On Sunday, Indiana took down Butler 96-68 in an exhibition matchup. The Hoosiers rode a 52-27 second half to their blowout victory. We learned a lot about Darian DeVries' club – remember, though: it's always ill-advised to pour too much stock into exhibition games – including the expected starting lineup.
Cream & crimson exhibition W. pic.twitter.com/F3Re8rnrNS
– Indiana Basketball (@IndianaMBB) October 12, 2026
Who will start for Indiana basketball in 2026-27?
The starters for the Hoosiers against Butler were as follows: Markus Burton (guard), Jaeden Mustaf (guard), Darren Harris (wing), Aiden Sherrell (forward) and Samet Yigitoglu (center).
The frontcourt pairing of Sherrell and Yigitoglu was essentially a given, even after forward Sam Alexis announced his return. And we knew Burton would get the start at lead guard.
Highlights from Hinkle. pic.twitter.com/w0zvu34L30
– Indiana Basketball (@IndianaMBB) October 12, 2026
But we didn't know how Mustaf, Harris and fellow transfer Bryce Lindsay would be deployed in the backcourt. We got an early answer on Sunday, as Lindsay came off the bench (did wind up tying for the team-high in minutes played with 22).
The strengths and weaknesses of Indiana basketball's 2026-27 starting lineup
Strengths
The first obvious strength for this Hoosiers starting five is rebounding. In all honesty, any lineup featuring Sherrell and Yigitoglu is going to be strong on the glass (Indiana did out rebound Butler 53 to 26).
Also, the specific trio of Burton, Mustaf and Harris is perhaps Indiana's best combination of perimeter defenders. Burton can be a pesky on-ball defender. Mustaf, with his length and elite athleticism, has all of the makings of a shutdown wing defender.
And Harris, who isn't the tallest or most athletic, has all of the intangibles to be solid on the ball and in help (a few seasons at Duke certainly doesn't hurt in that department), even if he isn't dominant on that end.
The backcourt pairing of Burton and Lindsay, which many expected DeVries may go to, would be potent offensively, but very undersized on defense. That likely played a key role in DeVries giving Mustaf the nod at the two.
One potential concern
There is a tradeoff, though: shooting (and spacing). The Hoosiers, as a team, scorched the nets on Sunday, going 13-for-33 (39.4 percent) from beyond the arc. And the starting lineup, which went 8-for-17 (47.1 percent), certainly carried its weight.
But Harris and Burton accounted for six of those makes and just 11 of those attempts. Both of them – and especially Harris – can shoot the cover off the ball. But two great shooters on the floor only goes so far in the modern-day era of hoops.
Most teams have five serviceable shooters, and the best have five good shooters. With this lineup, the Hoosiers have two marksmen, two serviceable shooters and one non-shooter.
Forward Aiden Sherell has made 41 triples in 70 career games. He's solid as a shooter, and at least forces opponents to respect him (33.6 percent from deep on his career), but he is hardly a gravity-puller.
Meanwhile, Mustaf has made 32 threes in 55 games. His efficiency – 37.2 percent – is impressive, but Mustaf isn't viewed as a shooting threat. And his so-so free-throw shooting (72.2 percent) and less-than ideal shooting mechanics aren't quelling any worries. He, similar to Sherrell, isn't straining a defense. (And Yigitoglu has attempted just six threes in his career.)
Was spacing, shooting or scoring a problem on Sunday? Not in the slightest. But that was Butler. What about when Illinois, with its otherworldly size and length, rolls into Bloomington? Or what happens if Tom Izzo and Michigan State just decide to pack it in and force Sherrell and Mustaf to prove themselves as shooters?
Maybe both Sherrell and Mustaf, both of whom went 1-for-3 from long range on Sunday, quickly answer any questions once the 2026-27 season gets underway. But if they don't, scoring in the halfcourt may be problematic with this lineup once the competition ramps up.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/indiana as Indiana Basketball's Starting Lineup Revealed in Butler Win: Is It the Right Five?.