The Assembly Call IU Basketball Podcast

On Tuesday night, Indiana defeated Penn State 74-70 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. After the game, our crew broke it all down on The Assembly Call IU Postgame Show.Among the topics discussed:-- How Juwan Morgan, once again, took over for Indiana in key stretches, set then tone on the glass, and generally just continued his ascension to star status.-- The importance of Josh Newkirk and Devonte Green stepping up on a night when Robert Johnson's decision making was ... curious (at best).-- Why Justin Smith struggled to back up his breakout performance.-- Indiana's impressive work on the glass for the second straight game, as the Hoosiers have clearly responded to Archie calling them "soft."-- What is different for IU now that De'Ron Davis is out, and how sustainable the Hoosiers' success without Davis might be.-- Is this the template for Devonte Green to become a more consistent member of the rotation?We also point out a few meaningful moments you may have missed, go inside the numbers, and hand out our game balls. All of that, and more, on this edition of The Assembly Call.

On Saturday evening, a short-handed Indiana team playing without De'Ron Davis and Collin Hartman defeated a similarly short-handed Minnesota squad that was playing without two starters. It was a game Indiana won with toughness, togetherness, grit, and the sensational play of a senior, two juniors, and a freshman. After the game, Jerod, Andy, and Ryan broke it all down on The Assembly Call IU Postgame Show.Among the topics discussed:-- Robert Johnson's huge sequence of three-point plays in the 2nd half, which brought Indiana back from the brink-- Justin Smith's outstanding performance, and why his strong play Saturday doesn't necessarily mean Archie erred in not giving him bigger minutes sooner.-- The importance of Juwan Morgan's tone-setting toughness on the glass, and his newfound confidence stroking the 3.-- Why this is probably the most impressive all-around performance by Archie Miller as Indiana's coach -- both in-game and in terms of how prepared the team was to play.-- Whether or not there is anything from this game we can take seriously as a trend moving forward ... or if keeping this team at arm's length is for the best -- The return of #ZachMcRobertsThings and why they make all the difference for this particular group of Hoosiers, especially in games like these.We also point out a few meaningful moments you may have missed, go inside the numbers, and hand out our game balls. All of that, and more, on this edition of The Assembly Call.

On Saturday evening, a short-handed Indiana team playing without De'Ron Davis and Collin Hartman defeated a similarly short-handed Minnesota squad that was playing without two starters. It was a game Indiana won with toughness, togetherness, grit, and the sensational play of a senior, two juniors, and a freshman. After the game, Jerod, Andy, and Ryan broke it all down on The Assembly Call IU Postgame Show.Among the topics discussed:-- Robert Johnson's huge sequence of three-point plays in the 2nd half, which brought Indiana back from the brink-- Justin Smith's outstanding performance, and why his strong play Saturday doesn't necessarily mean Archie erred in not giving him bigger minutes sooner.-- The importance of Juwan Morgan's tone-setting toughness on the glass, and his newfound confidence stroking the 3.-- Why this is probably the most impressive all-around performance by Archie Miller as Indiana's coach -- both in-game and in terms of how prepared the team was to play.-- Whether or not there is anything from this game we can take seriously as a trend moving forward ... or if keeping this team at arm's length is for the best -- The return of #ZachMcRobertsThings and why they make all the difference for this particular group of Hoosiers, especially in games like these.We also point out a few meaningful moments you may have missed, go inside the numbers, and hand out our game balls. All of that, and more, on this edition of The Assembly Call.

