The Assembly Call IU Basketball Podcast and Postgame Show

The crew opens with something Indiana fans haven’t had in a while during May: actual basketball stuff to look forward to. Between the Peru trip, summer practices, and a roster that finally looks balanced on paper, there’s a real sense of momentum around the program.Why the Peru trip could end up being way more important than just “extra games”The hidden value of IU adding “practice body” depth pieces late in the portal cycleHow Darian DeVries may have quietly overachieved in the transfer portalWhy this roster feels fundamentally different from some recent IU teamsThe discussion turns into a surprisingly optimistic conversation about fit, shooting, and actual roster constructionThere’s also some fun reflection on the current state of IU athletics overall — from football momentum to the feeling that Indiana is finally showing up in national conversations for positive reasons again.And yes… the guys briefly spiral into memories of the 1992 Final Four loss to Duke, because some wounds apparently never heal.Segment 2: The Big Ten Schedule Is Out… and IU Might’ve Actually Caught a BreakThe conference opponents are officially set, and the panel wastes no time dissecting what’s good, what’s dangerous, and what could become sneaky problem spots.A few major themes emerge quickly:Not having to visit Illinois, Michigan, and Michigan State feels enormousWhy this schedule may set up well for a first-year roster still learning how to play togetherThe road games everyone says are “winnable”… but somehow never feel comfortableAn unfortunate amount of skepticism about beating Northwestern despite their roster turnoverWisconsin in Madison somehow turns into its own emotional subplotThe conversation eventually drifts into way-too-early Big Ten record predictions, and suddenly the panel is casually throwing around numbers that would represent Indiana’s best conference season in years.Some restraint is attempted. It does not last long.Segment 3: NCAA Tournament Expansion, College Basketball Chaos, and Coach Wants Golf PartnersThe final segment tackles the looming NCAA Tournament expansion debate, and the conversation gets surprisingly thoughtful about what the tournament should actually represent.Topics include:Why expanding the field feels inevitable whether fans like it or notThe biggest issue with the current “First Four” setupA genuinely interesting idea for helping mid-major teams and preserving tournament magicWhy the NCAA still doesn’t know how to properly treat smaller schools that earn tournament bidsThe guys accidentally workshop better tournament formats than the NCAA itselfAnd in true offseason fashion, the episode closes with:Indy 500 talksummer basketball planspodcast updatesretirement excitementand Coach Tonsoni openly recruiting Assembly Call listeners to play golf with him around IndianaWhich honestly feels exactly right for a mid-May IU basketball show.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Indiana survived a chaotic double overtime thriller at Pauley Pavilion, defeating UCLA 98-97 after blowing a 10-point lead in the final 1:34 of regulation and battling through two overtime periods without a true point guard. Trent Sisley's made free throw with 0.6 seconds left sealed Indiana's third straight victory, moving the Hoosiers to 15-7 overall and 6-5 in Big Ten play with a crucial second quad-one win for their NCAA tournament resume.Jerod Morris, Coach Brian Tonsoni, and Andy Bottoms (with special guests Scott Caulfield and Ryan Phillips calling in from Los Angeles) break down the gutsy road victory:How Nick Dorn's 21-point explosion in the second half transformed a six-point halftime deficit into a commanding lead, continuing his breakout stretch as Indiana's third legitimate scoring threatReed Bailey's career performance with 24 points on 12-of-13 free throw shooting in just 28 minutes, showcasing the inside scoring dimension this roster has been missing all seasonThe coaching brilliance and controversy—Darian DeVries's defensive adjustments that held UCLA to under 40% shooting versus the decision not to foul up three at the end of regulationLamar Wilkerson's redemption arc after nearly losing the game with critical turnovers late in regulation, then taking over both overtimes by repeatedly attacking the rim when Indiana had no point guard to initiate offenseWhy Tucker DeVries's nine points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists might have been his most important performance as a Hoosier despite the modest scoring numbersThe mental toughness this team showed bouncing back from a devastating collapse—what this win reveals about the culture DeVries is building and why it feels so different from recent Indiana teamsSam Alexis and Trent Sisley stepping up in critical moments as role players, making free throws and grabbing rebounds when starters fouled outPlus, as always: the big moments you might have missed, stats that stood out, and our game ball and hustle award.This episode brought to you by the Back Home Network and Homefield Apparel.