ESPN Men's Basketball

Needless to say, by the time the news was announced Tuesday afternoon, this was not exactly the shock of the century.

Early Tuesday morning, Mike Brey told our own Andy Katz that Notre Dame had agreed to extend its commitment to the Crossroads Classic -- a four-team event featuring Hoosier heavies Indiana, Purdue, Butler and ND -- for another two years, into 2013 and 2014. Even before that, despite the expiration of the current agreement this season, no one really expected the event to go away. It was assumed the four schools would agree to keep the thing going, one way or the other.

The reason for that is the same reason the official news, as announced by the four schools, is so very welcome: The Crossroads Classic is an event too good not to continue.

Last season's inaugural edition went about as well as anyone could have hoped. The games weren't classics (though Butler's comeback victory over Purdue was certainly exciting), but the event itself was a welcome throwback to the original, organized and hosted by Tony Hinkle at Butler from 1948-51 and from 1957-60. It took the schools 50 years to put a similar event together again, but when they did, they got it right. All four athletics programs teamed together to host the Classic themselves, as opposed to outsourcing it to the Gazelle Group or one of the other patrons, and because they did so they were able to put the games in Conseco Fieldhouse, an actual basketball arena, while splitting the profits evenly among the four.

The end result showcased the collective culture of Indiana basketball. The impulse to gather in Indianapolis and square off on the hardwood -- the same impulse that has made the sport an obsession in the state, even at the high school level, for almost as long as it's been played -- was on full display. Everyone booed IU fans, because that's what other basketball fans from Indiana do. It was just fun, you know?

So, no, it was no shock Tuesday to see the four schools extend their sensible agreement through the 2014 season. But it was excellent to see. In a sport where scheduling too happily tosses aside monumental rivalries for the sake of individual gain (or, if you prefer, "protection" of a "nontraditional program"), the no-nonsense extension of the Crossroads Classic was a small but refreshing change of pace. May it ever be so.

Dwyane Wade's relationship with IU coach Tom Crean is well-established. Crean coached Wade during his breakout seasons at Marquette from 2001 to 2003, the latter of which included a run to the Final Four and a junior season that established Wade as a top-five pick in 2003's legendarily loaded NBA draft. (The top five picks that year went like this: LeBron James, Darko Milicic, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Wade. Chris Kaman was drafted No. 6. Oh, Darko. Poor, poor Darko.) The two have remained close since, but both have busy schedules, and not much occasion to spend quality time.

Wade found such an occasion this weekend. On Thursday, in a 95-74 loss to the Indiana Pacers, Wade became the first player since Eric Snow in 2001 to record five or more turnovers and five or or fewer points, rebounds and assists (min. 35 minutes), according to ESPN Stats and Information. Wade was stymied in ways we rarely see, ways that I have to admit (as both a Bulls fan and someone who kind of hates the way Wade plays, all pump-fakes and sprawling appeals for fouls and half-limping walks to the free throw line) were thoroughly satisfying to watch.

But they didn't last for long. Wade submitted an excellent performance in Sunday's crucial 101-93 win at Indiana, with 30 points, nine rebounds and six assists. (James, meanwhile, went for 40 points, 18 rebounds and nine dimes, one of the most incredible playoff performances you will ever see.) What changed? Wade had fluid drained from his knee, so that surely helped. But he also made a stop in Bloomington, Ind. to talk shop with Crean, which he discussed in his postgame news conference Sunday:

“I really spent time with a mentor of mine, a father figure and had a long day and long hours of just conversation, just talking about a lot of things,” Wade said. “So it was great for me to just get away and kind of get that energy that I needed from him.”

Naturally, at least one photo of Wade and his former coach on the floor at Assembly Hall has surfaced. The association is a positive one for Indiana, obviously; as John Calipari at Kentucky has shown, few things are more attractive to young recruits than a relationship with established NBA stars like Wade and James. Even better, Crean had film footage of Wade's made and missed shots, so the visit was a tangibly productive one, too.

In any case, the most surprising thing about all of this is what Wade wore to Bloomington. As you can see in the linked photo, Wade is wearing a Heat windbreaker with khaki pants. There is nary a pastel suit or fuschia pocket square to be seen. Given the man's sartorial track record, I have to say I'm pretty disappointed.

(Hat tip: Inside the Hall)

Incoming freshmen should anticipate major adjustments at the Division I level. The players are bigger, stronger and faster.

But the uptick in competition is only part of the transition from high school to college. The 21st-century college basketball player should understand off-court expectations, too.

They're all about adhering to proper swagger etiquette.

I hope you all have notepads ready. Here’s what you’ll need to get ready for Division I basketball off the floor:

