Indiana University Athletics
Sunday, November 9
Chicago, Ill.
1:00 PM
Indiana University
vs
Marquette
Forget One Dimensional, Wilkerson pushes all-around game
11/9/2025 9:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – One dimensional? Are you kidding? Lamar Wilkerson has no interest in that. Not when it comes to his basketball game or offensive potential.
Indiana's senior guard is more than an exceptional 3-point shooter. He punished Alabama A&M with his all-around game in Wednesday night's season opener and seeks to do it again Sunday at Chicago's United Center when the Hoosiers (1-0) play Marquette (2-0).
Teammate Reed Bailey is all in on Wilkerson's impact.
"It's fun to play with him," Bailey says. "He spaces the floor well, and you see it when he shoots it from the logo, and it still goes in. It's fun to be out there with him and get him the ball."
Fun against Alabama A&M meant 19 points, four 3-pointers, three steals, and two assists, and if some of his shots seemed, well, from unusually long range, coach Darian DeVries has no problem with it.
"If you watch his tape from last year (at Sam Houston State), he didn't even have to prove anything this summer," DeVries says. "He can shoot. Some guys just have that ability.
"He puts in the time. He's one of those guys you've got to kick out of the gym because he's in there so much. He has incredible range. He can shoot it with ease from anywhere. We want him to be super aggressive. Whenever he gets a space that he wants to let it go, let it go."
Having the green shooting light is fine, as is his shooter's reputation, but Wilkerson says he's much more than that.
"At Sam Houston, teams tried to run me off the (3-point) line," he says, "so I took that personal. During the summer, I put the ball on the ground to expand my game to score at all three levels. That way, teams can't stop me. I won't be one dimensional."
Neither are the Hoosiers, and their 98-51 win over Alabama A&M Wednesday night showcased the good-shooting possibilities.
IU was an offensive machine, going 16-for-16 from the free throw line, shooting 62.1% from the field and 41.7% on 3-pointers, and making 10-of-24 long-range attempts. It also had 23 assists against 11 turnovers.
"A lot of that shooting percentage is a product of ball movement and getting the right kind of shots, the right kind of threes," DeVries says.
"We have a really confident group. They're very sure of themselves, and they know that they have the green light. They put in the time and the work, so on game night, let it rip. That's our philosophy.
"We don't want them to hesitate even when they miss one. I don't care where they take them from, just know that it's something that you work on every day, and we're good with it. It is going to be a big part of who we are all season long."
When the shots don't fall -- and there will be such nights this season -- the Hoosiers will focus on defense, rebounding, and all-out hustle.
"Our guys are very capable of that," DeVries says. "They understand that and can make those adjustments if needed."
IU thrived with dunks, layups, and 3-pointers, and for those worrying about the mid-range game, well, stop.
"We don't talk a lot about not taking mid-range shots," DeVries says. "It's kind of how the offense ends up.
"(Against Alabama A&M) we did a really good job because of the spacing, and when you start to make those 3s, defense can tend to get stretched. Then we were able to get some slips and some rolls to the rim as guys are chasing shooters out the backside, and they didn't have a lot of help.
"I thought the guys did a good job of taking what the defense gave them."
While Marquette isn't ranked, it's a well-regarded Big East program with a rich tradition that includes the 1977 national championship, three Final Four berths, and 37 NCAA Tournament appearances, including four straight under coach Shaka Smart. They reached the Sweet Sixteen in 2024.
The Golden Eagles used a 12-player rotation in opening the season with home victories over Albany (80-53) and Southern University (100-82). They thrive with pressure defense, forcing 36 turnovers with 26 steals in those two games.
Senior guard Chase Ross, a preseason All-Big East first-team selection, is the offensive catalyst. He scored 23 points against Southern, plus added six rebounds and six assists. He averages 19.0 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 60.0% from the field. Junior guard Zaide Lowery averages 12.5 points. The 6-foot-9, 245-pound Caedin Hamilton provides inside muscle.
