Indiana let a late lead slip away in the final minute as Maryland escaped Assembly Hall with a 79-78 victory, dealing a crushing blow to IU's NCAA tournament hopes.

The Hoosiers built a four-point lead in the closing minutes behind huge plays from Anthony Leal and Myles Rice, but defensive breakdowns and poor late-game execution proved costly.

After getting clutch plays from Leal and a strong second-half shooting performance from Rice (3-5 from three), Indiana seemed poised to secure a crucial home win. However, failing to foul with a foul to give and defensive confusion on Maryland's final possession led to a Rodney Rice three-pointer that put the Terrapins ahead. IU's final offensive possession was marred by substitution confusion and resulted in a forced shot that missed at the buzzer.

Key Talking Points:

• Efficient offensive performance (1.24 points per possession) wasted by defensive lapses
• Maryland shot 12-24 from three while repeatedly finding open shooters
• Myles Rice (12 points) and Anthony Leal provided huge second-half sparks
• Lineup and execution issues in critical final minute prove devastating
• Another tough home loss further damages NCAA tournament 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: Jerod Morris, Coach Bob Moats

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Indiana continued its frustrating pattern of inconsistency on Tuesday night, falling 79-70 at Northwestern for their fifth straight loss to the Wildcats. After building a six-point halftime lead with an 18-2 run to close the first half, IU's defense completely fell apart after intermission as Northwestern scored 54 second-half points on a blistering 62.5% shooting.

While Indiana showed brief signs of life with a 10-0 second-half run to take a 52-49 lead, Northwestern responded with a devastating 21-4 run that effectively ended any hopes of IU's first win in Evanston since 2019. The loss drops Indiana to 14-6 (5-4 B1G).

Key Talking Points:

• Northwestern torched IU's defense for 1.69 points per possession in the second half

• Four Wildcats (Barnheizer, Martinelli, Barry, Leach) combined for 77 of Northwestern's 79 points

• IU's offense remained overly reliant on contested mid-range jumpers while Northwestern generated clean looks

• Malik Reneau showed significant rust in his return, going 0-6 in 11 limited minutes

• Another game defined by IU's inability to sustain positive momentum when taking leads

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, Coach Brian Tonsoni, and Josh Pos

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Join us immediately following Indiana's Friday night game at Ohio State where the Hoosiers won a 77-76 thriller.

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Illinois thoroughly dominated Indiana in a 94-69 rout at Assembly Hall that represented one of the program's most discouraging performances in recent memory.

The Hoosiers fell behind by 30 in the first half and never mounted a serious challenge, dropping their second straight game by 25+ points.

Defense and effort were major issues from the opening tip, as Illinois built their lead through a combination of hot three-point shooting (8 first-half threes) and dominant offensive rebounding (17 second-chance points in the first half). While IU showed brief signs of life with a 10-0 run to start the second half, they could never seriously threaten the Illini's lead.

Key Discussion Topics:

• Complete defensive collapse, particularly in transition and defensive rebounding

• Concerning lack of competitive response when falling behind early

• Questions about accountability as the same issues persist game after game

• Unprecedented negative crowd reaction including significant departures at halftime

• Growing concerns about the program's direction after consecutive 25-point losses

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, Coach Brian Tonsoni, and (eventually) Jerod Morris

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Indiana suffered another embarrassing road defeat, falling apart in the second half as Iowa handed the Hoosiers their second blowout loss in Big Ten play.

After briefly showing signs of life with a first-half run to take a 28-25 lead, Indiana surrendered an 18-5 run to close the half and then was outscored 14-5 to open the second period. From there, the team's effort and execution completely collapsed en route to a 25-point defeat.

The loss highlighted ongoing concerns about the program's inability to compete on the road against even average conference opponents, as Indiana has now lost 16 of its 31 Big Ten regular season games under Mike Woodson by double digits, with 12 of those defeats coming by 15 or more points.

