2025-2026 IUBB Season Expectations

[bigrod]

29 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

Why? Because we don't have a "fatal flaw." Some are judging the roster as if there needs to be certain pieces of certain sizes and profiles that fill certain criteria for the roster to be effective. If we have a dominant defensive post? That's just another tool in the kit, but every time we insert one type of player we remove the skill set of a guy like Bailey from the lineup.

Winning happens when a staff instills:

• a culture,
• work ethic, and
• scheme, and
• then recruits effectively to that culture, work ethic, and scheme.

Will Darian Devries do the actual things that affect winning? Hell if I know - but he did so in a major way at Drake and to a solid extent in his year at WVU.

If we instill a culture, work ethic, and effective scheme, opposing coaches will most certainly not be salivating at the thought of playing against our posts. In Edey's second year, St. Peters ended Purdump's season with a couple of 6'8" guys guarding Edey. In his junior (national player of the year) year, Farleigh Dickinson had a 6'7" post guarding him. Both of those teams adjusted on the defensive end and Edey couldn't effectively guard their posts on the spread out offensive end.

Toughness, proper defensive principles, defensive scheme, making us hard to guard. That's what will win if we don't have a dominant defensive post.

I love it! We must be on the right track. Last year at this time, most on this board were ready to hand us the conference title. This year, we're doomed.

I think what you described is his intent: Make opponents pay for playing too many bigs.  Will it work? Who knows, but it should be fun.

[str8baller]

5 hours ago, lillurk said:

Now the inverse of the concern is the possibility of something like Conerway, Leal, then any 3 of Dorn, Miles, Harris, and Alexis as a pretty nasty unit defensively that still has some shooting and ball movement, if — big if — one or more of the younger guys really gets after it on that end

A few days back I asked how people thought we’d play and got a variety of responses. While the roster may not have a seamless and obvious fit 1-5 it does seem to be deep and possibly quite versatile. I’m intrigued because at the very least I think we learn a lot about CDD in year 1. 

[Hoosierfan2017]

The roster is underwhelming on paper given IU’s alleged budget, but fortunately games aren’t played on paper. Hope DD is up for the challenge.  

[WayneFleekHoosier]

The roster is underwhelming on paper given IU’s alleged budget, but fortunately games aren’t played on paper. Hope DD is up for the challenge.  

Well said.

My points and thoughts are just different. DeVries came to Indiana because we have top 10 resources, then built the team the way you build a team at Iowa or whatever. It doesn’t mean we can’t win. Maybe we will. But he could have built this team at West Virginia.

HOWEVER, Drew Adams, Clark, Kenny Johnson and the start to 2026 targets indicate he’s going to try to get high level Freshman which those schools don’t usually get.

This season is the Cignetti approach which I’m fine with, I just think it’s an odd decision with top 10 resources. It doesn’t really match.

Also taking 10 from the TP, I’m certain, complicates things.


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[Home Jersey]

3 minutes ago, WayneFleekHoosier said:

Well said.

My points and thoughts are just different. DeVries came to Indiana because we have top 10 resources, then built the team the way you build a team at Iowa or whatever. It doesn’t mean we can’t win. Maybe we will. But he could have built this team at West Virginia.

HOWEVER, Drew Adams, Clark, Kenny Johnson and the start to 2026 targets indicate he’s going to try to get high level Freshman which those schools don’t usually get.

This season is the Cignetti approach which I’m fine with, I just think it’s an odd decision with top 10 resources. It doesn’t really match.

Also taking 10 from the TP, I’m certain, complicates things.


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I’m thinking/hoping that you hit the nail on the head with 10 from the portal complicating things a bit and DDV choosing to keep some dry powder ready to make a big splash in 2026 HS/portal. I think we can be a good team next year but have to wait and see. Hopefully we make the tournament, build our culture, and land some really high level guys to go into year 2 with a ton of momentum behind us. I like the staff DDV has assembled. Just gotta get ‘er done.

[Rico]

47 minutes ago, Hoosierfan2017 said:

The roster is underwhelming on paper given IU’s alleged budget, but fortunately games aren’t played on paper. Hope DD is up for the challenge.  

I'm sure Coach is.  But you?

[e1999doubleglock]

Competence, effort & intensity from both the coaches and the players, a restored pride in wearing Indiana across the chest, huge improvements from FT line and from deep. 

[JPCIVOP]

I would like a 12 or 13-win team in conference, and a Sweet Sixteen berth.

[DChoosier]

1 hour ago, JPCIVOP said:

I would like a 12 or 13-win team in conference, and a Sweet Sixteen berth.

13 conference wins and a sweet 16 would be a hell of a start.

2015-2016 is the last time we won 13 or more conference games (15 that year) and was also the last time we were in the sweet 16.

Would love to see 13 and a sweet 16 but there is no way I would bet on it.

[Henryville Hoosier]

Just be competitive and no more blow out losses. 

[Pagoda]

I don't have much to say on the on-court side: make the tournament, show overall improvement as the season progresses (knowing there will be ups and downs), and play smart/tough/modern basketball.  I think that's pretty simple and fair given the resources put towards this program.

If we do those things, a lot of other important stuff will start naturally improving too -- the program will develop a culture/identity, recruits will be more interested, and our fans will get excited again.  Excited fans do matter, I think a lot of people miss the fact that the fans directly and indirectly fund the whole athletic dept, including the bball program.  The more excitement there is, the more money IUBB has.

The other thing I want to see is some solid recruiting wins for the '26 high school class.  We need the get the high school / portal balance right, and those high school kids need to be good players that fit (duh).

