Walk into Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on a Tuesday night in January, and you’ll feel it. That hum. It’s a mix of desperation, history, and a borderline delusional belief that the next banner is just one "March Madness" run away. For Indiana University basketball, the NCAA tournament isn't just a postseason event. It's the only metric that actually counts in Bloomington.
Honestly, the last few years have been a rollercoaster that mostly stayed in the valley. After the Mike Woodson era ended following a 19-13 finish in 2025 and two straight years of missing the Big Dance, the program hit a reset button. Now, with Darian DeVries at the helm and his son, Tucker DeVries, leading the charge on the floor, the conversation has shifted from "what went wrong" to "can we finally get back?"
The Weight of Five Banners
Indiana’s relationship with the NCAA tournament is complicated because the highs were so incredibly high. We’re talking about five national titles. 1940. 1953. 1976. 1981. 1987.
The 1976 team remains the gold standard—the last undefeated champion in men’s college basketball. That’s a heavy shadow to live in. When people talk about IU basketball and the NCAA tournament, they aren't just thinking about making the field of 68. They are thinking about Monday night in April.
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But here’s the reality check: Since that 2002 runner-up finish under Mike Davis, the Hoosiers have only reached the Sweet Sixteen three times (2012, 2013, and 2016). For a blue-blood program, that’s a drought that feels more like a desert.
The Darian DeVries Era: A New Approach to March
Darian DeVries arrived in Bloomington for the 2025-26 season with a specific reputation: he wins. At Drake, he was a fixture in the postseason conversation. He brought a modern, pace-and-space offensive philosophy that felt like a splash of cold water after years of IU ranking near the bottom of the Big Ten in three-point attempts.
Currently, the 12-5 Hoosiers (3-3 in the Big Ten) are fighting to stay off the bubble. As of mid-January 2026, bracketologists like Joe Lunardi have Indiana hovering in that "First Four Out" or "Last Four In" range.
The formula has changed. It's no longer just about pounding the ball inside to a dominant big like Trayce Jackson-Davis or Oumar Ballo. It’s about the perimeter.
- Tucker DeVries: A legitimate All-American candidate who knows his father's system better than anyone.
- Lamar Wilkerson: The Sam Houston transfer who provides the "fireworks" from deep.
- Reed Bailey: A 6-foot-10 forward who plays more like a wing, creating massive matchup problems for traditional centers.
The defense is still a work in progress—shaky rim protection has led to some "rocky moments" in conference play—but the offense is finally explosive enough to keep them in games they used to lose by double digits.
What People Get Wrong About the IU "Drought"
There’s a common narrative that Indiana has "fallen off" completely. That’s not quite right. They still recruit at a high level. The fan support is top-five in the country. The issue hasn't been a lack of talent; it’s been a lack of identity in the tournament.
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In the Mike Woodson years, the team often looked exhausted by March. They’d grind through the Big Ten season, win a game in the conference tournament, and then look flat in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. Think back to that 2022 loss to Saint Mary’s. It wasn't just a loss; it was a 29-point demolition where the Hoosiers looked like they were running in sand.
The new staff is betting on versatility. By playing smaller and faster, they hope to be the ones dictating the tempo when the tournament starts, rather than reacting to mid-major teams that spread them out.
How the 2026 Resume is Shaping Up
To get back to the IU basketball NCAA tournament glory days, you have to navigate the modern gauntlet. The 2025-26 Big Ten is brutal.
Indiana recently dropped two tough road games against Michigan State and Nebraska. They are currently looking for that elusive "Quad 1" victory that serves as the golden ticket for the Selection Committee.
The upcoming home game against Iowa at Assembly Hall is basically a "must-win" for their tournament resume. If they can sweep their home stand and steal a win in Ann Arbor against a top-ranked Michigan team later this month, the conversation moves from "bubble" to "safe."
Key Metrics to Watch:
- Three-Point Volume: Under DeVries, IU is taking more treys than almost anyone in the league. If they hit 38% or higher, they are nearly impossible to beat at home.
- Turnover Margin: Tayton Conerway and Conor Enright have to be "zoom-zoom" guards without being careless.
- Interior Defense: Without a traditional 7-footer, can they stop the Purdue and Michigan giants?
The Actionable Roadmap for the Rest of the Season
If you're following the Hoosiers' path back to the tournament, keep your eyes on the "NET Rankings." Since Indiana hasn't beaten a ranked opponent in what feels like forever (actually since the 2022-23 season), they need to stack wins against the middle of the Big Ten to keep their efficiency numbers high.
What to do as a fan or bettor:
- Watch the home/road splits. Indiana is an "elite offensive team" inside Assembly Hall but struggles with consistency on the road.
- Monitor the health of the backcourt. With limited depth due to preseason injuries, any tweak to Conerway or Wilkerson drastically changes their ceiling.
- Focus on the February schedule. The back half of the Big Ten slate is where IU usually fades. If they are still above .500 in league play by Valentine's Day, they are a lock for a seed in the 7-10 range.
The road back to the NCAA tournament isn't about looking at the banners in the rafters. It's about the 40 minutes in front of them right now. This team has the shooting to be a "dangerous bubble team" that nobody wants to see in the first round.
Track the upcoming Big Ten standings and look for Indiana to solidify their Quad 1 win count before the conference tournament in Indianapolis. Securing a top-six seed in the Big Ten Tournament will be the final piece of the puzzle to ensure the Hoosiers aren't sweating it out on Selection Sunday.