- Date: Sunday, November 16, 2025
- Time: 5:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Home — Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, Bloomington, IN
- TV: Big Ten Network (BTN)
Indiana returns to Assembly Hall today for a first-ever meeting with the Incarnate Word Cardinals, a young Division I program making its first trip to Bloomington. On paper, this is not the toughest challenge the Hoosiers will face. But for a team working daily to establish identity, habits, and culture, these games matter almost as much as the marquee ones.
Indiana is 3–0 because it has played with purpose, shared the ball, defended with energy, and rediscovered a style of basketball that actually looks like Indiana basketball again. Sunday is another chance to reinforce that foundation.
About the Opponent
Incarnate Word arrives with a 2–1 record and is still trying to find its footing in Division I after transitioning in 2013. This is their first trip to Assembly Hall and their first ever game against Indiana. The Cardinals have capable scoring guards, but they are projected to finish in the bottom tier nationally, especially on defense.
Put simply: this matchup is about Indiana, not the Cardinals.
What Matters for Indiana
1. Sustaining ball movement and offensive purpose
Indiana’s early offense has stood out because of its balance and unselfishness. The Hoosiers have made 10 or more three-pointers in all three games—a feat the program hasn’t matched since 2016–17.
Coach Darian DeVries has emphasized that this isn’t an accident:
“They just share the ball… that’s what good offense comes from—guys that are willing to move it, share it.”
—Darian DeVries (via Crimson Quarry)
Against a lesser opponent, it’s vital that Indiana continues to screen with purpose, cut sharply, move without the ball, and make the extra pass. The opponent shouldn’t determine whether IU runs its offense correctly—habits should.
2. Staying connected defensively
Through three games, Indiana has played with refreshing defensive energy. But games like these are where connected teams separate themselves from sloppy ones. Good teams don’t lose focus because the opponent is unfamiliar or undersized. They take pride in every possession.
DeVries has been clear about what he wants fans to see:
“A team that’s really connected… a team that plays incredibly hard every night.”
—Darian DeVries (via MyIU.org)
That standard has nothing to do with the name on the other jersey.
3. Rebounding must improve
If Indiana wants its identity to travel into Big Ten play, it must rebound better. Against a smaller opponent, the Hoosiers have an opportunity—and frankly, an obligation—to assert themselves on the glass and build a standard for the weeks ahead.
4. Watching Nick Dorn’s continued rhythm
Guard Nick Dorn is still working back from last season’s foot injury at Elon, and each game offers him a chance to find better rhythm and confidence. He brings spacing, steadiness, and maturity—qualities that will matter in tighter games later in the season.
A matchup like this one allows him to take another step.
The Bigger Picture
Indiana fans know the uneasy feeling of past Hoosier teams playing down to weaker competition. But DeVries’ club hasn’t needed a big-name opponent to play good basketball. They’ve built their early momentum around how they play—how they defend, how they move, how they compete.
DeVries has said repeatedly that roster construction and system success rely on players who complement one another:
“We wanted to make sure the guys complemented each other, could play off one another… and I’ve been really pleased with how it’s turned out.”
—Darian DeVries (via Crimson Quarry)
This game is another step in that direction. Another 40 minutes to stack good possessions. Another chance to take pride in unselfish offense, connected defense, sharper rebounding, and constant effort.
These are the traits that once defined Indiana basketball—toughness, teamwork, and tradition—and they’re beginning to surface again three games into the DeVries era.
The opponent may not be formidable, but the opportunity absolutely is.
— The Hopeful Hoosier
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