The Assembly Call IU Basketball Podcast and Postgame Show

It’s a great time to be a Hoosier. Brian Tonsoni is joined by Ryan Phillips and Bob Moats to break down Indiana basketball’s newly released non-conference schedule, sort through the latest eligibility questions, and get ready for the defending national champion football Hoosiers to open the 2026 season against North Texas. Sam Alexis’ eligibility remains unresolved, sparking a broader discussion about the NCAA, professional contracts, Summer League participation, and where college eligibility rules should ultimately draw the line. Victor Oladipo is attempting an NBA comeback, while a new documentary celebrates longtime Voice of the Hoosiers Don Fischer.Indiana volleyball earns a huge five-set victory over defending national champion Texas A&M, while IU men’s soccer continues its strong start. The guys dig into a schedule featuring five power-conference opponents, including neutral-site matchups with Syracuse, Arkansas and Kentucky, plus home dates against UCF and Missouri. Add exhibitions against Butler, North Carolina and Western Kentucky, and IU will have plenty of opportunities to learn about itself before Big Ten play. Why the Arkansas-Kentucky back-to-back could provide an early measuring stick.How marquee games at Madison Square Garden and Lucas Oil can help Indiana build its NCAA Tournament résumé.Why the schedule feels appropriately ambitious for a veteran roster—and why the Big Ten alone can’t be counted on to provide enough quality opportunities. The overlooked value of games against teams like Bellarmine and Tennessee Tech, whose styles could give IU useful early-season tests even if they aren’t marquee opponents. And what would constitute a successful record in those five biggest non-conference games.Finally, attention turns to Memorial Stadium as Curt Cignetti and the defending national champions begin another season. Expectations have changed dramatically: IU has reloaded, the entire home schedule is sold out, and simply getting to six wins feels like ancient history. The guys discuss what to watch against North Texas, why nobody should overreact to the first game, and how football success is changing the entire Bloomington experience—from ticket demand and hotel prices to the atmosphere surrounding every home Saturday.

In this episode of The Assembly Call, Jerod Morris and Ryan Phillips take stock of where Indiana basketball stands in mid-August after the Peru trip, Sam Alexis’ return, and the first real glimpses of this rebuilt roster. They dig into the reasons for cautious optimism, what this team’s identity could eventually become, and which questions still need to be answered before the games start counting.Why Sam Alexis’ return may matter more than a typical late-offseason roster addition—and what it changes about Indiana’s frontcourt options.What Bart Torvik’s early projections say about Indiana and a Big Ten that already looks brutally deep.The biggest lesson from Peru wasn’t any individual stat line, but what the roster suggested about how these pieces might fit together.What could define Indiana’s identity on both ends of the floor—and why this roster may offer Darren DeVries more ways to attack than he had a year ago.Which freshmen have raised expectations, which veterans may be getting overlooked, and how much we should really trust anything we see in August.A closer look at whether Indiana’s supposed depth is actually different this time—and why developing the back end of the rotation early could matter later.Does IU football’s incredible success take pressure off the basketball program… or quietly raise the standard for what fans will tolerate?Jerod and Ryan also work through listener questions about pace, rotations, roster fit, player development, and how this group compares with some of the recent Indiana teams that looked promising on paper.And with football season almost here, the show closes with some well-earned IU football talk, including what Ryan trusts most about the defending champs—and the biggest question he still has entering the season.The Assembly Call is presented by Homefield Apparel ... and now Upstairs too!

Indiana 120, Virgin Islands 63Indiana's summer tour rolled on with another lopsided win, but the score wasn't what had the Assembly Call crew talking afterward. Coach Brian Tonsoni, Ryan Phillips, and Bob Moats discuss a handful of standout performances, some intriguing lineup combinations, and why this team continues to look a little different from what Hoosier fans have grown accustomed to in recent years.It's still July, and everyone is appropriately cautious—but there were enough flashes in this one to make for another entertaining postgame conversation.Which Hoosier stole the spotlight with a performance nobody saw coming.Why the roster's overall depth continues to stand out, regardless of the opponent.Early signs of what Darren DeVries wants Indiana basketball to look like on the offensive end.The newcomers and freshmen generating the most buzz through the first few games.A discussion about the players who could quietly become fan favorites this season.Areas where the Hoosiers still have plenty of work to do before November arrives.One unexpected eligibility question that sparked an interesting conversation late in the show.With tougher competition still ahead, the guys resist the urge to overreact while acknowledging that this team has given fans plenty to be excited about. Summer basketball may not tell the whole story, but it's certainly making the wait for the regular season a little easier.The Assembly Call, like all shows on the Back Home Network, is presented by Homefield Apparel.

Indiana's summer debut gave fans their first extended look at Darren DeVries' latest roster build, and there was plenty to discuss after Team USA's exhibition win over Team Canada. Coach Tonsoni, Bob Moats, and special guest Andrew Garrison break down the newcomers, the freshmen, and the early signs of what this team could become—with the usual reminder that it's still only July. Why Marcus Burton immediately became a major topic of conversation.The freshmen who had Assembly Hall buzzing—and why fans are already taking notice.Early impressions of Indiana's size, athleticism, and roster construction.How Darren DeVries appears to be shaping the team's offensive identity.Which players flashed intriguing potential on both ends of the floor.Questions that still remain as the team continues building chemistry.What Indiana's upcoming trip to Peru could reveal about the Hoosiers moving forward.

In this episode of The Assembly Call, the crew checks in from the quiet part of the offseason—but with plenty to discuss. From the first glimpses of summer workouts to Indiana's exhibition schedule and the ongoing debate around NCAA Tournament expansion, there's no shortage of reasons to start getting excited for basketball again.The Banner Moment: Summer Workouts Are HereFor the first time, we're getting a peek behind the curtain at this completely rebuilt roster.Early practice observations from those in attendanceWhy Coach Tonsoni is suddenly paying attention to practice videosWhat stood out from the first few days in BloomingtonLooking ahead to Peru and why those games could be so valuableBreaking Down the New-Look RosterThe conversation digs into what little we've seen—and what it might tell us.Why Indiana's roster construction feels more intentional this time aroundThe importance of having multiple ways to create spacing offensivelyWhich newcomers could quietly become the biggest difference-makersA fun exercise: if you're scouting Indiana, who do you try to stop first?The discussion also explores why this team may simply have more answers than recent IU squads when defenses take away the first option.Scheduling, Expansion, and the Bigger PictureThe show wraps with a look beyond the roster.Thoughts on playing marquee games in Indianapolis versus Assembly HallWhether expanding the NCAA Tournament to 76 teams actually improves the eventHow a larger field could change scheduling philosophy across college basketballA few final reflections on the ever-changing landscape of the sportSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.