• An Instagram account: Twitter is so 2011. These days, college basketball players send messages through photos via Instagram. It’s a cool tool. You take photos, attach a brief memo and ship the image to the world. Or if you’re Jared Sullinger, you send photos of text-message exchanges with other All-America forwards. You need this. Trust me.
• Friendships with rappers: Blame Notre Dame’s Skylar Diggins. Lil Wayne’s highly publicized crush on the talented guard dramatically increased her street cred and Twitter follower count. Jay-Z sat behind Kentucky’s bench during the Final Four. Romeo Miller (the onetime Lil' Romeo who now just goes by Romeo) didn’t just support USC basketball. He actually joined the team. Find a rapper. Become his friend.
• Fashionable specs: I know. You have 20/20 vision. Doesn’t matter. This is all about style. I learned about this recent development in college basketball fashion from Michigan State’s Adreian Payne. He says his black glasses project sophistication. It’s either that or an affinity for Clark Kent.
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Kelly Kline/Getty ImagesNerlens Noel brings a signature coif to Kentucky ... but does he have the right backpack?
• The Kevin Durant backpack: Throw the gym bag in the trash. That’s old school. You need a backpack. Not a normal backpack. You won’t haul anything in it. You need a backpack that’s also a fashion statement. Durant’s backpack -- one he wears to postgame press conferences -- started this trend.
• Access to a state-of-the-art facility: Florida State’s players get access to their team’s practice facility by placing their hands on some sort of “Star Trek” detection device. Indiana’s facility features underwater treadmills in the training room, his and hers gyms for the men’s and women’s squads and an atrium that doubles as a museum for Indiana basketball. Players’ lounges -- think college kids bonding, not “Shaft” -- are standard, too. And then, there’s Oklahoma State’s basketball facility. Is that legal?
• Trend-setting hair: Nerlens Noel is covered. But what about the rest of the incoming freshmen? Will your hair matter? It definitely did for Wisconsin’s Mike Bruesewitz. Stores in Madison sell wigs of his former curly-afro look. Still waiting for the cornrows version. The hair on top of St. Louis guard Jordair Jett’s head can only be described as majestic. Talk to your barber about this.
• Beats by Dre headphones: Yes, they’re $300 headphones, but a multitude of college players wears them and, somehow, purchases them. They’re a necessity, I guess. You either have a pair of mammoth Beats by Dre headphones or you don’t wear headphones in public as a Division I basketball player. I don’t think the headphones offer a real advantage over their competitors. But, they’re the norm for college basketball players. The obsession with Dr. Dre’s headphones among NBA players has certainly trickled down. Even high school players demand them now. Put it on the shopping list.

Feel free to add on …

This morning, my man Myron Medcalf honed in on the Indiana Hoosiers. He spoke with coach Tom Crean about Cody Zeller's similarities to Andrew Luck -- which go deeper than "they're both really good" -- and the massive preseason expectations the Hoosiers will face in the run up to the 2012-13 season. Crean is handling the preseason expectations how you'd, ahem, expect -- by trying to instill some perspective in his players, who he believes aren't "caught up" in the hype for next season:

"When you’re immersed in it, you stay in your own reality. And our reality is we’ve got a long way to go to get where we want to go. We’re going to have upwards of eight freshmen and sophomores on this team next year. Obviously, one of them is Cody [Zeller] but still, he’s only going to be a sophomore. And the bottom line for us is we’ve got to get a lot of guys meshed into this team."

Of course, he's right. That goes not only for Indiana's chances of competing for a Final Four spot or a national title, but also for winning the Big Ten, which will again be the nation's best conference in 2012-13.

Indiana is the early favorite to win the league, but it's hardly a guarantee. At least two other teams, the Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines, are fully justified in having Big Ten title aspirations. Both teams will arguably have as much talent on their rosters as the Hoosiers.

As expected, Ohio State lost Jared Sullinger to the NBA draft, and shooting guard William Buford graduated this spring. But the Buckeyes -- thanks to Thad Matta's excellent 2011 recruiting class -- have big-time players waiting in the wings.

Center Amir Williams was infrequently used in his freshman season, but was the No. 4 center in his recruiting class. He should be ready, after a year of Sully apprenticeship, to take on big minutes and a major role on both ends of the floor. Swingman Sam Thompson could experience a similar sophomore boost, and point guard Shannon Scott will take on a bigger share of minutes playing behind and alongside starting point guard Aaron Craft. Sophomore small forward LaQuinton Ross missed his entire freshman season due to academic issues, but he could play a role as well.

Plus, the remaining starters are awfully good. Deshaun Thomas is one of the nation's most versatile scoring threats who rounded out his game throughout an excellent sophomore season, while Craft remains the nation's best perimeter defender, bar none. Offense may be a struggle for these Buckeyes early in the season, but their sterling ballhawking defense, a trademark of Matta's teams at OSU, isn't going anywhere.

Michigan will be no less talented. Coach John Beilein got the best news of his offseason when he learned that Big Ten Freshman of the Year (media) Trey Burke would eschew the NBA draft and return to school. Burke is a fantastically intelligent, savvy player, and his efficiency statistics (he posted a 105.3 offensive rating in 2012) will only get better as he improves his outside shooting and cuts down on the turnovers that occasionally marred his proclivity (as evidenced by his 28.7 percent assist rate) for the art of the dime. Shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. could be one of the nation's most polished perimeter scorers as a junior.

Beilein will mesh his leftover talent -- from a team that won a share of its first Big Ten title since the mid-80s, no less -- with the two best recruits of his Michigan tenure. Glenn Robinson III, the son of former NBA star Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson (we agreed we are calling Robinson III "Little Big Dog," yes?) is ranked No. 18 overall in the class of 2012. He has drawn raves from ESPNU's scouts for his "freakish athleticism" and ability to score from the perimeter, off the dribble and in the mid-range. His longtime friend and fellow incoming freshman, power forward Mitch McGary, was once considered the second-best prospect in the class of 2012. He's slipped since then, but only to No. 27 overall in the class, and he promises to be a force in his first season for the Wolverines.

The loss of shooters Stu Douglass, Zack Novak and Evan Smotrycz, and the addition of Robinson and McGary (as well as the return of forward Jon Horford from injury) present Beilein with an interesting but altogether welcome problem: These Wolverines won't be a typical Beilein team. They will attack the glass and pound the paint far more often, if only out of necessity. And with all those weapons, they'll be very difficult to stop.

Then there's Michigan State. The Spartans lost their heart and soul in senior forward Draymond Green, but the rest of the picture is bright: Point guard Keith Appling is back, as are forwards Adreian Payne and Derrick Nix. Impressive freshman guard Branden Dawson saw his season end after tearing an ACL in early March; his return will be tentative throughout the year. The good news? Tom Izzo beat out Indiana and Purdue to land the No. 2-ranked shooting guard in the class, Gary Harris, and will add three top-100 players (power forwards Kenny Kaminski and Matt Costello and small forward Denzel Valentine) to a team positively brimming with big, tough, athletic players. If the Spartans can do without Green -- and that's a valid question, given how much he meant to this program -- and rebound the ball at a similar rate as in 2012, they're legitimate Big Ten contenders, too.