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Indiana knocked off Rutgers 82-59 on the road in Piscataway to snap a four-game losing streak and improve to 13-7 overall and 4-5 in Big Ten play. Tucker DeVries looked like himself again with 16 first-half points to set the tone, while Nick Dorn exploded for a career-high 23 points in his first start, and Lamar Wilkerson added 27 to pace a balanced offensive attack that shot 50% from the field in both halves.Jerod Morris, Ryan Phillips, and Andy Bottoms break down the much-needed victory and what it means heading into Tuesday's rivalry game against Purdue:How Tucker DeVries carried over his late-game momentum from Michigan and opened the game with back-to-back threes to give Indiana early control they never relinquishedNick Dorn's breakout performance hitting six threes and showing the confidence to take (and make) a crucial step-back three when Rutgers cut the lead to 12Why Indiana's patient half-court offense and willingness to attack the rim in key second-half moments—particularly drives by Tayton Conerway and Lamar Wilkerson—kept Rutgers from making a serious runSam Alexis's defensive dominance with six blocks and 10 rebounds that gave Indiana the rim protection they've been missingThe smart veteran decisions Indiana made throughout—only five turnovers, 15 fouls, and proper shot distribution with their three scorers taking 48 combined attemptsWhat this performance means for building momentum heading into a crucial stretch with Purdue at home followed by road games at UCLA and USCAn extended celebration of Indiana football's national championship and what it means for Hoosier fans who finally have their own championship story to tellPlus, as always: the big moments you might have missed, stats that stood out, and our game ball and hustle award.This episode brought to you by the Back Home Network and Homefield Apparel.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Indiana defeated Miami 27-21 to capture the program's first-ever national championship and cap an improbable 16-0 season.After jumping out to a 10-0 halftime lead, the Hoosiers weathered a second-half surge from the Hurricanes before a crucial fourth-down touchdown run by Fernando Mendoza and a game-sealing interception by Jamari Sharpe secured the victory and delivered the most unlikely championship in college football history.Coach Tonsoni, Bob, Mike, Eddie, and Ryan celebrate the historic moment and break down the game:How Indiana's defensive scheme of dropping eight into coverage neutralized Miami's explosive passing attack in the first half before the Hurricanes found seams in the secondFernando Mendoza's gutsy fourth-and-five touchdown run that embodied this team's resilience, and why it ranks alongside Keith Smart's shot in Indiana sports loreCoach Cignetti's brilliant timeout call in the final minutes that broke Miami's tempo and set up the game-sealing interceptionCharlie Becker's emergence as a clutch performer with crucial sideline catches that kept drives alive when Indiana needed them mostThe blocked punt by Mikail Kamara for a touchdown that restored a two-possession lead when Miami threatened to take controlWhy this represents the greatest coaching job in sports history and the most unlikely championship ever won, surpassing even the Miracle on IceWhat this moment means for former players who endured decades of losing, longtime fans who never thought they'd see this day, and Scott Dolson's 30-year journey to bring this vision to lifePlus: live reactions from Kirkwood Avenue, gratitude for everyone who believed, and the celebration of a lifetime for Hoosier Nation.This episode brought to you by the Back Home Network and Homefield Apparel.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Indiana fell to Michigan State 81-60 in a deflating road loss that dropped the Hoosiers to 12-5 overall and 3-3 in Big Ten play. After battling back to tie the game at 53-53 midway through the second half following strong stretches to close the first half and open the second, the wheels completely fell off as Michigan State went on a devastating 26-2 run that turned a competitive game into a 21-point blowout and left Indiana searching for answers heading into a critical home matchup with Iowa.Jerod, Andy, Coach Tonsoni, and Ryan break down the loss and look ahead to Saturday's must-win game:Why these extended collapses in the second half are becoming a feature of this roster rather than a bug, and what it means for Indiana's ability to compete against quality opponentsThe physicality and athleticism gap that Michigan State exposed when they decided to clamp down defensively and took away Indiana's primary optionsTayton Conerway's frustrating inconsistency despite nine assists, and why his defensive intensity needs to return if this team has any tournament hopesCoach Tonsoni's pointed rant about mental toughness, off-ball movement, and effort—the kind that makes you think he might actually go run sprints in DelphiThe turnovers and bad fouls that continue to plague this team, including Reid Bailey's flagrant foul that epitomized a night of poor decisionsWhat Saturday's Iowa game has become after back-to-back devastating losses, and why it feels like a season-defining momentThe roster construction issues exposed by this loss and whether this team can still salvage an NCAA tournament berthPlus, as always: the big moments you might have missed, stats that stood out, and our game ball and hustle award. This episode brought to you by the Back Home Network and Homefield Apparel.