Description
Indiana's Big Ten Tournament hopes ended abruptly with a 72-59 loss to Oregon in a rematch that featured all-too-familiar offensive struggles for the Hoosiers.Despite a promising start, IU couldn't sustain their early momentum, making selection Sunday a more nerve-wracking experience than it should have been.Among the topics discussed:A disastrous scoring drought in the final minutes of the first half changed the game's complexion, with Oregon seizing control they never relinquishedMackenzie Mgbako started hot but sat with foul trouble, disrupting Indiana's offensive rhythm when he was playing wellTrey Galloway (15 points, 9 assists) and Malik Reneau (19 points off the bench) provided offensive production, but Luke Goode and the bench guards failed to contributeIndiana's perimeter defense struggled against Oregon's athletic guards, with Jackson Shelstad creating problems throughoutThe Hoosiers shot a dismal 36.2% from the field and 25% from three-point range, even missing 5 of 10 free throwsPoor shot selection and execution in critical moments erased any momentum from multiple comeback attempts in the second halfIn a departure from our usual format, special guests Damon Bruce and Ant Wright joined to discuss not only the loss but broader topics including IU's NCAA Tournament chances, whether Indiana should even accept an NIT bid if they miss the tournament, and their candid thoughts on the upcoming coaching searchPlus, 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, which concludes with a thoughtful reflection on the role of fan media in covering IU basketball ... and a little musical bonus.On the mics: Jerod Morris, Damon Bruce, Ant WrightNote: Some explicit language is used in a couple areas during this discussion.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.