Then there are the usual suspects: Wisconsin is Wisconsin, and Bo Ryan still hasn't finished worse than fourth place, or missed the NCAA tournament, in any season of his 11 seasons at the school. Minnesota will get Trevor Mbakwe, one of the nation's most bruising power forwards (now on his sixth-year medical redshirt season), back from last year's season-ending ACL injury. Purdue coach Matt Painter will bring in three top-100 players (center A.J. Hammons, shooting guard Rapheal Davis and point guard Ronnie Johnson, all three of whom hail from Indiana), an influx of size and young talent to build around. Iowa coach Fran McCaffery hauled in his best recruiting class, including Iowa native Adam Woodbury, the No. 10-ranked center in 2012. Northwestern has Drew Crawford and a spate of solid guards to put around senior transfer Jared Swopshire, an athletic former Louisville forward who could be a perfect fit for Bill Carmody's Princeton system.

You get the idea. Not all of these teams will contend for the Big Ten regular-season title. But most of them will. At the very least, the conference is sure to have a deep spate of teams determined to make any path to the Big Ten crown less a sprint than a drawn-out, physical scrum. Remember when Kentucky went undefeated in its league, with a massive efficiency margin to boot? Yeah. That ain't happenin' here.

Indiana is the favorite, and an obvious pick to get to the Final Four, and for good reason. But before the Hoosiers can turn their attention to the glories of March, they'll have to test their mettle for months on a twice-weekly basis against the best league in the country. That can be a good thing, or a bad one. It can be galvanizing experience, or a humbling one. Either way, nothing will come easy.

Indiana won three Big Ten games during the 2010-11 season. In the months leading up to the 2012-13 campaign, however, Tom Crean’s program has been pegged as a favorite to win the national title.

Crean talked to ESPN.com about next season’s team, his talented recruiting class and the expectations attached to the program.

How do you feel about the lofty preseason projections and rankings for your program?

Tom Crean: It’s really not to me what others would think. We don’t spend a lot of time on it. I spend more time looking at who else is ranked and how many times we have to play them. I don’t think in those terms and we certainly don’t work in those terms. It’s not like I dread it, it’s not like anybody shies away from it.

When you’re immersed in it, you stay in your own reality. And our reality is we’ve got a long way to go to get where we want to go. We’re going to have upwards of eight freshmen and sophomores on this team next year. Obviously, one of them is Cody [Zeller], but still, he’s only going to be a sophomore. And the bottom line for us is we’ve got to get a lot of guys meshed into this team.

If I felt like we had a group of guys who were caught up in that, then I’d be dealing with it a lot differently. But I don’t. I think it’s motivating them and it’s inspiring them to get better.

How will you get your talented recruiting class to blend with the returning players on your squad?

TC: I think for us, it’s going to be a combination of us putting even more on the incoming players this spring. We went into some of their schools in our last recruiting period to really kind of assess where they’re at, watching a lot of film … making sure now when they get here, we’ve got a real plan for how this team really starts to come together.

And that our upperclassmen, even the sophomores, do a great job of getting them immersed and feel a responsibility for them. And not just as buddies and future teammates but a real responsibility for these guys to get here and get immersed in the culture of our program.

What’s the expectation for Victor Oladipo (10.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg) next season?

TC: Just continuing to improve in all areas. There’s no question, his shooting and his range shooting. He’s a very good shooter; he’s got to become a more confident shooter. That the ballhandling continues to improve where his decision-making and his finishing become outstanding. He’s got to become a tremendous decision-maker for us and at the same time, he’s got to be an even better finisher.

He still misses too many shots he should make. Now he’s got to make those things against pressure. He has a flair for the dramatic and he has the ability to make some really tough shots. … The other thing I think he has to become is an even better all-the-time on-ball defender. He should be in the conversation for one of the best defenders in America.

Christian Watford had a great NCAA tournament and flirted with the NBA draft. How did he ultimately reach the decision to return and what’s his potential for next season?

TC: I was locked in the process. We were locked in the process with him of trying to help him be able to get drafted. I knew it was very important to have that opportunity to go. But I also knew he was looking at it with both eyes wide open, as was his family.

And when you look at it sideways and you look at it with rose-colored glasses, that’s when you make mistakes. And I’d have been a lot more concerned if I wasn’t doing that. He was looking at it with both eyes wide open. And that made the process that much smoother.

We got a lot of information from the decision-makers. … He saw every note that I took. He saw every word that I wrote down of what people said. And I really don’t hold anything back from them. Right now, he’s got to continue to get his strength. He had a heel issue during the year that we want to make sure his body continues to heal the right way. ... Take his shooting up another notch. And then, he’s really got to establish that he’s going to be a very, very good rebounder and that that skill will transfer to the next level.

He needs to be a better rebounder for us. But at the same time, he needs to be a proven, legit, tough rebound guy for the next level. And then I think he has to continue to build on what he did defensively this season. … He’s got to prove that he can guard anybody on that perimeter.

You have a talented incoming recruiting class (No. 10 on ESPN 100). How many players from that group will make an immediate impact?

TC: I wouldn’t break it down that way. I wouldn’t do that with them. I think everybody brings something different. And when you look at the rankings and where things are laid out, those rankings are there for a reason. These guys have done some really great things.

It won’t matter once they get here. It’s how they blend. It’s how they fit in. It’s the work ethic that they provide. There’s no doubt that we’re really trying to build a deep team … one where we can really get out and be far better defensively. If we’re far better defensively, there’s no doubt we’re going to be far better offensively.

The guys that figure out that the best when they get here will be the guys that have the best impact on our team.

Last week, the Indianapolis Colts made Andrew Luck the first overall pick in the NFL draft. By most accounts, the former Stanford star is the prototypical NFL quarterback. He’s smart, versatile, strong and accurate.

