ESPN Men's Basketball

If you have to have a sudden flurry of injuries, it's better to have them now than in January.

That's the best possible outlook for Indiana coach Tom Crean right about now. Just a few days after it announced freshman guard Troy Williams would miss "the next few weeks" with a hand injury, on Thursday Indiana revealed that fellow freshman Luke Fischer sprained his shoulder in a scrimmage this week. The good news, beyond the fact that both injuries came in September, is that Fischer's injury is also of the "few weeks" variety according to the school; he isn't likely to miss a large swath of time. The bad news? The next few weeks are pretty important, too.

That is especially the case for Indiana. No team, save Kentucky and Kansas, needs its freshmen to take immediate steps like IU. The Hoosiers return just one starter, sophomore Yogi Ferrell, and waved farewell to four 1,000-point career scorers, two of which were reliable seniors (Christian Watford and Jordan Hulls), two of which were top-five NBA picks (Victor Oladipo and Cody Zeller). Crean has established an unmistakable program momentum, one he has planned to sustain through solid recruiting, and he has done exactly that -- ESPN's recruiting experts rank IU's 2013 class No. 4 in the country, behind only Kentucky, Kansas and Memphis.

Fischer might be the most important player to that effort. Much of the summer's attention in Bloomington has focused on Noah Vonleh, and rightfully so -- Vonleh is a top-15 player in a loaded class, a likely lottery pick, and an athletic freak of nature who by all accounts has treated his first summer on a college campus like an 1980s action movie star in a training montage. Fischer's presence, on the other hand, has largely gone unnoticed. This despite the fact that a) Fischer is the No. 4 center in his class and the No. 34 player overall and b) the best shot Indiana has of replacing Zeller's interior dominance -- namely his ability to earn trips to the free throw line.

The Williams injury is probably less impactful, despite his status as a four-star player. Crean has plenty of guards and wings to throw at the problem. Jeremy Hollowell is a very promising sophomore, Will Sheehey is still in the building, freshman Stanley Robinson is comparable, Vonleh is versatile facing up, and so on. An anchor on the low block is the truly pressing need.

It's hardly a dire situation. A few weeks and zero games missed, as Crean said about Williams, is "minor in the scheme of things." But if IU wants to make the transition into its post-Zeller (or maybe post-Hulls?) era seamless, its prospects have to make good on their potential right away. That process has already begun, and it will continue long after Fischer and Williams have healed. But the first official practice of the season less than 30 hours away, a promising but unusually young Indiana finds itself at an unfortunate cohesion disadvantage. The clock is already ticking.

1. Former Oregon coach Ernie Kent was hired in an executive role with the National Association of Basketball Coaches. Kent said Monday his goal is to grow the game, about which he said has been "very passionate since he was out of coaching." He said he has seen how much coaches care about student-athlete welfare from visiting schools since he has been out. But this organization needs to be much more forceful in the legislative process. The NABC has lost its activist role of late. The coaches should never be surprised by the draft date (pushed through by the ACC) or complain about the transfer waiver issue as much as they do without really trying to affect change. Coaches have the power in college basketball, much more so than the players. If they want to really force an issue then they must get out front, educate other decision makers and make sure they can actually do something. The governance structure is going to change, with more weight given to the power schools. That shift is coming. So the coaches, who are their best lobbying group, must almost act like legislators. Not knowing about the shift in rules that affect them is ignorant. It should never happen. If Kent is going to have a real effect in his job, then he must act.

2. North Carolina said Monday that P.J. Hairston's status hasn't changed. That means he's still suspended. But the school also must make clear if he can practice or play in anything competitive. Practice starts Friday. This shouldn't take long. Either he is practicing Friday and beyond or he is not. The length of any discipline is up to North Carolina. No one should tell them how long or if he should be suspended. But the fan base and those who contribute to the program should know his status. That is of the public domain. Once that is known, then Hairston and the Tar Heels can move forward with the season.

3. Indiana starts an intriguing season Friday, the one post-Big Ten title and Sweet 16 appearance. The anchors, Victor Oladipo and Cody Zeller are gone. So what is Tom Crean looking for in the first week of practice? "Getting this team to understand that transition and help defense require great effort and talking," Crean said. "Also getting the team to understand the next play, the next pass and the next-shot mentality over worrying about the last play."

