Indiana
IUBB’s Biggest Potential Roadblocks to a Renaissance in 2024-2025
All signs seem to indicate that a renaissance is on the horizon for the Indiana men’s basketball team in 2024-2025. With Mike Woodson back to lead a revamped/rejuvenated roster jam-packed with talent, there are simply not a lot of reasons to be pessimistic about the Hoosiers’ outlook.
But while there may not be an abundance of obvious uh-oh’s when you look up and down this team, the small sample of potential issues could realistically prove lethal to the overall mission. That being said, the 3 tallest hurdles that Woody and his team will have to overcome will combine to try to sway your mind in favor of the Hoosiers faltering once again. Do not budge. We believe that they will prevail over these potential problems.
In good knee-related new, Jakai Newton appears to be fully back on the court and ready to make a name for himself in Bloomington.
Wait till you see Jakai Newton!
— Xavier Johnson “X” (@XavierJ0hnson) June 3, 2024
In bad knee-related news, human spark plug Trey Galloway is currently on the mend from an operation he recently had done on his meniscus. While Gallo has been spotted with the team and on campus, the timeframe for his return to the court seems suspiciously vague. We hope that he will be able to rejoin his teammates soon, but more importantly wish Galloway a major comeback from this minor setback.
Last season, Indiana finished the season as the 265th best 3-point shooting team out of 351 qualifying teams. The addition of Luke Goode should help mask some of these deficiencies, but who else on this roster has proven the ability to hit a steady dosage of shots on a consistent basis?
Both Myles Rice and Kanaan Carlyle looked legitimate during their respective freshman campaigns, and they also shared inefficient shooting splits. Trey Galloway makes a lot of winning basketball plays, he just does not make a ton of jumpers. Mackenzie Mgbako came into his own by the end of last season, but was wildly unpredictable when it came to hitting shots. Bryson Tucker has NBA potential, but also has a ton of work to do on his jump shot.
Fortunately, there are numerous guys capable of leading the team in scoring on any given night. Catch this team on a night when everyone’s feeling confident with their outside shot and you may as well wave the white flag and call it a night.
With all due respect to newcomer Langdon Hatton, who should provide some nice backup center minutes behind Oumar Ballo, it feels like IU could still use another big body. Hatton’s 6’10”, 240 pound frame, subtle agility, and respectable shooting range make him a viable candidate for minutes sparing Ballo.
In 31 games played last season (all starts), he strung together solid averages of 27.8 MPG, 10.5 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 1.3 APG and 0.8 BPG on shooting splits of 48% FG/33.3% 3(made 15 total)/67.5% FT. He made vast improvements in his game as a junior at Bellarmine (ASUN), but unfortunately the team finished the season with an ugly 8-23 record.
Ballo should have a solid 25-30 MPG in him, and it would not be shocking to see Mike Woodson experiment with Malik Reneau at the 5 similar to how he did as the season waned on in 2023-2024. Between Reneau, Hatton, and potential small-ball 5’s Goode, Tucker, and Mgbako the rest of the frontcourt corps will need to band together to fill out those additional 10-15 MPG at the center spot each night.
One bright spot in regards to this potential dilemma is the fact that Ballo has shown an ability to stay out of foul trouble on a consistent basis. Last season, he averaged just 2.1 fouls per game in 25.9 MPG. In the season prior to that, he averaged 2.3 fouls per game in 27.6 MPG. If nothing else, it is encouraging that his foul tendency appears to be on a downward trend.
Indiana
Nicolas Cage to make his first U.S. comic convention appearance in Indiana
Catch everything that went on at day 1 of the Indiana Comic Convention
Day 1 of the 2025 Indiana Comic Convention is in the books. IndyStar reporter John Tufts gives you an inside look of everything that went on.
Oscar-winning actor Nicolas Cage is making his U.S. comic con scene debut, appearing at the Indiana Comic Convention this week.
Fans can meet Cage and get an autograph or photo with him during the June 5-7 event taking place at the Indiana Convention Center.
The appearance marks Cage’s first at a U.S. comic convention. The 62-year-old actor, who has starred in movies spanning romance, action and superhero genres over more than 40 years, appeared at the Osaka Comic Convention in 2025.
Cage’s Indiana visit comes after the May 27 release on Prime Video of “Spider-Noir,” the live-action superhero series he leads. He voiced the character in the 2018 animated film “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” and will reprise the role in 2027’s “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.”
Among his other superhero genre movie roles are Big Daddy in “Kick-Ass” and Johnny Blaze in Marvel’s Ghost Rider franchise. He was set to star in director Tim Burton’s scrapped Superman movie in the 1990s. Fans finally got to see him on the big screen as the Man of Steel when he cameoed in “The Flash” in 2024.
