6-Banner Sunday: Full 2023-24 non-conference schedule released

  • 07/02/2023 8:44 am in

6-Banner Sunday is Inside the Hall’s weekly newsletter in partnership with The Assembly Call. Almost 10,000 Indiana fans receive the newsletter each week. In addition to appearing each week on the site, you can also opt to receive 6-Banner Sunday by email. A form to subscribe via email is available at the bottom of this week’s 6-Banner Sunday.

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.

For the second straight week, the normally quiet offseason suddenly had plenty of news from an IU perspective. Whether it be Hoosiers of the present, past, or future, all three categories made headlines.

In terms of the squad itself, the final pieces of the pre-Big Ten schedule are now known, and a current player who figures to take a big step forward spoke with the press. Turning to Indiana’s past, several former IU players made headlines regarding their NBA careers. Off in the future, a couple of recruiting nuggets happened in the last several days.

In other topics, Assembly Call had its normal weekly radio show. We will, as usual, conclude with a look at how other Hoosiers sports are doing, led by a change for track and field at the top of the program.

• Indiana releases non-conference schedule
• Malik Reneau speaks with the media
• Hoosiers in the NBA
• Recruiting updates
• Assembly Call Radio
• Hoosier Roundup

Banner #1 – Indiana releases non-conference schedule

As the final pieces of the pre-conference schedule leaked out, IU officially announced the entirety of it. While the opposition for the Big Ten has been out there for a while, the dates and order will not be released for a couple of months likely.

In the meantime, though, the entire first semester (except a couple of December conference appetizers) is now known. Inside the Hall took a look at the metrics for each opponent. Most of the so-called guarantee games are of a higher caliber than in the past, with just three ranking outside the top 200 of both KenPom and the NET in 2022-2023. Bart Torvik has already projected the fate of these squads for 2023-2024 and ranks only a trio of them lower than 197.

The highlights of the slate were previously known. They include the Empire Classic on Nov. 19 and 20, a December 9 neutral site showdown with Auburn in Atlanta, and the marquee contest of the season when Kansas visits Assembly Hall on December 16.

Banner #2 – Malik Reneau speaks with the media

With Trayce Jackson-Davis departed for the pros, Malik Reneau will now be relied upon as one of the main contributors to take his spot down low. With Reneau expected to have a breakout campaign, IU made him available to the media last Thursday. During the press conference, the highlights he discussed were how he looks to improve in the offseason, his former teammates getting drafted, and the changes to the roster.

Speaking of rosters, IU was far from the only team to have an overhaul at the top. As a result, Inside the Hall took a look at who is coming and going in the Big Ten for 2023-2024.

Banner #3 – Hoosiers in the NBA

With free agency underway, plenty of former Hoosiers made headlines here. Following the draft, Race Thompson was signed to a summer league deal with the Knicks as he looks to make their roster. He is one of three former Hoosiers who will compete in Las Vegas starting this week, joining draftees Jalen Hood Schifino and Jackson-Davis. Of interest to IU fans is the July 7 contest between Hood Schifino’s Lakers and Jackson-Davis’ Warriors.

In terms of Indiana players of the more distant past, Inside the Hall looked at where each one stands. Since this piece was written, Thomas Bryant moved from the Denver Nuggets, where he won an NBA championship, over to their NBA Finals opposition in the Heat. The deal he signed is worth two years and 5.4 million dollars. Meanwhile, Victor Oladipo was traded from Miami to the Oklahoma City Thunder where he had a stint earlier in his career.

In terms of other players who once donned the Cream and Crimson, OG Anunoby is also still under contract. However, he may be dealt in a trade as the Toronto Raptors enter a rebuild. Meanwhile, Eric Gordon, Romeo Langford, Noah Vonleh, and Cody Zeller are free agents and did not have a new squad as of Saturday night.

Banner #4 – Recruiting updates

While recruiting news was relatively sparse last week, a few small updates occurred. First off, ESPN updated its top-100 rankings for 2024 and the Hoosiers continue to be in on nine of the top-20 prospects in the class. Also, Boogie Fland, who has emerged as a prime target for IU, had his spring highlight video released.

Banner #5 – Assembly Call Radio

Assembly Call was on-air this week per usual. On Thursday Night’s AC Radio, special guest Ant Wright joined the show for an offseason Big Ten discussion.

Banner #6 – Hoosier Roundup

• Following the retirement of long-time Track and Field head coach Ron Helmer, IU officially promoted associate head coach Ed Beathea to the top spot as was announced back in 2022.  

• Former Indiana player Aiden Morris was named an MLS All-Star.

• One-time IU swimming stars Lilly King and Josh Matheny competed at the World Championships.

• Wrestling added a transfer and a couple of Hoosiers will compete at the Central American and Caribbean Games.

• A record 115 Indiana athletes received Distinguished Scholar Awards.

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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