]
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Sherrells value may end up showing up in more places than one, because his role is tied not just to scoring and rebounding but to how much he can stabilize the paint on both ends. Burtons workload figures to remain heavy as well, which is why the supporting cast matters so much here: if Lindsay becomes the expected long-range threat and Harris gives Indiana the kind of efficiency that changes defensive attention, the Hoosiers could have a much clearer identity even before the season settles into focus. [Read more 🡒]