Freshman Trent Sisley changes the game in Indiana's win over Washington

There were a dozen NBA scouts scattered throughout Assembly Hall on Sunday night, notebooks open, eyes trained on a single name circled at the top of their pages.

They came for Hannes Steinbach — the Washington freshman whose size, touch and polish have already positioned him as a potential lottery pick in the 2026 NBA draft. They came to confirm what film and projections had promised, to see the future in real time.

What they could not have anticipated was the way the game would bend around someone else entirely.

Because Sunday night it was Indiana freshman forward Trent Sisley who changed the fabric of the game.

“I thought tonight he gave us a huge lift,” head coach Darian DeVries said postgame.

Coach Q&A: Darian DeVries reacts to Indian’s win over Washington

In Indiana’s 90-80 win over Washington, Sisley delivered a stretch of basketball that did not merely supplement the Hoosiers’ winning effort. It steadied and elevated it. It arrived precisely when Indiana needed something solid to hold onto.

The figurative marquee belonged to Steinbach, and he was every bit as advertised. The 6-foot-11 freshman recorded his Big Ten-leading ninth double-double, finishing with 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Indiana’s win, however, hinged on something quieter. It hinged on a player who stepped into the moment and refused to let it tilt the wrong way.

Sisley entered the second half with Indiana clinging to a seven-point lead, the rhythm of the game wavering just enough to invite uncertainty. When he checked in at the 16:04 mark, there was no hesitation.

What followed was a blur.

Two minutes after stepping between the lines, Sisley buried a 3-pointer to push Indiana’s lead into double digits. Less than a minute later, he drilled another. A midrange jumper followed. Then a layup. Four shots, four different answers, all arriving in rapid succession.

Over 2:06 of game time, Sisley scored 10 consecutive points for the Hoosiers. By the time he checked out at the 9:17 mark, Indiana’s lead had grown from seven to 14. The tension that had lingered over the game had lifted. The night had shifted from fragile to firm.

Statistically, Sisley’s line was modest. He finished with 10 points and four rebounds on 4-of-6 shooting, playing just 15 minutes — the fewest of any Hoosier who saw the floor.

Contextually, it was anything but.

“That’s great for him,” DeVries said. “I think that says a lot about him, too. He’s continued to stay confident throughout [the ups and downs].”

Instant Analysis: Three takeaways from Indiana’s 90-80 win over Washington

Confidence, especially for a freshman, rarely follows a straight line. It flickers. It wavers. It is tested by missed shots, shortened rotations and quiet nights. Sisley’s ability to summon that confidence in one of the most meaningful stretches of Sunday’s game spoke to something deeper than a hot hand.

It spoke to preparation.

Indiana entered the night coming off an extended 12-day break — a rare pause in the season that can either dull a team’s edge or sharpen it. DeVries noted that Sisley, along with several teammates, used that time to live in the gym, stacking quiet work behind the scenes.

The payoff arrived when Indiana needed it most on Sunday.

“It was awesome,” guard Conor Enright said. “We were all loving it in the locker room after the game. Being a freshman, having that impact in a Big Ten game this early in the season is really cool. I’m proud of him.”

For Sisley, the moment did not feel overwhelming. If anything, it felt familiar.

He credits that comfort to his senior year of high school at Montverde Academy, where elite competition and relentless expectations are part of the daily routine.

That background has insulated him from the wall so many young players eventually meet.

“I think last year kind of helped me being away from home, the grind of the season,” Sisley said. “It hasn’t been too bad.”

For those in scouting circles, the lasting takeaway from Sunday’s game will be Steinbach’s continued rise as an NBA prospect.

Inside Indiana’s locker room, though, the night will be remembered differently.

Sunday night, a freshman stepped into a small window of time and made it feel enormous. In doing so, Sisley changed the game — and offered a glimpse of just how valuable he could be for the Hoosiers the rest of the season.

“I have great faith in Trent,” DeVries said. “He continues to get better and better.”

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