Author: Mike Schumann

With the majority of Indiana’s offseason roster changes behind us, we bring back our annual tradition of taking a closer look at the players expected to return to the program. Next up is Anthony Leal, who is training for his third year with IU basketball. THE 2021-22 NUMBERS The 6-foot-5 Leal played in 17 games and started twice (Northern Kentucky and Northwestern).  He averaged 10.2 minutes and 1.9 points per game, and he had 18 assists and just seven turnovers.  He shot 40.7 percent from the field overall including 31.8 percent from three.  22 of his 27 attempts from the…

New York Giants rookie Micah McFadden met with the media on Saturday after signing his rookie deal. According to a report by Giants’ beat reporter Art Stapleton, McFadden signed for four years and $4.01 million with a $355 thousand signing bonus. McFadden, 6-2 and 232 pounds, played in 45 games with 31 starts for the Hoosiers. In his last three seasons, he was selected, in order, honorable mention, first-team and second-team All-Big Ten. McFadden’s career totals include 216 (149 solo) tackles, 37 tackles for loss, 14.0 sacks, four interceptions, eight passes defensed and three forced fumbles. He led Indiana in…

Indiana is continuing to look hard for long wings who can make shots from the perimeter in the class of 2023. The latest member of that incoming senior class to receive an offer from IU is Virginia based prospect Jamie Kaiser. Kaiser announced an offer from IU on Saturday. https://twitter.com/J_Kaiser53/status/1525507612942409730?s=20&t=aILxask6fwYkpl_jp1wm6Q Kaiser told The Daily Hoosier via correspondence last week that IU assistant coach Brian Walsh had reached out to his coaches and father over the last month to begin recruiting him.  That quickly led to the offer as Kaiser has continued to be a prospect who has solidified himself as…

Former IU defensive end Ryder Anderson has signed an undrafted free agent deal with the New York Giants, the team reported on Saturday afternoon. The 6-foot-6 and 266-pound Anderson previously earned rookie minicamp invites with the Giants and Green Bay Packers. Anderson will join fellow IU defender Micah McFadden with the NFC franchise. The Texas product joined the Hoosiers as a transfer from Ole Miss on Jan. 12, 2021. He led Indiana’s defensive linemen with 48 tackles, 28 solos, 3.5 sacks (21 yards), and 8.5 for loss (30 yards). He forced one fumble and added four quarterback hurries and started…

Indiana will need a rim protector down the road, and there won’t be many with greater length than John Bol. The 7-foot-2 Bol has a 7-foot-9 wingspan, and his fast emerging game has generated significant national interest this spring. Nick Baumgart first reported IU’s early involvement with the class of 2024 prospect this week, and a Saturday report by Rivals’ national reporter Travis Graf also indicated Indiana is one of the schools taking a look. As we understand it, IU assistant coach Brian Walsh had a conversation this week and wants Bol to come to Bloomington for a visit. Originally…

The Big Ten Network is releasing condensed 8-12 minute cuts of Big Ten basketball games from the 2021-22 season. Next up was Mike Woodson’s first high major test as head coach at Indiana, and it turned into a thriller. Leading the way for Indiana was Trayce Jackson-Davis with 18 points and 10 rebounds, and reserves Tamar Bates and Jordan Geronimo both had big moments. IU led 39-27 at halftime. While Indiana let the halftime lead slip away, they never fell behind and made some big plays down the stretch. Xavier Johnson, who dealt with foul trouble, knifed into the lane…

Save for one gaping uncertainty in the middle, Indiana’s 2022-23 roster appears to be set. Wichita State transfer guard Dexter Dennis announced on Friday afternoon he is headed to Texas A&M.  The 6-foot-5 fifth-year player took an official visit to IU in April and put the Hoosiers in his final six. With that news, Indiana currently still has 12 scholarship players firmly set to be on its 2022-23 roster out of 13 available spots. The lone uncertainty at this time is All-Big Ten center Trayce Jackson-Davis, who is currently training for the NBA Combine and team workouts.  The Combine runs…

Indiana picked up a commitment from University of Alabama transfer cornerback Brylan Lanier on Friday. The 6-foot-1 and 170-pound Lanier was in Bloomington on an official visit last weekend, and announced his commitment to IU via his Twitter page. https://twitter.com/BrylanLanier/status/1525154557348675584?s=20&t=ctDKGBv_iQ_B97FFhk1Jpg Part of the class of 2021, Lanier was on scholarship at Georgia State before quickly reversing course and walking-on at Alabama last year.  He did not see the field for the Crimson Tide in 2021. His transfer to Alabama was a return home.  Lanier is from Tuscaloosa, Ala., and he attended Paul W. Bryant H.S. Lanier earned the Bear Bryant…

At 32 years old, Jordan Hulls may not be at the pinnacle of playing career. But he certainly isn’t washed up by any means. Playing for MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg in Germany’s top league, the former IU guard is still averaging double-figure points per game, and still making more than 40 percent of his 3-pointers. So when the phone rang and his alma mater was on the other end offering a job, the decision wasn’t black and white. Not right away, anyway. “I definitely was planning to play for another couple years before this opportunity came up,” Hulls said on the…

For the first time, a group of players all with ties to the IU basketball program are expected to play in The Basketball Tournament (TBT). Going into its ninth year, TBT is a million dollar, winner-take-all event televised live on ESPN.  The event has been won by college alumni teams for three straight years. A Twitter account connected to the IU TBT team announced on Thursday former IU guard Devonte Green will be on the team.  No other players have been announced as of this writing, although the Twitter account followed Troy Williams, James Blackmon, Jr. and Josh Newkirk at…