Nick Dorn’s brothers — Torin Dorn Jr. and Myles — often declared him delusional.
Since Dorn’s younger years, he’s always possessed an abundance of confidence. He thought the basketball would go in the hoop whenever he took a shot.
Across Indiana men’s basketball’s three-game winning streak, Dorn feels like he’s lived up to his brothers’ evaluation — but he doesn’t think he’s unrealistic.
“When I shoot, I feel like it's going in regardless of where I shoot it or how I shoot it,” Dorn said after defeating UCLA on Jan. 31. “I’ve just always had that confidence ever since I was little.”
Dorn’s work is paying off. He’s emerged as a true threat in the Hoosiers’ starting lineup. His recent success has led to three consecutive wins and an improved season outlook in his first season at Indiana.
The junior guard’s 44.3% mark from 3-point range leads the Big Ten. He scored 23 points Jan. 23 in Indiana’s first triumph at Rutgers in eight years. Then, he dropped 18 points in a win over No. 12 Purdue on Jan. 27 before his 26-point outburst against the Bruins in the first of the Hoosiers’ two-game Los Angeles trip.
“He’s been playing great and he’s really confident,” Indiana head coach Darian DeVries said Jan. 31. “...Overall, he’s just a great fit for us in terms of what we’re trying to do offensively.”
Dorn’s evolution became increasingly evident after sixth-year senior guard Tayton Conerway hobbled to Indiana’s sideline against Iowa on Jan. 17. Conerway returned to action less than two minutes later but was no longer effective in penetrating the Hawkeyes’ defense and getting to the basket.
Indiana lost its third consecutive game at that point. The Hoosiers then dropped their fourth in a row three days later against then-No. 3 Michigan, but Dorn scored 14 points against the Wolverines.
The Cream and Crimson’s NCAA Tournament hopes were trending downward. That’s when Dorn took off. He’s averaged 22.3 points per game in the three wins and is putting stress on other areas of the opposing defenses.
“We were able to get to the rim a little bit more because they were getting pressed out on Nick and got a couple of rolls to the basket,” Darian DeVries said.
While Dorn’s scoring has powered Indiana to wins, Tucker DeVries’ versatility has stabilized it. Tucker DeVries scored 15 and 22 points against Michigan and Rutgers, respectively, but his scoring output has decreased over the past two games.
The Waukee, Iowa, native scored just nine points apiece in victories over Purdue and UCLA. In the latter, he was the Hoosiers’ point guard throughout both overtime periods after senior guard Conor Enright fouled out.
The 6-foot-7, 225-pound DeVries totaled 20 rebounds and 10 assists across the last two games.
“I think he's doing a great job of, as he's fighting through it here a little bit, and he's been able to go be more aggressive getting downhill, getting in the paint a lot more, rebounding,” Darian DeVries said. “... He’s giving us all he’s got.”
His impact isn’t limited to just on-court statistics, either.
After the Hoosiers’ 10-point lead dwindled late in the second half against UCLA, Tucker DeVries took over in the huddle. He stressed flushing the lackluster finish to regulation, Darian DeVries said, and emphasized moving on to the next play.
“I think he's doing a great job leading the team,” Darian DeVries said.
The Hoosiers were in a precarious position in terms of a potential NCAA tournament berth. Their season could’ve snowballed with four consecutive losses in the early stages of conference play.
However, the Cream and Crimson bolstered their resume with a pair of Quadrant 1 wins. Couple Dorn’s confidence with Tucker DeVries’ direction and the Hoosiers now sit at 15-7 overall and 6-5 in Big Ten play ahead of their 10 p.m. contest Tuesday against USC inside the Galen Center in Los Angeles.
Indiana is growing together. Several players stepping up and displaying resiliency in the Hoosiers’ win over UCLA proves that, Dorn said. They’re learning to play with one another at a higher level ahead of the season’s stretch run.
“It just gets even more crisp every time we step out on the court,” Dorn said.
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.
