Who Starts for Indiana Basketball? DeVries 'Certainly Comfortable' with Puerto Rico Unit

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Nobody knows how many starting fives Indiana basketball coach Darian DeVries will have in his time in Bloomington, but his first has a chance to be a regularity throughout his opening campaign.

In their 98-47 exhibition win over Universidad de Bayamon on Wednesday, the Hoosiers started three senior guards in Conor Enright, Tayton Conerway and Lamar Wilkerson, and two senior forwards in Tucker DeVries and Reed Bailey.

DeVries said postgame he hasn't set his starters in stone, though he likes the group he rolled out Wednesday.

"It's early August, but that's certainly a lineup we're comfortable with," DeVries said. "We'll see what that means after September, October, before we get to (the season). There's a lot of things that can happen between now and then.

"Like I told the guys, these lineups today mean nothing compared to what these next couple months are still left to unfold."

Each of Indiana's starters scored before exiting the game for the first time. Junior guard Jasai Miles and senior forward Sam Alexis were the first two players off the bench, followed by freshman forward Trent Sisley, freshman guard Aleksa Ristic and sophomore forward Josh Harris. Walk-on guard Ian Stephens entered late in the third quarter.

The Hoosiers' bench will look marginally different once the season begins. Junior guards Jason Drake and Nick Dorn didn't play Wednesday due to injuries, and both should factor into the rotation.

So DeVries cautioned against putting substantial stock into Indiana's first-game lineup.

"Those positions and playing time is going to continue to be fought for, and we want that," he said. "We want that competition in practice."

However, it may prove difficult to unseat the Hoosiers' initial starters.

Bailey recorded 10 points, eight rebounds and three assists on 5-for-6 shooting. Tucker DeVries shot only 3 of 10 from the field and 2 of 7 from distance, but he finished with nine points, eight rebounds and seven assists.

Wilkerson had a tough shooting performance Wednesday, going 3 of 14 overall and 3 of 13 on triples, but DeVries didn't mind at all.

"I kind of like the fact he struggled shooting in an exhibition game, because he doesn't struggle very often," DeVries said. "So, this is a good one to get out of the way. He's one of those guys that I don't care if he goes 2 for 20, because that means he's going to go 18 for 20 some night. He's that good of a shooter. He just had a tough night.

"And then with the trip and everything, the excursions, all that, there's a lot that goes into these games that aren't ideal for playing a regular season game. You treat it a lot differently. But he's not going to have very many of those nights."

Conerway, the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year last season, earned praise from DeVries for his creativity as a ball handler and scorer. The guard also has been impressive as an on-ball defender.

The primary knock against the 6-foot-3, 186-pound Conerway this offseason centered around shooting — he made only 27% of his triples last season at Troy and 32.9% the year before.

But DeVries said Conerway put in extensive time working on his 3-point shot this summer and has connected on a "great percentage" during five-on-five periods in practice.

"He's done a great job of developing that game, and he's very confident with it right now," DeVries said. "So, I think that's going to be a piece he has added to his game because of the work he's put into it."

Enright had the least productive debut of the Hoosiers' starters, posting two points, one assist and one turnover in 17 minutes. He was 1-for-3 shooting from the field and missed both of his 3-pointers.

But Indiana has a wealth of scorers, and Enright won't have to score a lot. He's a pure point guard who averaged 6.2 assists per game last season at DePaul, and he created several open looks Wednesday.

The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Enright has shot the ball well throughout the summer, and his defensive intensity, court vision and distribution skills make him a valuable, ego-free member to Indiana's back court.

"He thinks unselfishly all the time," DeVries said. "And he's all about winning and that extra play."

Still, opportunity exists for DeVries to pursue different pathways. Sisley scored 21 points on 9-for-12 shooting in his first college game. Alexis and Harris each posted double-doubles. Dorn and Drake are rotational wildcards.

But DeVries' first starting five blends size, shooting, defense and experience — a strong collection of traits as the Hoosiers lay the groundwork for DeVries' initial season in Bloomington.