Smart is 100-41 at Marquette and 372-183 overall. He took VCU to the 2011 Final Four.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – One dimensional? Are you kidding? Lamar Wilkerson has no interest in that. Not when it comes to his basketball game or offensive potential.
Indiana's senior guard is more than an exceptional 3-point shooter. He punished Alabama A&M with his all-around game in Wednesday night's season opener and seeks to do it again Sunday at Chicago's United Center when the Hoosiers (1-0) play Marquette (2-0).
Teammate Reed Bailey is all in on Wilkerson's impact.
"It's fun to play with him," Bailey says. "He spaces the floor well, and you see it when he shoots it from the logo, and it still goes in. It's fun to be out there with him and get him the ball."
Fun against Alabama A&M meant 19 points, four 3-pointers, three steals, and two assists, and if some of his shots seemed, well, from unusually long range, coach Darian DeVries has no problem with it.
"If you watch his tape from last year (at Sam Houston State), he didn't even have to prove anything this summer," DeVries says. "He can shoot. Some guys just have that ability.
"He puts in the time. He's one of those guys you've got to kick out of the gym because he's in there so much. He has incredible range. He can shoot it with ease from anywhere. We want him to be super aggressive. Whenever he gets a space that he wants to let it go, let it go."
Having the green shooting light is fine, as is his shooter's reputation, but Wilkerson says he's much more than that.
"At Sam Houston, teams tried to run me off the (3-point) line," he says, "so I took that personal. During the summer, I put the ball on the ground to expand my game to score at all three levels. That way, teams can't stop me. I won't be one dimensional."
Neither are the Hoosiers, and their 98-51 win over Alabama A&M Wednesday night showcased the good-shooting possibilities.
IU was an offensive machine, going 16-for-16 from the free throw line, shooting 62.1% from the field and 41.7% on 3-pointers, and making 10-of-24 long-range attempts. It also had 23 assists against 11 turnovers.
"A lot of that shooting percentage is a product of ball movement and getting the right kind of shots, the right kind of threes," DeVries says.
"We have a really confident group. They're very sure of themselves, and they know that they have the green light. They put in the time and the work, so on game night, let it rip. That's our philosophy.
"We don't want them to hesitate even when they miss one. I don't care where they take them from, just know that it's something that you work on every day, and we're good with it. It is going to be a big part of who we are all season long."
When the shots don't fall -- and there will be such nights this season -- the Hoosiers will focus on defense, rebounding, and all-out hustle.
"Our guys are very capable of that," DeVries says. "They understand that and can make those adjustments if needed."
IU thrived with dunks, layups, and 3-pointers, and for those worrying about the mid-range game, well, stop.
"We don't talk a lot about not taking mid-range shots," DeVries says. "It's kind of how the offense ends up.
"(Against Alabama A&M) we did a really good job because of the spacing, and when you start to make those 3s, defense can tend to get stretched. Then we were able to get some slips and some rolls to the rim as guys are chasing shooters out the backside, and they didn't have a lot of help.
"I thought the guys did a good job of taking what the defense gave them."
While Marquette isn't ranked, it's a well-regarded Big East program with a rich tradition that includes the 1977 national championship, three Final Four berths, and 37 NCAA Tournament appearances, including four straight under coach Shaka Smart. They reached the Sweet Sixteen in 2024.
The Golden Eagles used a 12-player rotation in opening the season with home victories over Albany (80-53) and Southern University (100-82). They thrive with pressure defense, forcing 36 turnovers with 26 steals in those two games.
Senior guard Chase Ross, a preseason All-Big East first-team selection, is the offensive catalyst. He scored 23 points against Southern, plus added six rebounds and six assists. He averages 19.0 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 60.0% from the field. Junior guard Zaide Lowery averages 12.5 points. The 6-foot-9, 245-pound Caedin Hamilton provides inside muscle.
Smart is 100-41 at Marquette and 372-183 overall. He took VCU to the 2011 Final Four.
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