Indiana’s first three games have been messy in spots, but that’s not exactly a shock for a roster still learning how to function together. The bigger question after Monday night’s game against Syracuse is whether the Hoosiers’ offensive hiccups are just early-season growing pains or something that will require Darian DeVries to adjust more than he usually has.
There were stretches when Indiana looked stuck, especially in the opening three minutes, when the half court offense seemed to have nowhere to go. Last season, that kind of dead end often came down to a lack of players who could create a shot.
This group is different. Jaeden Mustaf, Markus Burton and Darren Harris showed that much against Syracuse.
The more complicated part is that talent alone does not make a team click. A lot of Indiana’s newcomers, including Mustaf and Burton, arrived from high major programs, and that matters. Mustaf and Burton were among the best players on teams that weren’t very good, and now they have to figure out how to share the floor with better teammates and make their own decisions within a new structure.
Burton, in particular, is going to have to learn when to trust others and when to take over himself. The same goes for Indiana’s other initiators, Mustaf and Bryce Lindsay. That kind of adjustment takes time.
But there was another issue in the Syracuse game that feels a little more concerning: what Indiana is doing, or not doing, with its two new bigs, Samet Yigitoglu and Aiden Sherrell.
Yigitoglu, at 7’2”, gives Indiana the sort of interior presence it badly needed a year ago. He can rebound and help slow things down around the rim. He is also an old school big, and that is not the type of player DeVries has had to coach much.
DeVries is in his ninth season as a Division I head coach, and according to KenPom, there have only been two seasons in which an old school big finished among his top three most used players. That came with Darnell Brodie in his final two years at Drake, when Tucker DeVries was clearly the centerpiece of the offense.
That history makes Yigitoglu’s usage worth watching. A lot of his touches against Syracuse were plain and uninspiring. Instead of being featured in actions designed to get him the ball in space or in rhythm, he was often receiving entry passes from Markus Burton while both players were basically standing still.
That might work for a more mobile power forward type, but Yigitoglu is not a player who can easily manufacture his own offense. If Indiana wants him to matter as a scorer, the staff may need to do more than simply hand him the ball and hope for the best. Even something as basic as getting guards to look his way on drives could help.
The early schedule does allow for some patience. In November, coaches usually keep things relatively simple and avoid showing too much too soon.
Still, the numbers from the first three games point to more than just ordinary early-season rust. Last year, Indiana had at least 23 assists in each of its first three games.
This season, the Hoosiers have not reached 16 assists in any of their first three.
That gap suggests DeVries may need to change something in the offense, not just wait for the guards to get comfortable with one another. The backcourt needs time, yes, but the bigger issue may be how the offense is built to involve the bigs and keep the whole thing flowing.
There is still plenty of time in early November to sort it out. Indiana has enough talent to survive some clunky offense, and Syracuse offered a reminder of that. But if DeVries can get everyone involved, this team has a higher ceiling - one that could matter in the Big Ten and beyond.
In Other News...
Indiana Just Landed A Guard Hoosier Fans Will Want To Watch
Indiana added another notable name to its future backcourt with the signing of four-star guard Chase Branham from the class of 2027, a move that gives Hoosier fans an early reason to keep an eye on La Lumiere School. At 6-foot-4, Branham brings size for the position, and his arrival only adds to the sense that Indiana is trying to build its next wave with players who can fit the programs long-term plans.
Branham also arrives with some historical context attached, since he is now the 10th-highest ranked recruit Indiana has landed in the 247Sports era. In the schools official release, coach Darian DeVries highlighted both Branhams ability and his character, which is usually the kind of combination a staff hopes will translate well once the real work begins and the recruiting buzz gives way to what he can actually do in Bloomington. [Read more 🡒]
Lincoln Riley Just Sent Indiana A Message Before Bloomington Showdown
Lincoln Riley had plenty of praise for Indiana as USC turns its attention toward a trip to Bloomington, and the message was clear enough: this is not a matchup the Trojans can treat casually. Asked about the Hoosiers, Riley pointed to an experienced defense and the kind of coaching continuity that can make a team harder to prepare for, while also showing respect for Curt Cignettis program.
For Indiana, the compliments matter because they come with a reminder of what usually decides games at this level: which team can bring the same standard from one week to the next. Riley said consistency is the challenge, and that is exactly the sort of test the Hoosiers want in a high-profile home game, where a strong defensive identity and steady coaching should give them a chance to make USC earn everything. [Read more 🡒]
Tobi Osunsanmi May Decide Whether Indiana Can Survive USCs Attack
USC brings one of the Big Tens most dangerous passing attacks into this matchup, and Indianas best answer may come from the front line. The Trojans have leaned on quarterback Jayden Maiava to drive the offense, while the Hoosiers have built their defensive identity around getting pressure and disrupting timing before a play can fully develop.
Tobi Osunsanmi is at the center of that challenge. Indiana has to find a way to make USC uncomfortable early and often, because if Maiava settles in, the Trojans can turn a game fast through the air. The Hoosiers have shown they can defend at a high level, but this one may hinge on whether Osunsanmi and the pass rush can force USC out of rhythm before the secondary has to hold up for long stretches. [Read more 🡒]