Indiana's poor performance in the second half against Wisconsin, which led to yet another loss in Madison, seemed to set off a surge of panic among some members of the fan base. In this week's episode of The Assembly Call, we ...-- Try to make sense of why that happened-- Offer some reasons for why the panic is misguided-- Compare the Indiana situation to other schools with first-year head coaches-- Discuss the notion of Archie going more extreme with his benchings-- Assess the team's leadership void, how it can still be filled, and why it's there in the first placeAnd more. Also, we apologize for Ryan's short monologue about cereal ... and gut health. Pam, a looong-time listener, sent in the question. And when Pam submits a question, we take it. Ryan just took it too far. :-)

Indiana's poor performance in the second half against Wisconsin, which led to yet another loss in Madison, seemed to set off a surge of panic among some members of the fan base. In this week's episode of The Assembly Call, we ...-- Try to make sense of why that happened-- Offer some reasons for why the panic is misguided-- Compare the Indiana situation to other schools with first-year head coaches-- Discuss the notion of Archie going more extreme with his benchings-- Assess the team's leadership void, how it can still be filled, and why it's there in the first placeAnd more. Also, we apologize for Ryan's short monologue about cereal ... and gut health. Pam, a looong-time listener, sent in the question. And when Pam submits a question, we take it. Ryan just took it too far. :-)

On Tuesday night, Indiana delivered a dispiriting second half effort against a depleted Wisconsin roster and lost to the Badgers yet again in the Kohl Center. After the game, our crew broke it all down on The Assembly Call IU Postgame Show.Among the topics discussed:-- Why Collin Hartman's first half scoring and overall play were one of the few bright spots for Indiana.-- The disappointment of yet another no-show half for the Hoosiers in a game that was there for the taking.-- De'Ron Davis delivering yet another underwhelming performance (and speculating on whether or not he's hurt).-- Why Juwan Morgan's performance left plenty to be desired, but was still a sign of his overall growth as a player.-- Why Devonte Green played so few minutes, and what is reasonable to expect from him moving forward.-- Zach McRoberts' production plummeting back to earth in his first.We also point out a few meaningful moments you may have missed, go inside the numbers, and hand out our game balls. All of that, and more, on this edition of The Assembly Call.

On Tuesday night, Indiana delivered a dispiriting second half effort against a depleted Wisconsin roster and lost to the Badgers yet again in the Kohl Center. After the game, our crew broke it all down on The Assembly Call IU Postgame Show.Among the topics discussed:-- Why Collin Hartman's first half scoring and overall play were one of the few bright spots for Indiana.-- The disappointment of yet another no-show half for the Hoosiers in a game that was there for the taking.-- De'Ron Davis delivering yet another underwhelming performance (and speculating on whether or not he's hurt).-- Why Juwan Morgan's performance left plenty to be desired, but was still a sign of his overall growth as a player.-- Why Devonte Green played so few minutes, and what is reasonable to expect from him moving forward.-- Zach McRoberts' production plummeting back to earth in his first.We also point out a few meaningful moments you may have missed, go inside the numbers, and hand out our game balls. All of that, and more, on this edition of The Assembly Call.

After a rather underwhelming first half at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Friday night, Indiana led Youngstown State 29-20. The Hoosiers were struggling offensively, but Youngstown State was struggling even more -- especially from downtown.With Zach McRoberts inserted into the starting lineup in the second half, Indiana wasted no time asserting its dominance and putting the game on ice -- which is exactly what the Hoosiers should have done against a sub-300 opponent.In this edition of The Assembly Call, Jerod and The Coach, Brian Tonsoni, break down Indiana's performance, including:-- McRoberts' stellar all-around effort, which included two more 3-pointers!-- Juwan Morgan's workmanlike performance, and specifically a few key plays he made that stood out-- The continued struggles of Devonte Green, who had one of the most important plays of the game ... but also several of the worst-- Another strong outing from Josh Newkirk, especially in terms of his passing and defense-- Why Justin Smith's performance showed some of his tantalizing potential, but also the reasons why he isn't playing more-- What this game and the Tennessee Tech game tell us about how Archie Miller views his role with this team-- What (if anything) Indiana was able to do differently that caused Youngstown State's awful shooting from downtownPlus much more, including a particular issue we each have with how Robert Johnson and De'Ron Davis attack the basket when they get then ball in then paint. It's all in this edition of The Assembly Call IU Postgame Show.

