Jerod Morris

On Saturday, Indiana won yet another close game, coming back to beat Butler in the Crossroads Classic on a last-second shot by Big Shot Rob Phinisee. After the game, our crew broke it all down on The Assembly Call IU Postgame Show.

On the mics for this episode: Jerod and Ryan

Among the topics discussed:

— Marveling at Rob Phinisee making yet another clutch shot, and also assessing the importance of the big play Indiana had out of Archie Miller’s final timeout to go up 68-66.
— Another monster day for Juwan Morgan at the Crossroads Classic, which Indiana needed every ounce of.
— Romeo Langford’s up and down day, and why this is a really important game for him to learn from moving forward.
— Why Devonte Green’s play was probably better than many IU fans will want to give him credit for.
— Did Justin Smith shows more signs of growth today?
— Analyzing the rough days for Al Durham, De’Ron Davis, Evan Fitzner, and, to some extent, Zach McRoberts.
— Why this Indiana team needs to be able to lean on its ability to win close games, not rely on it.

We also point out a few meaningful moments you may have missed, go inside the numbers, and hand out our game balls. All of that, and more, on this edition of The Assembly Call.

Listen to the podcast here:

Or watch the video:

[Read more…] about [456] IU-Butler Postgame Show: Juwan Morgan Takes Over at the Crossroads Classic … Again

This week on Assembly Call Radio, Ryan delivers his long-awaited TJD scouting report, we hand out our quarter-term grades, and we analyze the bracketology impact of the Butler game. And much more.

On the mics: Jerod, Ryan, and Andy ( … and Randy?)

• [00:27] In Segment One, Jerod discusses the impact of Jerome Hunter’s loss in his Banner Moment, and also reminds you of the details of the contest we’re running for Pacers-Hornets tickets. Then Andy analyzes the bracketology impact of the Butler game.

• [15:00] In Segment Two, Ryan takes a deep dive into Trayce Jackson-Davis’ game. It even includes an IU player comp! What are Trayce’s strengths and weaknesses? Is he a one-and-done or two-and-done type player? What impact can he have as a freshman? You’ll have a much clearer idea after listening to this segment.

• [29:30] In Segment Three, we go player-by-player (plus Archie) and hand out our grades after 10 games. And yes, the grades are on a curve — against expectations.

• [45:49] And in our final segment, we answer your questions. Why has Butler been able to sustain its success? What are the redshirt rules in college basketball? Have the lowered the ceiling on this team based on some of the issues we’ve seen over the first 10 games?

All of that and more on this week’s edition of Assembly Call Radio.

[Read more…] about [455] Trayce Jackson-Davis Scouting Report and Quarter-Term Grades

On this week’s edition of Banner Monday …

• [2:31] Jerod and Ryan answer your lingering IU basketball questions in this week’s mailbag.

• [28:52] Mike DeCourcy stops by to discuss his thoughts on IU and provide insight on the rest of the Big Ten.

• [55:01] Ben Ladner join us for another edition of Basketball 201 — talking about Indiana’s inside-out offensive philosophy and why it works so well with Juwan and De’Ron as the focal point. (To jump directly to this spot in the video, so you can see the plays Ben discusses use this link: https://youtu.be/WjdlYLtHp0I?t=3538)

• [1:23:31] Josh Wilson of the Inside Out Podcast delivers an in-depth preview of Indiana’s upcoming opponent in this weekend’s Crossroads Classic, Butler.

[Read more…] about [454] Banner Monday: Mailbag, B1G Roundup, B201 on IU’s Inside-Out Offense, Butler Preview

This week on Assembly Call Radio, we discuss the most important stories from the past week in Indiana basketball.

On the mics: Jerod, Andy, and Ryan.

• [00:27] In Segment One, we deliver our opening thoughts, provide the details of the content we’re running with Comfort Option for Pacers-Hornets tickets, and then take a look around the Big Ten with each team’s first two games in then books.

• [15:29] In Segment Two, we analyze Clifton Moore’s performance at Penn State and whether it suggests he deserves more playing time moving forward. There were certainly some good plays, but a closer look at the tape also revealed some deficiencies that may explain why Archie has been reluctant to play him more.

• [29:47] In Segment Three, we discuss how you get players like Clifton, Jake, and Damezi time on the court to develop when you’re trying to play and win close games against good opponents. And then we discuss how you handle some of your top players — like Devonte Green and Justin Smith — struggling with correctible errors like turnovers. How much leeway do you give them to work through their struggles?

• [43:46] And in our final segment, we answer your questions. What is the former Hoosier who is closest player comp for Ryan (as a player)? What is Zach McRoberts’ role moving forward? And should you design your offense to prioritize your star player or for everyone to be able to find shots?

All of that and more on this week’s edition of Assembly Call Radio.

[Read more…] about [452] Did Clifton Moore Show He’s Ready for More Minutes?

On Tuesday night, Indiana overcame a poor start and a shaky finish to grind out an important road win over Penn State in Happy Valley. After the game, our crew broke it all down on The Assembly Call IU Postgame Show.

On the mics for this episode: Andy and Ryan.

Among the topics discussed:

— Why Rob Phinisee’s play late in the second half saved IU’s bacon, and further solidified him as IU’s point guard.
— The tale of two halves for Romeo Langford.
— What to make the surprising (and somewhat encouraging) Clifton Moore sighting in the first half.
— How free throw shooting actually worked out in Indiana’s favor for once.
— The importance of Indiana’s strong defensive effort.
— The ups and downs of Devonte Green, and the continued impressive play from Al Durham.
— Justin Smith’s poor offensive production contrasted with his strong defensive effort.

We also point out a few meaningful moments you may have missed, go inside the numbers, and hand out our game balls. All of that, and more, on this edition of The Assembly Call.

Listen to the podcast here:

Or watch the video:

[Read more…] about [451] IU-Penn State Postgame Show: Rob Phinisee Carries IU Across Finish Line