Deadspin: Overhauled Indiana Unveils a New Look for Opener Against Eastern Illinois

A roster built for change

Indiana’s top six players are transfers, and DeVries used the same five newcomers as starters in all three exhibition games. They are point guard Markus Burton, wings Darren Harris and Jaeden Mustaf, power forward Aiden Sherrell and 7-foot-2 center Samet Yigitoglu.

Fifth-year center Sam Alexis and sophomore power forward Trent Sisley are the only scholarship returnees. Both are expected to begin the season in reserve roles, alongside three freshmen.

Exhibitions show promise

The Hoosiers swept their three exhibition games, including a home win over North Carolina by 18 points. They also outrebounded Butler, North Carolina and Western Kentucky by substantial margins.

Villanova transfer Bryce Lindsay scored 26 points against North Carolina and 20 against Western Kentucky, leading Indiana in both games. He made 10 of 23 three-point attempts, while the team shot 32 of 91 from beyond the arc.

Ball security remains a concern

Indiana recorded 43 assists and 39 turnovers across the exhibition games. DeVries said taking better care of the ball has been a major focus in practice.

Eastern Illinois brings new faces

The opener is a homecoming for Eastern Illinois coach Marty Simmons, who scored 375 points for Bob Knight’s Indiana teams from 1983 to 1985 before transferring to Evansville. The Panthers return no starters from last season’s 13-20 team. Backup guard Markus Blackwell, who averaged 4.7 points per game, is their top returning scorer. Simmons brought in 10 players, and Eastern Illinois was picked eighth in the nine-team Ohio Valley Conference.

Past meeting offers a reminder

Indiana is seeking its first NCAA Tournament bid since 2023 after finishing 10th in the Big Ten and 41st in the NET rankings last season. The Big Ten sent nine teams to the tournament.