Indiana University Athletics
10/28/2026 12:05:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Prince-Alexander Moody lights up a basketball court just by walking on it, sometimes even before walking on it.
Consider this Indiana first-year guard sometimes strolls into Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall at 5:30 in the morning for extra basketball work.
Why so early?
"That's when I wake up," he says with a smile from Branch McCracken Court. "I've taught myself to wake up early, get the work done and do what I need to do."
That usually means "repping my shot" before going home and back to sleep until it's time for class. He might work out again before practice.
Repetition matters as the 6-foot-4, 185-pound Moody strives to become a catalyst this season, which opens Monday at home against Eastern Illinois. He arrived in Bloomington as a four-star prospect out of Maryland. Adjusting to IU basketball life includes the physicality of the game and the transition to college point guard responsibilities.
"College is very physical," he says. "High school wasn't that physical. I mean, there were players here and there that had physicality, but it wasn't really nothing compared to what we do here.
"Now, it's a hit on every play. There's no letting up on defense or offense, and offense is way more physical than you might think."
Moody mentions fourth-year guard Markus Burton, the 6-foot, 180-pound transfer out of Notre Dame who projects as IU's starting point guard.
"Markus is physical. That's why he's so hard to guard.
"At the end of the day, it's way more physical than what I was used to. I've never played with more physically in my life until I got here. It's fun to be part of."
Fun brings perspective. Early on in high school, Moody was a take-charge scorer.
"I was averaging like 25-some points, so I wasn't really passing," he says with another smile. "I knew how to play basketball, but I've only been a point guard for about two years.
"My freshman and sophomore years, nobody wasn't touching the ball when I got it. It wasn't until my junior year that I started to take a back seat and be more of a point guard."
*****
Moody saw little action in IU's first two exhibitions, totaling two points and one steal in eight minutes against Butler, then one point in three minutes against North Carolina.
Opportunity soared last Sunday against Western Kentucky, especially in the second half as Moody joined fellow first years Vaughn Karvala and Trevor Manhertz in fueling the Hoosiers' comeback victory. In 14 minutes, Moody had six points, hit two 3-pointers, and had two assists.
For those expecting Moody to be a major contributor this season, coach Darian DeVries offers perspective.
"Prince is doing fine. A lot of it is the physicality, the speed, the competition has increased. It's going through normal freshman stuff of learning how maybe some of those opportunities at the rim aren't there because we have two 7-footers (Aiden Sherrell and Samet Yigitoglu) sitting back there in practice.
"Everything gets cranked up a little bit higher as you get closer to the season, but he's doing a good job. He's continuing to work. He's continuing to have a great attitude."
Then there's the reality that Moody is behind veteran guards Burton, Jaeden Mustaf, Darren Harris, and Bryce Lindsay.
"We have guys that are in front of him," DeVries says, "but he's certainly someone that I feel very confident he's going to continue to get better and better. I have the utmost confidence in the world to put him out there."
*****
Moody says his push to improve starts with defense.
"I'm way better defensively, really on the mental part of it," he says, "There's so much adversity you have to face, a bunch of ups and downs. Sometimes, you get down on yourself, but at the end of the day, it's all for you to get better. If you want to get to the next level, you've got to do what you got to do."
Offensively for Moody, that means making the right reads, executing the pocket passes, and getting frontcourt players and everybody involved
"I'm not the first option, and I'm fine with that. I was the first option in high school. I'm cool with taking a back seat and helping us win games and doing the little stuff."
In time, Moody figures to have a bigger role, just as he figures to be better able to handle the mental and physical aspect of the sport and what DeVries wants to get done.
"Me getting stronger is going to bring my game up even higher than what it needs to be. That's going to play a big part in about two to three years."
*****
Some players are quiet and reserved. Then there's Moody, who radiates energy and enthusiasm even when he's chillin.' It makes him, he says, a good fit for DeVries.
"I joke with him all the time," Moody says with still another smile. "He texts me here and there. All the coaches pick on me because I'm kind of the problem child of the team, as I like to say."
This problem child has a nickname -- "PAM," short for Prince-Alexander Moody.
It's all fun, Moody adds, "because I haven't been a part of a team like this before where the coaches show that much love, The coaches get on me, but it's because they love me and they want me to be better. So do I. I'm just glad I chose this place."