We’ve officially judged and juried every nonconference schedule.

Kudos to the teams that had the nerve to schedule bravely. Your just rewards could come in March, when the selection committee recognizes the merits of playing tough opponents, even if there’s a risk of a loss.

And shame on those who scheduled meekly. Enjoy the NIT.

Now, it’s time to play Armchair Scheduler -- or King/Queen of the Basketball Universe, whichever title floats your boat -- and offer up 15 nonconference games that won’t be played this year, but we wish would be:

Kansas vs. Missouri: Let’s just file this under an annual request. One of the greatest rivalries in college basketball ought to be played this year, next year and every year. We don’t care who left what conference. We don’t care who’s angry. This is like two divorcing parents sparring over the china with the kids stuck in the middle. Here the two schools’ fan bases and fans of the game in general are the kids. So hire a good mediator, work this out and play ball.

Georgetown vs. Syracuse: See Kansas-Missouri argument above. The two teams here at least have agreed that continuing the rivalry at some point is a good idea and it appears a multiyear contract is imminent, but there’s nothing yet on the schedule. Let’s fix that. Soon.

Kentucky vs. Indiana: Ibid. Or is it op. cit.? Whatever, reference the Kansas-Missouri, Georgetown-Syracuse arguments cited above. Two states separated by a river. Great rivalry. Lousy excuses. Figure it out.

North Carolina vs. Raleigh News & Observer: The Tar Heels’ crimes, misdeeds and lack of punishment have been well documented in the news media, but nowhere as thoroughly and as well as at the local newspaper. The staff at the N&O has been relentless and thorough in its coverage. We suggest a game of H-O-R-S-E (with the African-American studies department excused from judging) at the Newseum to settle this once and for all.

Wichita State vs. VCU: Both come into the season as the smaller-budgeted darlings (they’re not mid-majors, so we have to retire that term), each with a Final Four berth in its hip pocket. Both have extremely talented teams coming back; both play nasty defense, albeit in different ways. The two on the same court, as has been the case several times over the past decade, would've been a ton of fun to watch this season.

Harvard vs. Duke: Smart school versus smart school. Mentor versus mentee. Easy storylines for reporters. What’s not to like about this matchup? Not to mention it would feature two top-25 teams and give the Crimson a chance to show how good they really are.

Kansas vs. Kentucky: Yes, we will get to enjoy Kansas (Andrew Wiggins) versus Duke (Jabari Parker) in Chicago, but we’re selfish. We’d like to see Wiggins go up against Kentucky, one of the schools he spurned. Not to mention it might be fun witnessing what could essentially be a freshman All-American game, with Wiggins, the Harrison twins, James Young, Julius Randle and Joel Embiid together on one floor.

Florida Gulf Coast vs. Georgetown: Let’s see if the slipper still fits when last season’s Cinderella goes rematch against its Madness victims, the Hoyas. Georgetown doesn’t have Otto Porter anymore and Greg Whittington is hurt, but hey, Dunk City lost its drum major when Andy Enfield headed to USC. Seems about even.

Michigan vs. Notre Dame: No one would dare call Mike Brey a chicken, would they? The two schools called the football rivalry quits this year amid acrimony and an endgame Wolverine chicken dance, but maybe the basketball schools can extend the olive branch and play for the first time since 2006.

Michigan State vs. Duke: Tom Izzo may not want to see the Blue Devils very often -- he’s 1-7 against Duke in his tenure -- but this game never disappoints. The two schools have met nine times and only twice, in 2003 and in 1958, has it been a blowout. The two have gone head-to-head over top recruits, including Jabari Parker, and come into the season as top-10 locks.

Memphis vs. Arizona: Josh Pastner revisits his coaching roots in a game that will answer the biggest question facing the Wildcats -- how good is point guard T.J. McConnell? If the Duquesne transfer can handle the Tigers’ onslaught of Joe Jackson, Geron Johnson, Chris Crawford and Michael Dixon, he can handle everything.

Louisville vs. Oklahoma State: You like good guard play? Imagine this one. Russ Smith, Chris Jones, Terry Rozier (and maybe Kevin Ware) against Marcus Smart, Markel Brown and incoming freshman Stevie Clark. The coaches would be miserable -- with Rick Pitino going up against his own beloved point guard, Travis Ford -- but the rest of us would enjoy it tremendously.

