IU men's basketball schedule released

When IU men’s basketball begins its 2013-14 season Nov. 8 against Chicago State, the team will lack the No. 1 ranking and prospective top NBA draft picks who graced the team’s roster just one year ago.

With six freshmen and just a single returning starter from last year’s squad, the road will be tough for the Hoosiers to stay seated atop the Big Ten like they finished last season.

But with the release of the 2013-14 regular season schedule Wednesday afternoon, it’s now official IU will play almost as many games under the national spotlight.

Even without a national title contender in Bloomington, the Hoosiers will still get their chance to shine, something IU Coach Tom Crean said he’s proud of.

“We always want as much television exposure as possible, especially at home,” Crean said in a statement. “We have had so many memorable moments the past couple of years. It has been great to be able to share that with as many fans as possible.”

Every game during academic session is sold out, though fans can still buy four-game mini-series tickets during winter break.

But before fall semester ends, IU will travel to Madison Square Garden to play in the 2K Sports Classic Nov. 21-22 against Washington, and either Boston College or UConn.

During Thanksgiving Break, the Hoosiers will play arguably their toughest home non-conference battle of the season against Evansville Nov. 26.

After playing host to North Carolina last season for the Big Ten–ACC Challenge, Crean will have to try and devise a better answer to Syracuse’s vaunted 2-3 zone that ended Indiana’s season abruptly in Washington D.C. last season in the Sweet 16.

The Hoosiers open Big Ten play again this season on the road New Year’s Eve, this time with a 3 p.m. matchup with Illinois in Champaign, Ill. Four days later, they open the home conference slate with a game against Tom Izzo and Michigan State, where Crean coached as an assistant before his first head-coaching job at Marquette.

IU students will get their first look at the Hoosiers in conference play against Wisconsin Jan. 14 in the team’s first ESPN Super Tuesday appearance of the season.

This season, though, Hoosier fans won’t get the chance to fill Assembly Hall with boos directed towards Purdue players. The Hoosiers play their in-state rival only once, an away matchup Feb. 15 at Mackey Arena.

Seniors Will Sheehey, Jeff Howard and Taylor Wayer and graduate-student transfer Evan Gordon will give their goodbye speeches March 5 on Senior Night after the Hoosiers take on Nebraska in the second-to-last game of the regular season.

Conference play will finish up once again in Ann Arbor, Mich. against the Wolverines.

Although that game was full of storylines last season — including deciding the Big Ten regular season champion — Crean said he and his players won’t have any time to focus on that game yet.

With a tough conference slate and games against Syracuse and Notre Dame as well, Crean said his squad has to give each game its full attention and preparation if they want to have a chance to reach the success levels of the past two
seasons.

“As far as our conference schedule, there is a reason it is the toughest league in the country,” Crean said in a statement. “You don’t look ahead. Each game takes on its own meaning.”

Follow reporter Nathan Brown on Twitter @nathan_brown10.