Indiana University Athletics
Thursday, November 12
Bloomington, Ind.
6:30 PM
Indiana University
vs
Tennessee Tech
11/12/2026 9:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Flash back a week. It's 70 minutes after Indiana's 92-69 victory over Bellarmine and Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall is mostly empty except for a scattering of media and a clean-up crew.
Center Samet Yigitoglu is shooting free throws. Lots of them as team managers rebound.
The 7-foot-2 Yigitoglu didn't attempt a free throw against Bellarmine, although he did go 2-for-2 from the field. In the season opener against Eastern Illinois a few nights earlier, he was 0-for-1 from the line and 4-for-5 from the field for eight points.
Still, Yigitoglu understands the importance of improving his career 53.1 free throw shooting percentage. He will likely get plenty of opportunities this season as the Hoosiers (3-0) figure to go hard inside to him and to 7-foot forward Aiden Sherrell this season. That includes Thursday night's home game against Tennessee Tech (2-1).
So Yigitoglu works and works.
Now, flash back to Monday night. IU is in a nail-biter with Syracuse at Indianapolis's Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Forty-two seconds remain, the Hoosiers lead 77-74 and Yigitoglu goes to the line for a pair of free throws. He's missed his only previous attempt, but he blocks that out as well as the crunch-time pressure. He makes both free throws, part of IU's 17-for-18 second-half free-throwing shooting effort, and Indiana holds on to win, 83-80.
Yigitoglu finishes with eight points on 3-for-6 shooting from the field as well as that 2-for-3 from the line, plus 10 rebounds. His extra effort after games does not go unnoticed.
"This group has done a great job of putting in extra time working on different things with their individual skill sets," coach Darian DeVries says. "Samet has been working on free throws all summer and fall. He's put a ton of time into it. Hopefully, it does a lot for his confidence.
"That was a big situation. To know down two free throws like that, it will go a long way for him."
Tennessee Tech boasts a potent offense that averages 100.7 points a game with 15 3-pointers. The Golden Eagles are led by sophomore wing Caleb Sanders (18.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists), junior guard Cbo Newton (14.7 points), senior forward De'ante Green (14.3), senior guard Trent Mosquera (12.3), freshman guard Kamai Samuels (11.7), and senior guard Caleb Hollenbeck (11.0).
With no one on the roster taller than 6-foot-8, Tennessee Tech uses quickness and pressure to offset that lack of size. It beat Western Kentucky 97-94 and Blue Mountain 117-70 at home and lost at Mississippi State 106-88.
That quickness could create a problem for IU when Yigitoglu and Sherrell are on the court at the same time.
"There are certainly different teams we're going to play throughout the year," DeVries says. "There are advantages and disadvantages to certain lineups.
"Aiden at the four (power forward) has shown a good ability to switch on guards and defend guards. I don't really worry about that much.
"It's when we get into the five out (offenses) and Samet having to chase guys around. That's where it can get a little bit tricky. That's caused us some grief on defense."
That grief will fade against Big Ten and Power 4 conference teams such as Arkansas and Kentucky, which IU plays next week.
"As we get into the big picture," DeVries says, "and think about our league and the 20 games we have there, having the ability to play those two guys together will be a big benefit for us."
Still, the Hoosiers are well positioned to play small with a formidable backcourt of Darren Harris (16.7 points), Bryce Lindsay (13.3), Markus Burton (13.7), and Jaeden Mustaf (10.3). They've combined for 28 assists and 18 turnovers. They've made 46-of-58 free throws (79.3%).
"That goes to our depth and versatility of lineups that we can utilize in every situation," DeVries says. "We have the ability to go small, the ability to go big. We have a lot of good decision makers and guys who can space the floor and make free throws."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Flash back a week. It's 70 minutes after Indiana's 92-69 victory over Bellarmine and Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall is mostly empty except for a scattering of media and a clean-up crew.
Center Samet Yigitoglu is shooting free throws. Lots of them as team managers rebound.
The 7-foot-2 Yigitoglu didn't attempt a free throw against Bellarmine, although he did go 2-for-2 from the field. In the season opener against Eastern Illinois a few nights earlier, he was 0-for-1 from the line and 4-for-5 from the field for eight points.
Still, Yigitoglu understands the importance of improving his career 53.1 free throw shooting percentage. He will likely get plenty of opportunities this season as the Hoosiers (3-0) figure to go hard inside to him and to 7-foot forward Aiden Sherrell this season. That includes Thursday night's home game against Tennessee Tech (2-1).
So Yigitoglu works and works.
Now, flash back to Monday night. IU is in a nail-biter with Syracuse at Indianapolis's Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Forty-two seconds remain, the Hoosiers lead 77-74 and Yigitoglu goes to the line for a pair of free throws. He's missed his only previous attempt, but he blocks that out as well as the crunch-time pressure. He makes both free throws, part of IU's 17-for-18 second-half free-throwing shooting effort, and Indiana holds on to win, 83-80.
Yigitoglu finishes with eight points on 3-for-6 shooting from the field as well as that 2-for-3 from the line, plus 10 rebounds. His extra effort after games does not go unnoticed.
"This group has done a great job of putting in extra time working on different things with their individual skill sets," coach Darian DeVries says. "Samet has been working on free throws all summer and fall. He's put a ton of time into it. Hopefully, it does a lot for his confidence.
"That was a big situation. To know down two free throws like that, it will go a long way for him."
Tennessee Tech boasts a potent offense that averages 100.7 points a game with 15 3-pointers. The Golden Eagles are led by sophomore wing Caleb Sanders (18.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists), junior guard Cbo Newton (14.7 points), senior forward De'ante Green (14.3), senior guard Trent Mosquera (12.3), freshman guard Kamai Samuels (11.7), and senior guard Caleb Hollenbeck (11.0).
With no one on the roster taller than 6-foot-8, Tennessee Tech uses quickness and pressure to offset that lack of size. It beat Western Kentucky 97-94 and Blue Mountain 117-70 at home and lost at Mississippi State 106-88.
That quickness could create a problem for IU when Yigitoglu and Sherrell are on the court at the same time.
"There are certainly different teams we're going to play throughout the year," DeVries says. "There are advantages and disadvantages to certain lineups.
"Aiden at the four (power forward) has shown a good ability to switch on guards and defend guards. I don't really worry about that much.
"It's when we get into the five out (offenses) and Samet having to chase guys around. That's where it can get a little bit tricky. That's caused us some grief on defense."
That grief will fade against Big Ten and Power 4 conference teams such as Arkansas and Kentucky, which IU plays next week.
"As we get into the big picture," DeVries says, "and think about our league and the 20 games we have there, having the ability to play those two guys together will be a big benefit for us."
Still, the Hoosiers are well positioned to play small with a formidable backcourt of Darren Harris (16.7 points), Bryce Lindsay (13.3), Markus Burton (13.7), and Jaeden Mustaf (10.3). They've combined for 28 assists and 18 turnovers. They've made 46-of-58 free throws (79.3%).
"That goes to our depth and versatility of lineups that we can utilize in every situation," DeVries says. "We have the ability to go small, the ability to go big. We have a lot of good decision makers and guys who can space the floor and make free throws."
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Center
/ Men's BasketballFriday, November 13
Friday, November 13
Friday, November 13
Friday, November 13