Jim Harbaugh, who coached Luck in college, helped him develop into a Heisman Trophy candidate prior to leaving Stanford for the San Francisco 49ers gig.

According to Indiana head coach Tom Crean, Harbaugh’s brother-in-law, the NFL head coach believes Hoosiers star Cody Zeller “can be like Luck.”

He’s not switching sports.

But Crean said he’s talked to Harbaugh about the intellectual and physical similarities between Zeller and Luck.

“Our conversations have centered on how [Zeller] got so much better with poise under pressure, reading situations, being able to adjust quickly inside of a game, inside of a possession by possession, much like it is for a young man like Andrew Luck who a lot of times, it wasn’t a situation where they made the adjustment at halftime, they made the adjustment before the next series,” Crean said. “And I think those are the kind of things that stand out.”

Most freshmen are raw in some area of the game. Even Anthony Davis had flaws.

But first-year bigs have the most difficult adjustment at the Division I level. They're accustomed to being the biggest and/or strongest players at the prep level.

Zeller seemed to skip those traditional hiccups. He has great footwork. He doesn’t make many mistakes. And it seemed as though he always knew his options whenever he touched the ball during a freshman campaign that ended with Big Ten freshman of the year honors (coaches). Zeller averaged 15.6 ppg and 6.6 rpg in his first season.

He’ll be a top candidate for the Wooden Award next year. And he could be the top pick in the 2013 NBA draft. He’s No. 2 in nbadraft.net’s current 2013 mock draft.

He’s a talented presence inside but he’s also a solid ball-handler and passer. Crean said Zeller will showcase even more of his versatility next year.

Luck ended his college career amid praise for the diversity within his game.

Crean said he’ll use Zeller in new ways next season and people will see that’s he’s more than a traditional big man.

“There’s a play that Andrew Luck had during the season when he took off and made a run that was incredible. I think it would make any running back proud,” Crean said. “And I think people will see that [versatility] next year. [Zeller has] been in the pick-and-roll, the three weeks of our offseason program, as much as Jordan Hulls or Victor Oladipo has been when it comes to having the basketball in his hands. It’s all about expanding your game, bringing confidence to your game and really being able to transfer that learning and that confidence to the court.”

The Hoosiers are No. 1 in ESPN.com’s early preseason Top 25 poll. And they should enter the year with a Top-3 slot in every major poll once the 2012-13 season begins.

With Zeller, Christian Watford and a top recruiting class on its way to Bloomington, the Hoosiers could contend for the national title next year.

The same way Stanford’s operation revolved around Luck’s production, Crean said, the Hoosiers will rely on Zeller. And he’s confident Zeller can handle that responsibility, despite the new expectations that have been placed on the program.

“[Zeller and Luck have] that unrelenting desire to get better and Andrew had so many different things he was good at, but he was always putting his ability to get football better for him [first], even in the offseason, whether it be the film, whether it be the extra work, the weight work,” Crean said. “When you have a high, high-level player like [Harbaugh] has with Andrew Luck and like we believe we have with Cody, you want to keep stretching them and pushing them and expanding their game as much as possible.”

Had Zeller decided to go pro this summer, he would have been a lottery pick. But he never really flirted with the idea of leaving.

From the first day he stepped onto campus, Zeller wanted more than a one-and-done experience. Harbaugh told Crean that Zeller possessed the same determination throughout his collegiate career.

And it started at home for both players.

Luck’s father played quarterback in the NFL. That pedigree proved beneficial during his collegiate career.

Crean said Zeller’s basketball heritage -- two brothers, Luke and Tyler, were high-level Division I basketball players -- also helped prepare him for the next level.

“Cody comes from an outstanding family of people that have done it. He’s been extremely well coached. But he’s so grounded,” Crean said. “When I look at Andrew Luck, I see someone that’s highly efficient and yet very grounded, but intense as can be. And I think when you see Cody, there’s an intensity, there’s an emotion to him but he doesn’t play emotional.”

1. Louisville coach Rick Pitino said in a text Tuesday night that Indiana and Louisville couldn’t get a date set to schedule a game next season. Indiana coach Tom Crean wasn’t ready to close the door in his response, saying he wasn’t sure. But Pitino said he’s now trying to start the home-and-home series in 2013-14, which is a shame considering that the two teams could be ranked 1-2 to start next season. Indiana still has a few more games to schedule.

2. Missouri still might have landed Jordan Clarkson without restrictions put on his transfer from Tulsa. In a statement, the Golden Hurricane wouldn’t detail why there were restricted schools like Texas. Somehow, Tulsa escaped national criticism for the way it handled Clarkson. Mizzou coach Frank Haith has five transfers eligible next season, then Clarkson in 2013-14; the use of transfers is helping the Tigers avoid a rebuilding phase. The schools that get these transfers, though, shouldn’t ever block one of their own from seeking a new home.

3. Denver’s plan, according to a source, is to try to convince the remaining WAC members (Idaho, New Mexico State, Boise State and Seattle) that they should stay together to keep the league’s automatic NCAA tournament berth. The WAC could then add available Utah Valley and Cal State Bakersfield. The problem is that NMSU and Idaho will need a home for football and Boise State now would rather be in the Big West or, if the Big East were to fail, head back to the Mountain West. And, according to a source, if Denver had its choice, the Pioneers would go to the stable and all-private WCC.

In an ideal world, Indiana and Kentucky would meet at some point this coming December, preferably in Rupp Arena (but a neutral floor would be fine, too!). We'd get to see two bitter adjacent state rivals square off in a matchup with massive emotional and practical implications, populated with future NBA talent, coached by two of the best in the game.

