Join us at 4:00 p.m. ET on Friday for a special edition episode of The Assembly Call.

Coach Tonsoni will chat with Joe Jackson, who covers Big Ten hoops for Feed The Post and also hosts a Purdue postgame show.

They'll reflect on the first meeting between the two teams, discuss the keys to victory on Saturday night, assess what paths IU must take to make it a 40-minute game, and talk more generally about where each program is at in a macro sense.

Have any questions for Coach and Joe? Drop them below in the comments or ask in the live chat.

If you can’t attend live, no worries. The replay will be available immediately on-demand, and we’ll post the audio to the public podcast feed.

Thank you to our sponsors

We appreciate the support of our sponsors who help make our continued coverage of Indiana basketball possible.

• Presenting sponsor: Homefield Apparel (promo code HOME23 for 15% off your first order)

• Promotional partner for Meaningful Moment: Hoosier Ticket Project

• Promotional partner for Inside the Numbers: Megan Mahaffey’s JacksonHewitt franchise locations in and around Bloomington

• Game Ball sponsor: Bloomington Environmental (mention Assembly Call for a free radon test kit and mitigation estimate)

• Hoosier Hustle Award sponsor: Security Pro 24/7 (formerly Evansville Security Services)

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• Search for “assembly call” wherever you listen to podcasts. If you don’t find us, email Jerod.

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In this edition of Coach’s Corner, we look at the effective execution of BLOB plays (i.e. baseline out-of-bounds plays) by Indiana.

This has been an area of strength this season for an IU team that has taken the ball out 86 times on the baseline under its own basket. On those 86 BLOB opportunities, the Hoosiers have scored 86 points (1.00 points per possession). This ranks in the 86th percentile nationally.

Each of these clips will show how Indiana runs BLOB plays out of either a stack alignment and also a triangle alignment. Each of these actions has several options which we also show.

Let’s use the clip below as an initial example.

The players execute a quick pass before any action even takes place. Their alignment was good, as were the players’ reads of the defenders’ positions. This leads to one of the easiest buckets you’ll ever see.

Indiana’s efficiency in these situations is very good. The coaching staff and the players are very comfortable executing BLOB plays.

As you watch future games, look to identify what alignments and options Indiana chooses to run.

Now here is this week’s Coach’s Corner video:

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In this edition of Coach’s Corner, which we have unlocked for all subscribers, we take a look at Kaleb Banks getting some key stops on defense against Louisville, as well as some of the offensive contributions he made.

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Kaleb was locked in on defense and was able to disrupt the Louisville attack with deflections, steals, and blocks. He was very active on the boards as well. On offense he made some nice effort plays.

Each of these clips will show the importance of doing your job when given the opportunity. Kaleb was ready on Monday and played his best game of the season.

In this clip, which cited as the play of the game during the postgame show, Kaleb essentially plays free safety and denies and Louisville alley-oop attempt that would have put the Cardinals up by five points.

Kaleb’s length and athletic ability can be used effectively going forward. He may not always have great games as still-developing sophomore, but Monday’s effort will increase the trust Coach Woodson has in him to come up big in key moments.

Here is this week’s Coach’s Corner video:

What did you like about Kaleb Banks game vs Louisville?

Comment below!

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In this edition of Coach’s Corner, unlocked for all free subscribers, let’s step back and take a broad look at what Indiana is trying to accomplish defensively with Mike Woodson’s nail-slot-rim philosophy.

The video featured below is one Coach Tonsoni made in the middle of last season (hence the reference to the Wisconsin game), but the basic points about the nail-slot-rim defensive strategy remain relevant and will give IU fans an understanding of what the Hoosiers are trying to accomplish on that end of the court.

We are planning an updated version of this video more directly applied to this year’s team, and incorporating the deeper understanding of nail-slot-rim that we’ve gained since last season.

In the meantime, this is a good primer for understanding what the defense is trying to do, where it tends to be strong, and the weaknesses inherent in the strategy.

Video not showing up? Click here to view on Vimeo.

Have questions or comments about the nail-slot-rim defense?

Paid subscribers can comment below!

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In this edition of Coach’s Corner, let’s take a look at what Florida Gulf Coast brings to Indiana’s home opener.

Offensively, FGCU ran a lot of spread ball screen action early last year. With a likely three-guard lineup, look for the Eagles to do that this season as well.

Ball screen coverage and defensive rotations will be very important in this first game.

Defensively, FGCU will be undersized up front. Indiana will need to limit turnovers against an aggressive man defense led by former Penn State head coach Pat Chambers. Hitting the offensive glass could also be an advantage for the Hoosiers.

This is a game Indiana should win, but it will be a battle. FGCU has its top eight offensive players returning this season.

For my official Coach Tonsoni prediction and this week’s Coach’s Corner video, read on.

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In this edition of Coach’s Corner, let’s take a look at some good examples of cutting off the ball from the first exhibition game.

Offense is a big topic of discussion with this Indiana basketball team. There were several good plays made possible by cutting with purpose. Cutting hard with proper technique is vital to offensive success.

Each of these clips will show the importance of executing fundamentals of a good cut. This includes pace of cuts, setting up cuts and having your hands ready to accept the pass.

Indiana’s ability to cut effectively will create the kind of shots that this roster needs to take in order to win ballgames. Good spacing will lead to good cutting opportunities.

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In this edition of Coach’s Corner, let’s take a look at some of the fundamental aspects of Liam McNeely’s offensive game.

We know he can shoot. And that skill is likely to be his calling card right away as a collegiate basketball player and what will make him an intriguing NBA prospect.

But what really separates McNeeley as an offensive player is the many easy-to-overlook fundamental elements that add up to produce an excellent all-around offensive player.

McNeeley’s ability to do so many things well on the basketball court, because of his attention to detail and effort, can make him the kind of versatile offensive player Mike Woodson will enjoying building around.

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