Indiana basketball fans got a couple pieces of legit offseason news with the release of the non-conference schedule and the program's first recruiting commitment under Darren DeVries.

This edition of Assembly Call Radio, with hosts Coach Tonsoni, Ryan Phillips, and Andy Bottoms, breaks down what these developments mean for the new era of Hoosier basketball.

Segment 1: Hoosier Headlines [00:00:00 - 00:29:59]

After months of roster construction and staff building, the schedule release brings fans one step closer to seeing if DeVries' vision can translate to wins on the court.

The big news is Prince Alexander Moody's commitment - the program's first 2026 recruit who represents the "DeVries prototype": a 6'4" shooting guard who fits the system's emphasis on floor spacing and shooting ability.

Other headlines covered include the completion of DeVries' coaching staff, Anthony Leal's denied waiver appeal (ending his college career), and the mic'd-up practice videos showing coaches emphasizing fundamentals like ball pressure defense and proper spacing. The segment closes with a heartfelt thank you to Leal for his contributions to the program.

Segment 2: Non-Conference Schedule Analysis [00:30:00 - 00:54:59]

The hosts break down Indiana's 11-game non-conference slate, identifying four major tests surrounded by seven more manageable opponents. The marquee games include:

November 9th vs Marquette (Chicago) - Early season test against a well-coached program

December 6th vs Louisville (Indianapolis) - Neutral site against a top-20 preseason team

December 13th at Kentucky - The big one everyone's been waiting for, back at Rupp Arena

November 25th vs Kansas State (home) - Protecting Assembly Hall against a Big 12 opponent

Both hosts project a 9-2 non-conference record, with the Kentucky road game being the most difficult challenge. They praise the regional appeal of the schedule, giving fans concrete games to look forward to attending or watching. The conversation includes early bracketology implications and how this schedule sets up better than previous years' efforts.

Segment 3: Mailbag [00:55:00 - 01:37:02]

The final segment tackles listener questions about overall record predictions and the challenge of connecting with an almost entirely new roster. The hosts project an 11-9 Big Ten record (20-11 overall), which should be good enough for tournament consideration.

A thoughtful discussion emerges around a fan's question about feeling disconnected from the program due to constant roster turnover. The hosts acknowledge this is a real challenge in the transfer portal era and share their own strategies for dealing with it - focusing on the style of play rather than individual players, and waiting until the season starts to really invest emotionally in the roster.

Jerod Morris joins late in the segment to add his perspective on the changing nature of college basketball fandom and how the off-season feels different now with so much roster uncertainty.

Plus, as always, thoughts on staff completion, the challenge of maintaining fan engagement in college basketball's new landscape, and early excitement about a different brand of basketball coming to Assembly Hall. That's all in this edition of The Assembly Call.

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

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