Hoosiers Now

Indiana Basketball Climbs Into Andy Katz's Top 20, Flies Up KenPom

The Hoosiers are turning heads everywhere after dismantling Marquette. Andy Katz appears to love Indiana, as does KenPom.
Jackson Langendorf|
Indiana Head Coach Darian DeVries during the Indiana versus Marian men's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025.
Indiana Head Coach Darian DeVries during the Indiana versus Marian men's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Indiana Hoosiers

Indiana fans were optimistic heading into the basketball season with newly-appointed head coach Darian DeVries set to usher the Hoosiers into a new era. But the rest of the country wasn’t quite sure what to expect. 

With the head-coaching change, Indiana brought in an entirely new coaching staff and, naturally, revamped the roster by way of the transfer portal. 

Given it’s quite difficult to immediately mesh players that have never suited up alongside one another – aside from Tucker DeVries and Conor Enright – and quickly instill offensive and defensive principles, building a true Big Ten contender and NCAA Tournament threat in Year 1 is practically impossible.

Indiana earning its respect from both key metrics and top CBB pundit

Tucker DeVrie
Nov 5, 2025; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers forward Tucker Devries (12) celebrates after a play during the second half against the Alabama A&M Bulldogs at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Or so we thought. Although it was just one game, Indiana’s 100-77 victory over Marquette – a program that has made four straight trips to the Big Dance – has caught the attention of college basketball’s finest minds, along with the premier analytical tools.

Indiana climbs in KenPom

In the preseason, the Hoosiers were ranked No. 40 in the country, per KenPom. Just two games in, the metric has pushed DeVries’ club all the way up to No. 21 in the country.

The defense hasn’t moved much (ranked No. 41 in the preseason, now at No. 36), but the offense has skyrocketed from 35th to 17th, behind a pair of efficient, high-scoring outings (averaging 99.0 points per game on 55.6 percent from the field). 

The Hoosiers fly up Andy Katz’s Power 37

Not only have the analytics taken note of Indiana thus far, but one of college basketball’s premier minds has as well. In his first Power 37 of the season, Andy Katz listed the Hoosiers as the No. 17 team in the country. 

They sit above Illinois (No. 20) and right behind Michigan State (No. 16) and UCLA (No. 15), while Purdue (No. 1) and Michigan (No. 7) lead the conference. 

Can Indiana be a title threat in the Big Ten?

As arguably the best team in the nation, Purdue – who did just slide down to No. 2 in the latest AP Poll – is the frontrunner in the league, but it still remains a relatively open year. The quality at the top of the conference is perhaps better than ever, but the Hoosiers may have the tools to compete. 

Unless Indiana manages to shoot 50 percent from deep every game – which, spoiler alert, won’t happen – a Big Ten title may be a bit out of reach. But expect the Hoosiers to easily outplay their No. 10 preseason poll spot, and perhaps, if all goes according to plan, even battle for a spot in the top four of the league.

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Jackson Langendorf
JACKSON LANGENDORF

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