Big Ten Play Resumes with Victory over Washington

Sunday, January 4

Bloomington, Ind.

8:00 PM

Indiana University

11-3,2-1Big Ten

Washington

9-5,1-2Big Ten

Washington

Indiana

Big Ten Play Resumes with Victory over Washington

1/4/2026 10:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Conor Enright is fine with giving others the glory, with setting them up to score and facilitating Indiana victories. On Sunday night, it was mission accomplished.

The veteran guard was a catalyst in the Hoosiers' 90-80 victory over Washington at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. He had season highs in points (12) and assists (nine) as IU (11-3 overall, 2-1 in the Big Ten) won its third straight game.

Enright wouldn't want it any other way.

"I definitely take more pride in assists because two people are happy from that," he said. "I love sharing the ball."

Coach Darian DeVries has seen this before from Enright -- first at Drake, and now as a Hoosier.

"Conor just understands what we're trying to do," DeVries said. "Part of it from being with us before. The things he does lead to winning."

Darian DeVries reflected on an Enright assist to guard Lamar Wilkerson.

"There's a spot. Lamar just hit a 3-pointer. Maybe a couple possessions later, Conor has the ball in transition. He finds Lamar.

"Conor just knows how to hunt those guys down so that they can stay in the zone. He finds those shooters. He just has such a great feel and understanding of the game. All he cares about is winning. That's what makes him so special."

Beyond that, Darian DeVries added, "Conor brings it every day. He plays the game with great enthusiasm, great energy, great passion. I love that about him. Your team needs a guy like that. Obviously, fans love having a guy like that, as well.

"It's what he does every day. Every day in practice, as well. He's a guy that hardly ever gets to sit out. He's always giving that max effort defensively. It doesn't matter how many days in a row we practice, he's going to bring it. That just raises the standard for everybody else to try to match."

On Sunday night, Hoosier scoring glory went to guards Tayton Conerway (20 points) and Wilkerson (22). Conerway was strong early and Wilkerson late as the Hoosiers showed their work from a nearly two-week holiday break had paid off.

"I thought we came really prepared in practice every day," Enright said. "We had some time where we could clean stuff up and we weren't focusing on preparing for necessarily a team right away. Then we got some days to prepare for Washington. I think we've been having a great approach. If we keep that, it will help us throughout."

Six Hoosiers other than leading scorers Wilkerson and Tucker DeVries scored at least eight points. The bench contributed 26 points overall.

"It shows how much gravity Tucker and Lamar have, how great they are in practice," Enright said. "We're a deep team. I think it was great for our confidence to show we got other guys that can step up. If teams want to play like that (focus on Wilkerson and Tucker DeVries), we're going to have other guys step up every night."

One of them was freshman Trent Sisley, who came off the bench for 10 points and four rebounds in 15 minutes, most of that production coming in the second half.

"I've got great faith in him," Darian DeVries said. "He gets better and better. Tonight, he gave us a huge lift. We rode him as long as we could until he got a little gassed. He put in the work."

Washington's 21-for-24 second-half free throw shooting helped them make a big push to nearly wipe out deficits as large as 15 points.

"If I had one complaint," Darian DeVries said, "we put them at the free-throw line a little too much there, in the second half especially."

Washington (9-5, 1-2) started big with a pair of 6-foot-11 players in Franck Kepnang and Hannes Steinbach. IU countered with can't-miss shooting (a 5-for-5 3-point start), especially from Conerway.

Edge Hoosiers.

"The way (Washington) guarded me and (Tayton Conerway)," Enright said, "they helped us start the game. It was the same with Trent. We were able to step up with confidence and knock down those shots."

IU's rebounding emphasis paid off against a Washington team that ranked among the nation's best in offensive rebounding. The Hoosiers held them to eight offensive rebounds while grabbing 11. The Huskies only had a 14-13 edge in second-chance points.

"We spent a lot of time on that, on increasing our physicality and just getting that mindset," Darian DeVries said. "Washington is big. They play around the rim a lot. Somebody has to come out with the ball. We gave up a few, which will happen, but for us to give up eight (offensive rebounds) and get 11 is pretty good."

Conerway opened IU's scoring with a pair of 3-pointers, making Washington pay for leaving him open on the perimeter. Guard Connor Enright followed with his own two 3-pointers for a 12-10 IU lead. Then Conerway added another 3-pointer, making IU 5-for-5 from the perimeter.

The problem – Washington was 6-for-8 with three 3-pointers for a 15-15 tie after four minutes.

Consecutive Nick Dorn baskets, including a layup off a Reed Bailey feed that became a three-point play, pushed the Hoosiers ahead 28-24 with 11 minutes left in the first half. Two Conerway free throws made it 30-24 to cap a 13-2 IU run.

Forward Sam Alexis muscled in a basket. Enright followed with an off-balance basket for a three-point play and a 46-35 Hoosier lead with four minutes left. A 6-0 Indiana run capped by a Tucker DeVries jumper helped Indiana take a 52-40 halftime lead. Conerway led with 18 points on 5-for-5 shooting from the field, 2-for-2 from the line, plus two assists and one turnover in 14 minutes.

Washington opened the second half with a 10-2 run -- 6-for-6 from the line after being just 1-for-1 in the first half -- to close within 54-50 in four minutes. IU was just 1-for-9 from the field.

Enright's assist on a Bailey layup and then 3-pointers from Wilkerson and Sisley restored Hoosier momentum with a 62-50 lead. Forward Sisley added another 3-pointer, then a two-point hook shot, then a reverse layup off an Enright assist. Wilkerson's second 3-point pushed IU ahead 72-59 midway through the second half.

A 9-0 Washington run cut the lead to 78-72 with four minutes left. Wilkerson's 3-pointer ended that run. He followed with a layup. Alexis dunked a Conerway missed layup. IU led 85-76 with 57 seconds left.

Wilkerson's two free throws with 25.2 seconds left, then followed with a rebound and two more free throws to seal the victory.

"(Tayton and Lamar) were vital to us winning," Darian DeVries said. "Tayton getting us off to a great start there in the first half with (Washington) in a little bit of a triangle and two (defense). He goes four-for-four from three. Conor hit a couple in there, as well.

"In the second half I thought a combination of Lamar and Trent really carried us there in the second half as things got a little tight. I thought they were the ones that both individually gave us a nice little burst to get it back up there again."

Next up – Wednesday's trip to Maryland (7-7, 0-3).