Indiana men’s and women’s basketball will make their public debuts at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Friday evening during the school’s annual Hoosier Hysteria event. The night will feature full team introductions, skills competitions, special performances and an intrasquad scrimmage.
Team introductions will start at 7:30 p.m., with Indiana fans getting their first look at highly anticipated newcomers on both squads including men’s University of Arizona transfer Omar Ballo and women’s Penn State transfer Shay Ciezki.
Then, following performances from the IU Cheerleaders and the RedSteppers Dance Team, head coaches Mike Woodson and Teri Moren will briefly address the crowd detailing their expectations for the upcoming season.
Indiana men’s basketball has its eyes set on a return to national prominence after missing the NCAA Tournament in an underwhelming 2023-24 campaign. The Hoosiers will feature a revamped roster with a plethora of proven transfers and a healthy portion of veteran experience. As a result, there are lofty expectations for Woodson’s team that ranked No. 17 in the Associated Press preseason poll released Monday.
“There was a lot of work that had to be done this summer to fill out our roster,” Woodson said during IU’s basketball media day on Sept. 18. “And I thought we did a pretty good job of putting a roster together."
On the flip side, Moren’s squad will have to recover from losing Indiana women’s basketball all-time leading scorer Mackenzie Holmes. While Holmes’ name will be announced during team introductions, it will be as the newest member of the coaching staff, not as a player.
Last season, Indiana women’s basketball lost 79-75 in heartbreaking fashion to the eventual national champion University of South Carolina in the Sweet 16. With the graduation of leading scorers Holmes and guard Sara Scalia, the Hoosiers will lean on an entourage of upperclassmen with hopes of earning a sixth consecutive bid to the NCAA Tournament.
After Woodson and Moren speak, the players will take the court in front of fans for the first time in the 2024-25 season with a variety of competitions. Although the specific events for this year’s Hoosier Hysteria haven’t been announced, past challenges include a 3-point contest, a general skills showcase and a dunk contest.
The event will conclude with two quarters of an intrasquad scrimmage, a component of Hoosier Hysteria that was absent last year.
Riding the coattails of a homecoming headlined by an undefeated Indiana football program, the two Hoosier basketball programs hope to energize students and alumni with regular season play looming in early November.
Hoosier Hysteria will be emceed by IU alum and current Bally Sports Florida reporter Tricia Whitaker. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. with free admission for students. Fans are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to be donated to Hoosier Hills Food Bank. The event will be streamed on Big Ten+.
Follow reporters Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) and Quinn Richards (@Quinn_richa) and columnist Mateo Fuentes-Rohwer (@mateo_frohwer) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s basketball season.
