The Iowa at Indiana men’s basketball game this Sunday has been moved from a 5 p.m. (Eastern) tipoff to a 6 p.m. Tipoff. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.

The change was pursuant to discussions between IU Athletic Director Fred Glass and the Big Ten Conference to avoid as much conflict as possible with Sunday’s AFC Championship game featuring the Indianapolis Colts and the New York Jets on Sunday. That game is scheduled to start at 3 p.m.

“My primary goal in all this is to get as many people in Assembly Hall as possible,” said Glass. “What this does for us, is the people in and around Assembly Hall, primarily students and faculty and staff, can watch pretty much the entire Colts game, and still get to our game. So hopefully that’s significant. We appreciate the cooperation of the Big Ten Conference, the Big Ten Network and the University of Iowa.”

OK, so here’s how we’re going to shave this down to five teams. We’re going to eliminate all road Big Ten games from the equation. (Yes, even the Feb. 7 almost-home game at Northwestern and the Feb. 28 tilt at Iowa.) In fact, we’re going to eliminate all conference games, seeing as IU is projected near the bottom of the league again this year.

What else? Big Ten-ACC Challenge game against Maryland? See ya. The entire Puerto Rico Tipoff and the matchup with Pittsburgh in the Jimmy V Classic? Gone. Kentucky at home? Gone.

I think you see where I’m going with this: the vaunted non-conference home games before Big Ten season starts; the games IU (mostly) won during last year’s rough season.

They are as follows: Howard (Nov. 13), USC-Upstate (Nov. 16), Northwestern State (Nov. 28), North Carolina Central (Dec. 19), Loyola (Maryland) (Dec. 22) and Bryant (Dec. 28).

That’s six teams. Whoops. Let’s cut out Loyola (Maryland). OK, that should do it.  My work here is done.

5. Maryland (Assembly Hall, December 1, 7:30 PM, ESPN2): Senior guard Greivis Vasquez returns to lead a Terrapin team that went 21-14 a year ago, advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and should be among the top 25 teams in the country. The Venezuela native averaged 17.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg and 5.0 apg as a junior and tested the NBA Draft waters before deciding to return. Besides Vasquez, Gary Williams returns three other starters. It will be the first trip for Maryland to Assembly Hall.

4. Michigan (Crisler Arena, January 14, 9:00 PM, ESPN/ESPN2): Year three of the John Beilein era in Ann Arbor could find the Wolverines square in the middle of the Big Ten race with Michigan State and Purdue. After winning one game in the NCAA Tournament a year ago, Beilein has the pieces in place to make a run deeper into March. The one-two punch of guard Manny Harris and forward DeShawn Sims is arguably the best in the conference and the supporting cast is strong with guards Laval Lucas-Perry, Stu Douglass and Zack Novak all returning.

3. Michigan State (Assembly Hall, February 16, 7:00 PM, ESPN): The Spartans knocked off a pair of No. 1 seeds in Connecticut and Louisville a year ago before falling to North Carolina in the national championship. Forward Goran Suton and guard Travis Walton are both gone, but Kalin Lucas returns as the front runner for Big Ten Player of the Year. Sprinkle in a healthy Delvon Roe with wings Durrell Summers and Chris Allen and the Spartans could be looking at Tom Izzo’s sixth Final Four appearance.

2. Kentucky (Assembly Hall, December 12, 12:00 PM, CBS): The Billy Gillispie era was short lived in Lexington and the Wildcats swung for the fences by hiring former Memphis coach John Calipari. The move paid immediate dividends as Calipari brought in the nation’s top recruiting class, highlighted by point guard John Wall and forward DeMarcus Cousins. Jodie Meeks opted for the NBA Draft, but forward Patrick Patterson returns to anchor the front court with Cousins and freshman Daniel Orton. Kentucky will be a consensus top five team nationally, but are there enough basketball’s to keep everybody happy?

1. Purdue (Mackey Arena, March 2/3/4, TBA, TBA): The rivalry between Indiana and Purdue will only become more heated as Tom Crean and Matt Painter battle for in-state recruits to build their programs. The Boilermakers figure to be in the race for the Big Ten regular season title and this late season test on the road could be the toughest of all for a young Indiana team. E’Twaun Moore, Robbie Hummel and JuJuan Johnson should all compete for first team All-Big Ten honors and Chris Kramer returns for his final season in West Lafayette.

Just missed the cut: Ole Miss (Puerto Rico Coliseum, November 19, 5:00 PM, ESPN2); Pittsburgh (Madison Square Garden, December 8, 9:00 PM, ESPN); Ohio State (Value City Arena, January 6, 8:30 PM, BTN); Illinois (Assembly Hall, January 30, 2:00 PM, ESPN/ESPN2).

The Hoosiers will open Big Ten play on New Year’s Eve at Assembly Hall against Michigan at noon on ESPN2. A couple of other Big Ten games of note: at Ohio State on January 6, at Michigan on January 14, at Illinois on January 30, vs. Purdue on February 4, vs. Michigan State on February 16 and at Purdue on March 2/3/4.

