Indiana's struggles with consistency continued even in victory, as stretches of dominant play were mixed with concerning lapses in what became a closer-than-expected 69-58 win over UNC Greensboro.

The Hoosiers jumped out to an early 21-4 lead but allowed UNCG to battle back and tie the game in the second half before freshman Bryson Tucker helped IU pull away. Poor defensive rebounding and stagnant offensive stretches provided reasons for concern heading into next week's Battle 4 Atlantis tournament.

Key topics discussed:

• Bryson Tucker's breakout second half performance (14 points, including 12 after halftime) providing a crucial spark
• Myles Rice's strong overall game (20 points, 6 assists) but heavy 35-minute workload
• Defensive rebounding issues allowing 17 offensive boards to a smaller UNCG team
• Continued low 3-point attempt volume despite preseason emphasis on increasing perimeter shots
• Bench rotation challenges and finding the right lineup combinations
• Growing importance of upcoming Louisville game and Battle 4 Atlantis tournament for NCAA resume

Plus, as always, the Banner Moment, Meaningful Moments You Might Have Missed, Inside the Numbers, and our Game Balls, Hustle Award, and Lingering Questions. That's all in this edition of The Assembly Call.

On the mics: Andy Bottoms, Ryan Phillips, and even a late appearance by Jerod Morris (who?)

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Indiana defeated South Carolina 87-71 to improve to 3-0 on the season, led by Myles Rice's impressive 23-point performance.

The Hoosiers got off to a strong 17-4 start and maintained control throughout, though South Carolina did trim the lead to 8 late before IU pulled away. Despite a relatively quiet offensive night from big men Malik Reneau and Oumar Ballo, Indiana's guard play and defensive pressure proved to be the difference makers.

Key Storylines:

• Banner Moment: Early sequence where Kanaan Carlyle found Myles Rice for a catch-and-shoot three, sandwiched between two fast break conversions
• Guard Play: Strong ball pressure defensively and excellent transition offense set the tone, with guards dictating pace throughout
• Post Play: Ballo (7 pts, 13 reb, 6 blocks) and Reneau struggled with back-to-basket offense but were effective in other areas
• Three-Point Shooting: Indiana shot 8-17 (47.1%) from three-point range
• Free Throw Shooting: Strong 81.8% (27-33) from the line as a team

Plus: meaningful moments, key stats, game balls, and the hustle award.

On the mics: Coach Moats and Coach Tonsoni (live from Assembly Hall).

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Join us on Sunday, November 10th immediately following Indiana's home 90-55 win against Eastern Illinois.

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Indiana opened their 2023-24 season with a solid 80-61 victory over SIU Edwardsville, powered by sophomore Mackenzie Mgbako's breakout 31-point performance that served notice his offseason development was no mirage.

From the Assembly Call postgame discussion:

• Mgbako's transformed confidence leads to a career-high 31 points on efficient 13-of-17 shooting
• Myles Rice, Trey Galloway, and Kanaan Carlyle bringing distinctly different but complementary skills at guard
• High expectations meeting early growing pains for Oumar Ballo
• Questions about defensive rebounding after allowing 16 offensive boards
• Signs of an evolving offensive identity under Mike Woodson
• A dominant individual performance earns the game ball
• Hustle Award goes to a spark plug guard who elevated the entire team's energy

The Hoosiers move to 1-0 and will look to build on this foundation when they host Eastern Illinois on Sunday at noon.

On the mics: Coach Brian Tonsoni, Andy Bottoms, Ryan Phillips

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Indiana defeated Marian on Friday night in Pat Knight's return to Assembly Hall. The Knights were no match for Indiana's size and athleticism, but there were still some interesting takeaways from the Hoosiers' final preseason tuneup.

With Coach and Ryan on the mic (and a drop-in from Jerod midway through), we highlight the Banner Moment, key storylines, meaningful moments, and important stats from this game -- including Jakai Newton's long-awaited debut, the strong play of Indiana's bench, and many more moments from Myles Rice that have IU fans excited about their new point guard.

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On Sunday afternoon, Indiana traveled to Knoxville for a charity exhibition against the Tennessee Volunteers. The Hoosiers were without Trey Galloway, Jakai Newton, and Bryson Tucker, but the remaining Hoosiers were able to eke out a comeback victory in both teams' first non-scrimmage public performance.

Indiana was led by newcomer Myles Rice and veteran Malik Reneau, and we got our first-look at several other Hoosiers. How did the new-look offense look? How did the defense look? We convened an exhibition edition of The Assembly Call immediately following the game.

On the mics: Coach Tonsoni and Coach Moats

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We discuss a wide range of Indiana basketball topics -- including the preseason rankings, how recruiting has changed in college basketball, Hoosier Hysteria, Indiana's potential offensive changes this season -- and dabble in a bit of football talk with IU-Nebraska this weekend.

Also: the sudden retirement of Tony Bennett at Virginia.

On the mics: Jerod, Coach Tonsoni, and special guest Zion Brown

Plus, another fun AI song at the end .. which commemorates a memorable individual performance and victory, and the epic porch celebration in inspired from one AC host and his son.

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The first recruiting domino for IU in the class of 2025 has fallen.

On Monday, Mike Woodson and his staff received a commitment from Trent Sisley, coming on heels of his official visit to Bloomington.

Sisley, who played three high school seasons at Heritage Hills H.S. and will play this season at Montverde, is an important commitment for Woodson on a number of levels, all of which we break down in this emergency podcast.

On the mics: Jerod, Coach Adragna, and Alex Bozich from ITH.

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