6-Banner Sunday: IU basketball adds Thomas Carr as fifth assistant coach

• Staff

• 3h ago

 

Welcome to another edition of 6-Banner Sunday, a joint production between The Assembly Call and Inside the Hall, where we highlight the five most essential IU sports stories of the past week. 6-Banner Sunday is written by Ari Shifron.

IU introduced a new assistant coach who arrived after spending the last two seasons at the University of Louisville. Meanwhile, the NCAA tournament continues, with one Big Ten team already reaching the Final Four.

Additionally, we’ll examine the roster’s current standing for next season, as spring football began last Thursday. As usual, we will conclude with a look at the weekly shows and the rest of the Hoosier sports in action.

Here is what is in this week’s edition:

• IU adds assistant coach Thomas Carr from Louisville
• NCAA tournament results
• Where things currently stand with IU basketball’s roster
• Spring practice begins for IU football
• Podcast on the Brink and Back Home Network shows
• Hoosier Roundup

Banner #1 – IU adds assistant coach Thomas Carr from Louisville

As IU looks to next season, its bench of assistants is now fully staffed to help build a roster. Louisville assistant Thomas Carr (no relation to new staff member Ryan Carr) will move north to Indiana to fill the final spot on the staff.

Carr will join Drew Adams, Rod Clark, Kenny Johnson and Nick Norton as the assistant coaches for 2026-2027. He was an assistant under Pat Kelsey at the College of Charleston before following him to the Cardinals.

Banner #2 – NCAA tournament results

The Hoosiers’ season has been over for a couple of weeks after once again failing to secure a spot in March Madness.

The NCAA tournament continues, with two Final Four spots already determined. With NIL seemingly widening the gap between mid-major and power five teams, the competition has featured fewer upsets than usual and no mid-majors in the tournament’s second weekend.

However, there have still been some great games. The Big Ten sent nine teams to the dance, and six of them made the Sweet Sixteen, with four making the Elite Elight.

Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, and Purdue all made the second weekend, with all but Michigan State and Nebraska advancing. The Fighting Illini have already made the Final Four in Indianapolis and the Wolverines will look to join them today with a matchup against Tennessee. However, the Boilermakers fell to Arizona, who might be the favorite to cut down the nets. The winner of Duke vs. UConn will take the final spot.

Banner #3 – Where things currently stand with IU basketball’s roster

The Hoosiers will look to build a stronger roster that can better compete in the Big Ten in 2026-2027 under second-year head coach Darian DeVries. IU has seven players eligible to return, but only three of them (Nick Dorn, Jasai Miles and Trent Sisley) saw time in the rotation this season.

Aleksa Ristic was the only other guy with eligibility to see minutes last season, and it was very sparingly. The other three bodies who can return to Bloomington were injured or redshirting in Andrej Acimovic, Jason Drake and Josh Harris.

How many of these seven will elect to return remains to be seen. The three players who will definitely be on the roster, though, are incoming freshman Vaughn Karvala, Trevor Manhertz and Prince-Alexander Moody.

However, given the losses of their top rotational guys, IU will almost certainly need to fill several spots via the transfer portal with immediate-impact players.

Given the nature of college basketball, almost everyone has to use the portal to compete, including many in the Big Ten. The portal opens after the national championship game, which will be on Tuesday, April 7.

Banner #4 – Spring practice begins for IU football

While basketball season has ended, spring football is just beginning for IU. The Hoosiers are back on the field practicing now and looking to defend their national championship. Indiana coach Curt Cignetti spoke with the media after a practice this week.

Banner #5 – Podcast on the Brink and Back Home Network shows

Inside the Hall’s Podcast on the Brink returned this week. On it, Tony Adragna discussed what IU needs to do in the transfer portal.

The Back Home Network has many shows. As a result, it was on air many times this week with programming.

Banner #6 – Hoosier Roundup

• Softball continued its hot start to the season. They went 3-1 this week, completing a sweep of Maryland and sweeping Detroit Mercy, which included a no-hitter, while falling to elite Oregon. At 27-7, their RPI sits in the top 60, which is well within range for a fourth straight NCAA tournament appearance.

• Swimming and Diving saw the men finish third nationally at the NCAA championships.

• Men’s tennis had a huge week, defeating Penn State and rival Purdue.

• Women’s tennis fell to Illinois but upset ranked Iowa.

• Baseball seemed to be gaining momentum, but then lost all four games this week to Minnesota and Indiana State, as well as both contests at Nebraska. Sitting at just 10-16, a second straight year of missing the NCAA tournament seems most likely barring a huge turnaround.

• Water Polo fell to Stanford.

• Track and Field competed in the Raleigh Relays.

• Wrestling signed a player for next year.

• Finally, several former IU baseball players made opening day rosters in the MLB.

Now go enjoy yourself a 6-Banner Sunday.

Aaron (Ari) Shifron
Assembly Call Contributor

To receive 6-Banner Sunday in your inbox each week, enter your email address and choose the free subscription option from our friends at The Assembly Call.

(Photo credit: Eric Crawford/WDRB)

See More: 6-Banner Sunday