INDIANAPOLIS – Tucker DeVries’ 3-pointer fell through the net, forcing a timeout for Baylor. His father, Indiana head coach Darian DeVries, was red in the face and clapping wildly as his players ran to the sideline in jubilation.
Indiana’s offense had finally come alive, but it was the intensity on the other end that fueled the attack. A five-point deficit at halftime quickly turned into a lead of eight.
After allowing Baylor to shoot 51.7 percent from the field in the first half, Indiana flipped a defensive switch. Their efforts helped secure a 74-72 exhibition victory Sunday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
“I think we have an identity defensively, and it’s really come a long way,” Darian DeVries said after the game. “I think we saw that in the second half.”
Darian DeVries’ teams are known for their aggressive defense and refusing to allow opponents easy baskets. West Virginia finished in the top 20 in defensive efficiency last season under DeVries, allowing 64.8 points per game.
Baylor, meanwhile, got its way in the first half, partly because of Indiana’s miscues. The Bears picked apart the Hoosier defense and completed six mostly uncontested layups. Indiana looked out of sorts – a normality this time of year, especially for programs with a brand new roster.
As evidenced by its first four exhibition games dating back to August in San Juan, Indiana can learn from its mistakes and adapt on the fly. After the break, that ability was fully expressed. The Hoosiers forced Baylor to make tough shots, played with purpose and embraced a more aggressive defensive approach.
In the second half, Baylor made just two more field goals (nine) than there were turnovers (seven) and shot 29 percent from the field – a testament to Indiana’s defensive adjustments.
“[Indiana] did a better job of being tougher by forcing us into gaps and turning it around,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said. “They played a lot harder than we did.”
However, that aggressiveness comes at a price.
Similar to the two games against Mega Superbet during their trip to Puerto Rico in August, Indiana’s starting guards Tayton Conerway, Conor Enright and Lamar Wilkerson each picked up two fouls in the first 12 minutes of the game.
Fortunately for Conerway and Wilkerson, five fouls meant no disqualification on Sunday. Baylor made 24 shots from the charity stripe among the 22 personal fouls called on Indiana.
Indiana will continue to be a tough defensive team. However, Darian DeVries is aware that his selection lacks depth. The team cannot afford for multiple players to get into trouble at the same time.
“We can’t have guys we need sitting on the floor next to me,” Darian DeVries said. “I like that we’re physical, as opposed to ‘hey, we didn’t make a mistake, but we didn’t have any physicality or toughness to us.’”
The coaching staff now has nine days until the regular season opener against Alabama A&M next Wednesday night, plenty of time to address missteps on both ends of the field.
Sunday afternoon proved that Indiana won’t shoot 15-for-30 from 3-point range every game. There will be off nights, but leaning on defense during those periods will keep the Hoosiers in the game.
Like many teams this early in the preseason, Indiana hasn’t found its identity yet. It may not see it again next Wednesday either. Still, the Hoosiers showed defensive prowess that could define them, offering a glimpse of the identity they continue to shape.
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