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What did we study from IU basketball win over Alabama A&M?
The margin was massive because the Hoosiers beat Alabama A&M. IndyStar IU insider Zach Osterman offers his instantaneous ideas.
- Indiana basketball defeated Alabama A&M 98-51 in coach Darian DeVries’ official debut.
- The Hoosiers showcased a fast-paced, unselfish offense with 23 assists and 10 made 3-pointers.
- Five completely different Indiana gamers scored in double figures, together with transfers Lamar Wilkerson and Reed Bailey.
- DeVries’ son, Tucker DeVries, surpassed 2,000 profession factors in the course of the sport.
BLOOMINGTON — Assembly Hall loved Darian DeVries’ official debut Wednesday night time, possibly greater than he did.
DeVries admitted postgame, following a 98-51 win over Alabama A&M, that he “didn’t get much sleep [Tuesday] night.” There’s all the time, he stated, nervous pleasure earlier than every new season’s first sport. That this was his first — at the very least amongst people who depend — main a program DeVries is aware of carries nationwide championship ambitions may have solely contributed to that.
“You’re just anxious,” he stated, “to get out there and go play.”
But no matter nerves he felt ought to’ve been soothed, actually by his Indiana basketball crew’s efficiency, but in addition by the environment that rose to satisfy the Hoosiers (1-0) as Wednesday night time wore on.
At the chance of informal oversimplification, after years of lifeless, irritating basketball, there was one thing to be stated for the sport this constructing loves simply wanting enjoyable once more.
DeVries’ crew performed the best way he promised it could. The Hoosiers pressured the ball on protection and pushed it in transition. They shared it as ceaselessly as they did instinctively, Indiana’s adidas basketball zipping out and in, left to proper and again once more, looking breathlessly for the gaps that inevitably appeared in an overwhelmed protection.
IU shot 10 of 24 from behind the 3-point line. The Hoosiers made all 16 free throws. They completed with 23 assists to simply 11 turnovers, on 36 made baskets.
Five completely different gamers scored in double figures.
“We’re all new here,” Davidson switch Reed Bailey stated. “We just wanted to come out and be able to show what we can do.”
The expertise hole alone may have all the time made this type of end result probably. Alabama A&M (1-1) arrived in Bloomington totally conscious of the half it was meant to play within the begin of the Darian DeVries period.
What excited Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall was not simply the factors or the passes, the rebounds or the assists. It was, very mainly, the basketball itself.
Newly arrived creatively. Experience. Court consciousness. Unspoken connection. Veteran nous.
“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,” DeVries stated. “They’re just out there playing. I think that’s allowed them to play fast and really trust their instincts.”
Not only a renewed emphasis, for instance, on the 3-point line — for too lengthy this program’s enemy inside. But a want and a capability to take the sorts of photographs solely shooters see, and solely shooters make.
Already, Assembly Hall is falling in love with Lamar Wilkerson (19 factors, 4 made 3s), the hyperconfident shooter/scorer transferred in from Sam Houston State.
“He’s one of those guys you’ve got to kick out of the gym,” DeVries stated, “because he’s in there so much.”
There’s DeVries’ personal son, Tucker, who eclipsed 2,000 profession factors Wednesday night time, starting what shall be a short however — he hopes — eventful Indiana profession by marking an vital milestone.
Those two give Darian DeVries instantaneous offense, unshakeable confidence and regular expertise always. They present IU quick-strike functionality. Each can rating his crew into the sort of run that flips a sport on its head.
There have been different encouraging debuts. Because they have been almost all debuts.
Tayton Conerway completed with 14 factors and 5 assists, his protection as smothering as his passing was spectacular. There may not have been a louder second inside Indiana’s previous area Wednesday night time than the alley oop Conerway bounced off the backboard in transition for Bailey (game-high 21 factors) within the second half.
Alabama A&M coach Donte’ Jackson did the Hoosiers a favor in that second, calling a stop-the-bleeding timeout instantly following the Conerway-to-Bailey highlight-reel dunk.
It allowed this Indiana crew a second to bask within the affections of its new fanbase. But it additionally allowed that fanbase to face and soak within the potential of a crew to get enthusiastic about once more.
Basketball holds a definite place within the firmament of American sports activities for precisely the explanations on present Wednesday night time. It’s a sport performed as a lot on intuition and individualism, as it’s on inflexible basic instruction.
The greatest moments in basketball are hardly ever scripted. They don’t start on a whiteboard, however extra merely within the thoughts and motion of a participant reacting to what’s taking place round him with a solution two steps forward of the query.
Across far an excessive amount of of the final decade — not all of it, however actually an excessive amount of of it — Indiana has been, frankly, a tough watch.
Not simply because the Hoosiers couldn’t appear to interrupt their fascination with robotic, repetitive basketball, however as a result of the type and the outcomes so typically went exhaustingly hand in hand.
We gained’t know for a while whether or not DeVries’ arrival, which felt on Wednesday night time like an extended, satisfying breath of recent air, will reverse these outcomes. But on, to make use of a distinct segment trade time period, vibes alone, Assembly Hall was comfortable to embrace one thing new and undeniably extra thrilling.
After the sport, whereas DeVries spoke with Robbie Hummel on the Big Ten Network, his gamers took a lap of the Assembly Hall ground, high-fiving and handshaking followers. A manner of claiming thanks on what everybody hopes would be the first night time of an extended and profitable teaching tenure.
It gained’t imply lots within the grand scheme. DeVries, like all coaches earlier than him, will succeed or fail on his outcomes, full cease.
But, as with a lot of what these followers watched with pleasure on Wednesday night time, right here was only one extra little second that recommended issues round Indiana may be completely different, and may be higher.
Mostly, for one night time anyway, they have been simply extra enjoyable. There’s nothing incorrect with having fun with that.
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