Wilkerson Scores 23, Indiana Beats Siena

Monday, December 22

Bloomington, Ind.

6:00 PM

Indiana University

10-3,1-1Big Ten

Siena

9-4,2-0MAAC

Siena

Indiana

12/22/2025 8:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Second half sluggishness had returned. It was no time for coaching from a seat, not that Indiana's Darian DeVries did much of that, not on Monday night against Siena, not on any night for any game.

The Hoosiers (10-3) had spent the first 20 minutes of their 81-60 victory at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall throttling the Saints with fierce offense and defense, then the next 10 minutes regressing. That left Darian DeVries coaching from his feet, from a squat and from a sideline pace pushing to restore order that, finally, came.

"The first half was exactly what we wanted," Darian DeVries said. "We got the lead up to 26.

"In the second half, we lost little bit of our edge on both ends. We weren't as stingy on defense, the ball went in the basket more for them and the game slowed down."

Specifically, IU scored the game's first 11 points for the fast start it wanted while building a 46-20 halftime lead.

"It was sharing the ball," guard Tayton Conerway said. "Give up a good shot for a great shot. I feel we did that."

That it didn't lead to the strong finish the Hoosiers had hoped for -- Siena (9-4) won the second half 40-35 -- left more coaching points to make.

"It was a choppy game," Darian DeVries said. "There were a lot of fouls. We didn't have a good flow to start the second half, but after that lull, Tayton did a good job getting downhill."

Conerway was IU's second-half catalyst with 12 points, three rebounds, and an assist. He finished with 16 points and four assists.

"We saw a couple of people we could attack off the dribble," he said. "Coach believed in me and it worked out well."

The Hoosiers get a Christmas break until Saturday. Then comes an 18-game Big Ten grind, starting with a Jan. 4 home game against Washington (7-4 overall, 1-1 in the Big Ten).

"I think the good part is we're getting more guys healthy again," Darian DeVries said. "That's helped with practice, too. You've got more bodies that we can keep guys fresh. That part's been good.

"It has been a long summer with our trip and now the season. To have a few days off, it's a nice, clean break, not only physically, but mentally. Just take a couple days and clear your head and come back and really be locked in to get ready for a long stretch run."

Turning a new roster into a smooth-flowing unit takes time, Darian DeVries added.

"We've learned a lot," he said. "We felt there's an opportunity or two that we let get away, but hopefully it was something that we understand why and it's things that are within our control, and we can correct it. If we can come back and do that and get ourselves ready, maybe we don't pay for that later down the road.

"It was a couple good learning lessons. We just have to make sure that we learn from them."

Added Conerway: "We took a lot of big steps. We understand what each other is good at. When we started, we didn't know who were our best shooters."

Guard Lamar Wilkerson again set the offensive tone with 23 points, plus seven rebounds, and four assists. Forward Tucker DeVries had a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Guard Nick Dorn had 11 points off the bench.

IU surged ahead 11-0 in less than four minutes behind four Tucker DeVries points, layups from Wilkerson and Conerway (off a Wilkerson assist), and a Wilkerson 3-pointer.

A couple of DeVries steals and a second Wilkerson 3-pointer pushed the lead to 15. A Tucker DeVries 3-pointer and a forward Sam Alexis dunk off a Conerway assist made it 30-11 with seven minutes left in the half. Wilkerson and Dorn 3-pointers made it 38-18.

By halftime, IU led 46-20 while shooting 56 percent from the field, 47 percent from 3-point range and made 11-of-12 free throws in dominating the first half. Siena shot 24 percent with seven turnovers and no assists. Wilkerson led with 19 points. Tucker DeVries had 12.

The key Hoosier question -- could they sustain their intensity in the second half?

Not at first.

Siena scored 11 of the first 15 points. Tucker DeVries had the Hoosiers' only basket in the first five minutes with a 3-pointer. After eight minutes, they still only had two baskets, were outscored 19-8 and led 54-39.

Darian DeVries called a couple of timeouts and, finally, IU settled in. Conerway made a layup. Wilkerson hit a jumper and then a pair of free throws before going out with his fourth foul. The lead was 60-40 midway through the second half. Dorn added his third 3-pointer. Conerway drove for a layup.

The Hoosiers had regained control they never lost.

"We were trying to weather the storm knowing that this team will try to punch us first," Conerway said. "If we can't punch them first, lock into the little details coming out in the second half."

In the end, the Hoosiers did.