[6BS] Hoosiers Add Power Five Non-Conference Opponent To Home Slate
IU Preps For Peru Trip
Welcome to another edition of 6-Banner Sunday, a joint production between The Assembly Call and Inside the Hall, and presented by our friends at Homefield Apparel, where we highlight the five most essential IU basketball stories of the past week, plus take a look at how the other IU sports programs are doing.
IU added a solid non-conference opponent to its home slate. While it is not necessarily a brand name, it is nonetheless a solid challenge from a regional foe of comparable strength.
Also, the current Indiana squad is preparing for its upcoming summer tour, a football season preview, and former Hoosiers are taking their shot at the NBA by competing in the Summer League. As usual, we will conclude with a look at the weekly shows and the rest of the IU sports scene, which was led by women’s golf adding a staff member.
The Assembly Call is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Here is what is in this week’s edition:
IU Adds Power Five Non-Conference Opponent To Home Slate
Hoosiers Practice For Upcoming Peru Trip
Football Season Preview
Former IU Basketball Players’ Summer League Performances
Weekly Shows
Hoosier Roundup-Women’s Golf Adds Staff Member
Banner #1: IU Adds Power Five Non-Conference Opponent To Home Slate
Indiana fans have been clamoring for a non-conference home game in Assembly Hall against high-level competition. This was especially true following the announcement of the Syracuse and Kentucky matchups taking place in Indianapolis, nearby but on a neutral court nonetheless.
Now, it was reported this week by Jon Rothstein that IU will play a Power Five squad in Assembly Hall on December 18 before Big Ten play begins. While it won’t be the elite brand name of the Orange or the Wildcats, it will still be solid competition.
This opponent is Missouri, which is coming off back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances and is ranked inside the top-40 for next year according to Bart Torvik. There will be no return match in Columbia in the future, according to the report, and the teams will meet for the first time in 22 years.
Banner #2: Hoosiers Practice For Upcoming Peru Trip
IU continues to prepare for its summer trip to Peru as part of the FISU American Games it will compete in. Also, this week it was revealed which uniforms the Hoosiers will wear for the event as Team USA.
Practice continues for these games, and Alabama transfer Aiden Sherrell is looking forward to competing. Sherell was made available to the media at practice this week, as were a couple of other players, including incoming freshman Trevor Manhertz and SMU transfer Samet Yigitoglu. Also, head coach Darian DeVries spoke with Andy Katz.
Banner #3: Football Season Preview
Once again, the football program at IU is expecting big things this fall. This is after coming off their national championship last winter, which featured star QB Fernando Mendoza honored by the Big Ten as the male athlete of the year.
Indeed, ESPN expects little drop-off as they rank Indiana sixth nationally heading into the fall in their FPI Rankings. As a result, Inside the Hall began previewing each position for the squad separately. This week looked at special teams, cornerbacks, and safeties.
Banner #4: Former IU Basketball Players’ Summer League Performances
While no one from last year’s Hoosiers squad was drafted into the NBA, a few recent IU players will get their chance to earn their way into the pros through a tougher avenue. Sam Alexis, Reed Bailey, Tucker DeVries, Luke Goode, and Lamar Wilkerson got a chance in the NBA’s Summer League with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, and the Thunder, respectively.
With the league now underway, these players are now officially competing, and it has been a struggle for these guys to see the court, with Goode the most successful. Goode made his debut in the second game the Lakers played in, scoring three points and then nine points in the subsequent game. He also got into a contest late on Saturday night, but his final point total was not available at the time of 6-Banners’ publication.
Also, Wilkerson put up two points off the bench in his debut in his squad’s first game but has not appeared since. Meanwhile, Alexis did make his first appearance against the Jazz and scored a couple of points. Finally, DeVries and Bailey have yet to see action at all as of this publication.
Presenting Sponsor: Homefield Apparel
Homefield’s annual Black Friday sale has already begun. Use the promo code BLACKFRIDAY at checkout to get 20% off your entire order.
The item of the week for this week is the new “Hurryin’ Hoosiers” snapback hat. Both
Jerod Morris and Tony Adragna have it, and can attest to its quality and fit.
Plus, how cool is it to have an item celebrating the great teams under Branch McCracken?
Banner #5: Weekly Shows
The Back Home Network has many shows. As a result, it was on air several times this week with programming.
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Banner #6: Hoosier Roundup-Women’s Golf Adds Staff Member
Women’s Golf added an assistant coach to its staff.
Baseball star Hogan Denny made the USA Collegiate National Team.
Volleyball had a player make the U22 European Championships.
Former IU soccer star Daniel Munie made the MLS All-Star roster.
Field hockey signed a couple of recruits for the future.
Track and Field will have athletes in summer competition.
Finally, a couple of Hoosiers received the conference’s Sportsmanship Award.
Thanks for your continued support of The Assembly Call and Inside the Hall. We’ll be back next weekend with a new roundup.
Now go enjoy yourself a 6-banner Sunday.
Aaron (Ari) Shifron
Assembly Call Contributor
The Assembly Call is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.