You can see the complete slate of games here and we’ll dig deeper into the schedule in just a bit. For now, let’s hear your thoughts in the comments.

The Indiana University men’s basketball team will face Pittsburgh in the second game of the 2009 Jimmy V Classic scheduled for 9 p.m., Tuesday December 8 in New York’s Madison Square Garden. Butler will face Georgetown in the opening contest at 7 p.m., with both games set to air on ESPN.  This is the 15th Annual Classic, with Indiana making its second appearance in the event (1999).

“My wife and I are contributors to the V Foundation and it is an honor for us to participate in the Jimmy V Classic,” said IU Head Coach Tom Crean.  “This is annually one of the premiere events in college basketball and it is always exciting to take a team to Madison Square Garden.  We have great respect for the Pittsburgh program.”

The two early-season college basketball events showcasing top programs on ESPN and ESPN2 will conclude the third annual Jimmy V Week, a week-long initiative across multiple ESPN platforms and programs featuring special content to help raise funds for cancer research December 2-8.

Maybe I’m a bit optimistic, but I’ve got a good feeling this could be a win for our Hoosiers. The top three players for Pitt, Dejuan Blair, Sam Young and Levance Fields, are gone. And IU will no longer have to rely on Daniel Moore or Michael Santa to run the point. Is it time for Hoosier Hysteria yet? Hey, it was worth a shot.

DATE, DAY, OPPONENT, SITE, TIME, TV
Nov. 7, Friday, Anderson University (Exhib.), Bloomington, Ind., 7 p.m., BTN.com
Nov. 11, Tuesday, Bemidji State (Exhib.), Bloomington, Ind., 7 p.m., BTN.com
Nov. 15, Saturday, Northwestern State, Bloomington, Ind., 7 p.m., BTN
Nov. 18, Tuesday, IUPUI, Bloomington, Ind., 6:30 p.m., BTN

25th ANNUAL EA SPORTS MAUI INVITATIONAL
Nov. 24, Monday, Notre Dame, Maui, 5:30pm, ESPN2
Nov. 25, Tuesday, TBA, Maui, TBA, ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU
Nov. 26, Wednesday, TBA, Maui, TBA, ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU

Nov. 30, Sunday, Cornell, Bloomington, Ind., 4 p.m., BTN

ACC/BIG TEN CHALLENGE
Dec. 3, Wednesday, at Wake Forest, Winston-Salem, N.C., 7:15pm, ESPN

HARTFORD HALL OF FAME SHOWCASE (at Lucas Oil Stadium)
Dec. 6, Saturday, Gonzaga #, Indianapolis, Ind., 1:30 p.m., BTN

Dec. 10, Wednesday, TCU, Bloomington, Ind., 7 p.m., ESPN2
Dec. 13, Saturday, at Kentucky, Lexington, Ky., 4 p.m., CBS
Dec. 22, Monday, Northeastern, Bloomington, Ind., 9 p.m., BTN
Dec. 28, Sunday, Lipscomb, Bloomington, Ind., 6 p.m., BTN

One thing of note here: the Big Ten Network will be streaming all of IU’s exhibition games online, which I think is pretty neat. So if you’re stuck in the office late on Tuesday, Nov. 11, that Bemidji State matchup will be there to comfort you while you work on your Excel documents.

This year, I harbor no such illusions. It’s not that the schedule’s (view here) tougher — it’s that this IU team is so much less talented, so less lauded, and so obviously the first phase of long-term rebuilding. And that’s OK. We all know it. No one is setting the bar too high.

Merficully, the schedule doesn’t start with the impossible out-of-conference schedule Mike Davis saddled himself with. Tom Crean’s first Hoosier team will face only three early challenges in the non-conference portion: Notre Dame, Kentucky, and Wake Forest. Making matters worse, none of the three is at home; Notre Dame will be during the Maui Invitational, Wake Forest is in Wake Forest, and IU will travel to Lexington for the Wildcat revenge. Yikes.

Once the conference season starts, things don’t look much better. Instead of detailing the losses, let’s take a look at the games that we know — absolutely know — IU can win:

– Jan. 7 vs. Michigan
– Jan. 17 vs. Penn State
– Feb. 4 vs. Iowa

And that’s about it. (When I was taking some quick cursory notes about the schedule, next to Penn State I actually wrote “win!”, complete with the exclamation point, because I was so excited to be sure that IU could win one game. No Geary Claxton! Whoo!)

Then, of course, are the rivalry games. I don’t hold much hope for our one game against Purdue this season; the Boilermakers will be well-oiled and the game is at the (Bud) Mackey Arena. But as long as we get one — just one — of the two games with Illinois this year, I will be happy. Incredibly, deliriously happy. The rest is just a bonus.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Indiana University men’s basketball team could play as many as 11 teams which played in the 2008 NCAA Tournament during the coming season. The Big Ten Conference released its schedule today with times and television assignments listed for all 18 league games and will finalize times and television for each school’s non-conference schedule later this week. Each of the Hoosiers 30 regular season games will appear either on the Big Ten Network, CBS, ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU. IU will play 15 games in Assembly Hall, four games on a neutral court and 11 road games.

