Tucker DeVries stayed 'in the moment' as his big first half helped fuel Indiana's 23-point win

Senior wing Tucker DeVries has made quite an early impression in his first two games with Indiana Basketball.

In his first game as a Hoosier, the talented transfer scored his 2,000th career point as a part of an 18-point, 11-rebound, four-assist performance in a 47-point win.

In his second game with the program, DeVries made a statement.

Playing their first high-major opponent, Indiana Basketball was in a back-and-forth battle with Marquette in the first half.

That was until DeVries caught fire.

DeVries buried five threes in the first half as he helped the Hoosiers end the half on a 22-8 run to take an 18-point lead into the break.

The Indiana Hoosiers used that first half lead to cruise to a 100-77 win over the Marquette Golden Eagles.

“When the ball’s going in, it’s a little easier to be a little more aggressive and a little more confident,” Tucker DeVries said postgame.

DeVries played the entire first half and scored 24 points on 8-12 from the field while adding four rebounds and two assists.

It didn’t matter what Shaka Smart and Marquette threw at DeVries in the half; he had an answer every time.

“The guys really understand the game,” Indiana head coach Darian DeVries said postgame. “They’re very willing passers and understand moments like when Tucker has it going, they understand to keep finding him.”

DeVries was assisted on seven of his eight field goals in the first half.

DeVries finished the game with a game-high 27 points, five rebounds, and two assists in the Hoosiers’ 23-point win.

On3+: Three takeaways from Indiana’s 100-77 win over Marquette

Indiana rode DeVries in the first half, but foul trouble and Marquette’s defensive adjustments led to a quiet second half for the senior.

Those adjustments opened the door for another Hoosier to step up in the second half as Lamar Wilkerson was able to score 15 points in the second half with the defense keyed on DeVries.

“Big performance from Tuck in the first half got us going, and then that’s how our team is built, just having different guys that can always get in one of those zones,” Darian DeVries said.

Postgame Q&A: Darian DeVries and players react to Indiana Basketball’s win over Marquette

While the box score will show some big stat lines for Indiana basketball, they kept the ball moving against Marquette.

The Hoosiers had 27 assists on 33 made field goals, emphasizing feeding the hot hand. In the first half, it was DeVries, then it was Wilkerson in the second half.

“It’s really just staying in the moment and still playing within the offense, and then as you get going, you’re starting to feel more confident in what you’re doing,” DeVries said about his performance.

Many players in DeVries’ shoes would have started forcing shots in the second half, but his discipline and IQ prevailed.

He only attempted three shots in the second half, making one, as he kept the ball moving and the offense in the same flow that helped them build their lead.

While he only had one bucket in the second half, it was a big one.

Marquette opened the second half on a run, cutting the Hoosier lead from 18 to 10, forcing an Indiana timeout.

Out of the timeout, Indiana generated a catch-and-shoot look for DeVries, and he buried the three to put the Hoosiers up 13, and they never looked back, going on a 15-4 run out of the timeout.

While Indiana has several guys capable of making big plays, in the biggest possession of the game, they went to DeVries, and he delivered.

DeVries is not the flashiest player, and he’s certainly not the most athletic guy, but his basketball IQ stands out more and more with each passing moment.

He may not always lead the team in scoring, but when it matters most, Indiana is going to rely on DeVries to make plays, and he showed exactly why today.

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