Consider this Indiana first-year guard sometimes strolls into Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall at 5:30 in the morning for extra basketball work.
Why so early?
"That's when I wake up," he says with a smile from Branch McCracken Court. "I've taught myself to wake up early, get the work done and do what I need to do."
That usually means "repping my shot" before going home and back to sleep until it's time for class. He might work out again before practice.
Repetition matters as the 6-foot-4, 185-pound Moody strives to become a catalyst this season, which opens Monday at home against Eastern Illinois. He arrived in Bloomington as a four-star prospect out of Maryland. Adjusting to IU basketball life includes the physicality of the game and the transition to college point guard responsibilities.
"College is very physical," he says. "High school wasn't that physical. I mean, there were players here and there that had physicality, but it wasn't really nothing compared to what we do here.
"Now, it's a hit on every play. There's no letting up on defense or offense, and offense is way more physical than you might think."
Moody mentions fourth-year guard Markus Burton, the 6-foot, 180-pound transfer out of Notre Dame who projects as IU's starting point guard.
"Markus is physical. That's why he's so hard to guard.
"At the end of the day, it's way more physical than what I was used to. I've never played with more physically in my life until I got here. It's fun to be part of."
Fun brings perspective. Early on in high school, Moody was a take-charge scorer.
"I was averaging like 25-some points, so I wasn't really passing," he says with another smile. "I knew how to play basketball, but I've only been a point guard for about two years.
"My freshman and sophomore years, nobody wasn't touching the ball when I got it. It wasn't until my junior year that I started to take a back seat and be more of a point guard."
*****
Moody saw little action in IU's first two exhibitions, totaling two points and one steal in eight minutes against Butler, then one point in three minutes against North Carolina.
Opportunity soared last Sunday against Western Kentucky, especially in the second half as Moody joined fellow first years Vaughn Karvala and Trevor Manhertz in fueling the Hoosiers' comeback victory. In 14 minutes, Moody had six points, hit two 3-pointers, and had two assists.
For those expecting Moody to be a major contributor this season, coach Darian DeVries offers perspective.
"Prince is doing fine. A lot of it is the physicality, the speed, the competition has increased. It's going through normal freshman stuff of learning how maybe some of those opportunities at the rim aren't there because we have two 7-footers (Aiden Sherrell and Samet Yigitoglu) sitting back there in practice.
"Everything gets cranked up a little bit higher as you get closer to the season, but he's doing a good job. He's continuing to work. He's continuing to have a great attitude."
Then there's the reality that Moody is behind veteran guards Burton, Jaeden Mustaf, Darren Harris, and Bryce Lindsay.
"We have guys that are in front of him," DeVries says, "but he's certainly someone that I feel very confident he's going to continue to get better and better. I have the utmost confidence in the world to put him out there."
*****
Moody says his push to improve starts with defense.
"I'm way better defensively, really on the mental part of it," he says, "There's so much adversity you have to face, a bunch of ups and downs. Sometimes, you get down on yourself, but at the end of the day, it's all for you to get better. If you want to get to the next level, you've got to do what you got to do."
Offensively for Moody, that means making the right reads, executing the pocket passes, and getting frontcourt players and everybody involved
"I'm not the first option, and I'm fine with that. I was the first option in high school. I'm cool with taking a back seat and helping us win games and doing the little stuff."
In time, Moody figures to have a bigger role, just as he figures to be better able to handle the mental and physical aspect of the sport and what DeVries wants to get done.
"Me getting stronger is going to bring my game up even higher than what it needs to be. That's going to play a big part in about two to three years."
*****
Some players are quiet and reserved. Then there's Moody, who radiates energy and enthusiasm even when he's chillin.' It makes him, he says, a good fit for DeVries.
"I joke with him all the time," Moody says with still another smile. "He texts me here and there. All the coaches pick on me because I'm kind of the problem child of the team, as I like to say."
This problem child has a nickname -- "PAM," short for Prince-Alexander Moody.
It's all fun, Moody adds, "because I haven't been a part of a team like this before where the coaches show that much love, The coaches get on me, but it's because they love me and they want me to be better. So do I. I'm just glad I chose this place."
Players Mentioned
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Center
/ Men's BasketballWednesday, October 28
Wednesday, October 28
Wednesday, October 28
Wednesday, October 28