Oregon vs. Creighton: This game stacks up on merit, not just on the storyline of Dana Altman facing his old squad. With Doug McDermott back in the fold, the Bluejays are legit. Their schedule is less so, a sort of meandering plunder of nonconference nothingness. Adding the Ducks, a team Altman has reconstructed, and his impressive backcourt would be helpful. And OK, old coach/old school is fun.

New Mexico vs. Florida: The Gators already have a pretty impressive nonconference slate, but hey, what’s one more? This one would be a nice tussle between pretty skilled, albeit different, big men in Alex Kirk and Patric Young. Kirk enjoyed a breakout season last year, but facing Young would be a real test of the 7-footer’s abilities.

Ole Miss vs. Ohio State: Why? Because it would be nice to watch Aaron Craft hush Marshall Henderson (presuming his indefinite suspension is lifted) once and for all.

This week, ESPN.com is breaking down the nonconference schedules of each team in nine of the nation's top leagues. Next up: the Big Ten.

ILLINOIS

Toughest: at UNLV (Nov. 26), vs. Oregon (Dec. 14 in Portland, Ore.), vs. Missouri (Dec. 21 in St. Louis)
Next toughest: at Georgia Tech (Dec. 3)
The rest: Alabama State (Nov. 8), Jacksonville State (Nov. 10), Valparaiso (Nov. 13), Bradley (Nov. 17), Chicago State (Nov. 22), IPFW (Nov. 29), vs. Auburn (Dec. 8 in Atlanta), Dartmonth (Dec. 10), UIC (Dec. 28 in Chicago)

Toughness scale: 6 -- It's hard to really give the Illini a solid schedule grade, because it's hard to know just how good Illinois' best opponents really are. For example: It is never easy to win in the Thomas & Mack Center, but still-unproven center Khem Birch is the most certain thing about the Rebels' personnel in 2013-14; it looks like Dave Rice's team will be a quality road opponent, but impossible to make a guarantee to this effect. The same goes for Oregon and Missouri, both of whom should be solid at the very least, either of which could completely disappoint if their respective transfers don't pan out. A six feels fair to me, but it's an educated guess.

INDIANA

Toughest: 2K Sports Classic (Nov. 21-22), at Syracuse (Dec. 3), vs. Notre Dame (Dec. 14 in Indianapolis)
Next toughest: N/A?
The rest: Chicago State (Nov. 8), LIU Brooklyn (Nov. 12), Samford (Nov. 15), Stony Brook (Nov. 17), Evansville (Nov. 26), North Florida (Dec. 7), Oakland (Dec. 10), Nicholls State (Dec. 20), Kennesaw State (Dec. 22)

Toughness scale: 5 -- Two years since the collapse of its long-standing annual date with Kentucky, the Hoosiers have yet to find a home-and-home or even a neutral-court partnership to replace the strength they lost when the rivalry went awry. As such, Indiana's marquee nonconference games have been reduced to their participation in events: The 2K Sports Classic, where they'll play Washington and then either Boston College or Connecticut; the Crossroads Classic, where they'll play Notre Dame in front of a predominantly crimson crowd in downtown Indianapolis; and the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The good news, at least as it pertains to schedule strength, is that this season's ACC/Big Ten draw sends IU to Syracuse, where they'll face a rabid Orange crowd and another very good Jim Boeheim team just months removed from their season-ending loss to the Cuse in March.

IOWA

Toughest: Battle 4 Atlantis (Nov. 28-30), Notre Dame (Dec. 3)
Next toughest: at Iowa State (Dec. 13)
The rest: UNC-Wilmington (Nov. 8), Nebraska-Omaha (Nov. 10), Maryland Eastern Shore (Nov. 14), Abilene Christian (Nov. 17), Penn (Nov. 22), vs. Drake (Dec. 7 in Des Moines, Iowa), Farleigh Dickinson (Dec. 9), Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Dec. 22)

