Indiana brought home Gold for Team USA in the FISU America Games on Monday, capping off a four-game trip which saw the Hoosiers manhandle every opponent they saw. With four blowout victories, there were indisputably more positives than negatives. But there is always room for improvement. Here are three questions for the Hoosiers after their trip to Peru:3 questions after Indiana basketball's FISU America Games showingMar 11, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Darian Devries shouts instructions to his team against the Northwestern Wildcats during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectWill the ball movement Indiana displayed in Peru carry into the 2026-27 season?Last year, Indiana ranked No. 38 in the country in assists per game (averaged 16.6). Darian DeVries and his staff clearly emphasize selfless basketball, specifically in the form of split-second decisions to not give defenses any opportunity to get set. That point appears to have been quickly driven home to this year’s squad, which swung the ball exceptionally well in the FISU America Games. But, then again, it’s easy to make that extra swing, passing up a good shot for a great one when the scoreboard shows a 40-point differential. What about in the thick of Big Ten play? Will the entire Hoosiers roster continue to make the “right” play, consistently firing the ball around the perimeter? Will anyone still shotfake on a semi-open triple, drive into the lane, draw more defenders and create an even better shot for a teammate?It’s difficult not to fall victim to launching the first half-open look once the competition ramps up. And with Indiana’s new players – many of whom have shot-hunting, ball-dominant tendencies – it’ll be interesting to see how unselfish the Hoosiers are come the regular season. Why did Markus Burton struggle in the FISU America Games?27 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists – a stat line one would be more inclined to expect applies to one Markus Burton game rather than four combined. Yet, in four outings in Peru, those were the totals Burton accumulated, and on not-so-hot shooting splits (44.0 percent from the field, 16.6 percent from three and 66.7 percent from the free-throw line). Two caveats: 1). This was a very small sample size. Players have slumps – and perhaps Burton happened to have one in this specific four-game stretch. 2). In the matchups Indiana saw, opponents’ defense didn’t resemble high-major foes. Burton’s game, for the past three seasons, has been tailored to dissect complex – yet relatively predictable – defenses. In Peru, the competition was different enough that defenses likely did not react in the manner Burton expected, leading to head-scratching turnovers. An incredible honor representing the red, white, & blue these last few days. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/DkZbvkVoux— Indiana Basketball (@IndianaMBB) July 28, 2026On the other hand, though: what if Burton is having difficulty meshing with his new teammates? He’s never been surrounded by high-level talent – but Indiana has just that in spades. Perhaps he’s working out the kinks, determining which buttons to push, along with when and how to feed the ball to his teammates, instead of carrying the entire load himself – as he always did at Notre Dame. Is on-ball perimeter defense a concern for Indiana heading into 2026-27?Mar 14, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Darren Harris (8) defends Virginia Cavaliers guard Jacari White (6) during the men's ACC Conference Tournament Championship at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectIn case it wasn’t obvious: the level of competition at the FISU America Games was subpar – and we’re being generous. Yet time and again, Hoosiers defenders were blown by. Opponents didn’t just get a half step on Indiana players, they often flat-out beat them off the dribble. Fortunately, big man Aiden Sherrell was there to either send a shot back or simply deter one from even being attempted. But it begs the question: is perimeter defense going to be a concern for Indiana next season? It’s not as though the Hoosiers are bursting at the seams with high-level on-ball defenders. And if they had trouble containing players at this event, then the Big Ten is going to feast on this Indiana defense. To be fair, though, it isn’t easy to stay motivated and 100-percent locked in defensively – or in any facet of the game – when the result of the contest is all but written in stone from the opening tip. Still, a higher level of intensity and defensive pride would have been a sight for sore eyes (although freshman Prince-Alexander Moody was working). Admittedly, we are nitpicking. The Hoosiers should be fine. Moody is a competitor. Burton is smart, and he plays hard. Jaeden Mustaf has the physical tools to be a shutdown defender. And Darren Harris has the defensive IQ to survive, even if he isn’t the most athletic. But all it takes is one. If one Hoosier isn’t able to hold his own defensively, the entire unit will be forced to endlessly scramble – and Indiana will live in shootouts, banking on its offense to push it to victories on a night-to-night basis. Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow