Indiana University Athletics
Imposing Will – Hoosier Physicality Starts with Sherrell, Yigitoglu
5/19/2026 9:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Imposing your will matters if you're the Indiana Hoosiers and you seek to regain Big Ten relevance.
Michigan and Illinois were prime inside-and-outside examples last season, with the Wolverines winning the national championship and the Illini reaching the Final Four.
These Hoosiers, unlike last year, have the size to match that kind of fire and perhaps dominate inside with the transfer portal acquisitions of 6-foot-11, 255-pound Aiden Sherrell from Alabama and 7-foot-2, 270-pound Samet Yigitoglu from SMU.
Just one will make an impact. Play them together and imagine the possibilities. Head coach Darian DeVries certainly has.
"The two of them together will be a lot of fun as we go through summer workouts and finding new ways of utilizing them," he says.
"It creates a lot of things. It opens the playbook when you're utilizing both of those guys out in space, but also now we have much more of an ability to throw the ball inside in multiple ways and also create opportunities where if teams are going to switch us, now we have different ways that we can punish switches."
Punishment can take a variety of forms, he adds.
"If we can get a switch with a big, the guards can go by, but now we also have the ability to, 'Hey, we can go post guards in multiple ways.' I'm certainly excited about what that does for us on the offensive end."
Defense and rebounding are just as exciting.
"I love what it does for us on the defensive end," DeVries says, "especially from a rebounding standpoint. We had to put so much focus on trying to help our guys on the interior defensively last year, whether it be coming with double teams and things like that.
"We're going to have much more of the ability to play one-on-one. It doesn't create those kick-out 3s (for the opponent) and everything that comes with having to bring two guys to the ball on the interior.
"I think our rebounding will get better and also just the different ways we can be more explosive on the offensive end with those guys out there."
Last season, Sam Alexis, a 6-foot-9, 240-pound forward, was IU's only true inside presence. At 6-foot-10 and 230 pounds, Reed Bailey lacked the size and strength against Big Ten opponents. That forced 6-foot-7, 225-pound Tucker DeVries into a power forward role opposing teams exploited.
Sherrell was a 2024 high school McDonald's All-American who averaged 7.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in two seasons with the Crimson Tide, including 11.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks last year.
Alabama won 53 total games and reached a pair of Sweet Sixteens with Sherrell, who ESPN once rated as the nation's No. 4 center in the Class of 2024.
"With Aiden, there's lot there," DeVries says. "He can shoot; he can put the ball on the deck. He's still going to give us that spacing that will be different than what we had. His ability when he gets switches, he'll be able to take guards down into the post and make you second guess on whether or not you want to switch. He still creates enough of the spacing we want to make sure we have driving lanes, and post-up opportunities."
Yigitoglu brings plenty of experience as well as massive size. In two seasons at SMU, he averaged 10.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks. He shot 58.3% from the field.
Internationally, Yigitoglu averaged 13.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 1.0 block while shooting 82.6% from the floor in four games with Sigortam Istanbul in the Turkish second league during the 2023-24 season. He also averaged 12.7 points and 8.6 rebounds while shooting 66.0% for Turkey in the 2023 FIBA U20 European Championship.
Before that, he played three seasons in Turkey's first division.
"Samet, is just a big, big guy," DeVries says with a smile. "He's not afraid of knowing that he's big. He knows what he is. He likes it. When he sets a screen, people will feel that.
"He'll have the ability; he can play the short roll; play in the post; he's great at duck ins; he gives you that physical presence."
Don't forget Trent Sisley, the only returning Hoosier from last season. The 6-foot-8, 225-pounder was an early factor before fading in the last month. Still, he had an impact, averaging 4.2 points and 2.8 rebounds while playing in 30 games as a true freshman.
"I'm excited for Trent," DeVries says. "I think he'll have a great summer. He's already had a great spring. He's putting a lot of time into it.
"He's one of those guys who as he continues to get stronger … his shooting has come a long way since the season ended. He will be older, better, bigger, stronger, and more confident in what he's doing.
