6-Banner Sunday: Non-conference schedule for 2024-25 season released
Welcome to another edition of 6-Banner Sunday, a joint production between The Assembly Call and Inside the Hall, 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 third straight week, Indiana basketball had a higher-than-average amount of news for an offseason edition. This was highlighted by the release of the entire non-conference schedule for the upcoming 2024-2025 season. Also, stories involving former Hoosiers in the pros and recruiting made headlines.
Besides this, a significant update regarding the NCAA tournament team sheet metrics and weekly shows round out the basketball version of 6-Banner. As usual, we will conclude with a look at other IU sports, led by some upgrades to the Memorial Stadium game day experience.
Here is what’s in this week’s edition:
• 2024-2025 non-conference schedule released
• Hoosiers in the pros update
• Recruiting updates
• Changes to NCAA tournament team sheet metrics
• Podcast on the Brink and Back Home Network shows
• Hoosier Roundup
IU men’s basketball will play several games this upcoming season on Peacock and the women will play a few as well, 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.)
Banner #1 – 2024-2025 non-conference schedule released
While a few games on the IU schedule had already trickled out, the entire non-conference slate was released last week. As previously announced, this is highlighted by a trip to the Bahamas for the Battle 4 Atlantis over Thanksgiving (matchups will be revealed later). Also, early season home contests with Chattanooga, Eastern Illinois, Sam Houston State, South Carolina, and UNC-Greensboro were already public.
Miami (OH), SIU-Edwardsville and Winthrop are the other teams visiting Bloomington. There will be no contests away from campus outside of the above holiday tournament until conference play.
Inside the Hall’s Alex Bozich had five takeaways about the games and a mail-bag discussing the non-conference showdowns among other updates. Also, it was revealed that the Hoosiers would pay a flat $100,000 per matchup against each mid-major and nothing to the Gamecocks.
Banner #2 – Hoosiers in the pros update
More former IU players in the pros were on the move last week. The most high profile of these was the trading of veteran Cody Zeller from the New Orleans Hornets to the Atlanta Hawks. Also, Juwan Morgan’s career will continue overseas in Montenegro where he joins Yogi Ferrell. Finally, Grace Berger has a place to play ball in the offseason once the WNBA year ends. She will be a part of OGM Orman Genclik Ankara in Turkiye.
As, for former Hoosiers trying to begin a career in the NBA, Kel’el Ware’s summer league performance has gotten off to a rousing start. Ware is joined several others there who recently played their college ball in Bloomington. This includes Miller Kopp, who is competing with the Oklahoma City Thunder. As a result, he will miss the opener with the TBT’s Indiana Alumni squad he previously was announced to be a part of.
Banner #3 – Recruiting updates
As is typical in the summer, a couple of updates involving recruiting occurred. The most prominent of these, was top target Jalen Haralson helping the United State’s U17 squad win a gold medal at the FIBA World Cup. Also, IU is pursuing Bryson Tiller, who had his highlights from last season released.
Banner #4 – Changes to NCAA tournament team sheet metrics
The popularity and relevance of the Bart Torvik Rankings have made them an increasingly used metric throughout college basketball. As a result of this, the NCAA announced they will be incorporated into the selection criteria for March Madness with a new stat called ‘wins above bubble’.
As for the numbers themselves, Torvik puts the Hoosiers at 31 to start the season this coming fall. CBS Sports is slightly more optimistic and has IU as a five seed in their inaugural Bracketology.
Banner #5 – Podcast on the Brink and Back Home Network shows
Inside the Hall and The Back Home Network had several new shows this week. ITH’s Podcast on the Brink had the IndyStar’s Zach Osterman on to discuss Indiana’s non-conference schedule.
Austin Render, the primary radio announcer for baseball and women’s basketball at IU has started his own show on BHN called The Dribble Drive. The fourth episode was released last Monday. Also, Crimson Cast was on-air as were Xs and Joes and Right Up Meridian.
Banner #6 – Hoosier Roundup
• Football announced upgrades to the Memorial Stadium gameday experience.
• The MLB Draft starts today with several Hoosiers expected to be taken. Also, previously drafted former IU baseball player Tanner Gordon made his MLB debut last week.
• Swimming and Diving announced yet another Olympian as one of 20 athletes with a connection to the Hoosiers who will compete in Paris.
• Men’s Soccer had one of their star forwards named NPSL Young Player of the Year.
• Two former Indiana volleyball players signed professional contracts.
• Wrestling finished 16th nationally in attendance.
• A field hockey player was selected to the 2024 Nexus Championship.
• Cross country had two Academic All-Americans.
• Two Hoosiers received Big Ten post-graduate scholarships.
• Finally, legendary Indiana businessman Jim Morris passed away on Saturday. Morris had deep ties to IU in several ways.
Now go enjoy yourself a 6-banner Sunday.
Aaron (Ari) Shifron
Assembly Call Contributor
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