Aiden Sherrell's Versatility Gives Indiana Basketball A Defensive Difference-Maker

Aiden Sherrell was seemingly everywhere at once Thursday night.

During one possession in Indiana's 92-69 win over Bellarmine, the 6-foot-11 forward blocked a shot at the rim, helped deter another following an offensive rebound and then sprinted to the perimeter to run a shooter off the 3-point line.

When the shooter put the ball on the floor, Sherrell stayed with him. The possession ended in a shot-clock violation.

One possession. Three different defensive responsibilities. Not a single point allowed.

Perhaps no sequence better illustrated what makes Sherrell such a unique weapon for Darian DeVries and the Hoosiers.

A future Big Ten defensive star?

Sherrell's defensive versatility was on full display Thursday, and DeVries believes it's just a drop in the bucket.

"I think by the end of the year," DeVries said Thursday night, "he's going to be one of those guys that people are going to talk about as one of the better defenders in our league."

It's lofty praise just two games into Sherrell's third collegiate season, but Thursday offered plenty of evidence to support it.

Sherrell tallied two blocks before halftime, repeatedly altered shots around the basket and showed an ability to hold his own against smaller, quicker players on the perimeter.

On one second-half possession, he picked up a ball-handler roughly 35 feet from the basket, came away with a steal and took it coast to coast for a layup.

Those aren't exactly the responsibilities typically associated with a 6-foot-11 big man.

"He's played a lot of 5 [throughout his career], so he's been able to just sit back and be a rim protector," DeVries said. "But the improvement he's made now, being able to switch on to guards and keep them in front and being able to come from the backside, that's a great luxury to have for us."

For Indiana, that luxury extends beyond individual defensive possessions. It's a combination that gives DeVries considerably more flexibility with his defensive schemes.

More than just a defensive weapon

As impressive as Sherrell's defense was Thursday, his offensive versatility presents another problem for opponents.

Bellarmine frequently sent a second defender his way, limiting his opportunities to operate one-on-one. Still, Sherrell finished with 12 points, knocked down a 3-pointer and showed flashes of his ability to put the ball on the floor and find open teammates when defenses collapsed around him.

For opposing teams, that presents quite the dilemma. Leave Sherrell alone inside, and he can punish a smaller defender. Send help, and he's capable of finding an open teammate. Given him space on the perimeter, he can make a defense pay from deep.

Perhaps the most encouraging part for Indiana is that Sherrell doesn't seem too concerned with how many points he scores.

"What I love about Aiden is Aiden [couldn't] care less about stats in general," DeVries said. "He's one of those guys who's just all about winning. He's all about the team."

Forward Darren Harris echoed that sentiment.

"What really stands out to [me] is he's really unselfish," Harris said. "He's always trying to make the right play."

Indiana has several players capable of leading the team in scoring on any given night. Sherrell, however, might be one of its most important players even when he takes only six shots.

Because whether he's blocking shots, chasing guards around the perimeter or stretching defenses on the other end, Sherrell doesn't need to dominate the box score to dominate stretches of a game.

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