[6BS] Roster Updates
Multiple Visitors In Bloomington This Weekend As Hoosiers Look To Solidify 2023-2024 Squad
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.
With the college basketball season over for everyone now, building a team for 2023-2024 has begun. From an IU perspective, they continue to look to fill their roster for next year and took a huge step towards that this weekend.
Besides this, an update on some recently departed Hoosiers, an NIL event, some news from around the game, and weekly shows. We will as usual conclude with a look at other Indiana sports led by a turnaround week for the softball squad.
Here is what’s in this week’s edition:
Myles Rice Commits and Roster Updates
Departing Hoosiers Update
Hoosiers Connect Hosting Huber’s Event In May
Other College Basketball News
Weekly Shows
Hoosier Roundup-Softball Gets Back On Track
IU men’s basketball will play five games this season on Peacock and the women will play seven, making the streaming service essential for IU basketball fans. Sign up for Peacock using Inside the Hall’s link to help support the site and also enjoy Big Ten hoops all season long! (The link is an Inside the Hall affiliate link, so a commission will be paid to ITH if you click and subscribe to Peacock. Alex and the ITH team appreciate your support!)
Banner #1: Myles Rice Commits and Roster Updates
The roster remains somewhat in flux as the offseason continues. While eight spots are accounted for, Indiana will need to turn to the transfer portal to fill the five open scholarships.
This weekend has several top-flight visitors who could provide a huge help next year. Oumar Ballo (Arizona), Kanaan Carlyle (Stanford), Connor Hickman (Bradley), Pharrel Payne (Minnesota), Myles Rice (Washington State), and Amari Williams (Drexel), are all currently visiting or are scheduled to do so in the coming days.
All of the above players fill much-needed roles for Indiana in some way. Right now Indiana has crystal ball picks for Ballo, Carlyle, and Rice.
Later on Saturday, Rice pulled the trigger for IU filling a much-needed void at guard. Rice averaged nearly 15 points a game for NCAA participant Washington State and figures to play a prominent role in 2024-2025.
Banner #2: Departing Hoosiers Update
Two Hoosiers who will not return in 2024-2025 had updates on their future. Kel’el Ware continues to prepare for the upcoming draft this summer and Inside the Hall has a look at where he currently stands.
However, the biggest bombshell of the week came from departing superstar center Mackenzie Holmes who is out of eligibility on the women’s side. Holmes announced she is having surgery on her knee that has bothered her since 9th grade. Despite being arguably the best player in program history, she missed a large chunk of the 2022 Big Ten season with this issue as well as having it flare up during the last two postseasons. Holmes has declared for tomorrow’s WNBA draft with the hope someone will take her and wait until she is available for minutes in the spring of 2025.
Banner #3: Hoosiers Connect Hosting Huber’s Event In May
For many years, IU has had a fan event at Huber’s Winery in far Southern Indiana after the season. Once again, the official NIL arm Hoosiers Connect will host the evening on Wednesday, May 29. It starts at 6 pm that night and is $50 a person with tickets available here.
Banner #4: Other College Basketball News
The earth shattering news in college basketball this week loosely involves the Hoosiers and overshadowed Monday’s national championship. Indiana and Kentucky had already announced the renewal of their series beginning in the fall of 2025. Some fans wondered if Wildcats head coach John Calipari would be around by the time the game in Bloomington takes place in 2028.
As it turns out, Calipari won’t be around for any of the games as it was announced this week he will take the same position at Arkansas. As for UK, they will turn to former player and BYU headman Mark Pope to lead them.
Despite this breaking news last Sunday night, the final game of the 2024 season still took place with Connecticut taking home their second straight title over the Hoosiers’ arch-rival Purdue. On the women’s side, South Carolina defeated Iowa relatively easily as the Gamecocks toughest matchup in March Madness turned out to be IU in the Sweet 16.
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
and 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
Podcast on the Brink and The Back Home Network had several new shows in the last few days. POTB had UMHoops’ Dylan Burkhardt on to recap the national championship game among other things.
Meanwhile, Assembly Call had there normal Thursday radio program. Also, Doing The Work had a season recap, X’s and Joe’s took listener questions, and Crimson Cast was on-air three times this week.
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Banner #6: Hoosier Roundup-Softball Gets Back On Track
Softball has now won five straight contests to get back into postseason contention at 28-12 with their RPI back in the top-50. They defeated Michigan State to complete a sweep and have taken the first two from a solid Minnesota squad at home. Also, their doubleheader with Purdue was rained out for a second time and Sarah Stone received recognition from the Big Ten.
Baseball was unable to complete a sweep at Maryland and split with middling Penn State at home in the first two games of this series. Also, their midweek game against Ball State was rained out and Tyler Cerny and Joey Brenczewski were honored by the conference
Men’s tennis beat Butler but fell to Michigan State and Nebraska.
Water polo beat San Jose State.
Men’s golf won the Hoosier Collegiate and Noah Gillard receive an award from the league
Track and field and cross country announced their recruiting class for next season
Men’s soccer announced the addition of two transfers.
Three football players were honored by the NFF Hampshire Society
Rowing’s varsity eight won boat of the week.
The Student Athletic Board at IU is doing a senior sendoff.
Thanks for your continued support for 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
.Why put games on these offbeat stations. One has to buy substrition to get the game halfway. Here in Southern In. Internet not very good. One loses what is going on