Key discussion points from the show included:

• Indiana's complete defensive collapse, allowing Iowa to score at will both in transition (26-2 advantage in fast break points) and from three
• The team's poor shot selection and offensive stagnation, particularly from young players like Kanaan Carlyle
• Questions about accountability and systemic issues within the program
• Growing frustration about the team's tendency to follow promising stretches with non-competitive road performances
• Concerns about what this means for upcoming games against Illinois and other ranked opponents

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: Coach Brian Tonsoni, Coach Bob Moates, and Ryan Phillips

After building some momentum with five straight wins against lesser competition, Indiana's progress was severely undermined by another road collapse that raised familiar questions about the program's direction under Woodson.

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Indiana continued its strong play of late, using a dominant second half and balanced scoring attack to secure its fourth Big Ten win and fifth straight victory overall.

After a sluggish start, the Hoosiers found their rhythm behind outstanding performances from Myles Rice (19 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists) and another efficient outing from Oumar Ballo, ultimately pulling away for a comfortable double-digit win.

For the third straight game, Indiana showed improved offensive flow and spacing playing with one big man, as four players scored in double figures while the team hit timely three-pointers and controlled the offensive glass. The second-half backcourt play of Rice and Trey Galloway proved particularly decisive, as the duo scored or assisted on 15 straight points to help Indiana build a lead it wouldn't relinquish.

Key discussion points from the show included:

• The continued benefits of improved floor spacing and offensive balance
• Strong performances from role players like Luke Goode (4-5 from three)
• The team's growing confidence and connectivity in recent games
• Improved ball security against USC's pressure (just 6 turnovers)
• Questions about maintaining this momentum heading into a challenging road stretch

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, Coach Brian Tonsoni, and Ryan Phillips

Now 13-3 overall and 4-1 in the Big Ten, Indiana heads into a crucial road stretch with growing confidence and an increasingly clear identity on both ends of the floor.

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Indiana secured its first Quad 1 win of the season, using an impressive 12-0 run to start the second half and strong performances from Oumar Ballo (25 points, 13 rebounds) and Mackenzie Mgbako to earn a crucial Big Ten road victory.

Playing without injured forward Malik Reneau, the Hoosiers showed improved offensive spacing and flow for the second straight game, hitting timely three-pointers and controlling the offensive glass to maintain control despite a late Penn State rally.

The win moves Indiana to 3-1 in Big Ten play and provides important momentum as the team enters a challenging stretch of conference games. For the second straight contest, Indiana displayed better ball movement, defensive connectivity and competitive fire that had been missing in earlier games this season.

Key discussion points from the show included:

• The benefits of improved floor spacing and offensive balance with one big man
• Oumar Ballo's dominant two-way performance following his one-game absence
• Strong complementary contributions from Luke Goode (5 offensive rebounds) and others
• The team's improved shooting and decision-making in transition
• Questions about how to maintain this offensive rhythm when Malik Reneau returns

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: Coach Tonsoni and Coach Adragna

The victory, combined with Thursday's win over Rutgers, gives Indiana consecutive complete performances to build upon as they look to establish themselves as legitimate contenders in the Big Ten race.

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Indiana showed improved offensive balance and competitive spirit in defeating Rutgers at Assembly Hall, overcoming the early loss of Malik Reneau to secure an important conference win.

Despite an incredible 39-point performance from Rutgers freshman Ace Bailey, the Hoosiers maintained control throughout most of the second half and found enough offensive firepower to secure a double-digit victory.

Playing with just one big man after Reneau's injury, Indiana's offense showed better spacing and flow, leading to a breakout three-point shooting performance (12-of-27) and strong games from Myles Rice (21 points) and Oumar Ballo (17 points, 12 rebounds).

Key discussion points from the show included:

• The benefits of playing with one big man and improved offensive spacing
• Strong performances from role players like Anthony Leal and Luke Goode
• Indiana's improved competitive effort and hustle plays throughout the game
• The importance of building on this performance with tougher games ahead
• Questions about Malik Reneau's status moving forward after his early knee injury

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: Jerod Morris, Coach Brian Tonsoni, Ryan Phillips, and Andy Bottoms

While the win came against a Rutgers team missing one of its star freshmen, it represented an encouraging step forward in Indiana's effort and execution as they head into a challenging stretch of Big Ten play.

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