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DeVries, Wilkerson Pace Hoosiers into Illinois
2/15/2026 8:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Tucker DeVries doesn't lose perspective, doesn't give in to frustration, doesn't overlook what really matters in this Indiana basketball adventure, personal stats be darned:
Winning games.
The Hoosiers' veteran forward has played too long, experienced too much -- good and bad -- to let a shooting slump and a recent four-game losing get the best of him or the surging Hoosiers (17-8 overall, 8-6 in the Big Ten) in this crucial stretch run.
That could play a critical role in a pivotal week as IU, which has won five of its last six games, plays at No. 8/7 Illinois (20-5, 11-3) on Sunday and at No. 13/12 Purdue (20-4, 10-3) on Friday.
"Obviously, you want to shoot really well," Tucker DeVries says, "but I view it as I only get so many opportunities to put on this jersey. My job is to go out there every night and do whatever we can to try and win as many games as possible and enjoy these games while they last."
Consider Tucker DeVries has scored 16 and 15 points in his last two games, had a recent stretch of 10 rebounds for three straight games, and has at least five assists in three of his last four games. For the season, he averages 13.8 points and a team-leading 5.5 rebounds with 83 assists and 27 steals.
"I've tried to impact the game in other ways," he says. "I try to find that balance of making plays for other guys and doing things other than shooting.
"At the same time, I'm still trying to believe in myself, take good shots and be aggressive. When you've got a guy like (high-scoring guard Lamar Wilkerson) on your team, he makes everything fun and enjoyable. That's been my approach. I'll continue to go forward."
That's exactly what coach Darian DeVries wants.
"He's such an important piece on what we do on both ends of the floor," Darian DeVries says. "Us being undersized, he has to manage that 4 (power forward) spot. Rebounding is a big piece of that. He's in a wrestling match every night.
"We've made more of a focus in the last five to seven games to get the ball in his hands more so he can play-make, facilitate, get in the paint more and use his size to score or distribute.
"His all-around game has been good. His shooting is starting to come back. He's been shooting it great in practice and now he's hit a few in these games. I feel good about where he's at as we get ready for this stretch run."
Darian DeVries feels just as good about Wilkerson, who has found a scoring level Hoosier Nation has rarely seen. Since 1994, a Hoosier has scored more than 40 points just four times, and Wilkerson has two of them with his 44-point effort against Penn State and his 41 points against Oregon.
The others -- Trayce Jackson-Davis scored 43 against Marshall in 2021 and Alan Henderson had 41 against Michigan State in 1994.
Wilkerson averages 21.2 points -- 28.2 over his last six games -- to rank second in the Big Ten to Northwestern's Nick Martinelli (22.5).
"When he's cooking like that," Tucker DeVries says, "it makes us dangerous even against some of the best teams in the country. No matter who we go up against, he gives us a chance."
Darian DeVries says Wilkerson needs to be "in the conversation" for Big Ten player of the year.
"He's done a great job of finding his windows. He's getting a lot of (defensive) attention. He's really worked at how to get open. Our guys have done a great job of screening for him and locating him, especially when he gets into a (scoring) zone. Make sure he continues to get those touches and opportunities to have the nights he has.
"He's playing at an incredibly high level."
IU will need all of that and more against Illinois. It had been rolling with a 12-game winning streak before losing twice in overtime over the last week -- 85-82 at No. 10 Michigan State and 92-90 at home to Wisconsin. Without injured guards Kylan Boswell (broken hand) and Andrej Stojakovic (ankle) for Wisconsin, the Illini played only six players. Boswell also missed the Michigan State game.
The result -- Illinois was vulnerable against quick, attacking guards.
The 6-foot-2 Boswell has missed six straight games, but is reportedly close to returning. He averages 14.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. The 6-foot-7 Stojakovic averages 13.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists.
Freshman guard Keaton Wagler, at 6-foot-6, averages 18.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.3 assists. He shoots 43.7% from 3-point range (including a team-best 66 3-point baskets), and 80.0% from the line. He burned Purdue for 46 points and nine 3-pointers in an Illini win, and had 34 against Wisconsin.
"He's tough," Darian DeVries says of Wagler. "They do such a good job of making you choose if you want to switch or commit two to the ball. He makes good decisions. If you commit the to the ball, they have good shooting everywhere. That's what makes him so difficult.
"When he does get the switch, he'll shoot it from anywhere, so you have to be so close. If you're too close, he goes by you and makes the right play. He has that ability, like Lamar, where he can get points in a hurry. You have to make sure he has your attention and not let him get started, because once he does, he's really difficult to bring back."
David Mirkovic, a 6-foot-9 freshman forward, averages 12.6 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.5 assists. He shoots 38.4% from 3-point range.
Then there's the Ivisic brothers -- 7-foot-1 Tomislav (10.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.6 steals) and 7-foot-2 Zvonimir (7.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.3 blocks).
The Illini, the nation's tallest team, have spent most of the season as a dominant rebounding team. They also shoot more 3-pointers than anyone in the Big Ten and make 36.7% of them.
Illinois is 12-2 at home, with the losses to Nebraska and Wisconsin.
"There's a lot that concerns you," Darian DeVries says. "I saw a stat that they hold the record for highest efficient offense (130.7 to IU's 121.4) in KenPom history. They are so big and balanced. They do a great job of exploiting mismatches, then they offense rebound, not much of a weakness that you can attack. They present a lot of challenges for you."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Tucker DeVries doesn't lose perspective, doesn't give in to frustration, doesn't overlook what really matters in this Indiana basketball adventure, personal stats be darned:
Winning games.