Of course, ours is not an ideal world. There are reasons -- some of them good, even -- why Kentucky and Indiana won't match up on the floor in 2012-13. But those reasons are about what's good for Kentucky and Indiana specifically, rather than the sport of college basketball generally. That's the biggest drag about all this. The sport deserves this game. We've had it since 1969. Now on the precipice of brilliance, the rivalry dies, and all because of an expanded SEC schedule and some mutual stubbornness and John Calipari's "protection" of his "nontraditional" program.

I'll be honest: Some part of me hoped the outrage from both programs' fan bases would be so loud that Calipari and Crean would realize the error of their ways, schedule a peace accord at the Galt House, and find a way to make this thing happen. Instead, both sides seem to have dug in. Besides, it's not like either fan base is about to criticize their coach. Both are head over heels in love; Crean just resurrected Indiana from the abyss, and Calipari just won a national title. ("Blind faith" doesn't begin to describe the comments on his blog.)

So, no, Kentucky-Indiana isn't happening. I've officially abandoned all hope. Which means I'm ready to settle on the next best thing. As Andy Katz reported in his 3-Point Shot this morning, that next best thing may indeed involve the Louisville Cardinals and one Rick Pitino. From Andy:

Louisville coach Rick Pitino said he wants to play Indiana next season. Hoosiers coach Tom Crean confirmed that the two sides are discussing the idea of a home-and-home series. “This is something we have to consider,’’ Crean said. [...]

“The polls have us 1 and 2,’’ Pitino said. “It would be good for us to have a game a 1-[hour], 45-[minute] bus ride away. It would be good for college basketball.’’

Any time Pitino and Calipari are mentioned in the same 800 words, there's a tendency to assume everything either is saying is intended to tweak the opposite number. And that may indeed be the case here; from a public relations standpoint, Pitino knows exactly what he's doing.

But guess what? I don't care! Because Pitino is right: Indiana-Louisville would be good for college basketball. It doesn't carry the same longstanding rivalry cachet as Indiana-Kentucky, and fans surely wouldn't be quite as rabid for this game as IU-UK, but that dream is dead. In its place is an opportunity for both teams to add a marquee, top-5 matchup, for fans to get to see two of the nation's best teams play early in the college hoops calendar. In a sport that has increasingly been marginalized by an awkward TV schedule and an apathetic approach to much of the regular season, that is a good thing.

It is also the long view. Crean and Calipari may not need the IU-UK game in any obvious tangible way, but discontinuing it in such fashion paints a picture of two programs who have lost the forest for the trees. The long-term approach would be to build a mutual level of interest and national awareness by keeping the rivalry as healthy as possible. That national interest wouldn't just help the sport, it would increase the Q ratings for both programs. Hey, why should UNC-Duke get to have all the "Oh, that game's on? We need to watch that!" casual fan fun?

Maybe that rivalry is now Indiana-Louisville. The two programs share a natural geographic rivalry, even if the historic skirmishes have never been as epic as either team, particularly Louisville, has shared with the Wildcats. Oh well. In the short term, Indiana-Louisville would give us one more great basketball game in 2012-13, and maybe the year after. In the long term, a healthy Hoosiers-Cardinals rivalry could come to be a defining tentpole in the early season nonconference schedule.

Either way, Pitino is right. It would be good for the sport. It would also be good for both programs, and good for their fans. Believe it or not, these concepts need not be mutually exclusive.

The Indiana-Kentucky rivalry is dead. That's sad.

Fans of both programs don't agree on much, including the various reasons given as to why the series had to end, but in general this would seem to be one of the few things on which IU and UK fans could assemble a quorum. Indiana-Kentucky, an ongoing series since 1969, was just about to get really, really good -- a longstanding baked-in blueblood regional rivalry with the boost of massive 2012-13 on-court implications -- just before the two programs pulled the plug.

The essential disagreement boiled down to venue. Kentucky coach John Calipari wanted the games at neutral sites, like Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, while Indiana coach Tom Crean wanted the game -- including this year's would-be fixture at UK's own Rupp Arena -- to remain on both programs' campuses. There are plenty of reasons both coaches stuck to their guns: Crean wanted the student atmosphere in Assembly Hall, and didn't want to grant Calipari a huge recruiting audience in Indianapolis every other season, among others. Calipari, as is usually the case, is more than happy to explain his motivations. He did so to Andy Katz during the White House visit, telling Katz that Kentucky was looking to schedule more and more like Duke -- i.e., fewer true nonconference road games, more emphasis on neutral courts -- in the coming seasons.

Calipari expanded on that view in a blog post on his own web site Sunday. In "Forming a nontraditional schedule for a nontraditional program," Calipari tells fans "We are going by our own model now: the gold standard. Everyone has to accept that," before outlining his reasons for the shift. They are mostly what you'd expect. Calipari highlights the lack of true road games in the postseason, and thus the lack of need for them in the nonconference schedule, as well as the ability to sell more tickets to UK fans that "can't afford to get into Rupp" and the opportunity for the school to bring in more money for its athletics programs from neutral-court contracts.

He closes somewhat defensively, telling people to look at other programs' schedules (Duke, Indiana, North Carolina, Kansas, Louisville), again naming his own program "nontraditional," and assuring everyone that he isn't backing down from any challenges:

When I was at UMass, I saw what John Chaney and Temple were doing and adopted the motto “any team, any place, any time.” My last year at UMass, we played 10 home games and 27 games away from home, and I carried that over to Memphis.

What, have I changed over the years? Do I get nervous in big games? Come on, it has nothing to do with that. I’ll play teams on I-64. We’ll close it down. I’m good with that. But this program is not traditional. This program is in a position right now that we must protect as we march forward to try to grow it to another level.

All of which is fair enough, I suppose. Calipari has legitimate reasons why the Indiana game couldn't work out; he's dealing with an expanded SEC schedule to boot. He's doing the smart thing here: He's taking on Duke's model. But the Duke model, effective though it may be, doesn't exactly get anyone excited about the sport in November and December. And make no mistake: The Duke model is not "any team, any place, any time." It is in fact the direct antithesis of that motto. It relies on a position of power and influence -- one Kentucky has long wielded, but now more than ever -- and the ability to eschew major early-season road challenges wherever possible. With so many freshmen coming in every season, this style is arguably even more beneficial.

