Column: Game predictions

The 19th annual 2K Sports Classic — formerly known as the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic — will serve as the first litmus test for what is largely a young, inexperienced IU squad.

Prior to traveling to Madison Square Garden to participate in the championship bracket, the Hoosiers will play both LIU-Brooklyn and Stony Brook in Bloomington as part of the preliminary round.

Nov. 12 vs. LIU-Brooklyn
(W, 2-0)

Nov. 17 vs. Stony Brook
(W, 4-0)

Nov. 21 vs. Washington
(W, 5-0)

After playing a total of six games at Assembly Hall to begin the season — remember the Hoosiers played two exhibition games — IU will face the bright lights of the Mecca of Basketball: Madison Square Garden.

Though the consensus is that IU Coach Tom Crean’s young squad will falter, it’s not out of the question for the Hoosiers to earn a victory against a Washington team that has failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament in each of the past two seasons.

Regardless of if the Hoosiers knock off the Huskies, IU will be matched up with either Connecticut or Boston College.

Either team will hand Crean and Co. their first loss of the 2013-14 season — on a national stage to boot.

ACC-Big Ten Challenge
Dec. 3 at Syracuse (L, 6-2)

IU has a chance to avenge its early exit from last season’s NCAA Tournament when it travels to the Carrier Dome to take on an No. 8-ranked Syracuse team that flummoxed the Hoosiers with its maddening 2-3 zone defense during a 61-50 victory in the Sweet 16.

Not even the quartet of Victor Oladipo, Cody Zeller, Christian Watford and Jordan Hulls could consistently convert buckets against Syracuse’s stifling zone, effectively making the odds of this season’s Hoosiers avenging the loss drastically low.

Crossroads Classic
Dec. 14 vs. Notre Dame
(L, 8-3)

Though the Hoosiers will likely enjoy a home atmosphere at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis against preseason No. 21 Notre Dame, the Irish, featuring former McDonald’s All-America point guard Demetrius Jackson, will hand IU its third loss of the non-conference slate.

The loss would be the Hoosiers’ second in as many years at the Crossroads Classic, with then-No. 1 IU having been upset by Butler in an overtime thriller last season.

Start of Conference Play

Dec. 31 at Illinois (W, 11-3)

Having lost both D.J. Richardson and Brandon Paul to graduation, Illinois will be experiencing a youth movement comparable to that of IU.

Richardson and Paul played a key role in the Illini’s upset of then-No. 1 IU in Champaign, Ill., last season, combining for 44 of the team’s 74 total points.

Replacing that amount of scoring is a burdensome task, leading to the Hoosiers entering the new year 1-0 in conference play.

Jan. 4 vs. Michigan State (L, 11-4)

IU’s stellar freshman class will receive its first taste of the Big Ten when it faces the Spartans, who were tabbed as the nation’s second-ranked team in the preseason.

Forward Adreian Payne and guards Keith Appling and Garry Harris will provide a culture shock in an embarrassing home loss.

Jan. 11 at Penn State (W, 12-4)

Jan. 14 vs. Wisconsin (L, 12-5)

The one Big Ten team that has hounded Crean during his tenure at IU has been Wisconsin, which has defeated the Hoosiers in 10 consecutive meetings dating back to the 2008-09 season.

The Badgers’ desire to slow tempo and force opponents to play a half court game has been IU’s kryptonite during the Crean era.

With the Hoosier offense still in the process of gelling, Wisconsin will earn its second victory at Assembly in as many years.

Jan. 18 vs. Northwestern
(W, 13-5)

Jan. 21 at Michigan State
(L, 13-6)

Jan. 26 vs. Illinois
(W, 14-6)

Jan. 30 at Nebraska
(W, 15-6)

Feb. 2 vs. Michigan (L, 15-7)

IU’s most memorable home victory last season was against the Wolverines, who lost Tim Hardaway Jr. and Trey Burke to the NBA.

However, Michigan returns forwards Mitch McGary and Glenn Robinson III, a pair that will give IU fits one year to the day of last season’s meeting between the two schools at Assembly Hall.

Feb. 8 at Minnesota (W, 16-7)

Feb. 12 vs. Penn State (W, 17-7)

Feb. 15 at Purdue (W, 18-7)

In the lone matchup with its intrastate rival, IU will seek to extend its four-game winning streak against the Boilermakers.

With perhaps the most dominating big man in the conference in A.J. Hammons, the Hoosiers will be tested around the rim, though they’ll escape with a close, hard-fought game at Mackey Arena.

Feb. 18 vs. Iowa (W, 19-7)

Iowa boasts what may be the best post tandem in the nation with forward Aaron White and center Adam Woodbury manning the blocks.

Combined with one of the best scorers in the conference in Roy Devyn Marble, the Hawkeyes possess the firepower necessary to knock off the Hoosiers in Bloomington, though the Hawkeyes lack the athleticism to compete with the Hoosiers in transition.

Feb. 22 at Northwestern (W, 20-8)

Feb. 25 at Wisconsin (L, 20-9)

Mar. 2 vs. Ohio State (W, 21-9)

Though not a popular upset pick, the Hoosiers match up favorably against Ohio State Coach Thad Matta’s Buckeyes.

Last season’s loss to the Buckeyes on senior day will be avenged, as the Hoosiers match up favorably with the Buckeyes’ rather small but lengthy rotation.

Mar. 5 vs. Nebraska (W, 22-9)

Mar. 8 at Michigan (L, 22-10)

­— ckillore@indiana.edu
Follow columnist Connor Killoren on Twitter @IDS_CGKilloren.