Hoosiers Fall in Road Contest

Saturday, December 13

Lexington, Ky.

7:30 PM

Indiana University

8-3,1-1Big Ten

Kentucky

7-4,0-0SEC

Indiana

Kentucky

12/13/2025 10:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- A rivalry's return couldn't deliver an Indiana victory.

Not on Saturday night at Rupp Arena. Not against Kentucky in the first regular-season meeting between the teams since 2011, the first meeting anywhere since the 2016 NCAA tourney.

For 20 minutes, Indiana (8-3) had Kentucky in trouble, building leads as large as nine points, but it was outscored 40-21 in the second half. The Hoosiers committed 18 turnovers and were outscored 23-6 in points off turnovers. Kentucky also had an 18-6 edge in second-chance points thanks to 14 offensive rebounds.

"Overall, it was a tale of two halves," coach Darian DeVries told Voice of the Hoosiers Don Fischer during the postgame radio show. "In the first half, I thought we had complete control. Even in the first three to four minutes of the second half, we were hanging right where we needed to be, but then those turnovers created too many opportunities for them."

Kentucky (7-4) couldn't stop IU guard Lamar Wilkerson, but foul trouble did. He played just 22 minutes because of foul trouble, scoring 15 points. He went to the bench with his fourth foul early in the second half and the Hoosiers ahead by seven. By the time he returned, the Wildcats had the lead and control they never lost.

Forward Tucker DeVries had 15 points and seven rebounds. Guard Tayton Conerway had 11 points. The Hoosiers were 26-for-29 from the line, but shot just 34 percent from the field, and were 4-for-24 from 3-point range.

"We got to the free throw line 29 times so we did a good job there," DeVries told Fischer. "We knocked them down. That was good to see."

IU forward Sam Alexis started for the second straight game ahead of Reed Bailey, but went out in the first minute with a lower body injury. He went to the locker room, but returned a few minutes later when Bailey picked up his second foul. Alexis finished with six points and five rebounds in 30 minutes.

Seven IU turnovers in the first 10 minutes of the second half wiped out leads as large as seven points. It was part of UK's 17-2, game-changing run.

"In the second half, the turnovers and the (Kentucky) offensive rebounding turned the game completely around," Darian DeVries told Fischer. "Our offensive movement wasn't where it needed to be in the second half. It led to some bad turnovers and broken floor transition game. They're too good a team to play in transition in those broken-floor opportunities. They took advantage of it.

"The offensive rebounds were just killers. We got them to miss enough. We have to secure those rebounds and go the other way."

Four points by Conerway and baskets from Wilkerson and Tucker DeVries helped IU open with an 8-3 lead. It led 11-5 before Kentucky rallied for an 11-11 tie with 12 minutes left.

Turnovers and missed shots slowed the Hoosier offense, but didn't stop it. Nine Wilkerson points and then three straight Nick Dorn free throws gave IU an 18-16 lead.

Despite major foul trouble (Wilkerson and Bailey each had three fouls), the Hoosiers pushed ahead 32-27. A Tucker DeVries 3-pointer and then two free throws made it 39-30. It ended with a 39-32 halftime lead. The Hoosiers were 18-for-19 from the line. Wilkerson had 12 points. Tucker DeVries had nine.

IU opened the second half with a Conerway 3-pointer and Wilkerson's fourth foul. It was 1-for-5 from the field with three turnovers, but after seven minutes still retained a seven-point lead.

Kentucky surged ahead 52-49 with 11 minutes left as IU went four minutes without scoring while committing four turnovers.

Tucker DeVries ended the Wildcats' 10-0 run with a basket. Wilkerson returned. Still, the Hoosiers fell behind 59-51, and then 65-54.

A Wilkerson layup and a Tucker DeVries jumper made it 65-58 with 3:27 left.

IU got no closer.

"With their offensive rebounds, we have to be better than that on the road and take care of the ball better," Darian DeVries told Fischer.

Because of finals week, IU doesn't play again until next Saturday when it hosts Chicago State.

"We have a full week to get better," Darian DeVries told Fischer. "We have some academics to take of as well. We'll get back to work and continue to push to improve in all the areas we need to."