Indiana men’s basketball’s trip to Lima, Peru, to participate in the FISU America Games started off with a dominant victory over the host nation. A 12-0 scoring run for the team representing the United States to open the game helped keep Peru out of reach throughout four-quarter game.
By halftime, the Hoosiers were leading 59-22. Even though most of the first half was unwatchable due to the YouTube livestream showing weightlifting and handball, the full second half was shown with the stream lagging every couple of seconds.
Indiana dominated the third quarter, outscoring Peru 31-6. Playing time was divided mostly among walk-ons, freshmen and players further down the bench in the latter two quarters. However, they didn't let the 62-point lead slip away at any point, as Team USA cruised to a 115-36 win.
Here are two takeaways from the game:
A size advantage helped Indiana on both ends
It was an aspect of the game that plagued the Hoosiers last season, as former senior forward Reed Bailey was the tallest player on the squad who consistently saw playing time. Yet he only stood at 6-foot-10.
This season, Indiana head coach Darian DeVries has corrected this mistake by bringing in University of Alabama transfer forward Aiden Sherrell and Southern Methodist University transfer center Samet Yigitoglu. Sherrell and Yigitoglu stand at 6-foot-11 and 7-foot-2, respectively.
However, Yigitoglu is not eligible to compete in the FISU America Games due to his Turkish heritage. With incoming 7-foot-tall freshman forward Clemens Sokolov not with the Hoosiers — due to him still in Germany — it was up to Sherrell to control the post area for Indiana.
And Sherrell did just that.
The junior finished the contest with a team-high 19 points. Compared to the tall and dominant frames that many Big Ten teams possess, Peru didn’t stack up to that level. Based on the broadcast angles, Sherrell seemed to tower over many of the Peruvian players, as their tallest players appeared to be around 6–foot–8.
Even if teams during the actual season try to play smaller, faster lineups, Sherrell can also kick out to the 3-point line. In the exhibition contest against Canada on July 16, he was two for five from behind the arc. In his last season spent at Alabama, Sherrell shot 33.8% on 2.4 3-point attempts per game.
6-foot-10 sophomore forward Ben Winker also provided quality minutes in the late third quarter and entire fourth quarter. The transfer from California State Fullerton is a walk-on, but he played in eight games last season for the Titans. Although he only scored three points, Winkler showed active movement on both ends of the floor.
The freshmen trio looks wise beyond their years
Guard Prince-Alexander Moody, plus forwards Vaugh Karvala and Trevor Manhertz, were ranked as the 34th-best 2026 recruiting class, per Rivals. The class was also ranked ninth in the Big Ten.
After only two exhibition games, the trio look like players that DeVries could rely upon during the regular season. After Sherrell’s 19 points, Moody produced 18, Karvala had 13 and Manhertz compiled 12.
Those four players were the top four scorers for Indiana on Tuesday, and three were freshmen.
Moody, Karvala and Manhertz have a lot of experienced competition if they want to make the starting five, but the trio has shown their worth off the bench. Karvala had two consecutive putback baskets in the fourth quarter, one of which he rose for a dunk.
Manhertz showcased range and a top-tier passing ability. He nailed a 3-pointer on the left wing, a couple of steps behind the line and showcased an impressive pocket pass to Winkler to allow his teammate to draw a shooting foul.
Most of Moody’s work came in the first half — which was unavailable to watch — but he still showcased elite skills. He found sophomore forward Trent Sisley cutting to the basket to end the third quarter and provided Winkler with a nice pass for his only field goal of the contest.
Playing with and against quality high-major teammates in practice can only go so far in a freshman player’s development. Getting game reps — even against an inferior opponent — can be crucial for an Indiana squad with many strong opponents on the schedule.
Disregarding Big Ten games, the Hoosiers must play the University of Kentucky, the University of Arkansas and Syracuse University in nonconference games. With these games being earlier in the calendar, freshmen are prone to mistakes. However, experience gained from this trip to Peru can prove to be crucial when the games affect the standings.
The Hoosiers are in Group B of the competition, alongside Peru and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Group A contains Chile, Colombia, Argentina and Brazil. The FISU America Games features 15 sports over 13 days of competition and is held every two years between collegiate athletes from North and South America.
Indiana continues its stint at the event with a matchup against the U.S. Virgin Islands on Thursday. Elimination rounds begin Saturday and go through Monday.
