But things changed, as they often do.

In the Hoosiers last two contests –  a win over Pittsburgh, the biggest win of Tom Crean’s tenure, and a solid showing against Kentucky, one of the best teams in the country — they’ve shot the ball better, played some great zone defense and turned the ball over at a lesser rate. They’re starting to look like they belong. And so I think expectations are back where they were to start the season: this team, with an influx of talent and new faces, has enough going for it where, at their ceiling, they might be able to hit .500. As you can see with the use of the italics here, I stress might. Because heading into Big Ten play, IU will likely be 7-5. Which means the Hoosiers are going to have to go 8-10 during Big Ten play — I’m not counting the Big Ten tourney here — to finish the season at 15-15. Is this out of the realm of possibility? No. Is it likely? Probably not. It’s a safer bet to project IU in the 10-14 win range right now.

For as many strides as IU has made in their last two outings, the likes of Illinois, Purdue, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Wisconsin and yes, even Northwestern all look like good teams right now, better teams than IU right now. Penn State, Michigan and Iowa are the only Big Ten squads playing a brand of ball IU shouldn’t feel too threatened by at the moment. (Good, then, that the Hoosiers start conference play against the Wolverines at home at the end of the month.)

So yes: the doom and gloom that followed those four losses in five games, the questioning of Tom Crean’s coaching, the whining about this team not being able to figure it out has ceased a bit. We’re back on level. Let’s just not get too carried away just yet.

Nov. 4 – North Alabama (exhibition) Bloomington, Ind. 12 p.m. TBA
Nov. 10 – Pembroke State (exhibition) Bloomington, Ind. 8 p.m. TBA
Nov. 12 – UT-Chattanooga Bloomington, Ind. 7 p.m. TBA

CHICAGO INVITATIONAL CHALLENGE
Nov. 18 – Longwood Bloomington, Ind. 12 p.m. TBA
Nov. 20 – UNC Wilmington Bloomington, Ind. 7 p.m. TBA
Nov. 23 – Illinois State Hoffman Estates, Ill 8:30 p.m. TBA
Sears Centre
Nov. 24 – Xavier/Kent State Hoffman Estates, Ill 6/8:30 p.m. TBA
Sears Centre

ACC-BIG TEN CHALLENGE
Nov. 27 – Georgia Tech Bloomington, Ind. 7 p.m. TBA

Dec. 1 – at Southern Illinois Carbondale, Ill. 9:30 p.m. TBA
Dec. 3 – Tennessee State Bloomington, Ind. 7 p.m. TBA
Dec. 8 – Kentucky Bloomington, Ind. 4 p.m. TBA
Dec. 15 – Western Carolina Bloomington, Ind. 8 p.m. TBA
Dec. 22 – Coppin State Bloomington, Ind. 12 p.m. TBA
Dec. 29 – Chicago State Bloomington, Ind. 7 p.m. TBA

BIG TEN SCHEDULE
Jan. 2 – at Iowa Iowa City, Iowa 9 p.m. BTN
Jan. 8 – at Michigan Ann Arbor, Mich. 7 p.m. ESPN
Jan. 13 – Illinois Bloomington, Ind. 1/4:30 p.m. CBS
Jan. 17 – at Minnesota Minneapolis, Minn. 9 p.m. ESPN/ESPN 2
Jan. 20 – Penn State Bloomington, Ind. 2 p.m. BTN
Jan. 23 – Iowa Bloomington, Ind. 9 p.m. BTN
(non-conf.) Jan. 26 – Connecticut Bloomington, Ind. 1 p.m. TBA
Jan. 31 – at Wisconsin Madison, Wisc. 9 p.m. ESPN/ESPN2
Feb. 3 – Northwestern Bloomington, Ind. 12 p.m. BTN
Feb. 7 – at Illinois Champaign, Ill. 9 p.m. ESPN/ESPN2
Feb. 10 – at Ohio State Columbus, Ohio 1 p.m. CBS
Feb. 13 – Wisconsin Bloomington, Ind. 7 p.m. BTN
Feb. 16 – Michigan State Bloomington, Ind. 9 p.m. ESPN
Feb. 19 – Purdue Bloomington, Ind. 7 p.m. ESPN
Feb. 23 – at Northwestern Evanston, Ill. 8 p.m. BTN
Feb. 26 – Ohio State Bloomington, Ind. 7 p.m. ESPN
March 2 – at Michigan State East Lansing, Mich. 12 p.m./2 p.m. BTN/CBS
March 5 – Minnesota Bloomington, Ind. TBD BTN/ESPN/ESPN2
March 8 or 9 – at Penn State University Park, Pa. 3 p.m. BTN/ESPN/CBS

POSTSEASON
March 13-16 – Big Ten Tournament Indianapolis, Ind. TBD BTN/CBS
March 20-22
or March 21-23 – NCAA Tournament First and Second Rounds
March 27-29
or March 28-30 – NCAA Regionals

April 5-7 – NCAA Final Four, Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas

All times are EST and subject to change

So: thoughts? Predictions?