CHICAGO – Shaka Smart had seen enough. He needed a timeout. Tucker DeVries had just converted his fifth three-point score of the first half and Indiana had extended its lead to 11 points late in the first half.
The Indiana contingent, already on its feet because of the hit, roared as Tucker DeVries motioned for them to get louder as his teammates gathered around him in jubilation.
The redshirt senior was up to 24 points. The basket seemed big enough for a beach ball. He finished with 27 points on 9-for-15 shooting, including a blistering 6-for-9 from beyond the arc.
The performance clinched Indiana’s 100-77 victory against Marquette on Sunday afternoon at the United Center.
“That was obviously a big performance by Tuck in the first half,” Indiana head coach Darian DeVries said after the game. “That’s how our team is built, with different guys that can always kind of get into one of those zones and Tucker definitely had it.”
Just one game after surpassing 2,000 career points, Tucker DeVries cemented his status as one of the nation’s top 3-point shooters. No matter where he was on the floor, the Waukee, Iowa native was a threat.
Tucker DeVries cooled off in the second half, scoring just three points, but another offensive leader took over.
Lamar Wilkerson had five 3-pointers of his own in the second half and scored 15 points on 5-for-7 shooting from behind the arc.
Together, DeVries and Wilkerson have become Indiana’s top offensive weapons. The duo combined for 12 of the team’s 14 made 3s, keeping the offense strong and the team steady as a comeback loomed.
When Marquette cut the deficit to 10 early in the second half, the duo responded quickly. They buried three triples to cut the lead to 21.
Through Puerto Rico, exhibition games and the first two games of the season, one thing has become clear: Darian DeVries gives the duo carte blanche to shoot from anywhere on the floor.
When the two get into a rhythm, their teammates seemingly do everything they can to get them the ball. It has become a testament to the unselfishness of an offense from Darian DeVries, which had 27 assists on 33 baskets.
“They’re just a very unselfish group, and that’s what leads to some of the scoring opportunities we get,” Darian DeVries said. “They are very willing passers and they understand that at times like when Tucker and Lamar are busy, they understand that they have to keep finding them.”
The selflessness of a team this early in the season is remarkable, but even more so when it comes to Indiana. The Hoosiers have a roster that has been built from scratch. Outside of Tucker DeVries and Conor Enright’s days at Drake, the roster is made up of guys who never played together until June practices.
Darian DeVries did not bring in the best talent through the portal. He brought in players who would fit into his system. Tucker DeVries and Wilkerson lead, but the entire team shares a single focus from top to bottom: getting the win.
“I think they’re prioritizing winning,” Darian DeVries said. “None of them really care who gets the credit. I see them do this all the time in practice.”
Indiana will go as far as their two best players take it. Tucker DeVries and Wilkerson have combined to score 45 percent of the team’s points this season.
The Hoosiers will continue to thrive by making extra passes, finding open shooters and converting opportunities. Kill shots like Tucker DeVries’ in the first half are becoming Indiana’s trademark, forcing opposing coaches to call timeouts in an attempt to stop the bleeding.
Through two games, there’s no sign their three-point barrage will slow down any time soon.
(Photo credit: IU Athletics)
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