Hoosiers Return to Winning Ways

Saturday, December 20

Bloomington, Ind.

1:00 PM

Indiana University

9-3,1-1Big Ten

Chicago State

2-11,0-0NEC

Chicago St.

Indiana

12/20/2025 2:45:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- It rained 3-pointers. Make. Miss. It didn't matter. The game clock ticked, the pace varied and the Indiana Hoosiers unleashed long-range shooting as if their next five meals depended on it.

Chicago State (2-11) paid the price Saturday afternoon at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. When it was over, the Hoosiers (9-3) had a 78-58 victory.

IU hit its first four 3-point attempts, was 11-for-21 from long range with four minutes left in the first half, was 14-for-26 at halftime and finished 15-for-46. It was a program single-game record for most 3-point attempts, breaking the previous mark of 39. The Hoosier record for most made 3-pointers in a game is 19.

Going just 1-for-20 from 3-point range in the second half didn't discourage the Hoosiers from shooting them.

"That's the just how basketball is," forward Reed Bailey said, "You make shots some halves, don't make shots the other. Everybody out there is capable enough to be making those. We all believe in our guys and know we're going to knock those down."

Coach Darian DeVries said the shots IU missed in the second half were the same ones it made in the first half.

"We were getting really good, clean looks by some of our best shooters. The easy thing to do is say 'Hey, let's get more paint touches, go drive it.' The hard thing to do is when you got a guy that if he's wide open he's making 7 out of 10 there's. It's finding that balance. I don't want them to hesitate, but after a while, if we're not making them, we have to be able to get in (the paint).

"In the guys middle of the second half, we were able to get some of those paint touches, able to get downhill. We got a couple lobs."

Added guard Nick Dorn: "We've seen each other make it a thousand times in practice. We know we're getting our work in when we're not together. We have unwavering faith in each other."

Faith starts with guard Lamar Wilkerson, who was honored with a game ball before the game for his Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall record 44 points and 10 3-pointers against Penn State, set Saturday's 3-point shooting tone with five early 3-pointers. He finished 5-for-12 for 21 points.

"For a while I was thinking we'll have to get another ball ready," Darian DeVries said with a smile. "It was good to see him get back. In the Kentucky game, he played well, but he wasn't out there long enough because of foul trouble. It was good to see him get off to a good start. He's playing with a lot of confidence. It's fun to watch when he's in one of those zones."

Dorn matched Wilkerson's five 3-point baskets and totaled 15 points as he continues to improve his fitness from an off-season injury.

"He's doing a good job," Darian DeVries said. "He gives us something additional from a shooting standpoint. He can get two, three, four in a row in a hurry. His minutes have grown as we try to figure out the rotation to give him the minutes he needs."

Bailey came off the bench for 16 points and eight rebounds. Guard Conor Enright had seven assists.

The Hoosiers had a solid week of practice after last Saturday's loss at Kentucky, Darian DeVries said.

"A huge priority was taking care of the ball and defensive rebounding. How do we get better in those areas. Today we were just okay in that, but overall we've been pretty good in turnover. Recently, we've gotten a little careless in taking care of the game. You can't beat good teams doing that.

"I would say this group is unselfish. You see the assists and the turnovers. At halftime, we were in a really good spot. In the second half, we just weren't very clean on either one of those areas."

IU needed 12 seconds to open the scoring on an Alexis dunk from an Enright assist. Wilkerson followed with consecutive 3-pointers. Guard Tayton Conerway added a 3-pointer for an 11-2 IU lead. Wilkerson's third 3-pointer made it 14-4. An Enright 3-pointer followed by another Wilkerson 3-pointer pushed IU ahead 22-9 with 14 minutes in the first half. Consecutive Tucker DeVries 3-pointers, and then a forward Trent Sisley 3-pointer, made it 36-16 with 8:42 left in the first half. It reached halftime with a 52-29 lead. Wilkerson led with 15 points.

Hoosier perimeter accuracy struggled in the second half. They missed 16 straight from beyond the arc before Dorn connected. Still, IU cruised to the victory.

In a short turnaround, the Hoosiers will host Siena (9-3) Monday night before a holiday break that will end with a Jan. 4 home game against Washington.