Indiana’s Frontcourt Faces a Reality Check After Kentucky Loss - And There’s No Easy Fix Coming
Indiana’s trip to Lexington started with a scare that had Hoosier fans holding their breath. Just moments into the game, center Sam Alexis went down awkwardly on the team’s first possession, hyperextending his knee. He had to be helped off the floor, unable to put any weight on his left leg - not exactly the kind of start you want against a top-tier opponent like Kentucky.
Alexis, the Florida transfer, had just been inserted into the starting lineup by head coach Darian DeVries, who was looking to inject some energy and toughness into the five spot. But what looked like it might be a devastating blow turned out to be a temporary setback. Alexis returned to the game and logged 30 minutes in Indiana’s 72-60 loss at Rupp Arena.
Still, his presence didn’t exactly solve Indiana’s problems in the paint.
The Hoosiers were outscored 36-18 down low and gave up 14 offensive rebounds - a stat line that speaks volumes about the physical disparity between the two teams. And while Alexis toughed it out, his knee was wrapped in ice postgame, and DeVries didn’t exactly sound like someone who was ready to declare him 100% healthy.
“You watch it on film and you realize it could have been much, much worse,” DeVries said on his Monday radio show. “We’re still hopeful that he’s going to be alright there. That was one of those injuries, if he is able to get through it, he was very fortunate because that was one that could have been very bad.”
Even with Alexis available, Indiana is staring down a size problem that won’t get any easier with Big Ten play on the horizon. The Hoosiers are trying to piece together a frontcourt rotation with Alexis (6-foot-9), Reed Bailey (6-foot-10), and Tucker DeVries (6-foot-7), who’s primarily playing the four. It’s a trio that brings different tools to the table, but none of them are traditional Big Ten bruisers.
Alexis has the mindset and skill set of a center, but he’s often giving up size and strength against high-major bigs. Bailey, meanwhile, has shown flashes of perimeter skill but hasn’t consistently held his own in the paint, especially when it comes to finishing through contact or controlling the glass. And while Tucker DeVries has the frame and feel of a wing, he’s been asked to play bigger - a tough ask when it comes to battling on the boards.
The numbers tell the story. In Indiana’s three losses, Alexis is averaging just 4.0 rebounds per game, while Bailey is at 4.7 points and 3.3 boards. That’s not going to cut it when you’re trying to hold your own in the post against some of the most physical teams in the country.
Defensively, Indiana has done a solid job guarding the two - opponents are shooting just 42.6% against them, good for sixth-best nationally. But they’re doing it with help-heavy schemes, not rim protection. The Hoosiers rank No. 275 in block rate at just 7.5%, and when you’re constantly rotating and helping, it opens up the arc - something we’ve seen exploited in games like Minnesota and Louisville, where opponents got hot from three.
So what’s the fix? Could DeVries try playing Alexis and Bailey together to beef up the front line?
It’s an idea that sounds good in theory, but DeVries hasn’t had the luxury to experiment much. Depth - or the lack of it - is a real issue. Without a reliable third big, foul trouble becomes a major concern, and keeping both guys fresh is already a challenge.
“The biggest challenge for us is depth,” DeVries said before the Kentucky game. “We don’t have a third big right now that we can put in there if there’s foul trouble or whatever, so it’s hard for us to give them (Alexis and Bailey) many minutes together.
It’s something we’d love to be able to explore and do a little bit more of. But right now it’s just the lack of bodies to be able to keep them fresh and productive, and then the foul trouble piece as well.”
There’s a chance sophomore Josh Harris could help when he returns from injury, but expectations should be tempered. At 6-foot-8, he doesn’t have the length Indiana’s missing, and he’s not likely to be ready for a major role the moment he steps back on the court.
The good news? He’s trending in the right direction.
He’s shed the walking boot and is working his way back.
Freshman Andrej Acimovic, a 6-foot-10 big from Bosnia, hasn’t seen the floor at all this season and looks headed for a redshirt. So while the frame is there, the experience - and the minutes - are not.
That leaves Indiana looking for answers in less conventional ways. One possible path? Going smaller, quicker, and tougher with lineups that might not win the size battle but can compete with effort, shooting, and rebounding grit.
Enter freshman Trent Sisley and junior Nick Dorn.
Sisley, at 6-foot-8, has been playing with the kind of motor you love to see in a young big. He leads the team in defensive rebounding rate (19.7%) and is pulling down 7.4 defensive boards per 40 minutes. That’s the kind of production that can earn you more minutes - especially on a team that’s desperate for frontcourt help.
Dorn, meanwhile, is giving the Hoosiers a real spark from the wing. He’s shooting 43.3% from three and has scored 13 or more points in three of his last five games. And while he’s not a traditional post player, he’s averaged 4.0 rebounds per game over his last three - not bad for someone playing out on the perimeter.
So while Indiana’s frontcourt doesn’t have a traditional fix waiting in the wings, there are pieces that can help - if DeVries is willing to lean into a more unorthodox approach. The Big Ten isn’t going to get any easier, and if the Hoosiers want to stay competitive, they’ll need to get creative with what they’ve got.
Because right now, the answer isn’t size. It’s fight.