"His versatility is good. He showed plenty of flashes early in the season. I'm excited about the jump I think he will make."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Imposing your will matters if you're the Indiana Hoosiers and you seek to regain Big Ten relevance.
Michigan and Illinois were prime inside-and-outside examples last season, with the Wolverines winning the national championship and the Illini reaching the Final Four.
These Hoosiers, unlike last year, have the size to match that kind of fire and perhaps dominate inside with the transfer portal acquisitions of 6-foot-11, 255-pound Aiden Sherrell from Alabama and 7-foot-2, 270-pound Samet Yigitoglu from SMU.
Just one will make an impact. Play them together and imagine the possibilities. Head coach Darian DeVries certainly has.
"The two of them together will be a lot of fun as we go through summer workouts and finding new ways of utilizing them," he says.
"It creates a lot of things. It opens the playbook when you're utilizing both of those guys out in space, but also now we have much more of an ability to throw the ball inside in multiple ways and also create opportunities where if teams are going to switch us, now we have different ways that we can punish switches."
Punishment can take a variety of forms, he adds.
"If we can get a switch with a big, the guards can go by, but now we also have the ability to, 'Hey, we can go post guards in multiple ways.' I'm certainly excited about what that does for us on the offensive end."
Defense and rebounding are just as exciting.
"I love what it does for us on the defensive end," DeVries says, "especially from a rebounding standpoint. We had to put so much focus on trying to help our guys on the interior defensively last year, whether it be coming with double teams and things like that.
"We're going to have much more of the ability to play one-on-one. It doesn't create those kick-out 3s (for the opponent) and everything that comes with having to bring two guys to the ball on the interior.
"I think our rebounding will get better and also just the different ways we can be more explosive on the offensive end with those guys out there."
Last season, Sam Alexis, a 6-foot-9, 240-pound forward, was IU's only true inside presence. At 6-foot-10 and 230 pounds, Reed Bailey lacked the size and strength against Big Ten opponents. That forced 6-foot-7, 225-pound Tucker DeVries into a power forward role opposing teams exploited.
Sherrell was a 2024 high school McDonald's All-American who averaged 7.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in two seasons with the Crimson Tide, including 11.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks last year.
Alabama won 53 total games and reached a pair of Sweet Sixteens with Sherrell, who ESPN once rated as the nation's No. 4 center in the Class of 2024.
"With Aiden, there's lot there," DeVries says. "He can shoot; he can put the ball on the deck. He's still going to give us that spacing that will be different than what we had. His ability when he gets switches, he'll be able to take guards down into the post and make you second guess on whether or not you want to switch. He still creates enough of the spacing we want to make sure we have driving lanes, and post-up opportunities."
Yigitoglu brings plenty of experience as well as massive size. In two seasons at SMU, he averaged 10.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks. He shot 58.3% from the field.
Internationally, Yigitoglu averaged 13.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 1.0 block while shooting 82.6% from the floor in four games with Sigortam Istanbul in the Turkish second league during the 2023-24 season. He also averaged 12.7 points and 8.6 rebounds while shooting 66.0% for Turkey in the 2023 FIBA U20 European Championship.
Before that, he played three seasons in Turkey's first division.
"Samet, is just a big, big guy," DeVries says with a smile. "He's not afraid of knowing that he's big. He knows what he is. He likes it. When he sets a screen, people will feel that.
"He'll have the ability; he can play the short roll; play in the post; he's great at duck ins; he gives you that physical presence."
Don't forget Trent Sisley, the only returning Hoosier from last season. The 6-foot-8, 225-pounder was an early factor before fading in the last month. Still, he had an impact, averaging 4.2 points and 2.8 rebounds while playing in 30 games as a true freshman.
"I'm excited for Trent," DeVries says. "I think he'll have a great summer. He's already had a great spring. He's putting a lot of time into it.
"He's one of those guys who as he continues to get stronger … his shooting has come a long way since the season ended. He will be older, better, bigger, stronger, and more confident in what he's doing.
"His versatility is good. He showed plenty of flashes early in the season. I'm excited about the jump I think he will make."
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