After a rather underwhelming first half at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Friday night, Indiana led Youngstown State 29-20. The Hoosiers were struggling offensively, but Youngstown State was struggling even more -- especially from downtown.With Zach McRoberts inserted into the starting lineup in the second half, Indiana wasted no time asserting its dominance and putting the game on ice -- which is exactly what the Hoosiers should have done against a sub-300 opponent.In this edition of The Assembly Call, Jerod and The Coach, Brian Tonsoni, break down Indiana's performance, including:-- McRoberts' stellar all-around effort, which included two more 3-pointers!-- Juwan Morgan's workmanlike performance, and specifically a few key plays he made that stood out-- The continued struggles of Devonte Green, who had one of the most important plays of the game ... but also several of the worst-- Another strong outing from Josh Newkirk, especially in terms of his passing and defense-- Why Justin Smith's performance showed some of his tantalizing potential, but also the reasons why he isn't playing more-- What this game and the Tennessee Tech game tell us about how Archie Miller views his role with this team-- What (if anything) Indiana was able to do differently that caused Youngstown State's awful shooting from downtownPlus much more, including a particular issue we each have with how Robert Johnson and De'Ron Davis attack the basket when they get then ball in then paint. It's all in this edition of The Assembly Call IU Postgame Show.

On this week's edition of Assembly Call Radio, we finally deliver on two long-awaited segments.First, we provide our midseason assessment of this year's Hoosiers. Ryan has said all season that it hasn't been fair to judge this team until late December. Well, late December is here. How do we feel about the team's progress? And what is a reasonable expectation for Big Ten season?Then, Ryan delivers his epic rant about Coach K. Many of you have emailed and tweeted us wondering when we'd finally record this segment. It's here, and you won't be disappointed ... unless you really like Coach K, but we're betting there aren't too many of you in this audience. :-)We also answer a few additional reader questions at the end, including one about Robert Phinisee that will go a long way toward telling the story of next season's team.

On this week's edition of Assembly Call Radio, we finally deliver on two long-awaited segments.First, we provide our midseason assessment of this year's Hoosiers. Ryan has said all season that it hasn't been fair to judge this team until late December. Well, late December is here. How do we feel about the team's progress? And what is a reasonable expectation for Big Ten season?Then, Ryan delivers his epic rant about Coach K. Many of you have emailed and tweeted us wondering when we'd finally record this segment. It's here, and you won't be disappointed ... unless you really like Coach K, but we're betting there aren't too many of you in this audience. :-)We also answer a few additional reader questions at the end, including one about Robert Phinisee that will go a long way toward telling the story of next season's team.

In the annals of Indiana history, no seasons are bigger than the five commemorated with banners in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Outside of those five seasons, two probably stand taller than any others: the 1975 season and the 1993 season. Most IU fans firmly believe that were it not for injuries (Scott May's arm, Alan Henderson's knee) those two seasons would have be commemorated with banners as well. This season marks the 25th anniversary of the 1993 season, which had been Indiana's last outright Big Ten championship before the 2013 team did it 20 years later. The '93 team was filled with IU legends: Calbert Cheaney, Greg Graham, Alan Henderson, Damon Bailey, Brian Evans, and more. And, of course, it featured Bob Knight still at the peak of his coaching powers. Plus, the '93 season had unique elements like Calbert breaking the Big Ten scoring record, Nick Nolte attending games as he prepped for his role as Pete Bell in Blue Chips, the legendary story of Ivan Renko, and so much more. For those of us who grew up immersed in IU basketball at the time, it was a truly special season -- perhaps the last when IU was truly at the epicenter of the college basketball universe.For this special edition episode, we convened an esteemed and enthusiastic panel to take a trip down memory lane and discuss the '93 season, as well as, inevitability, the Final Four season of 1992 that proceeded it. -- Bill Murphy, author of numerous books about the history of IU sports, including Branch and the recently released Indiana Hoosiers Fans Bucket List, which he wrote with Terry Hutchens. (Starts at 7:10)-- Galen Clavio, host of Crimson Cast, head of the IU Sports Media department, and occasional guest host of The Assembly Call. (Starts at 50:16) Note: if you want to watch the archived games that Galen has on his YouTube channel, use this link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwyoEBP715uxHe2tYn9GioA-- Chris Williams, the man behind the @IUArtifacts Twitter account and article series here at assemblycall.com. (starts at 1:17:00)I hope you enjoy this trip down IU memory lane. Merry Christmas!

