Three exhibition games offered a glimpse of what Indiana basketball could become in Darian DeVries' second season. Now comes the hard part: turning preseason promise into regular-season production.
With the Hoosiers set to open their 2026-27 campaign Monday against Eastern Illinois, here are five bold predictions for Indiana's upcoming season.
Darian DeVries didn't tinker with his starting five throughout the preseason, but Bryce Lindsay might eventually leave him with little choice.
Lindsay led Indiana in scoring during the exhibition slate, averaging 17.3 points per game while shooting 10-of-23 from beyond the arc. But it's his playmaking, not necessarily his shooting, that could ultimately earn him a starting spot.
The Villanova transfer has shown an ability to create offense for himself and for others, a valuable complement to Markus Burton in the backcourt.
Darren Harris would likely be the odd man out in that case. That's less of an indictment of Harris than an acknowledgement of Lindsay's versatility. Harris can still provide scoring at all three levels off the bench, while Jaeden Mustaf's defensive presence
and ability to attack downhill make him difficult to remove from the starting lineup.
Lindsay is already Indiana's most valuable reserve. By season's end, I expect him to become one of its five starters.
Aiden Sherrell was already productive at Alabama. Indiana might be getting an even better version.
The 7-footer averaged 11.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and shot 22.8% from 3-point range last season with the Crimson Tide. This year, I expect those numbers to climb to at least 13 points, seven rebounds and 35% shooting from deep.
Sherrell's ability to stretch the floor gives Indiana an intriguing dimension alongside Samet Yigitoglu, whose presence inside should help create scoring opportunities elsewhere.
Sherrell isn't exactly a bystander on the glass, either. He snared 24 rebounds across Indiana's three exhibitions, narrowly edging Yigitoglu's 22.
With his combination of size, shooting, and rebounding, Sherrell has the tools to become one of Indiana's most complete players.
Here's one that might look ridiculous in March. Or it might put Trevor Manhertz in some pretty exclusive company.
Only two Indiana freshmen have ever made at least 70 3-pointers in a season: James Blackmon Jr., who hit 77 in 2014-15, and Eric Gordon, who made 70 in 2007-08.
Manhertz could join them.
The freshman averaged 4.3 3-point attempts during the preseason, including six against Western Kentucky. Reaching 70 makes would require considerably more volume, but that's part of the prediction.
Let's project six attempts per game and 36% shooting from deep. That would put Manhertz at 69 threes over a 32-game regular season, leaving him within striking distance late in the year.
More than anything, this is a bet on opportunity. Manhertz averaged more than 19 minutes a game during the exhibitions, and his contributions beyond shooting have already given DeVries reasons to trust him.
Assuming that translates into consistent minutes and a green light from deep, Manhertz could make a run at Indiana's freshman record books.
Indiana finished 13th in the Big Ten in rebounding last season. One year later, the Hoosiers could find themselves near the top.
That's how dramatically DeVries has reshaped his frontcourt.
Indiana outrebounded its three exhibition opponents 155-103, winning the battle on the glass by double digits each game. The Hoosiers also averaged 17 offensive rebounds per game, repeatedly creating second-chance opportunities.
Yigitoglu, Sherrell and Sam Alexis provide the size that Indiana lacked a season ago, but the improvement goes beyond three big men.
DeVries has made rebounding a collective responsibility this season, with guards and wings expected to contribute rather than watch their frontcourt teammates do the dirty work.
Exhibition dominance doesn't guarantee conference success, especially against the Big Ten's bigger, more physical opponents. But the emphasis is unmistakable, and the personnel is there.
Indiana hasn't reached the NCAA Tournament's second weekend since 2016. This is the year that drought ends.
It's certainly an ambitious prediction, and one that would require several things to break Indiana's way.
But the ingredients for a March run are there.
Burton and Lindsay give the Hoosiers experienced scorers capable of taking over games. Sherrell and Yigitoglu offer the size to match up with imposing frontcourts, while Indiana's newfound emphasis on rebounding could prove especially valuable in tournament play.
Of course, having the pieces and putting them together are two different things.
Reaching the Sweet 16 would likely require several players to perform closer to their ceilings than their typical levels. A favorable draw wouldn't hurt, either.
But March isn't always about being the best team on paper. It's about having the right pieces, finding the right matchups, and playing your best basketball when it matters most.
Indiana has a roster capable of doing exactly that. Now comes the challenge of proving it.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/indiana as 5 Bold Predictions for Indiana Basketball's 2026-27 Season .
