BLOOMINGTON – Indiana’s problems with outside shooting over the last two coaching regimes have been well documented. As the ability to convert from 3-point range has grown in importance across all levels of basketball, the Hoosiers have largely failed to use the modern game’s most essential weapon.

Since the 2017-18 season – former coach Archie Miller’s first in Bloomington – Indiana has ranked no higher than 296th nationally out of about 360 Division I teams in made 3s per game. It never ranked higher than 311th in any of coach Mike Woodson’s four seasons.

That won’t suffice for new coach Darian DeVries.

“DeVries always wants to get the most 3s up, make the most 3s,” Hoosiers guard Lamar Wilkerson said Wednesday.

If that’s the first-year coach’s goal, there are few better players he could’ve added to the roster than Wilkerson. The Sam Houston State transfer shot 44.5% from beyond the arc last season, leading Conference USA and ranking No. 7 nationally. He achieved those numbers despite being the unquestioned star of his team and facing more defensive attention as a result.

Small wonder then that the Hoosiers went all in to land him out of the transfer portal, convincing him to choose IU over Kentucky, which was also interested.

DeVries’ pace-and-space offensive system was a deciding factor in the 6-foot-4, 205-pound senior’s commitment.

“It just meets everything I think I am as a basketball player,” said Wilkerson, who averaged 20.5 points last season. “We went together, man, like cookies and milk.”

On Wednesday, with media in attendance at the first open practice the Hoosiers have held in close to a decade, Wilkerson put on a stellar shooting display, hitting shots from all over the court in drill work and in live half-court reps. He has a smooth, confident stroke from beyond the 3-point line but is also comfortable with a shot fake and a one-dribble pull-up from 20 feet.

To hear Hoosiers forward Tucker DeVries tell it, that type of performance has been routine for Wilkerson.

“Lamar might be one of the best shooters I’ve ever seen,” said the younger DeVries, who shot better than 47% from 3-point range in his own right at West Virginia last season.

It helps, too, that Wilkerson has a pair of excellent facilitators who can find him in his spots in guards Tayton Conerway and Conor Enright. Both players got chances to run the offense Wednesday and they could start in the backcourt together this season.

While Indiana is far from a finished product – having zero returning players and 13 newcomers creates a longer timeline for development – the Hoosiers’ ability to create and knock down open 3s across the board has been one of the characteristics DeVries has liked most about his team so far.

“I think we’ve got a group that really understands offense as well,” the former Drake and West Virginia head coach said. “They understand screening and finding windows to get opportunities to find and locate those shots.

“They’ve done a really good job to this point of being unselfish, moving the ball, sharing the ball, taking care of the ball. And guys have taken advantage of those opportunities when they’ve gotten them.”

Notes from practice

Here are some takeaways from the Hoosiers’ workout Wednesday.

Energy – IU’s practice, which lasted an hour, was conducted with high enthusiasm throughout and a brisk pace in moving through drills. Tucker DeVries is the team’s most vocal presence – not much of a surprise as he’s spent five years in his father’s system – but the level and volume of communication across the board was notable.

Sisley – Indiana’s lone American freshman, wing Trent Sisley from Santa Claus, is advanced for his age. He’s physically strong, possesses great positional size at 6-7 with a long wingspan, can finish around the rim and shoot from the outside. It will be hard to keep him off the floor in some capacity this year.

Work to do – IU’s offense is ahead of its defense at this juncture. Darian DeVries acknowledged “we have a ways to go there.” Of particular concern is the defensive glass, where IU would like to dominate to create opportunities for outlet passes and transition play.

Injuries – Transfer guard Jason Drake (from Drexel) and wing Nick Dorn (from Elon) did not participate fully in practice. “The timeline on both of them is a little up in the air, I guess,” DeVries said.

Still to come – The Hoosiers were also missing their two freshmen from Europe – Serbian guard Aleksa Ristic and big man Andrej Acimovic from Bosnia. DeVries anticipates at least one of them on campus in the coming days but is unsure whether the new arrival will play in Puerto Rico from Aug. 5 to 12.