In the annals of Indiana history, no seasons are bigger than the five commemorated with banners in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Outside of those five seasons, two probably stand taller than any others: the 1975 season and the 1993 season. Most IU fans firmly believe that were it not for injuries (Scott May's arm, Alan Henderson's knee) those two seasons would have be commemorated with banners as well. This season marks the 25th anniversary of the 1993 season, which had been Indiana's last outright Big Ten championship before the 2013 team did it 20 years later. The '93 team was filled with IU legends: Calbert Cheaney, Greg Graham, Alan Henderson, Damon Bailey, Brian Evans, and more. And, of course, it featured Bob Knight still at the peak of his coaching powers. Plus, the '93 season had unique elements like Calbert breaking the Big Ten scoring record, Nick Nolte attending games as he prepped for his role as Pete Bell in Blue Chips, the legendary story of Ivan Renko, and so much more. For those of us who grew up immersed in IU basketball at the time, it was a truly special season -- perhaps the last when IU was truly at the epicenter of the college basketball universe.For this special edition episode, we convened an esteemed and enthusiastic panel to take a trip down memory lane and discuss the '93 season, as well as, inevitability, the Final Four season of 1992 that proceeded it. -- Bill Murphy, author of numerous books about the history of IU sports, including Branch and the recently released Indiana Hoosiers Fans Bucket List, which he wrote with Terry Hutchens. (Starts at 7:10)-- Galen Clavio, host of Crimson Cast, head of the IU Sports Media department, and occasional guest host of The Assembly Call. (Starts at 50:16) Note: if you want to watch the archived games that Galen has on his YouTube channel, use this link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwyoEBP715uxHe2tYn9GioA-- Chris Williams, the man behind the @IUArtifacts Twitter account and article series here at assemblycall.com. (starts at 1:17:00)I hope you enjoy this trip down IU memory lane. Merry Christmas!

Indiana needed a major bounceback performance after Monday night's utter collapse against Fort Wayne. The Hoosiers delivered on Thursday night.On this episode of The Assembly Call, Jerod Morris, Andy Bottoms, and Zach McCrite discuss:-- Why Indiana's selflessness on offense was key to exorcising its Fort Wayne demons-- The importance of playing through the paint (and why De'Ron Davis showed some important growth, even in limited minutes)-- Josh Newkirk's big night-- How Robert Johnson set the tone with his effort on defense-- The meaningful stretch that Freddie McSwain sparked in the first half-- What the numbers say about IU's 3-point defense in this battle-- Why Archie had to be a "raving lunatic" to get his team to play this way ... and what that says about this group of Hoosiers (which we already kind of knew)And much more. Stick around at the end too, because we go in-depth on Justin Smith and why he hasn't been seeing many minutes so far this season.

Indiana needed a major bounceback performance after Monday night's utter collapse against Fort Wayne. The Hoosiers delivered on Thursday night.On this episode of The Assembly Call, Jerod Morris, Andy Bottoms, and Zach McCrite discuss:-- Why Indiana's selflessness on offense was key to exorcising its Fort Wayne demons-- The importance of playing through the paint (and why De'Ron Davis showed some important growth, even in limited minutes)-- Josh Newkirk's big night-- How Robert Johnson set the tone with his effort on defense-- The meaningful stretch that Freddie McSwain sparked in the first half-- What the numbers say about IU's 3-point defense in this battle-- Why Archie had to be a "raving lunatic" to get his team to play this way ... and what that says about this group of Hoosiers (which we already kind of knew)And much more. Stick around at the end too, because we go in-depth on Justin Smith and why he hasn't been seeing many minutes so far this season.