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Dorn Finds Form Just in Time for Big Ten Opener at Minnesota
12/3/2025 1:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Nick Dorn is done with his basketball baby steps. Seven minutes here. Four minutes there. But those, it seems, are over. Now that his foot injuries are healed and his fitness is improved, this 6-foot-7 junior forward is ready to roll.
In fact, when you consider Dorn's 19-minute, 14-point, 4-for-5 from-3-point range performance against Bethune-Cookman last Saturday, he's already started.
"It's just getting in games leading up to this point," Dorn says. It's been helping me get back to that speed and get back flowing."
Foot injuries and surgery kept the Elon transfer out of action until early November. Coach Darian DeVries, strength coach Ryan Horn, and athletic trainer Andrew Vereen slowly worked Dorn back into the rotation.
"It was just doing a lot of work with Coach Horn and Vern and staying consistent with it," Dorn says. Throughout each week, it's getting better and better and also getting game reps. That was a big part too."
Dorn played a season-high 19 minutes on Saturday. He averages 5.8 points and 1.2 rebounds. He's 6-for-15 from 3-point range.
"Our training staff has had a really good plan, and Nick has been great about it," DeVries says. "He understands that this is a process as he's making his way back, and he's been terrific about that, too.
"Sometimes you can get a little anxious, and I think Nick has done a really good job of understanding I've got to build myself back up. When you've been out that long, you don't want to put yourself back at risk.
"He's getting more and more comfortable. You can obviously see why we're so excited to have him back. He brings a lot of firepower coming off the bench."
What could that mean for Wednesday night's Big Ten opener at Minnesota (4-4)?
Consider No. 22/19 IU is 7-0 and averages 89.6 points a game while ranking 14th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency by KenPom. The Hoosiers are playing defense at a level not seen since the 2002-03 season.
Offensively, IU had 27 assists on 36 made baskets against Bethune-Cookman. Five Hoosiers had at least three assists. Guard Conor Enright led with seven. Forward Tucker DeVries and guard Tayton Conerway each had five.
The result -- Indiana ranks sixth out of 365 NCAA Division I teams in assist rate. It's assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.95 ranks second in the country.
Darian DeVries praises the Hoosiers ability to move and share the ball, and to get into actions.
"The guys are unselfish. They have a good understanding on what we're trying to do on offense.
"I'm not sure if we're ahead or behind schedule. For us, it's how do we keep getting better? That's all we're really consumed with. That's what this group has done a great job of from a day-to-day approach is, hey, here's what we were good at today, here's what we need work on. I think they really try to focus in on that type of stuff.
"The games are going to continue to get harder and harder. When you start league play, it gets amped up even more."
Under Darian DeVries, 30-foot 3-point attempts are not uncommon. The Hoosiers are not, the coach told Voice of the Hoosiers Don Fischer during the Monday night radio show, just jacking up long shots to try to make television and social media highlights.
"We give our players a lot of freedom," DeVries told Fisher. "We want them to play with confidence, and we want other teams to know we're not afraid to shoot them. We want other teams to feel like they have to come out and over the halfcourt. When they do, it opens up some other things for us."
As for Wednesday night, Minnesota has lost three straight games to Santa Clara, Stanford, and San Francisco, all on the road. It is 4-0 at Williams Arena.
Guard Cade Tyson leads the Big Ten in scoring, at 22.4 points. Forward Jaylen Crocker-Johnson averages 12.4 points and 9.1 rebounds. Starters Robert Vaihola and Chansey Willis Jr. have missed the last two games with injuries.
Nico Medved is the Gophers new coach. He coached the previous seven years at Colorado State, compiling a 143-85 record with three NCAA tourney appearances in the last four seasons. Before that, he'd been the head coach at Drake for one season before taking the Colorado State job. Darian DeVries replaced him at Drake.
DeVries told Fischer Medved, "is a very good coach who has done an incredible job everywhere he's been."
DeVries also told Fischer that Minnesota "puts you in some tough positions on defense. They make you have to be disciplined on defense.
"They're physical like everybody is in this league. They're well coached and play hard."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Nick Dorn is done with his basketball baby steps. Seven minutes here. Four minutes there. But those, it seems, are over. Now that his foot injuries are healed and his fitness is improved, this 6-foot-7 junior forward is ready to roll.
In fact, when you consider Dorn's 19-minute, 14-point, 4-for-5 from-3-point range performance against Bethune-Cookman last Saturday, he's already started.
"It's just getting in games leading up to this point," Dorn says. It's been helping me get back to that speed and get back flowing."
Foot injuries and surgery kept the Elon transfer out of action until early November. Coach Darian DeVries, strength coach Ryan Horn, and athletic trainer Andrew Vereen slowly worked Dorn back into the rotation.
"It was just doing a lot of work with Coach Horn and Vern and staying consistent with it," Dorn says. Throughout each week, it's getting better and better and also getting game reps. That was a big part too."
Dorn played a season-high 19 minutes on Saturday. He averages 5.8 points and 1.2 rebounds. He's 6-for-15 from 3-point range.
"Our training staff has had a really good plan, and Nick has been great about it," DeVries says. "He understands that this is a process as he's making his way back, and he's been terrific about that, too.
"Sometimes you can get a little anxious, and I think Nick has done a really good job of understanding I've got to build myself back up. When you've been out that long, you don't want to put yourself back at risk.
"He's getting more and more comfortable. You can obviously see why we're so excited to have him back. He brings a lot of firepower coming off the bench."
What could that mean for Wednesday night's Big Ten opener at Minnesota (4-4)?
Consider No. 22/19 IU is 7-0 and averages 89.6 points a game while ranking 14th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency by KenPom. The Hoosiers are playing defense at a level not seen since the 2002-03 season.
Offensively, IU had 27 assists on 36 made baskets against Bethune-Cookman. Five Hoosiers had at least three assists. Guard Conor Enright led with seven. Forward Tucker DeVries and guard Tayton Conerway each had five.
The result -- Indiana ranks sixth out of 365 NCAA Division I teams in assist rate. It's assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.95 ranks second in the country.
Darian DeVries praises the Hoosiers ability to move and share the ball, and to get into actions.
"The guys are unselfish. They have a good understanding on what we're trying to do on offense.
"I'm not sure if we're ahead or behind schedule. For us, it's how do we keep getting better? That's all we're really consumed with. That's what this group has done a great job of from a day-to-day approach is, hey, here's what we were good at today, here's what we need work on. I think they really try to focus in on that type of stuff.
"The games are going to continue to get harder and harder. When you start league play, it gets amped up even more."
Under Darian DeVries, 30-foot 3-point attempts are not uncommon. The Hoosiers are not, the coach told Voice of the Hoosiers Don Fischer during the Monday night radio show, just jacking up long shots to try to make television and social media highlights.
"We give our players a lot of freedom," DeVries told Fisher. "We want them to play with confidence, and we want other teams to know we're not afraid to shoot them. We want other teams to feel like they have to come out and over the halfcourt. When they do, it opens up some other things for us."
As for Wednesday night, Minnesota has lost three straight games to Santa Clara, Stanford, and San Francisco, all on the road. It is 4-0 at Williams Arena.
Guard Cade Tyson leads the Big Ten in scoring, at 22.4 points. Forward Jaylen Crocker-Johnson averages 12.4 points and 9.1 rebounds. Starters Robert Vaihola and Chansey Willis Jr. have missed the last two games with injuries.
Nico Medved is the Gophers new coach. He coached the previous seven years at Colorado State, compiling a 143-85 record with three NCAA tourney appearances in the last four seasons. Before that, he'd been the head coach at Drake for one season before taking the Colorado State job. Darian DeVries replaced him at Drake.
DeVries told Fischer Medved, "is a very good coach who has done an incredible job everywhere he's been."
DeVries also told Fischer that Minnesota "puts you in some tough positions on defense. They make you have to be disciplined on defense.
"They're physical like everybody is in this league. They're well coached and play hard."
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
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