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.