“Considering our circumstances, we are very thankful to have the opportunity to be on national television the number of times that we will be this season,” said first-year Coach Tom Crean. “The day-to-day coverage that our program will get via the Big Ten Network is so important for us. Not many programs have a 24-hour vehicle to exclusively reach so many alumni, family, friends and fans. We are very fortunate that there is so much interest in Indiana basketball.”

The Hoosiers will open up with four games in Assembly Hall hosting exhibition games November 7 (Anderson) and November 11 (Bemidji State). IU will then begin the regular season November 15 (Northwestern State) and also play November 18 (IUPUI) before heading to Hawaii to participate in the 25th Annual EA Sports Maui Invitational November 24-26.

In that event, the Hoosiers will face longtime rival Notre Dame in the first round and either Saint Joseph’s or Texas in their second game. North Carolina, Chaminade, Oregon and Alabama also are in the event which the Hoosiers won in 2002.

IU returns home November 30 (Cornell) and then goes on the road December 3 (Wake Forest) for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The Hoosiers will have the distinction of playing the first ever college basketball game in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on December 6 (Gonzaga) when it plays in the opening game of the Hartford Hall of Fame Classic. Ohio State and Notre Dame also will meet that day.

“It is a tremendous honor to play in Lucas Oil Stadium and we are excited to part of such a wonderful event,” said Crean.

The Hoosiers return home December 10 (TCU) and then go on the road December 13 (Kentucky) for its annual battle with the Wildcats. Following final exams, IU?will be at home on December 22 (Northeastern) and December 28 (Lipscomb). The Hoosiers open Big Ten action on the road January 3 (Iowa).

“This is an extremely challenging schedule when you consider the inexperience of our squad,” added Tom Crean. “It is a tough task to open conference play with three of four on the road and to finish away from home for two of the last three games, but that is the hand we were dealt and we have to move forward. Now more than ever in the history of the program, we are going to need our fans to rally and create a homecourt advantage in Assembly Hall.”

Notre Dame, Gonzaga, Saint Joseph’s, Texas, North Carolina, Oregon, Kentucky, Cornell and Big Ten foes Purdue, Michigan State and Wisconsin all were in the field of 64 in last year’s NCAA?Tournament.

We’ll have a complete breakdown and analysis of the schedule in the very near future.

Jan 3 – at Iowa, 4:30 pm, Big Ten Network
Jan 7 – vs Michigan, 6:30 pm, Big Ten Network
Jan 10 – at Illinois, 3 pm, Big Ten Network
Jan 13 – at Ohio State, 7 pm, ESPN
Jan 17 – vs Penn State, 6 pm, Big Ten Network
Jan 25 – vs Minnesota, Noon, Big Ten Network
Jan 28 – at Northwestern, 8:30 pm, Big Ten Network
Jan 31 – vs Ohio State, 4 pm, ESPN2
Feb 4 – vs Iowa, 6:30 pm, Big Ten Network
Feb 7 – at Michigan State, 4 pm, ESPN
Feb 10 – at Minnesota, 9 pm, Big Ten Network
Feb 15 – vs Illinois, 1 pm, CBS
Feb 19 – vs Wisconsin, 9 pm, ESPN/ESPN2
Feb 21/22 – at Purdue, TBA, TBA
Feb 25 – vs Northwestern, 6:30 pm, Big Ten Network
Feb 28 – at Penn State, 6 pm, Big Ten Network
March 3/4/5 – vs Michigan State, TBA, TBA
March 7/8 – at Wisconsin, TBA, TBA

Now that the Big Ten schedule has been released, expect an announcement soon from the IU Media Relations department regarding the full schedule for Tom Crean’s club.

Just to let you know, buried in the 750 page document submitted to the NCAA was this tidbit (in Section E9) that states that IU will be playing Gonzaga in the Hartford Hall of Fame Showcase game in Boston at the TD Banknorth Garden (I live in Boston so this is very exciting) on Dec 6, 2008. Don’t know if that was made public yet. Last year, this was a four-team doubleheader. Good solid OOC game for Crean’s boys. The below is lifted straight from the document:

Indiana University’s known television commitments for the 2008-09 men’s basketball season, beyond those covered generally by the Big Ten Conference are as follows:

November 24-26, EA Sports Maui Classic (3 games), ESPN

December 3, at Wake Forest (Big Ten/ACC Challenge), ESPN

December 6, vs. Gonzaga, Hall of Fame Showcase, ESPN

December 13, at Kentucky, CBS

Those of you starting to piece together a non-conference schedule for next season, you’re looking at a majority of the tough games right here. North Carolina, Texas, Alabama, Oregon and Notre Dame are among the possible opponents for IU in Maui. Wake Forest should be a top 15 team with their outstanding crop of freshman coming to Winston-Salem and most early preseason top 25 lists I’ve seen include Gonzaga. And it’s certainly never easy to play in Rupp Arena. While the Hoosiers will certainly take their lumps with this schedule, it’s nice to see a more competitive list of opponents being compiled after last season’s smorgasbord of bottom feeders.