Cage, whose movies have grossed more than $6.4 billion, also starred in “National Treasure,” “The Rock,” “Face/Off,” “Con Air,” “Valley Girl,” “Raising Arizona,” “Adaptation” and “Leaving Las Vegas,” for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor.
“Nicolas Cage is one of the most accomplished and recognizable actors in the world, and to have him choose Indiana Comic Convention as his first fan convention is huge for fans and a tribute to the reputation they’ve built for treating celebrity attendees with so much love and respect,” show producer Dan Farr said in an announcement of the appearance.
Watch ‘Spider-Noir’ on Prime
How much is a Nicolas Cage photo op?
Indiana Comic Convention features celebrities, authors, comic creators and exhibitors that cater to a wide spectrum of interests and fandoms, including comic books, magazines, toys, games, anime, manga, cosplay, artwork, sketches and apparel.
In-person Nicolas Cage autographs will cost $400. Photo ops are $250. A pre-signed autograph is $225. A photo op/pre-signed autobiography bundle is $450.
Tickets and photo ops are available now at indianacomicconvention.com.
Contact reporter Cheryl V. Jackson at cjackson@usatodayco.com or 317-444-6264. Follow her on X.com:@cherylvjackson or Bluesky:@cherylvjackson.bsky.social.
Indiana
Hobart police officer rescues family from house fire
Monday, June 1, 2026 3:34AM
MERRILLVILLE, Ind. (WLS) — A northwest Indiana family is safe thanks to the heroic actions of a Hobart police officer.
Adam Zormier rescued a woman and four children from a burning home.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
ABC7 talked to Zormier, who told us he was on patrol in Hobart on Sunday when he noticed heavy black smoke in the air.
He discovered it was coming from the windows and roof of a house in nearby Merrillville.
A Good Samaritan helped him knock on doors. When there was no answer, he forced his way in.
Zormier was treated for smoke inhalation. No one was seriously hurt.
Copyright © 2026 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Indiana
Indiana EMT charged with sexually assaulting 14-year-old in the back of an ambulance during transport
(WXIN/WTTV) — An EMT working for an Indiana ambulance service has been arrested after accusations that he sexually assaulted a 14-year-old while transporting them to the hospital.
Ronald D. Elliott Jr., 37, was officially charged Wednesday with a slew of child sex crimes. Online jail records show Elliott, who lives in Dunreith, was arrested Thursday and booked into Delaware County Jail without bond.
The arrest stems from accusations made by a 14-year-old who told police that Elliott sexually assaulted her in the back of an ambulance during a February transport from Muncie to Monroe County.
The alleged victim came forward on March 16 and told Indiana State Police investigators that an EMT had forced her into sexual contact while taking her to a medical facility in Bloomington.
The juvenile said that Elliott, who is listed as an EMT for Quest Ambulance Service, began showing her pictures and videos on his cell phone during the transport. The files reportedly included photos of Elliott’s genitals and videos of him engaged in sexual activities.
Elliott is then alleged to have groped the teenager under her clothes and exposed himself to her. The girl said this led to Elliott sexually assaulting her in the back of the ambulance while en route to Bloomington.
The 14-year-old said that, after the assault, Elliott provided her with his “Mr. Fogger” nicotine vape as well as his phone. The girl told officers she signed into her Instagram account on Elliott’s phone, and court documents state she failed to log off after leaving the ambulance.
It was through the girl’s Instagram account that Elliott allegedly found a second juvenile victim. Identified as Victim 2 in court documents, Elliott reportedly began messaging the 13-year-old girl on Instagram. Throughout his conversations, the 37-year-old EMT is alleged to have:
- Called the juvenile a “young sl-t”
- Lied about his age, claiming he was 18 years old
- Sent a picture of himself only wearing a towel
- Made “sexually suggestive” comments about “good naughty girls”
- Told the 13-year-old girl she “looks cute”
During an interview with Elliott conducted on March 25, the EMT reportedly admitted to letting the 14-year-old use his phone and nicotine vape. However, he denied any sexual contact with the girl and said that any nude images she may have seen on his phone were an accident.
After uncovering “corroborating evidence” from both Elliott’s cell phone and the victim’s Instagram account, police requested that a warrant be filed for his arrest. Online court records show that the warrant was granted on Thursday.
Indiana State Police said that Elliott was taken into custody without incident during a traffic stop. Delaware County Jail records show Elliott was booked around 2:30 p.m. Thursday. He now faces the following several Level 4 felony charges including child seduction, child solicitation, and sexual conduct with a minor.
No other information was included in the probable cause affidavit filed against Elliott.
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