Criss Beyers, a local AAU coach who has run the tours for six years, learned late yesterday that the NCAA has “strongly advised” the Big Ten not to allow the annual tour to continue. Beyers said that the NCAA has had questions about the tour in recent years but has always ultimately declared it to be acceptable. Beyers wasn’t sure what precipitated the NCAA’s altered outlook on the tour.

Not much else to say about this. IU is at the mercy of the NCAA overlords until their punishment is announced. My personal take is that it’s a harmless event that gives fans across the state an opportunity to see the incoming players, but given the current climate in Bloomington, the NCAA will get its wish and the event will cease to exist. Bummer.

Aug. 2 or 4: Vincennes University 7 p.m.; Aug. 5: New Albany H.S. 7 p.m.; Aug. 6 : Carmel H.S. 7 p.m.

A fourth game, which would pit the new recruits against a team of ex-Hoosiers, might be played at Assembly Hall in late August. Admission to the games will be $5. All nine of Indiana’s incoming players who will be eligible to play next season are expected to participate.

Whenever a coaching change takes place, it’s never clear if events like this will continue, but it’s nice to see this will go on. Criss Beyers does an excellent job putting the event together and this year should be no different. And just like last year, Inside the Hall will be right there in the thick of things providing coverage for those of you who can’t be there.

Jordan Crawford, the second IU player to come from Hargrave Military Academy in the last two seasons, was ready to show off his game to the Hoosier faithful in attendance.

“It was good because I know a lot of them thought I couldn’t play. I was just looking to pass the ball to my teammates,” he said.

As far as what he’ll bring to the table come October, Crawford is looking to come in and contribute immediately.

“Penetration, leadership and a lot of assists,” the guard originally from Detroit said of what he’ll bring to the IU program.

The exhibition was also a great opportunity to get a look at 2008 commitment Bud Mackey from Scott County, KY.

Mackey is still working towards 100% health after surgery on his knee following Scott County’s run to a state championship last March.

He’s considered one of the favorites along with Darius Miller of Mason County for Mr. Basketball in 2008 in the Bluegrass state.

While he didn’t play much AAU over the summer, Mackey was thrilled with the opportunity to play with some his future IU teammates and in front of IU fans.

“It was great, they showed a lot of love and interest in the game. It was nice,” Mackey said.

Rick Bozich: Louisville Courier-Journal: Nights like last night are the reason this is the best college basketball area in the country. When I arrived at New Albany High School gym before 5:30 p.m. yesterday, there were already nearly a hundred people waiting outside, eager to be there when the doors opened at 6 for the scrimmage game between Indiana recruits and a group of Southern Indiana high school players.

To watch a scrimmage. Top that Tobacco Road. Don’t think so. …

Eli Holman showed he has the potential to give Sampson quality minutes around the basket. He’ll give D.J. White something he didn’t have last season — help on the glass and a guy who can allow White to go to the bench for a few minutes. Holman was the biggest surprise to me. He is more polished than I thought he would be. Nice tough. And he can really, really run.

Doug Wilson, Bloomington Herald-Times: Ellis, at 6-foot-5, has different skills than any Hoosier guard of recent years. He drew defenders to him and whipped the ball to open teammates. His stat line: 12 points, 14 assists, 16 rebounds. … The big question about Holman — besides his academic eligibility, which has now been resolved — has been his lack of polish offensively. All he did Thursday was score 30 points with 10 rebounds and six blocks.

Sure it was against smaller, less athletic players, but I saw Ben Allen play in a similar recruit game against similar players two years ago and have a lot of trouble capitalizing on his height advantage. The IU recruits lost that game.

No knock on Allen or any of the recent Hoosier big men, but none of them outside of D.J. White has had physical ability like Holman.

(It’s OK Doug — you can knock Ben Allen. We don’t mind.)

Jody Demling, Louisville Courier-Journal Recruiting: Mackey said he hoped the showing with his future teammates would end any speculation that he might be wavering on his commitment.

“I like the colors (of the Indiana jersey he was wearing),” Mackey said. “I’m an Indiana boy now. And it feels great.”

There’s a bit more scattered about the interwebs, but not as much of note. What’s universally evident is the palpable sense of excitment, even among those that are supposed to take stern, objective stances toward their teams. Can we just start the season already?

Also, yes, that is a photo of Eli Holman, and yes, he is likely to be my favorite player this year. In case you were wondering.

I was able to honor some of your requests for questions and I’ll be sure to include the answers where applicable.

As far as my closing thoughts for the evening, I’ve got quite a few to share with you. First off, Eli Holman has qualified and will suit up for the Hoosiers next season. That’s great news because the Richmond (CA) product will be a factor once the Big Ten season rolls around. His offensive game isn’t spectacular, but he can finish and he’ll help a great deal defensively because of how long he is.

DeAndre Thomas has dropped about 30 pounds since his arrival in Bloomington. He’s doing quite a bit of cardio work to shed the pounds.

Eric Gordon was spectacular once again. He showed why he is the top incoming freshman in the land. He’s also looking a bit stronger in the upper body since we last saw him in the Jordan Brand All-American game. For those of you who haven’t seen him in person, it’s a real treat and IU is fortunate to have a player of his caliber.

