Darian DeVries sat in front of a backdrop emblazoned with the Big Ten logo and behind a table draped with a black cover.
Wearing a crimson blazer and cream-colored tie at Big Ten Basketball Media Days in early October, Indiana men’s basketball’s first-year head coach explained his squad “philosophically” loves to shoot 3-pointers.
On Wednesday, the Hoosiers had their first regular-season opportunity to show their 3-point capabilities in their season opener against Alabama A&M University inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington.
Whether it was fifth-year senior guard Lamar Wilkerson or redshirt senior forward Tucker DeVries — both of whom connected on four longballs apiece — the Cream and Crimson showed their potential range in their 98-51 victory over the Bulldogs.
“We've got a group that has a really good IQ and feel, and for a group that hasn't been together very long, they really play well off of each other and have a great understanding of some of the concepts that we're trying to do,” Darian DeVries said postgame. “But they're just out there playing. I think that's allowed them to play fast and really trust their instincts.”
Wilkerson wasted no time making his first 3-pointer in an Indiana uniform, as he buried one from the left wing to open the scoring for the Hoosiers nearly a minute into the contest.
Tucker DeVries followed three and a half minutes later, draining his first longball fading away in the right corner.
Then, Wilkerson sank two 3-pointers in just 38 seconds. First, he returned to the left wing and made his second of the game while being fouled, converting the 4-point play at the free-throw line.
Wilkerson proceeded to take a heat check triple approximately 32 feet from the basket. Again, he sank that one, too.
The Hoosier faithful in attendance erupted. After all, it is their first time seeing what Wilkerson can do for their squad in Bloomington, as he played against the Hoosiers inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall last season with Sam Houston State University.
“He works on all those,” Darian DeVries said. “He has incredible range. He can shoot it with ease from anywhere. We want him to be super aggressive. Whenever he gets a space that he wants to let it go, let it go.”
Senior forward Sam Alexis connected on his first longball before Wilkerson drained another. With five minutes left in the first half, the Ashdown, Arkansas, native already accumulated 12 points from beyond the arc.
Although Wilkerson failed to connect on his five additional attempts throughout the contest, Darian DeVries has given him a green light from beyond the arc. And for good reason: Wilkerson shot 44.5% from deep last season — seventh-best nationally.
Wilkerson didn’t need to prove his 3-point prowess over the summer, DeVries said. Instead, his tape from 2024-25 told the story.
“He can shoot, and some guys just have that ability,” DeVries said. “He puts in the time. He's one of those guys you've got to kick out of the gym because he's in there so much.”
Wilkerson finished the contest with 19 points, two rebounds and two assists in his Hoosiers debut, as he went 7 for 13 from the field. Senior forward Reed Bailey, who spent the past three seasons at Davidson College, deemed Wilkerson as the best 3-point shooter he’s played alongside.
But it’s not just Wilkerson’s 3-point ability that proves effective. When he’s connecting from deep, it stretches the opposing defense. In turn, the Hoosiers get slips and rolls to the basket. Indiana notched 52 points in the paint Wednesday to Alabama A&M's 20.
While Wilkerson dominated from range in the first half, Tucker DeVries nailed three of his four 3-pointers in the second half. When he sank his final one of the night with just over six minutes left in the game, he eclipsed 2,000 career points as he extended his lead in total points amongst active Division I players.
But Darian DeVries didn’t know how to feel in the moment, he said jokingly. During his four-year career at the University of Northern Iowa in the 1990s, DeVries scored 1,084 total points. Tucker has nearly doubled the amount of points his father scored.
Still, Darian DeVries said he’s “very happy” for his son.
“When you get individual accomplishments like that, it's usually a credit to having really good teammates,” DeVries said. “It's usually a credit to the work you put in on trying to perfect what you do. So, in his case, I just think he's worked hard for all of that, and it's great to see that showcased on the floor.”
In all, Indiana ushered in the DeVries-era with a dominant win — something the past two Hoosiers head coaches failed to do.
The Cream and Crimson didn’t necessarily cruise to victory because of their 10 made 3-pointers (a mark they reached just twice last season). Still, they proved it’ll be a mainstay this season — also something that hasn’t been present throughout the past eight seasons.
“They put in the time and the work, so on game night, let it rip,” Darian DeVries said. “That's kind of our philosophy. We don't want them to hesitate even when they miss one. I don't care where they take them from, just know that it's something that you work on every day, and we're good with it.”
Follow reporters Dalton James (@DaltonMJames and jamesdm@iu.edu) and Nathan Shriberg (@NShriberg and naashri@iu.edu) and columnist Kasey Watkins (@KaseyWatki8773 and kaslwatk@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s basketball season.
