After months of waiting, Indiana University basketball returns to Bloomington in the form of the annual Hoosier Hysteria event. It has been seven months since the men’s team last played a game, and 6 months since the women’s team completed their magical run through the WNIT.
Saturday afternoon represents IU fans’ first chance to see the teams, both of which include several new faces that are expected to play big roles in the upcoming season. We list those players below as well as the men’s basketball recruits that are expected to be in attendance.
ESSENTIAL INFORMATION
What: Hoosier Hysteria presented by Smithville Fiber
When: Saturday, September 29 at 4 p.m. Doors will open at 2 p.m.
Where: Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
Streaming: Hoosier Hysteria is not on television but will be streamed on BTN Plus/BTN2Go. This is a pay service which is $9.95 per month or $79.95 per year. To watch Hoosier Hysteria on BTN Plus, click here.
WILL I MISS THE IU FOOTBALL GAME?
The 3-1 Indiana Hoosier football team is playing at Rutgers on Saturday at noon. IU has indicated that fans should be able to watch the second half of the IU-Rutgers football game on the video board inside Assembly Hall.
FREE STUFF
All fans in attendance will receive free schedule posters for both the men’s and women’s programs.
🏀 Posters are in!
Make sure to get yours tomorrow at #HoosierHysteria! pic.twitter.com/txI2eyY6yv
— Indiana Basketball (@IndianaMBB) September 29, 2018
BRING A CANNED FOOD ITEM
Admission is free but fans are asked to donate a canned food item to benefit the Hoosier Hills Food Bank.
PARKING
If you plan on arriving to stand in line early in the day, you will have to park in the Fee Lane parking garage. Click Here https://parking.indiana.edu/maps-locations/index.html for directions. Parking lots around Assembly Hall and Memorial Stadium will open at 12:30 p.m. due to the Annual Hoosiers Outrun Cancer event which takes place that morning and attracts nearly 5,000 participants.
BANNER TIME
The women’s program will have their 2018 WNIT Championship banner unveiled during the event.
Hoosier legends Tyra Buss and Amanda Cahill will be at the event.
WHAT TO EXPECT
There will be player introductions for both teams. Head coaches Archie Miller and Teri Moren will address the crowd. Both the men’s and women’s players will participate in shooting contests and the men’s team will have a dunk contest. The men’s team also will scrimmage.
We also expect significant changes in the experience compared to prior years. One example that we are aware of are laser light projections on the court throughout the event.
MEET THE PLAYERS
Following the conclusion of the event, both the men’s women’s teams will be available in the concourse of Assembly Hall to sign autographs for about 45 minutes. Only one item per person will be signed by each player, time permitting.
RECRUITS IN ATTENDANCE
Hoosier Hysteria is a major recruiting event for both programs as well.
Class of 2019 five star recruits Trayce Jackson-Davis and Keion Brooks, Jr. are both on their official visits this weekend and both will be in attendance.
Jahmius Ramsey was previously expected to take an official visit as well, but that has been postponed.
The other IU men’s basketball recruiting targets that we have learned should be in attendance are:
Class of 2020
Class of 2021
- Caleb Furst
- Curt Hopf
- D.J. Hughes
- Khristian Lander
- Pierce Thomas
Notably, all of these recruits are from the state of Indiana.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
For us, events like these are all about the new faces.
Hoosier fans already know what they are getting in seniors Juwan Morgan, Zach McRoberts and Kym Royster. Of course you hope that all of the returning players have improved their games incrementally, but that isn’t always apparent or something that you can reliably evaluate at an event like this.
But both teams are replete with fresh new talent that IU fans will get their first glimpse of on Saturday.
On the men’s side that includes:
- Romeo Langford – No, we won’t blame you if you are looking for him first.
- Jerome Hunter – He just might be the most underappreciated talent on this team.
- Damezi Anderson – Can his perimeter shot help him see the floor?
- Jake Forrester – The man Archie Miller called a “live wire” should be easy to find.
- Rob Phinisee – Juwan Morgan said he came in ready to play.
- Race Thompson – Technically not new, but we haven’t seen him play for a year.
- Evan Fitzner – Known for his perimeter shot but De’Ron Davis raves about his post moves.
Other things to watch for include to what extent De’Ron Davis participates as he continues his recovery from an Achilles injury, is Clifton Moore showing signs of progress, and does Vijay Blackmon look like a player that could potentially contribute.
On the women’s side the newcomers include:
- Chanel Wilson – Freshman guard with some serious speed.
- Aleksa Gulbe – A 6-foot-3 Latvian super star.
- Ali Patberg – Former Indiana Miss Basketball and Notre Dame transfer.
- Grace Berger – A top 50 recruit nationally.
- Brenna Wise – Transfer from Pitt and former leader in scoring and rebounding there.
While the women won’t scrimmage, this will be our first chance to meet this high caliber group of new players that are all expected to play a big role in the upcoming season.
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