So, in the end, it's hard to blame Calipari -- just as it is hard to blame Crean for his bargaining position -- for making the shift. He has Kentucky's interests to protect. He has a new roster, and will probably have one each and every season, and he has to account for that. But none of that changes the fact that the quirks of scheduling have robbed America's college basketball fans of one of the biggest and best potential games the 2012-13 season could have offered.

No matter how rational the reasons behind it, it remains a shame. Man, that Rupp Arena crowd would have been rocking. At the end of the day, if it was important enough to both sides, this game would have been on the schedule. That it's not says as much about the state of college hoops -- and the often feckless scheduling tropes that dominate it -- as it does about Calipari or Crean.

1. Indiana now has an open date with the Kentucky series dead and Kansas wants to fill the Hoosiers schedule with a game. One Kansas official said the Jayhawks would gladly start a home-and-home with Indiana, beginning next season in Lawrence. Indiana would have gone to Kentucky if the series had continued. Kansas and Indiana were in initial discussions of playing a game after the Final Four, but those talks were shelved. Memphis wanted to play Kansas in a home-and-home series and was willing to start on the road but the Jayhawks weren’t interested. Now, Indiana will have to make a decision as to how high profile a game it will put in Kentucky’s place on the schedule.

2. Hubert Davis wasn’t looking to become a head coach. But once he’s on the North Carolina staff he will become a potential contender for the job if he is a success as an assistant. Think about it: What natural North Carolina offspring is out there that would be the heir apparent to Roy Williams? There is no slam dunk and Williams’ current staff came with him from Kansas and wasn’t part of the Dean Smith lineage. It’s not a reach to consider Davis as a possible head coach if he wants to continue this career. He hasn’t started yet but he is part of the Carolina royalty and it is a job that must/will be kept in house.

3. The NBA put out its official early-entry list for the draft and there was one name that jumped out: Florida Atlantic’s Raymond Taylor. When Mike Jarvis signed Taylor he said that he was getting a Shawnta Rogers-like point guard for his team. Rogers was a point at George Washington under Jarvis. Taylor never led FAU to the NCAA tournament and according to the staff considered himself a “pro.” Taylor, and a number of other fringe draft entrants, better hope they get an invite to the Minnesota and New Jersey draft camps later this month before the NBA’s official one in Chicago next month.

This week, yours truly wondered whether the Indiana-Kentucky rivalry -- a matchup of two blueblood programs, two rabid adjacent fan bases, and what appear to be two of the nation's best three teams in 2012-13 -- could continue in the short term. The issue was logistical. Indiana wanted to renew a home-and-home series, with both teams playing on campus; Kentucky preferred to play in neutral sites, like Indianapolis and Louisville, instead.

But the game has been played every year since 1969. Surely these two programs and their friendly coaches, Tom Crean and John Calipari, would come up with something that could keep this game alive in 2012-13.

Today, we have that answer. It's a big fat whopping "nope."

Per a statement released by the IU athletic department, the Hoosiers "will not sign a new contract to play the University of Kentucky in men’s basketball next season in light of their insistence that the matchup be moved to off-campus sites."

“While we understand that such neutral-site games could be quite lucrative, we think the series should be continued as it is, home and home,” Indiana athletic director Fred Glass said. “Playing on campus enables our students to attend these marquee games, which we believe is a great component of the overall college experience. Playing in the historic venues that are Assembly Hall and Rupp Arena is also a tremendous experience for our student-athletes.”

“We have a strong belief that this series should be played on campus, and is something that should be beneficial for both teams," Crean said.

Rest assured, even minutes after the announcement, the rush to spin this has already begun. Kentucky fans will say Indiana is afraid to play the Wildcats outside Assembly Hall; Hoosiers fans will say Kentucky is afraid to come to Bloomington after suffering one of its two losses of the 2011-12 season there last December. Blame will be assigned; names will be called. I'd imagine the comments to this post will be fairly hilarious.

Who's really to blame? Both parties, really. This is an impasse, it takes two to tango, etc. But it doesn't really matter whom you wish to blame, because the result is twofold:

1. We lose one of the great nonconference rivalries in the sport, which features the two storied, flagship, blueblood programs from the nation's two most basketball-obsessed states, states which just so happen to share a border.

2. We lose what could very well be the biggest nonconference matchup of the 2012-13 season, a meeting of two teams sure to be ranked in the top three in every preseason poll, of two programs hunting a national title.

Indiana-Kentucky hasn't always been a marquee event in the past decade, but both programs are back at the top of the heap, and this is as marquee as they come right now. How could this end now? It's almost like we waited until IU-UK could get really, really good again -- until the stakes and quality of play reached potentially epic levels -- to call the whole thing off. College basketball fans are being robbed. It's a shame.

And so next season, for the first time in more than 40 years, Indiana and Kentucky will not meet on the court. Why? Scheduling quirks, logistical preferences, RPI calculations, artful (and inartful) dodges.

Coaches Crean and Calipari, sirs, this is as weak as it gets. Maybe you don't care, but we do. It's weak. Fix it, and soon. You're taking a great game away from the rest of us, and we want it back.

Update: And just when you thought this thing couldn't seem pettier, here's what Calipari and Crean said to our own Andy Katz Thursday afternoon. First, Calipari:

"We're not going to play," Kentucky coach John Calipari said Thursday. "We're not going to do a home-and-home. That's out. They don't want to play two games in the state of Indiana, which I'm fine with. There are a lot of people who want to play us."

"We were willing to play them both in the state of Indiana and they said no to that," Calipari said. "That means they don't want to play us."

