Indiana’s first exhibition under its new look came with the kind of mixed bag that tells you more than a lopsided score ever could.
The Hoosiers beat Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf 98-64 on Wednesday at Assembly Hall, using the game as a final tune-up before the FISU America Games, which run from July 20 to Aug. 1 in Lima, Peru. Indiana suited up a roster with only four returning players and wore new uniforms while representing the United States against the Canadian ambassador.
The result was comfortable enough on paper, but the game stayed tighter than Indiana probably wanted for long stretches. With no official stats recorded, the eye test was the only thing that mattered, and it pointed to a team still sorting out its identity.
One of the clearest issues was on the glass. Indiana had the size advantage all night, with 7-foot-2 junior Samet Yigitoglu, 6-foot-8 sophomore Trent Sisley and 6-foot-11 junior Aiden Sherrell standing well above Jean-de-Brébeuf’s tallest player at 6-foot-7. But the bigger lineup didn’t translate into control of the paint.
The Hoosiers collected 17 steals and six blocks, yet the defensive structure looked uneven at times after just over a month of practice. Rebounding was even more surprising.
Indiana was outrebounded 18-17 in the first half, and the Canadians kept finding extra chances despite being undersized. Jean-de-Brébeuf grabbed 10 offensive rebounds on 33 missed shots, and Indiana allowed 24 points in the paint.
Canada finished with 23 made field goals on 56 attempts, so efficiency was never the issue. The problem was that Indiana gave the visitors enough second looks and enough room near the rim to make the game feel closer than it should have.
“We want to be an elite offensive rebounding team,” Indiana head coach Darian DeVries said in a press conference after the game. “I didn’t think we were quite there tonight.
Defensive rebounding as well. We need to secure the defensive glass.”
That concern matters for a team that ranked 13th in the Big Ten in rebounding last season. If Indiana wants to hold up against stronger conference opponents, that part of the floor has to get better.
The Hoosiers also made things harder on themselves with 14 turnovers. The ball wasn’t always secure, and the decision-making wasn’t always sharp. Bad passes and loose handling created empty possessions, while Canada also turned it over enough to give Indiana 24 free possessions on the night.
Still, there were bright spots, and freshman guard Prince-Alexander Moody made the loudest one. In his first game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, Moody scored 13 points, with nine coming on three-pointers.
After a strong run of baskets in the third quarter, he drew a thunderous reaction from the crowd as he headed to the bench. He also hit back-to-back threes in the fourth quarter, which brought another wave of applause.
“He just plays hard,” DeVries said. “That’s what gets you in the game.”
Moody was one of three freshmen who made a strong first impression. Forwards Trevor Manhertz and Vaughn Karvala joined him in the class, and the trio combined for 29 points in their first game minutes as Hoosiers.
That kind of production fit the broader picture of the night: Indiana had depth, and it showed. Every Hoosier who played contributed something, and six players reached double figures.
“They just came out and gave incredible effort,” DeVries said. “Some effort plays that impact winning and losing.”
For a program that has lacked reliable bench help in recent years, getting productive minutes from two full rotations is a welcome development. The Hoosiers still have obvious cleanup work to do, but Wednesday offered a first look at a roster with more options than Indiana has had lately.
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