6-Banner Sunday: IU loses heartbreaker to Kansas
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 Trueblood Real Estate, 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 played arguably its best game of the year against Kansas and was ahead most of the game. However, it was not enough in the end as the Jayhawks made a furious rally to edge ahead in Bloomington and win a nailbiter.
Outside of this, an updated look at bracketology, Hoosiers in the NBA, the death of an Indiana legend, and weekly shows. We will as usual conclude with a look at other IU sports led by some updates to the new regime for football.
Here is what’s in this week’s edition:
• Hoosiers lose heartbreaker to Kansas
• Bracketology update
• Hoosiers in the NBA
• George McGinnis passes away at age 73
• Weekly shows
• Hoosier Roundup
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 – Hoosiers lose heartbreaker to Kansas
The lights were bright and Assembly Hall was rocking with top targets on campus. Trey Galloway played the game of his life and scored 28 points to give IU a chance. His heroics kept Indiana ahead much of the afternoon as they surged to an eight-point halftime lead. Despite Kansas punching back most of the second half, Galloway kept them at bay until about five minutes were left. At this point, the Jayhawks made one final push and pulled ahead with some timely three-pointers. They scored on nearly every possession down the stretch and, in doing so, barely came out on top 75-71.
Afterward, IU coach Mike Woodson spoke, Inside the Hall had a photo gallery, Ryan Corazza wrote a Minute After, Alex Bozich penned Five Takeaways, while William McDermott put together columns on both IU’s struggles against good teams in non-conference play as well as a look back at Galloway’s career afternoon.
Banner #2 – Bracketology update
With the men’s team not having any other competition and the women on a break this week, we now turn to off-the-court stories.
First off, both Charlie Creme and Joe Lunardi both put out new bracketology this week. Creme has the No. 15 women’s squad as a three-seed and beginning play in Bloomington against Stony Brook. Washington State and Middle Tennessee are in the other contest in Assembly Hall and would play the winner.
Meanwhile, the men are not in a great spot. With Kansas winning, the Hoosiers will not have a single non-conference victory of note and sit at just 7-3. Lunardi provisionally has IU in as a 12 seed with the automatic bid as they lead the Big Ten early. However, with a NET that is sub-100, Indiana must have a big year in a league that is not strong if they want to be part of March Madness. They must also avoid a bad loss (they don’t have any so far) in their remaining three so-called guarantee games.
Banner #3 – Hoosiers in the NBA
While the week was light for current IU players, former ones continue to compete in the NBA. Of the seven former Hoosiers in that league, Eric Gordon and OG Anunoby are contributing the most to their squads as they are both averaging double figures for the Suns and Raptors, respectively. Also, Thomas Bryant and Cody Zeller have seen limited action for the Heat and Pelicans, while rookies Trayce Jackson-Davis and Jalen Hood Schifino have seen only light playing time for the Warriors and Lakers.
Banner #4 – George McGinnis passes away at age 73
Hoosier legend George McGinnis became the second Indiana basketball icon in recent weeks to pass away following Bob Knight. While McGinnis only played one season at IU, he averaged nearly 30 points a game. After that, McGinnis stayed in the state and led the Pacers to multiple ABA championships.
Banner #5 – Weekly shows
Inside the Hall, Assembly Call, and Mike Woodson had new shows this week. ITH’s Podcast on the Brink took to the air twice in the last few days. On Monday, a recap of the Auburn game was done with Ryan Corazza and then on Friday, the Kansas contest was previewed with the IndyStar’s Zach Osterman.
As for Assembly Call, they took to the air three times this week. AC Radio was live on Thursday to preview Kansas. Then on Friday, Mike DeCourcy was brought on for a special episode before a postgame show was done on Saturday following the loss to the Jayhawks.
Doing The Work had two programs this week. On Sunday, they did a look back at the Rutgers victory, while on Wednesday the next contest against Evansville was previewed.
Finally, Woodson had his Monday radio show. On it, he looked back at the Auburn defeat and previewed the KU matchup.
Banner #6 – Hoosier Roundup
• New IU football coach Curt Cignetti filled out his entire staff last week. He also has made waves in the portal by reeling in the University of Ohio’s star quarterback, a starting offensive lineman from Wisconsin, and bringing back starting LT Carter Smith and playmaking WR Donavan McCulley as they withdrew their intentions to transfer.
• Three IU Wrestlers are competing at the Senior National Tournament.
• Men’s Soccer’s Joey Maher was named a First Team All-American.
• Volleyball had four of its players named All-Americans.
• Women’s Soccer did a senior class recap while star player Paige Weber was named a USC Scholar Third Team All-American.
• Swimming and Diving had two of their athletes named to the World Championship roster.
• Field Hockey had 13 of their players receive Academic All-Big Ten Awards.
• Men’s Tennis added Nikola Kolyachev to their 2024 class for the spring.
• The Big Ten honored 109 IU athletes for academic excellence.
• 26 IU athletes graduated as part of the winter commencement.
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
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