Here's Crean:

Indiana coach Tom Crean said in a text message that the Hoosiers never wanted to move the game.

"We couldn't have gotten our students up there," said Crean. "Prices would have been too much to get them there. We will have around 8,500 students.

"The bottom line is that they didn't want to play home-and-home and we did. We looked at it hard but it belongs on campus."

There is probably some truth and some deceit in both of those spin moves. It is a hard task to get 8,500 students to Indianapolis, sure, but maybe 8,500 students don't need to go to Indianapolis for the game? Maybe the students that can make the 45-minute drive north can go, and other fans can have the rest of those tickets? Just a thought.

Still, Calipari's response is particularly grating. "That means they don't want to play us." Nah nah, boo boo, you guys are obviously scared, I'm taking my ball and going home. He's wrong, of course. The 2012-13 Indiana-Kentucky matchup, were it renewed as a home-and-home, would be played at Rupp Arena. Crean is OK with that. Why isn't Calipari?

It has a lot to do with recruiting, no doubt; Calipari wouldn't mind playing two games in Indianapolis because that's where the Indianapolis recruits are. If he can avoid returning to Assembly Hall in the process, all the better.

Anyway: Ugh. The whole thing is childish and boorish and petty and low, and I'm somehow even more disgusted than before. Be adults. Figure it out. Play the game. These fans deserve better than to be treated like this.

Update No. 2: Here's a statement from Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart:

“We are extremely disappointed in Indiana’s decision to end our annual men’s basketball series. We were under the impression that we were in continued negotiations with Indiana University on signing a two-year contract to play the annual game at neutral sites. After the NCAA Championships, both schools verbally agreed in principle to play for two years at neutral sites (December 8, 2012 and December 7 or 14, 2013) and agreed to revisit campus sites upon completion of the two-year deal. The public comments by Indiana prior to today over the last week led us to believe that our previous verbal agreement could be in jeopardy, but at no point did we ever have any mutual discussions with Indiana to end the series.

"We were contacted by Indiana today shortly before 2 p.m. ET and informed that due to our desire to move to neutral sites they were moving on for the 2012-13 season and would revisit continuing the series at a later date. Our desire to play the series at a neutral site was due mainly to the success of the series from 1992-2006. It allowed the fans of both schools to enjoy the experience of one of the greatest rivalries every year. Everyone that watched or attended those games said it was a great atmosphere for college basketball. We looked at this as an opportunity to recapture that atmosphere and unfortunately it ended today.”

Indiana has its rivalry with Purdue. Kentucky has its mutual disdain for Louisville. But the hatred between the IU and UK fan bases, particularly along the Indiana-Kentucky border, is very real, and a small slice of what makes college basketball great. As a college basketball fan, I'd very much like to see this clash played out at least once a season. I don't ask for much.

Actually, maybe I do. There is a real possibility the Kentucky-Indiana rivalry will peter out, thanks to logistical disagreements between Kentucky coach John Calipari and Indiana coach Tom Crean. Andy blogged about said disagreements Monday morning:

The Kentucky-Indiana series contract is over, and the two sides are discussing renewing. But the two schools are at a major impasse. Indiana coach Tom Crean said Friday that he wants to play the series as a home-and-home. Kentucky coach John Calpari said Friday that he wants it to be a neutral-site game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis with tickets split down the middle. The series was last played at a neutral site in 2005 (prior to meeting in the Sweet 16 in Atlanta). “We can do it in Louisville, Lucas Oil, both teams benefit," Calipari said. Crean rebutted saying, "It's got to be a two-way street, and taking it off campus isn’t anything that people here are excited about or behind."

The game has been played in both varieties before: In the Bobby Knight glory days, the game was frequently played on either campus. Then, from 1991-2005, the schools met at neutral sites in Indianapolis and Louisville. In 2005, an alternating home-and-home-style system was revived, but Calipari is no fan of that system, and it's hard to blame him: Traveling to Indiana to play the Hoosiers is now a far more daunting task than it was during the early days of Crean's rebuild. There are only so many hugely challenging true road games coaches want to put on their team's plates, and the head man in Lexington, Ky. -- one of the savvier schedulers in the country, by the way, and one facing the potential of a newly expanded 18-game SEC conference schedule -- is no different.

In December, Calipari took this quandary to the Big Blue Nation, crowdsourcing his team's schedule and asking UK fans to vote on which of the three current non-conference games they'd miss the least. At the time, he explained the logic:

What I mean by that is this program is too important to over-schedule based on the roster turnover that I believe will continue to happen. You cannot put this program at risk, not with our turnover and roster. You CANNOT over-schedule and put yourself in that position. With that being said, here is where I want the help of the Big Blue Nation. If we had to -- and this doesn’t mean we have to at this point, because we still have 16 league games -- but if we had to drop one series and there were no other options, who would it be? Would it be North Carolina, Indiana or Louisville?

By the end of the voting, Kentucky fans had chosen to ditch Indiana; the Hoosiers garnered a full 69 percent of the vote. The democratic process had weighed its verdict. The people had spoken.

In other words, Calipari isn't going to face a backlash if he doesn't back down on his desire for neutral sites. Nor, for that matter, would Crean. The Hoosiers' schedule is ramped up in 2013, with a neutral-court game against Butler, possible preseason tournament fixtures versus Georgetown and UCLA, what will surely be a big-time matchup in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, plus a potential new series against Kansas. (Kentucky still has the Champions Classic (Duke) and the North Carolina and Louisville events, so it's not like the new-look Wildcats will be hurting for quality nonconference opponents, either.)

But to any fan of college basketball -- particularly big-time nonconference games with meaning beyond their implications on the court -- losing this specific rivalry would be a shame. There are storied and cultural histories involved here. With the possible exception of North Carolina, Indiana and Kentucky are the two most basketball-obsessed states in the union. Even better, they share a border -- a border that includes plenty of die-hard fans of either program. They are bluebloods with rich legacies, legacies that often intersect, and there's something vaguely symbolic -- something about the sport that digs deep at the heart of why it matters so much to so many people -- about what happens when they meet.

