How it Happened: Indiana starts DeVries era 1-0 with 98-51 rout of Alabama A&M

Regular-season Game 1 of the Darian DeVries era is in the books, and it was a resounding success for the Hoosiers.

Indiana defeated Alabama A&M 98-51, with both sides of the ball complementing each other extremely well. Shooting was as good as advertised, while the defensive intensity was impressive all night long.

The Hoosiers shot 36-for-58 from the field, while the Bulldogs were held to 18-for-53 from the floor. Reed Bailey led all scorers with 21 points on 7-for-9 shooting, while Lamar Wilkerson and Sam Alexis both had fantastic nights, scoring 19 and 17 points, respectively.

Tucker DeVries tallied 18 points and surpassed 2,000 career points with a 3-pointer in the second half. Tayton Conerway added 14, giving the Hoosiers five players in double figures.

When it was all said and done, Indiana cruised to a blowout victory, beginning the DeVries era with an impressive win on its home floor.

Here’s how it happened:

Indiana brings energy in DeVries’ opener

If you were inside Assembly Hall on Wednesday night, you could tell there was a different energy around the Indiana basketball program.

In previous seasons, mid-major opponents occasionally posed a real challenge, but that couldn’t have been further from the case with Indiana’s rout of Alabama A&M.

The Hoosiers wasted no time getting out to a large lead, going up 23-5 less than eight minutes into the game. This allowed the crowd to really get into it, as Hoosier Nation showed its enthusiasm for the new-look team led by coach DeVries.

In both Archie Miller and Mike Woodson’s first regular-season games, Indiana struggled with mid-majors. Woodson’s 2021-22 team barely beat Eastern Michigan, while Miller’s 2017-18 squad lost to Indiana State by 20 in its opener.

Yes, Indiana’s win over Alabama A&M won’t be all that impressive on paper, but compared with the regular-season openers of the previous two coaches, it was certainly a success.

And the crowd responded — just by listening to the sound in the building, it was evident this Indiana team has far more energy than Hoosier teams of the past.

Impressive shooting highlights offense

Ahead of the regular season, expectations were high for Indiana’s shooting, and in Game 1, the Hoosiers certainly showed what they’re made of.

Fittingly, the first official made basket of the DeVries era was a 3-pointer, and Indiana took off from there, going 10-for-24 from beyond the arc when it was all said and done.

That included a 6-for-14 mark in the first half, as Indiana used its 3-point shooting to build a substantial lead in the first 20 minutes. The fans were into it early, as Wilkerson made three of his first four long-range shots, including one from NBA range.

It wasn’t just 3-point shooting, though, as the Hoosiers went an impressive 16-for-16 from the free-throw line, including 14-for-14 in the first half.

To round it out, IU went 26-for-34 from 2-point range, as the threat of the 3-ball led to several easy buckets down low. With a multifaceted offense, Indiana couldn’t be stopped, and it showed on the scoreboard.

Ball movement was key, as the Hoosiers assisted on 23 of their 36 made baskets. It was rare to see an Indiana possession without multiple passes, as everyone got involved early and often, leading to a flurry of scoring en route to a dominant Game 1 win.

Defense shows intensity early and often

It wasn’t just Indiana’s offense that was eye-opening — the Hoosiers’ Game 1 defense was equally impressive.

In both exhibitions, it was clear that when Indiana played with speed and energy, it would be successful on the defensive end, and that couldn’t have been more evident against Alabama A&M.

The Hoosiers swarmed the Bulldogs on nearly every possession, playing with an intensity that Indiana teams of the past simply didn’t possess. Yes, it was against a mid-major opponent, but effort travels anywhere, and Indiana certainly had it in its regular-season opener.

The Hoosiers forced 11 turnovers on top of Alabama A&M’s 34% shooting from the field.

On defensive switches, Indiana didn’t miss a beat, and the Hoosiers were able to guard effectively on nearly every possession. They ran the floor well, and their athleticism was evident despite a lack of size at the forward positions.

With this kind of energy up and down the floor, Indiana should have defensive success all season long. Wednesday night was a great sign of things to come. The offense may overshadow the defense at times, but against Alabama A&M, you could make a strong argument that what Indiana showed on the defensive side was the most impressive part of its 98-51 beatdown of the Bulldogs.

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