The Hoosiers' veteran forward has played too long, experienced too much -- good and bad -- to let a shooting slump and a recent four-game losing get the best of him or the surging Hoosiers (17-8 overall, 8-6 in the Big Ten) in this crucial stretch run.
That could play a critical role in a pivotal week as IU, which has won five of its last six games, plays at No. 8/7 Illinois (20-5, 11-3) on Sunday and at No. 13/12 Purdue (20-4, 10-3) on Friday.
"Obviously, you want to shoot really well," Tucker DeVries says, "but I view it as I only get so many opportunities to put on this jersey. My job is to go out there every night and do whatever we can to try and win as many games as possible and enjoy these games while they last."
Consider Tucker DeVries has scored 16 and 15 points in his last two games, had a recent stretch of 10 rebounds for three straight games, and has at least five assists in three of his last four games. For the season, he averages 13.8 points and a team-leading 5.5 rebounds with 83 assists and 27 steals.
"I've tried to impact the game in other ways," he says. "I try to find that balance of making plays for other guys and doing things other than shooting.
"At the same time, I'm still trying to believe in myself, take good shots and be aggressive. When you've got a guy like (high-scoring guard Lamar Wilkerson) on your team, he makes everything fun and enjoyable. That's been my approach. I'll continue to go forward."
That's exactly what coach Darian DeVries wants.
"He's such an important piece on what we do on both ends of the floor," Darian DeVries says. "Us being undersized, he has to manage that 4 (power forward) spot. Rebounding is a big piece of that. He's in a wrestling match every night.
"We've made more of a focus in the last five to seven games to get the ball in his hands more so he can play-make, facilitate, get in the paint more and use his size to score or distribute.
"His all-around game has been good. His shooting is starting to come back. He's been shooting it great in practice and now he's hit a few in these games. I feel good about where he's at as we get ready for this stretch run."
Darian DeVries feels just as good about Wilkerson, who has found a scoring level Hoosier Nation has rarely seen. Since 1994, a Hoosier has scored more than 40 points just four times, and Wilkerson has two of them with his 44-point effort against Penn State and his 41 points against Oregon.
The others -- Trayce Jackson-Davis scored 43 against Marshall in 2021 and Alan Henderson had 41 against Michigan State in 1994.
Wilkerson averages 21.2 points -- 28.2 over his last six games -- to rank second in the Big Ten to Northwestern's Nick Martinelli (22.5).
"When he's cooking like that," Tucker DeVries says, "it makes us dangerous even against some of the best teams in the country. No matter who we go up against, he gives us a chance."
Darian DeVries says Wilkerson needs to be "in the conversation" for Big Ten player of the year.
"He's done a great job of finding his windows. He's getting a lot of (defensive) attention. He's really worked at how to get open. Our guys have done a great job of screening for him and locating him, especially when he gets into a (scoring) zone. Make sure he continues to get those touches and opportunities to have the nights he has.
"He's playing at an incredibly high level."
IU will need all of that and more against Illinois. It had been rolling with a 12-game winning streak before losing twice in overtime over the last week -- 85-82 at No. 10 Michigan State and 92-90 at home to Wisconsin. Without injured guards Kylan Boswell (broken hand) and Andrej Stojakovic (ankle) for Wisconsin, the Illini played only six players. Boswell also missed the Michigan State game.
The result -- Illinois was vulnerable against quick, attacking guards.
The 6-foot-2 Boswell has missed six straight games, but is reportedly close to returning. He averages 14.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. The 6-foot-7 Stojakovic averages 13.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists.
Freshman guard Keaton Wagler, at 6-foot-6, averages 18.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.3 assists. He shoots 43.7% from 3-point range (including a team-best 66 3-point baskets), and 80.0% from the line. He burned Purdue for 46 points and nine 3-pointers in an Illini win, and had 34 against Wisconsin.
"He's tough," Darian DeVries says of Wagler. "They do such a good job of making you choose if you want to switch or commit two to the ball. He makes good decisions. If you commit the to the ball, they have good shooting everywhere. That's what makes him so difficult.
"When he does get the switch, he'll shoot it from anywhere, so you have to be so close. If you're too close, he goes by you and makes the right play. He has that ability, like Lamar, where he can get points in a hurry. You have to make sure he has your attention and not let him get started, because once he does, he's really difficult to bring back."
David Mirkovic, a 6-foot-9 freshman forward, averages 12.6 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.5 assists. He shoots 38.4% from 3-point range.
Then there's the Ivisic brothers -- 7-foot-1 Tomislav (10.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.6 steals) and 7-foot-2 Zvonimir (7.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.3 blocks).
The Illini, the nation's tallest team, have spent most of the season as a dominant rebounding team. They also shoot more 3-pointers than anyone in the Big Ten and make 36.7% of them.
Illinois is 12-2 at home, with the losses to Nebraska and Wisconsin.
"There's a lot that concerns you," Darian DeVries says. "I saw a stat that they hold the record for highest efficient offense (130.7 to IU's 121.4) in KenPom history. They are so big and balanced. They do a great job of exploiting mismatches, then they offense rebound, not much of a weakness that you can attack. They present a lot of challenges for you."
Players Mentioned
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