Trent Sisley stood on the second-floor balcony, just above Five Guys overlooking Kirkwood Avenue, tasked with draining a trick shot.
The Indiana men’s basketball freshman forward took four practice shots, but all were short of the bucket. Fifth-year senior guard Lamar Wilkerson, who sat below on the makeshift court, advised Sisley to let the ball bounce off the court and then into the basket. That try was also unsuccessful.
Now, he had just one shot. This time for real. He missed again.
Still, emcee Griffin Gonzalez granted Sisley a second, and final, try. The Santa Claus, Indiana, native sent this one off the backboard and into the basket.
The Hoosier faithful at Hoosier Hoops on Thursday evening lining Kirkwood approved, showering Sisley with cheers. Sisley stood against the black railing on the balcony, both arms raised. His teammates, who lined the 3-point arc on the court, matched his reaction.
Although Sisley and the rest of the Hoosiers have yet to suit up for a game in the continental United States — Indiana played three summer exhibitions in a Puerto Rican trip — they announced their arrival in front of their fans on Kirkwood Avenue.
So did first-year head coach Darian DeVries. After public address announcer Jeremy Gray introduced the 2025-26 Indiana men’s and women’s basketball squads, DeVries took to the microphone, leading three “Hoo, Hoo, Hoo, Hoosiers” chants.
“We cannot wait for Nov. 5,” DeVries said. “We are going to make that place loud as it has ever been. These guys are gonna do their part, you’re gonna do your part and we are gonna bring some noise.”
Senior guard Conor Enright, who played three seasons for DeVries at Drake University, was the lone men’s player to address the crowd. He encouraged fans to attend the Hoosiers’ intra-squad scrimmage at 7 p.m. Friday inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall and expressed his appreciation the fans’ support — which they’ll need all season, he said.
During the 3-point contest, which included four players from each the men’s and the women’s teams, Wilkerson shined. The Sam Houston State University transfer went 11 for 15 in the first round to advance to the finals.
While “Need It” by Migos, featuring YoungBoy Never Broke Again, and “Went Legit” by G Herbo blared, Wilkerson connected on 9 of 15 attempts from distance to take the crown over Indiana women’s basketball freshman guard Maya Makalusky.
Thursday’s event and the scrimmage Friday collectively replaced Hoosier Hysteria, which was an annual event at Assembly Hall. DeVries and his staff deemed connecting with the students — whom booed the Hoosiers several times throughout last season — and the community important.
“I think from our standpoint, it was just, we want to make sure that we're a big part of the community, big part of the campus,” DeVries said in a press conference Tuesday. “We want to give as many chances as we can to have those interactions because I think we have a group that's fun to be around.”
To end the night, DeVries delivered a message for those who watched from above Kirkwood Avenue at the Upstairs Pub.
“This next rounds on me,” DeVries said. “You tell ‘em Coach DeVries said, ‘I’m getting this one.’ I’ll see you Nov. 5. Go, Hoosiers.”
***
Going into the 2025-26 season, 12th-year Indiana women’s basketball head coach Teri Moren dealt with more roster turnover than usually seen from the Cream and Crimson.
Guards Sydney Parrish and Chloe Moore-McNeil graduated following last season, alongside forward Karoline Striplin.
Of the 11 remaining non-graduates, six players entered the transfer portal. That left Moren with only five returning players — redshirt sophomore guard Lenée Beaumont, senior guard Shay Ciezki, sophomore guard Valentyna Kadlecova, redshirt freshman forward Sydney Fenn and sophomore forward Faith Wiseman.
The Hoosiers added two high school recruits from the class of 2025. Neveah Caffey, a 5-foot-10 guard from Missouri, ranked as the 66th recruit in the nation, according to On3.
Maya Makalusky, a 6-foot-3 forward from Fishers, was both the 36th ranked recruit nationally and best ranked recruit out of Indiana.
The rest of the team was filled through the portal. Six transfer players rounded out the roster.
“They’re an exciting group,” Moren said Thursday. “We got some athleticism; we got some size, as you can see. They’ve been working really hard, and it’s going to be a great product that all of you will be really, really proud of.”
Moren said the Hoosiers having such a new look is uncharted territory for everyone — herself included.
“The first thing is, it’s a new team, right? And as we’ve talked about, we can’t go on what we’ve done in the past,” Moren said. “We can’t rest on our laurels of that, but this group of kids has a lot of potential.”
In the 3-point contest, Ciezki, Beaumont, Makalusky and sophomore guard Phoenix Stotijn took turns behind the arc. Ciezki went 8 for 15, including a streak of seven consecutive shots made. Beaumont and Stotijn went 7 for 15 and 6 for 15, respectively.
Makalusky, however, nailed three shots on each set to score nine of her 15 attempts and secure a spot in the final round. Makalusky, who was named 2025 Indiana Miss Basketball, was a standout shooter in high school.
In the final round, Makalusky went 7 for 15, but it wasn’t enough to keep Wilkerson from claiming victory in the contest.
Following the contest, Beaumont and Ciezki spoke briefly about the upcoming season.
“Hoosier Nation, we’re so excited for the year,” Beaumont said. “We have a great squad — we got a little bit of everything. When you have Coach Moren at the head, you’re in good hands. So, we’re ready to go.”