Jordan Crawford played well and since it was the first time I saw him, it’s the first time I can pass real judgment on the Hargrave Academy product. He’s got excellent court vision and gets up and down the floor very well. I expect he’ll contribute immediately.

Jamarcus Ellis was my favorite interview of the night. The Juco Player of the Year can score, rebound and pass. He’s definitely the slasher that IU needs. Most importantly, he’s a good kid who came to IU for the right reasons.

Brandon McGee is a blue collar player that does a lot of different things well. He likes to go inside and mix it up and he can also handle the ball a bit on the perimeter if need be.

Bud Mackey seemed thrilled to be at the game and he enjoyed the love from the IU fans. The lefty from Scott County should be a top contender for Mr. Basketball in the state of Kentucky.

And last, but certainly not least, Ray McCallum Jr. impressed me with his exceptional quickness. He’ll only be a sophomore at Bloomington North, but he’s already a high major target.

I hope you enjoyed the live blog coverage and make sure to check back over the next few days. There will certainly be plenty to talk about.

A special thanks to Mr. Lee Kelly of WNAS for making the necessary arrangements that will allow Inside the Hall to live blog the game. Mr. Kelly does an excellent job running the Radio and TV program at New Albany High School and is a first class individual.

As I told you yesterday, there is a good possibility that I’ll have the chance to talk to some of the recruits either before or after the game, so if you have any questions you’d like to have asked, please post them in the comments. No guarantees, but I’ll do my best.

I’ll update throughout the game, so just click below to continue reading and remember that once we’re underway, you’ll need to refresh to see the latest information. We’re live and blogging away, so click the link to continue and join the discussion. Enjoy!

5:53 pm: We’re here at New Albany High School and with still a hour to go before tip-off, there’s already probably a thousand people in the gym. The line outside of the gym to get in was ridiculous.

Scott County’s Bud Mackey is here warming up his lefty stroke. He’s also mingling with fans, taking pictures and signing autographs.

We also spoke briefly to New Albany’s Braydon Hobbs who told me he’s interested in Western Kentucky, Evansville, Indiana State and Valparaiso.

6:16 pm: The warmups have begun and the players have come in to a nice applause. Fans are actually going onto the court and getting autographs during warmups. This is quite a spectacle, folks.

6:32 pm: Doesn’t appear that Jamarcus Ellis made the trip or he’s still back in the locker room. Everyone else, including Mackey and McCallum Jr. are here and suited up. Jody’s got a bunch of pictures over at his blog, including a nice one of Bud wearing an Indiana jersey.

6:39 pm: The players just left the floor to a nice applause. 21 minutes to go until tip-off. The place is nearly full. You’d think New Albany and Jeff were about to square off.

6:50 pm: Jamarcus Ellis is in the building folks. 9 minutes until tip-off.

6:52 pm: Armon Bassett is here watching, signing autographs for some Hoosier fans. Brandon McGee is wearing #24, Eric Gordon #23, Ray McCallum Jr. #20, Eli Holman #32, Jordan Crawford #5, Jamarcus Ellis #13, Bud Mackey #22 and DeAndre Thomas #2. Bud Mackey just threw down a sick 360 in warmups.

7:04 pm: We’re just about ready to tip it off. Eli jumping center.

7:07 pm: So. Indiana stars are up 6-2 early. Gordon is 0-2 so far. Make that 9-2 on a three by former New Albany standout Ryan Wheeler.

7:10 pm: Gordon connects from NBA range and it’s now 12-9 So. Indiana stars. Make it 12-12 on another three by EJ.

7:12 pm: Jamarcus Ellis putback makes it 18-18 with 14:53 left in the first half. Ellis is making a killing on the boards so far. Gordon leading the way with 6 early points. McGee, Mackey and McCallum Jr. are all on the bench.

7:14 pm: Brandon McGee replaces DeAndre. Eric Gordon hits a nice fadeaway from the baseline.

7:17 pm: Mackey and Ray Jr. enter as the IU recruits now lead 29-22. Mackey’s first possession he went right to the basket and scored on a goaltend.

7:19 pm: DeAndre back in for Eli. The IU recruits are up 35-26 with 10:21 left in the first half. Ray McCallum Jr. is at the line for two free throws.

7:21 pm: Jamarcus Ellis enters for EJ (13 pts, 3 assists). The IU recruits lead 40-31.

7:23 pm: Believe the hype folks, Jamarcus Ellis is a playmaker. He can rebound well for a small forward/guard, sees the floor and he can go strong to the hoop. He’ll contribute immediately.

7:25 pm: Lance Stemler sighting. He’s standing underneath one of the baskets along with walk-on Adam Ahfeld. It’s 49-43 IU recruits.

7:28 pm: Jordan Crawford with a nice driving layup to make it 51-43. Crawford has nice court vision and long arms.

7:29 pm: Back to back monster dunks by Eli Holman. The lefty from Richmond, CA has 12 points and is making his presence known.

7:31 pm: Another putback by Jamarcus Ellis. He’s already got nine rebounds and eight points.

