Sports in Indiana just keep getting more exciting as the year rolls on. On Sunday, the Indiana Men’s Basketball team hit the road to Chicago for a neutral-site showdown against Marquette — and the Hoosiers didn’t disappoint.
This group has preached all season that it’s full of shooters, and they proved it in emphatic fashion. Indiana’s offense exploded against the Golden Eagles, cruising to a commanding 100–77 victory. It all started with a first-half masterclass from Tucker DeVries.
“It’s really just staying in the moment and still playing within the offense,” Tucker said postgame. “As you get going, you’re starting to feel more confident in what you’re doing. I thought the offense both halves did a great job of just playing very well together.”
DeVries was unstoppable in the opening 20 minutes, racking up 24 of his 27 total points before halftime. Every time the ball left his hands, the crowd seemed to hold its breath — and more often than not, the shot found the bottom of the net. He finished 9-for-15 from the field and a blistering 6-for-9 from deep (66.7%), torching Marquette’s defense from every angle.
But DeVries wasn’t alone in the spotlight. The Hoosiers’ ball movement was pure poetry, piling up 27 assists as nearly everyone got in on the scoring act. From crisp passes to clutch shooting, Indiana’s offense was firing on all cylinders — punctuated by Conor Enright’s stunning half-court buzzer-beater to close the first half.
Even when foul trouble hit in the second half, the energy never dipped. That’s when Lamar Wilkerson took command, orchestrating the offense and keeping the Hoosiers rolling as if nothing had changed.
“Obviously big performance from Tuck in the first half,” head coach Darian DeVries said after the game. “Just got us going and that’s how our team was built. Just having different guys that can always get in one of those zones and Tucker certainly had it in the first half, and then [in] the second half Lamar got going. That was something that I really like about this team — we have a lot of different guys that are capable of having moments like that throughout the game.”
With Tucker battling foul trouble, Lamar Wilkerson rose to the occasion and took over in the second half. The senior guard poured in 23 points, with 15 coming after halftime, proving once again why he’s one of Indiana’s most dangerous scorers. After a strong season opener with 19 points and four made threes, Wilkerson turned it up another notch in Chicago — knocking down 6-of-10 from beyond the arc and shooting 42.1% from the field. He also stuffed the stat sheet with eight assists, two steals, and a block, showcasing his all-around impact.
Together, Tucker and Lamar were everywhere — flying around the court, keeping the pressure high, and setting the tone for Indiana’s relentless style of play. Still, one area the Hoosiers know they’ll need to tighten up is discipline on defense.
“We need to do a better job,” Coach DeVries said. “We got a little handsy at times and we got to clean that up. We have to be physical with discipline — that’s our number one thing right now. Continue to get into the ball, continue to be aggressive, challenge the ball handlers, challenge the screeners — just do it with a little less hand activity. So, we can still be physical and not foul.”
Despite another dominant showing, foul trouble continues to be a thorn in Indiana’s side. The issue first surfaced during their exhibition games and again showed up Sunday, as the Hoosiers racked up 25 personal fouls. Conor Enright fouled out, while Tayton Conerway and Tucker DeVries each finished with four. Coach DeVries’ aggressive defensive mindset has paid off in energy and intensity, but finding the balance between pressure and control will be a key focus in practice this week.
Even with that area to improve, there’s no denying how much potential this team has. The Hoosiers look confident, connected, and capable of lighting up the scoreboard against anyone. After handling business in Chicago, Indiana heads back to Bloomington to prepare for its next matchup against the Milwaukee Panthers on Wednesday, Nov. 12, at 7 p.m. ET. The game will tip off at Assembly Hall and air live on FS1 — and if this performance was any indication, fans might want to tune in early.