Is Indiana Basketball Ready to Contend for the Big Ten Title in 2026-27?

The Hoosiers have put together a huge transfer portal haul. Will it be enough to compete for a conference championship?

Dec 22, 2025; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Darian Devries yells to his team during the second half against the Siena Saints at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

With the superteam Indiana has assembled in the past few days, it seems Darian DeVries is prepared to give Curt Cignetti a run for his money. After the Hoosiers won a Big Ten title on the gridiron in Year 2 under Cignetti, is DeVries, who had a middling 18-14 debut season in Bloomington, capable of doing the same?

Admittedly, that’s quite the lofty bar Cignetti has set. But with the roster DeVries has so impressively crafted on the hardwood, it isn’t out of the realm of possibilities for Indiana to be a legitimate conference contender in the 2026-27 season. (That said, contending and winning are two entirely different things.)

How Indiana can compete for a Big Ten title in 2026-27

Feb 20, 2026; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Darian Devries reacts to a call during the first half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

The first step – roster-building – is mostly taken care of. Naturally, Indiana has to round out the roster, but the core is all but set in stone. The Hoosiers bring in five proven high-major starters, along with another power conference player in Duke transfer Darren Harris. 

Then, there are the three freshmen (Vaughn Karvala, Prince-Alexander Moody and Trevor Manhertz), each of whom are capable of competing for minutes. Toss in returning forward Trent Sisley, and the Hoosiers are going to be tremendously deep. 

The next question: how do the pieces fit? Notre Dame transfer Markus Burton will run the show at lead guard while Alabama transfer Aiden Sherrell and SMU transfer Samet Yigitoglu will anchor the interior. 

Those three give the Hoosiers a variety of offensive options. Burton can create for himself – at all three levels – or others. Sherrell can be a play-finisher or stretch the floor. Yigitoglu can be a dump-off option or a post-up presence. 

Unlike last year, Indiana won’t be one-dimensional. It won’t just be three-point shooting (or Lamar Wilkerson one-on-one). But the Hoosiers will still have long-distance threats. Villanova transfer Bryce Lindsay can shoot the cover off the ball, and he’s in range anywhere on the floor. 

If DeVries can push the right buttons offensively and build a scheme tailored for his players – heavy ball-screen action for Burton, post-up opportunities for Yigitoglu, run off-ball sets for Lindsay to get open looks – the Hoosiers can be a top-15 offense in the country. 

Another key for the offense: Sherrell’s shooting. For Indiana to be at its best offensively, spacing is a must. Burton needs room to operate in the pick-and-roll and help defenders must be forced to stay attached to shooters, ensuring it truly is two-man action. 

Meanwhile, Yigitoglu needs space to go to work on the interior, and that won’t be possible if Sherrell isn’t hitting shots. But he hit 33.8 percent of his three-pointers last year. If he can just maintain (or, ideally, improve) that number, the Hoosiers will be in an excellent spot. 

Historically, the defensive end has been the area where DeVries' teams thrive. His system is excellent and he holds players accountable. Last year, his team played hard, and the scheme wasn’t a problem, but Indiana didn’t have the size or athletes to guard in space or finish possessions with rebounds. 

Between Sherrell and Yigitoglu patrolling the paint, Burton wreaking havoc in on-ball defense, and the rest of the crew at least holding their own, the Hoosiers should take a massive step forward on that end. 

Can the Hoosiers actually win the Big Ten?

Mar 11, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Darian Devries directs his team against the Northwestern Wildcats during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Michigan, Illinois, and Michigan State appear to be in a tier of their own heading into the 2026-27 season. But let’s not forget Purdue was the preseason No. 1 in the country last year, yet the Boilermakers finished seventh in the league. 

It’s impossible to predict the outcome of a Big Ten season (especially at this juncture). But the Hoosiers certainly could own the second tier while making a run at the premier squads.

If the pieces of the puzzle fit even better than imagined and DeVries works some additional magic with this unit, anything is possible. At the bare minimum, the Hoosiers should finish a few games over .500 in the Big Ten and find themselves back where they belong: in the NCAA Tournament.