Will Indiana basketball make March Madness? Darian DeVries on postseason tournament options

Story byIndyStar | The Indianapolis StarWill Indiana basketball make March Madness? Darian DeVries on postseason tournament optionsWill Indiana basketball make March Madness? Darian DeVries on postseason tournament optionsZach Osterman, Indianapolis StarThu, March 12, 2026 at 2:15 AM UTC·2 min read

CHICAGO — As his team struggled to stay on the bubble following a loss to Northwestern in this week’s Big Ten Tournament, Indiana basketball coach Darian DeVries was noncommittal about a postseason beyond the NCAA Tournament Wednesday.

DeVries’ Hoosiers, the No. 10 seed in this year’s conference tournament field, came to Chicago needing at least one win — possibly more — to shore up their position on that bubble, which has proven particularly weak this season.

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Instead, IU fell at the first hurdle, losing 74-61 to No. 15-seeded Northwestern. The loss was Indiana’s seventh straight in the series.

Now, DeVries’ team faces a long weekend of waiting, to see whether carnage elsewhere near the cut line might save the Hoosiers from their own brief, uninspired stay in their league’s showpiece event.

Mar 11, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Indiana Hoosiers forward Tucker Devries (12) grabs a rebound against the Northwestern Wildcats during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn ImagesMar 11, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Darian Devries directs his team against the Northwestern Wildcats during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn ImagesMar 11, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Indiana Hoosiers forward Reed Bailey (1) battles for the ball with Northwestern Wildcats forward Tre Singleton (8) at the tip-off of Big Ten Conference Tournament Second Round game at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images1 / 3

Indiana basketball vs. Northwestern photos in Big Ten Tournament

Mar 11, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Indiana Hoosiers forward Tucker Devries (12) grabs a rebound against the Northwestern Wildcats during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images1 / 3

Indiana basketball vs. Northwestern photos in Big Ten Tournament

Mar 11, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Indiana Hoosiers forward Tucker Devries (12) grabs a rebound against the Northwestern Wildcats during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images2 / 3

Indiana basketball vs. Northwestern photos in Big Ten Tournament

Mar 11, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Darian Devries directs his team against the Northwestern Wildcats during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images3 / 3

Indiana basketball vs. Northwestern photos in Big Ten Tournament

Mar 11, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Indiana Hoosiers forward Reed Bailey (1) battles for the ball with Northwestern Wildcats forward Tre Singleton (8) at the tip-off of Big Ten Conference Tournament Second Round game at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Asked by a reporter to make his team’s case for the field of 68, DeVries pointed to the quality of IU’s three Quad 1 wins — Purdue, at UCLA, Wisconsin, all of them surefire NCAA Tournament teams. And he noted the extreme difficulty of the Hoosiers’ schedule, with several games against top-15 teams down the stretch.

But he will also know a 1-6 finish to the season, which included five losses by between 13 and 29 points, also leaves IU little argument should its name not be called into Sunday’s field.

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Asked Wednesday night whether his team would participate in a secondary postseason tournament, DeVries pivoted without a firm answer.

“We haven’t really gotten that far yet,” he said. “We’ll have to talk to administration, coaches and players, and see where that’s all at.”

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The Hoosiers would be likely candidates for the NIT and the College Basketball Crown, should they so choose.

Indiana has not appeared in the NIT since 2017, that tournament recently falling out of fashion with high-major programs that prefer to focus on roster building and maintenance in the spring months.

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The Crown, a Fox-backed eight-team, single-elimination tournament, will celebrate its second season when it’s staged April 1-5 in Las Vegas. Nebraska won the event last season, using it as a springboard to a second-place Big Ten finish in 2026.

But Indiana cannot count on the same roster continuity the Cornhuskers enjoyed, with six players out of eligibility following this season. It’s unclear how that would affect the Hoosiers interest in or appeal to the newly formed event.

DeVries and his team will wait first for Sunday’s selection show, and final word on whether they will be included in the NCAA tournament field this month.

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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana basketball March Madness options: NCAA, NIT, College Basketball Crown

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