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Indiana improved to 2-0 with a 100-77 win against Marquette on Sunday afternoon at the United Center in Chicago.
Here are five takeaways from the win against the Golden Eagles:
Indiana’s unselfishness was on full display
Darian DeVries has mentioned his team’s unselfishness and willingness to share the ball throughout the summer and fall.
On Sunday, the Hoosiers showed how that unselfishness can translate into an elite offensive performance.
The Hoosiers had four double-figure scorers in Sunday’s win and two with more than 20 points and shared the ball all afternoon. Nothing was forced and no one tried to play outside their skill set.
Indiana ended the game with 27 assists on 33 made field goals.
While this group has only been working together since early June, chemistry is building, roles are being defined and there is clear buy-in on ball movement and playing as a team.
Tucker DeVries was unstoppable in the first half
In a first half that could have gone sideways due to foul trouble, the Hoosiers had a stabilizing offensive force: Tucker DeVries.
The 6-foot-7 senior had his full offensive arsenal in the opening 20 minutes. When given space, DeVries is close to automatic from the perimeter. Marquette gave him space far too often and DeVries took advantage.
The two-time Missouri Valley Conference player of the year scored 24 of his game-high 27 points in the first half.
With several of his teammates in and out of the game due to foul trouble, DeVries played all 20 minutes before intermission. He shot 8-for-12 from the floor, including a 5-for-7 mark from 3-point range.
He’s not an elite athlete or an above-the-rim finisher, but DeVries knows how to play at his own pace and makes excellent reads. He doesn’t force perimeter shots and if he’s overplayed, he’ll drive to the rim or cut to get open.
If he was flying under the radar nationally after last season was cut short due to injury, he isn’t after how he performed on Sunday.
Lamar Wilkerson takes over in the second half
The beauty of IU’s offensive firepower is that it isn’t reliant on just one player. The Hoosiers have multiple guys who can get going in an instant and in the second half, it was Lamar Wilkerson.
After an eight-point, four-assist first half, Wilkerson stepped to the forefront down the stretch.
With DeVries in foul trouble, Wilkerson scored 15 of his 23 points in 19 second-half minutes. He was 5-for-7 on 3s and also had four assists.
For the game, Wilkerson was 8-for-19 from the field, including a 6-for-10 mark on 3s, to go along with eight assists, three rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot.
Through two games, the Sam Houston transfer is 10-for-20 from distance.
Indiana handled Marquette’s pressure and limited live-ball turnovers
One of the keys to beating Marquette is handling their full-court pressure and limiting turnovers, particularly those that result in easy baskets on the other end.
The Hoosiers committed only eight turnovers in Sunday’s win, resulting in a turnover percentage of 10.5.
The Golden Eagles turned those mishaps into 11 points, but IU actually won the points off of turnovers battle, 15-11.
IU’s primary ball handlers, Tayton Conerway and Conor Enright, combined for 13 assists and only three turnovers in 45 minutes.
Darian DeVries has mentioned the Hoosiers have charted their assist and turnover numbers in practice this fall and the results have been encouraging. On Sunday, it translated to the court as IU dished out 27 assists to just eight turnovers.
Role players stepped up as starters were sidelined with foul issues
Indiana’s depth is currently limited, as several key contributors are working their way back from injuries.
The Hoosiers are only going eight players deep and all three reserves played well in Sunday’s win.
Freshman Trent Sisley showed no fear as he finished with 15 points and five rebounds in 30 minutes off the bench. Sisley was an efficient 7-for-12 from the field and knocked in a 3-pointer.
Senior Sam Alexis was a lob threat on multiple possessions as Wilkerson found him for easy flushes. The veteran forward had a heavy load of minutes as Reed Bailey was in foul trouble all afternoon. Alexis finished with 13 points and five rebounds in 26 minutes.
And junior Jasai Miles had easily his best performance in an IU uniform, even when considering the Puerto Rico exhibitions. Miles scored four points, grabbed three rebounds and had a steal in 14 minutes. He was 2-for-5 from the floor.
On an afternoon when the Hoosiers were in foul trouble from the opening tip, having three reliable reserves come through with strong performances was key in the 23-point win.
(Photo credit: IU Athletics)
See More: Five Takeaways, Jasai Miles, Lamar Wilkerson, Marquette Golden Eagles, Sam Alexis, Trent Sisley, Tucker DeVries