It's a long wait until mid-October when we actually see this team play and get something new to analyze.  Fortunately, we have IUFB now.  Everyone had a different opinion, but for me, I'm looking forward to IUFB even more than IUBB.

[Juwan Moye]

31 minutes ago, Henryville Hoosier said:

Just be competitive and no more blow out losses. 

Given this team will likely have some growing pains, and will attempt a few threes, I’d expect a couple of really bad losses next year.

Last year at WVU they had some big wins but also got blown out a couple of times. Fans are going to have to “trust the process” a bit for this first season IMO. Will be interesting to see how fans respond to that first bad loss.

[bigrod]

10 hours ago, WayneFleekHoosier said:

Well said.

My points and thoughts are just different. DeVries came to Indiana because we have top 10 resources, then built the team the way you build a team at Iowa or whatever. It doesn’t mean we can’t win. Maybe we will. But he could have built this team at West Virginia.

HOWEVER, Drew Adams, Clark, Kenny Johnson and the start to 2026 targets indicate he’s going to try to get high level Freshman which those schools don’t usually get.

This season is the Cignetti approach which I’m fine with, I just think it’s an odd decision with top 10 resources. It doesn’t really match.

Also taking 10 from the TP, I’m certain, complicates things.


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My take is that he is looking for certain types of players, and isn't willing to sacrifice building the culture he wants to establish for a year of success. I think he is looking for long term success, and it's what we as fans should be looking for as well. It's easy to look at purely physical ability, but mental fortitude and culture is what will fuel long term success. It's what we see Cignetti building with football. I think we had a pretty good look at what talent alone gets us this past season. The good coaches are looking for mentality as much as physical ability. Just my opinion... 

[HoosierHoopster]

16 hours ago, Stuhoo said:

Why? Because we don't have a "fatal flaw." Some are judging the roster as if there needs to be certain pieces of certain sizes and profiles that fill certain criteria for the roster to be effective. If we have a dominant defensive post? That's just another tool in the kit, but every time we insert one type of player we remove the skill set of a guy like Bailey from the lineup.

Winning happens when a staff instills:

• a culture,
• work ethic, 
• a coherent scheme, and
• then recruits effectively to that culture, work ethic, and scheme.

Will Darian Devries do the actual things that affect winning? Hell if I know - but he did so in a major way at Drake and to a solid extent in his year at WVU.

If we instill a culture, work ethic, and effective scheme, opposing coaches will most certainly not be salivating at the thought of playing against our posts. In Edey's second year, St. Peters ended Purdump's season with a couple of 6'8" guys guarding Edey. In his junior (national player of the year) year, Farleigh Dickinson had a 6'7" post guarding him. Both of those teams adjusted on the defensive end and Edey couldn't effectively guard their posts on the spread out offensive end.

Toughness, proper defensive principles, defensive scheme, making us hard to guard. That's what will win if we don't have a dominant defensive post.

Agree, same reasons I haven’t thought he’d bring in a traditional “rim protector.” Do think we could use another forward and one with defensive strengths, though. But adding Goode if he can get eligible would help overall 

[jermhoosierfan]

For the first year, get us in the top half of the B1G in the season and B1G tournament, and then get in the main draw of the NCAA tournament.  Along with that, I want to see some high level recruiting wins along with getting shooters.  I can throw a rock out on 1st Avenue or Greenriver Rd. in Evansville, and hit some high school kid who can shoot the 3 which just confounds me why IU hasn't had a decent 3 point shooter in the last 8 years.  Set the culture, and then go get kids that can keep it and the winning going.

[skhoosier2]

My expectation for DDV first year...have the team competitive in every game, finish top half of the conference, and make the NCAA tournament (not a play-in).  Given what Louisville and UM both did last season, I don't think this is unrealistic to expect.  Making the tournament and being competitive in B1G will help propel recruiting and continuity in the program.  If he establishes culture and shows he can win, the recruits will come.

[str8baller]

6 hours ago, Juwan Moye said:

Given this team will likely have some growing pains, and will attempt a few threes, I’d expect a couple of really bad losses next year.

Last year at WVU they had some big wins but also got blown out a couple of times. Fans are going to have to “trust the process” a bit for this first season IMO. Will be interesting to see how fans respond to that first bad loss.

Pretty much this. I think some people have confused Woodys problem with getting blown out in about every big noncon game with the notion that good teams never really get blown out. The latter isn’t necessarily true. Florida only lost 4 times last year but one was a 20 blowout at Tennessee.
 

 It happens from time to time, sometimes even to very good teams. 

[HoosierHoopster]

6 hours ago, jermhoosierfan said:

For the first year, get us in the top half of the B1G in the season and B1G tournament, and then get in the main draw of the NCAA tournament.  Along with that, I want to see some high level recruiting wins along with getting shooters.  I can throw a rock out on 1st Avenue or Greenriver Rd. in Evansville, and hit some high school kid who can shoot the 3 which just confounds me why IU hasn't had a decent 3 point shooter in the last 8 years.  Set the culture, and then go get kids that can keep it and the winning going.

He’s already landed several strong 3-point shooters. That box is checked

[jermhoosierfan]

21 hours ago, HoosierHoopster said:

He’s already landed several strong 3-point shooters. That box is checked

Now go out and recruit some for a Freshman class.

[Demo]

https://x.com/TheFieldOf68/status/1920856291393892491
 

Dauster’s thoughts on this year’s team right now. He is exactly where I am. Wilkerson was my favorite guy in the portal before IU was even on him. Love him. Would be willing to bet that he and Devries will be the highest scoring duo in the B1G this year.