BLOOMINGTON – Indiana eased its way past Alabama A&M in Darian DeVries‘ formal debut as IU’s coach Wednesday, winning 98-51.
Here’s what I liked, disliked and what the win means.
Here’s what I liked in IU basketball’s win vs Alabama A&M
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Let it rain. Indiana (1-0) fans watched Lamar Wilkerson, Tucker DeVries and Co. drop 3s in from all ranges and angles, and cheered like a town witnessing the end of a yearslong drought. There will be tougher tests, sure, and it’s not a surprise this team can shoot the ball. But 10 of 24 from behind the arc, after so many years starved for that kind of range and production, is the kind of start that makes believers out of everyone.
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Heat ’em up. In the Marian exhibition, Tucker DeVries’ 23 first-half points set a blistering pace. On Wednesday night, it was Wilkerson who kickstarted his team, with 15 points and four made 3s in the first half. Of course the tests will be tougher as time goes on. But any team with multiple players who can score in a hurry like those two can will have its share of good nights.
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Sharing the sugar. Ball movement and security have each been features of Indiana’s performances thus far, and on the first night it counted, the Hoosiers didn’t let up. They finished with 23 assists to just 11 turnovers, those numbers running comfortably on pace all night. The court spacing helps, but so does a purposeful commitment to keeping the ball flowing through the offense.
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Scoring depth. Reed Bailey finished with a game-high 21 points, Tayton Conerway 14. Sam Alexis chipped in 17 off the bench. Wilkerson and DeVries will drive the bus this season, but the Hoosiers have other places to go for offense when needed.
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Deep dive: Darian DeVries found a love for basketball in rural Iowa, long before he became IU’s coach
Here’s what I disliked in IU basketball’s win vs Alabama A&M
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Fouls. They were a problem for both sides Wednesday night, and in fairness, these early season games tend to be outliers. After the rough-and-tumble of a preseason, adjusting to the way actual games are refereed sometimes takes a minute. But fouls were an issue in Puerto Rico as well, and in the exhibition win against Baylor. Indiana isn’t deep enough to see its top-line players benched for long stretches because of foul trouble, nor is it naturally good enough defensively to be able to back off its pressure and still be effective.
Here’s what IU basketball’s win vs Alabama A&M means
It was always going to be a win, and a comfortable one. But there’s something to be said for simply giving your fans something to be excited about again.
Indiana played the aggressive, free-flowing, up-tempo style DeVries promised when he was hired, and Assembly Hall answered with understandable enthusiasm. The basketball hasn’t been easy on the eyes around here at times across the last few seasons. Wednesday night felt like a breath of fresh air.
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana basketball score today vs Alabama A&M, game stats, likes, dislikes