And then there's this: In 2012-13, Indiana and Kentucky will be among the best two or three teams in the country, at least according to our early preseason projections. Even if you throw out all the history and tradition and the soft stuff that goes with it, sorry, but come on, guys: That game is too good not to play.

Here's hoping Crean and Calipari can work something out. Neutral court, home-and-home, aircraft carrier (now there's an idea!), whatever. Indiana and Kentucky would be fine without this game, but the rest of us would be awfully bummed out.

When you've got a rivalry this deep, with two teams this good, missing out just seems like a waste.

1. The Kentucky-Indiana series contract is over and the two sides are discussing renewing. But the two schools are at a major impasse. Indiana coach Tom Crean said Friday that he wants to play the series as a home-and-home. Kentucky coach John Calpari said Friday that he wants it to be a neutral-site game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis with tickets split down the middle. The series was last played at a neutral site in 2005 (prior to meeting in the Sweet 16 in Atlanta). “We can do it in Louisville, Lucas Oil, both teams benefit," Calipari said. Crean rebutted saying, "It's got to be a two-way street and taking it off campus isn’t anything that people here are excited about or behind."

2. If Illinois State moves past Duke associate head coach Chris Collins then one of the leading candidates for the coaching job will be Vanderbilt assistant coach Dan Muller. Gonzaga assistant Ray Gicacoletti will be in the mix as well as would Indiana assistant coach Steve McClain. Vandy coach Kevin Stallings is a former head coach at Illinois State. Muller had a high-level run as a player with the Redbirds and is going all out for this gig -- as well he should.

3. The litany of names being tossed around for Virginia Tech to replace Seth Greenberg continues. But a number of coaches -- NC State associate head coach Bobby Lutz, Loyola (Md.) Jimmy Patsos, Murray State’s Steve Prohm -- haven’t had an interview with Hokies athletic director Jim Weaver as of Sunday. Wofford’s Mike Young and former Virginia Tech assistant and current Clemson assistant James Johnson as well as Davidson’s Bob McKillop have also been bandied about as possible candidates.

Until he misfired during a Final Four loss against Kansas (9 points), forward Deshaun Thomas had been the best player –-- arguably -- on the Buckeyes' roster throughout the NCAA tournament.

The left-hander’s versatility fueled Ohio State’s run to New Orleans with performances that raised his NBA stock.

But Thomas announced Friday that he’s decided to return to school for another year. And that call automatically keeps the Buckeyes in the national title hunt for the 2012-13 season, even with Jared Sullinger turning pro and William Buford graduating.

I think they’re a solid top-10 squad. Aaron Craft is back to harass opposing guards. And there’s potential among young players who didn't get a ton of minutes this season.

If former McDonald’s All-America center Amir Williams blossoms in the offseason and starts to fulfill his potential as a sophomore, the Buckeyes could make another strong run in the NCAA tournament.

But Thomas will be the focus of Thad Matta’s system. And I think his skill set will allow Ohio State to spread the floor and take full advantage of Thomas’ abilities, which we saw during the NCAA tourney.

While the Thomas announcement solidifies Ohio State’s position entering next season, the rest of the Big Ten is one giant question mark.

The league has the potential to send multiple teams to the Big Dance. But depending on who goes pro by the April 29 deadline (after April 10, any early entrant who applies for the NBA draft will lose his collegiate eligibility), it might not pack the same punch it did during the 2011-12 campaign.

Indiana and Michigan could join Ohio State in the preseason top 10, but that all depends on a few decisions that will be made in the coming weeks/days.

If Cody Zeller and Christian Watford return, the Hoosiers could compete for the national championship. Tom Crean is bringing in one of the best recruiting classes in the country. Zeller will be a Wooden Award candidate and preseason All-America center. If Watford builds on his Sweet 16 performance against Kentucky (27 points), he could be one of the best forwards in the conference.

Michigan needs Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. to return. Burke, however, is more vital to John Beilein’s plans. With highly rated prospects Mitch McGary and Glenn Robinson Jr. coming to Ann Arbor for the 2012-13 season, the Wolverines will add productive scorers who can contribute right away if Hardaway goes pro. But what will they do if they lose Burke? He might be the best point guard in the country if he comes back for his sophomore season. Without him, Michigan will still possess a talented, young roster. But the Wolverines could end up in Atlanta with Burke leading the way.

Minnesota also faces an uncertain future. The Gophers could be a borderline top-25 squad if preseason all-Big Ten forward Trevor Mbakwe returns. He missed most of last season after suffering a knee injury, but the NCAA recently granted the Big Ten’s No. 1 rebounder during the 2010-11 season a sixth year of eligibility. He’s expected to return -- assuming the Gophers have a scholarship for him. Tubby Smith has already reached the 13-scholarship limit, with two recruits joining the team next season. So Minnesota’s situation could get complicated, too.

Smith has asked the NCAA to allow the team to use a 14th scholarship next season. There’s also a chance that a player will transfer; five have left the program since 2009. But there are no guarantees right now for Mbakwe or the Gophers.

The Big Ten will be talented next season even if the aforementioned stars leave for the NBA.

But right now, it’s hard to project the league’s potential without knowing if its best players will stick around for another season.

The top 25 will change a number of times between now and tipoff of the 2012-13 season.

It might change by Thursday, or certainly by April 10 and then again by April 29 for the two draft deadlines (the first for the NCAA, the second for the NBA). Some of the top players will make their decisions and we'll update it when they do. For now, we're assuming a few things, taking into account the underclassmen decisions and coaching changes and projecting what we think might happen in the next few months.

This is the first crack. It's a combined effort by several of my ESPN colleagues. Try not to take it too seriously. We'll take another swing before long.

1. Indiana

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