7:33 pm: Jordan Crawford finds Brandon McGee on the breakaway for a dunk. 61-50 IU recruits with 1:50 to go in the first half.

7:35 pm: It’s halftime and the IU recruits lead 66-57.

Some of my thoughts: Jamarcus Ellis will come in and immediately press for a starting position. There’s a reason he was the JUCO player of the year. Eli Holman can get up and down the floor and he can defend the paint. DeAndre Thomas looks to be slimming down as reported recently. Eric Gordon is being himself, scoring a lot of points and making a lot of dazzling plays. Brandon McGee is a solid, all-around, blue collar player that will fit in well with what Coach Kelvin Sampson likes to do. And finally, Jordan Crawford is a very special player.

Want to give a special thanks to Matt Denison of HoosierHillsHoops for helping coordinate the programs we were able to distribute at tonight’s contest.

There’s a crowd of fans on the court getting pictures and autographs with Lance Stemler and Armon Bassett.

7:47 pm: Second half is underway. Among those in the press area tonight are both Jody Demling of the Louisville C-J and Terry Hutchens from the Indianapolis Star.

7:50 pm: A long three by Jordan Crawford. He’s already looking better than brother Joe, a Kentucky guard, to me. IU recruits lead 74-59 on a three by Gordon.

7:52 pm: 78-66 with 16:21 to go. Not a lot of defense being played. Braydon Hobbs of New Albany just broke up an alley oop attempt from Jordan Crawford to Eric Gordon.

7:54 pm: Eric Gordon leading the way for the IU recruits for 20 points and four assists.

7:55 pm: Jamarcus Ellis connects with Jordan Crawford for a dunk to make it 80-68 with 13:58 remaining. Estimated crowd is 3,200.

7:56 pm: Eric Gordon doing what he does best, getting to the foul line. He connects on two from the stripe and has 24 points to lead all scorers. Bud Mackey and Ray Jr. re-enter.

7:59 pm: Eric Gordon stat count: 30 points, five rebounds and four assists. 3,200 impressed fans as well.

8:01 pm: Jamarcus Ellis with 10 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists. Pick him up in your fantasy league, if he’s still available. The kid can put up numbers.

8:03 pm: If you’re wondering about the score, it’s now 100-81. I can’t tell you enough about the praise from the media amongst me has given to Eric Gordon. He’s special folks, but you already know that.

8:05 pm: Eli Holman shows a nice touch and gets fouled. He’s now 9 for 9 from the field and completes the three-point play to make it 107-85.

8:07 pm: An easy dunk for Eli, he’s still perfect from the field. Mackey drains a three. I really like the Scott County junior’s game and he’s feeling the love from the New Albany crowd.

8:10 pm: 118-99, nasty dunk by Eric Gordon. The crowd loved every second of it.

8:12 pm: DeAndre Thomas shows he can get off the floor and throws one down. It’s 125-101 with 3:20 remaining.

8:13 pm: 36 for Eric Gordon. Eli Holman finally missed after hitting his first 11 shots. The game is just about over so I’m heading down to the floor to try and talk to some of the recruits. Hope you enjoyed the live blog and I’ll be back later on with more updates. It’s 134-104 with a minute left.

8:47 pm: Final was 140-106. I’ll have a final wrapup later with my thoughts.

Playing for the IU recruit team will be Eric Gordon, Jamarcus Ellis, Eli Holman, DeAndre Thomas, Brandon McGee and Jordan Crawford. Joining them will be Bloomington North sophomore-to-be Ray McCallum Jr. and 2008 verbal Bud Mackey from Scott County (KY).

They’ll square off with a team of locals from the Southern Indiana area. Of note for those in the New Albany area are current New Albany players Braydon Hobbs and Spencer Shannon. Logan Jones (committed to Valparaiso) from Madison will also participate.

It’s an excellent opportunity to get a first hand look at what’s on the horizon this upcoming season for Indiana Basketball so I encourage any of you in the area to come on out. For those who can’t attend, we’ll have a live blog, pictures, interviews (time permitting) and notes from the event.

After surfing the Web, I’ve scrounged up a few links of interest for Hoosier fans. I promise these will be somewhat entertaining, so go ahead and give ‘em a click.

- IU plans to honor Coach Hoeppner. {Indy Star}
- IU target and Lawrence North junior-to-be Stephan Van Treese selected for the Adidas basketball experience. {Indy Star}
- Now that we’re all talking about it, Big Ten commish Jim Delaney says expansion is unlikely. {Indy Star}
- IU tight end and former QB Blake Powers arrested. {IDS}
- Doug Gottlieb of the World Wide Leader (Free Insider, yipee!) reveals that it’s no secret USA Basketball stinks right now. {ESPN}

So long for now, happy Wednesday and my apologies for the Gottlieb picture.

I’ve also received quite a few e-mails asking for times and ticket information. When that information is available, I’ll be sure to pass it along.

By the way, Inside the Hall will be at the New Albany game and we hope to bring you live blog updates from the event. The details are not yet finalized, but it should be a good ol’ time. Like many of you, we can’t wait to get a look at the incoming class. I just hope the NCAA doesn’t come and kick us out.