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Indiana knocked off Washington 90-80 to improve to 11-3 overall and 2-1 in Big Ten play. After a blistering offensive start where the Hoosiers hit five threes on their first five possessions, they had to navigate second-half foul trouble and some offensive struggles before pulling away for a crucial home victory.Andy, Coach Tonsoni, Ryan, and Jerod break down the win and look ahead to a big road test at Maryland:How Tayton Conerway and Conor Enright torched Washington's triangle-and-two defense designed to stop Tucker DeVries and Lamar WilkersonThe coaching adjustments Darian DeVries made throughout the game, including strategic zone looks and rotation decisions that neutralized Washington's sizeTrent Sisley's explosive second-half stretch where he channeled his inner Strap from Hoosiers and single-handedly extended Indiana's leadWhy Indiana's second-half foul trouble kept Washington in the game despite dominant stretches, and whether aggressive defense is worth the trade-offLamar Wilkerson's clutch performance down the stretch and how he continues to evolve as more than just a shooterWhat this balanced scoring effort (eight players with 4+ points) means for Indiana's ability to beat different defensive schemesCoach Tonsoni's incredible Rose Bowl experience and reflections on the Indiana football program's historic momentPlus, as always: the big moments you might have missed, stats that stood out, and our game ball and hustle award.This episode brought to you by the Back Home Network and Homefield Apparel.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Indiana suffered another loss, falling 72-60 to Kentucky at Rupp Arena in a game of two vastly different halves. The Hoosiers led 39-32 at halftime despite shooting just 21% from three-point range, but were overwhelmed in the second half by Kentucky, who combined with superior athleticism to spark a decisive run that exposed Indiana's lack of size and north-south ability.Coach Tonsoni, Bob, and Mike break down a disappointing performance where Indiana did many things poorly but still had chances to win before being outclassed by Kentucky's athletes in the final 15 minutes.Lamar Wilkerson's fourth foul at the 17-minute mark proved catastrophic, removing Indiana's best athlete just as Kentucky began dominating the glass and attacking downhill.Point guard play from Tayton Conerway and Conor Enright struggled under pressure, with the team finishing with just eight assists and 18 total turnovers.Nick Dorn's aggressive first-half drives and seven free throws showed the spark Indiana needs from him consistently against quality competition.Tucker DeVries battled hard with 15 points and seven rebounds, but Indiana's 4-for-24 three-point shooting made it impossible to overcome Kentucky's dominance in the paint.Kentucky's second-half lineup adjustments to feature their most athletic players exposed roster construction issues that will need addressing in future portal cycles.Indiana's 26-for-29 free throw shooting and competitive effort for 30 minutes offered some positives before fatigue and athleticism gaps became insurmountable.The week off before hosting Chicago State provides crucial time to work on ball security, limiting fouls, and finding more reliable interior scoring options.On the mics: Brian Tonsoni, Bob Moats, Mike WiemuthSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Indiana suffered its second consecutive loss, falling 87-78 to No. 9 Louisville at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, dropping the Hoosiers to 7-2 on the season. The Hoosiers dug themselves an inexcusable 16-0 hole to start the game and never recovered, though they showed fight in the second half to keep the final margin respectable against a more talented, athletic Louisville squad in year two of their rebuild.Bob and Ryan break down a disappointing performance where Indiana played soft in the first half before competing much better over the final 20 minutes, though critical mistakes at key moments prevented them from ever truly threatening.The hosts examine Indiana's shocking inability to finish at the rim in the opening half and how that set the tone for 20 brutal minutes.They discuss the stark contrast between the first and second halves, including which adjustments helped Indiana finally compete and where momentum-killing mistakes derailed potential comeback opportunities.Nick Dorn's second-half performance gets the spotlight as he provided crucial shooting when Indiana desperately needed a spark off the bench.Connor Enright's defensive masterclass on Mikael Brown and what it revealed about Louisville's balanced offensive attack.The surprising statistical parity between these two teams in rebounding, turnovers, and hustle points—and what that gap between the stats and the eye test tells us about the talent differential.Concerns about the back-to-back nature of these losses and what Indiana must prove in upcoming games against Penn State and Kentucky.The broader context of a historic day for IU athletics, with the football team playing in the Big Ten Championship Game while basketball searches for answers.On the mics: Bob Moats, Ryan PhillipsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.