After beating Kansas State during the week and ahead of a huge week with games against Minnesota and Louisville, Indiana University head coach Darian DeVries was concerned about his team’s focus on Saturday against Bethune-Cookman. It was a classic “noon tip trap game” but IU got out to a 14-5 lead before the first media timeout and never really let the Wildcats into the contest, rolling to a 100-56 victory over their visitors from the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).
Bethune-Cookman, led by head coach Reggie Theus, took Auburn to overtime and is a team capable of putting up points but Indiana played the game at their pace and continued to share the ball exquisitely as they racked up 27 assists on 36 made baskets while only turning the ball over seven times. The #25 Hoosiers improve to 7-0 with the win and remain unbeaten in the Darian DeVries era.
Bethune-Cookman began the game with a made three-pointer on the game’s first possession but the Hoosiers quickly responded as Tucker DeVries notched a four-point play, Tayton Conerway rattled off five straight points and Lamar Wilkerson nailed a triple to get the Hoosiers on track.
It was a balanced effort from Indiana in the first 20 minutes as IU led 51-23 at the break with DeVries leading the way with 12 points. Tayton Conerway added nine points and Trent Sisley came off the bench with 8. IU had 15 assists on 17 made baskets and picked the Wildcats apart in transition, getting whatever they wanted on offense by spreading the floor and then dicing the defense with cuts to the rim.
The second half was more of the same as Lamar Wilkerson came out of the locker room and got a layup on a curl cut and nice pass from Conor Enright. Reed Bailey followed that up with an emphatic block and then a layup after an offensive rebound and the rout was on. Indiana rotated heavily in game’s final minutes and the Hoosiers extended the lead to as many as 46 points before cruising to the final buzzer.
Tucker DeVries led the Hoosiers with 20 points including five made three-pointers while adding three rebounds and five assists. Four other players rounded out the Hoosiers in double-figures as Lamar Wilkerson added 18 points and Nick Dorn, Trent Sisley and Sam Alexis each added 14. Trent Sisley led the squad in rebounds with nine caroms and Conor Enright had a team-high seven assists.
Indiana will open Big Ten play on Wednesday night with their first true road game as they play at Minnesota.
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