Toughness scale: 6 -- Last season, the ahead-of-schedule Hawkeyes played some of the best defense in the Big Ten, finished top 20 in the Pomeroy adjusted efficiency rankings and made a deep run in the NIT. They were easily one of the best 60 teams in the country, but their nonconference schedule was so weak it precluded Fran McCaffery's squad from serious tournament consideration even as it played tight games with the best teams in the Big Ten every night. That shouldn't be as much of a problem this season, when Iowa will benefit from participation in the Battle 4 Atlantis (they'll face Xavier in the first round, and either Tennessee or UTEP in the second, maybe Kansas in the final?) and a much better opponent (Notre Dame) in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. They also get Iowa State -- which lost much of last season's excellent offensive group, but retained rising sophomore Georges Niang and that insane Hilton Coliseum home court -- in a quality true road fixture. This slate still isn't a murderers' row, but it shouldn't hold the Big Ten's most fashionable title sleeper back, either.

MICHIGAN

Toughest: Puerto Rico Tip-Off (Nov. 21-24), at Duke (Dec. 3), Arizona (Dec. 14)
Next toughest: at Iowa State (Nov. 17), vs. Stanford (Dec. 21 in Brooklyn)
The rest: UMass-Lowell (Nov. 8), South Carolina State (Nov. 12), Coppin State (Nov. 29), Houston Baptist (Dec. 7), Holy Cross (Dec. 28)

Toughness scale: 9 -- The 2012-13 national runners-up, and 2013-14 Big Ten co-favorites, will play a nonconference schedule befitting their newly elevated aspirations. The Puerto Rico Tip-Off, with VCU and Georgetown lurking, ranks among the best tournament events of November. The trip to Duke for the ACC/Big Ten needs little in the way of explanation. (Man, that is going to be a fun game.) The trip to Iowa State is no laughing matter, for reasons outlined in Iowa's blurb; the trip to Brooklyn to face defensive-minded Stanford will be a challenge, too. But the X factor in this schedule comes Dec. 14 when Sean Miller's loaded Arizona group arrives in Ann Arbor for a good old-fashioned campus nonconference tilt. Those kinds of games are rare in our modern, neutral court-dominated landscape, and neither program needed to schedule this one. But I'm happy to speak for most college basketball fans when I say how glad I am that they did.

MICHIGAN STATE

Toughest: vs. Kentucky (Nov. 12 in Chicago), North Carolina (Dec. 4), vs. Georgetown (Feb. 1 in New York City)
Next toughest: Coaches vs. Cancer Classic (Nov. 22-23), at Texas (Dec. 21)
The rest: McNeese State (Nov. 8), Columbia (Nov. 15), Portland (Nov. 18), Mount St. Mary's (Nov. 29), Oakland (Dec. 14), North Florida (Dec. 17), New Orleans (Dec. 28)

Toughness scale: 8 -- Most of Michigan State's schedule strength is derived from that monster Champions Classic matchup with potential preseason No. 1 Kentucky, John Calipari's most laughably-loaded group of talented freshmen ever -- which, two years removed from the 2012's 38-2 national title run, is saying something. The Dec. 4 home date against North Carolina won't be easy, but if the Tar Heels are without leading scorer and noted rental car enthusiast P.J. Hairston, the Spartans will be obvious favorites in the Breslin Center. Best-case scenario in the Coaches vs. Cancer (a win over Virginia Tech and a matchup with Oklahoma) still isn't much. The real pivot point comes in late December at Texas. For much of the past decade, that has been a brutal road test having less to do with Texas' crowds (sleepy) than with its teams (defensively brutal). If Barnes' team rebounds from last season's struggles and gets back to its usual spot in the top third of the Big 12, Tom Izzo's schedule looks a good sight harder. If not, it really comes down to that Kentucky game -- and what a game it will be. (Update: My first dig into the Spartans' schedule missed their Feb. 1 Super Bowl Sunday game against Georgetown in Madison Square Garden. The Hoyas are a bit of an unknown quantity without Otto Porter, but that's almost guaranteed to be a tough win to come away with, so I bumped them from seven to eight.)

MINNESOTA

Toughest: Maui Invitational (Nov. 25-27),
Next toughest: at Richmond (Nov. 16), Florida State (Dec. 3)
The rest: Lehigh (Nov. 8), Montana (Nov. 12), Coastal Carolina (Nov. 19), Wofford (Nov. 21), New Orleans (Dec. 7), South Dakota State (Dec. 10), Nebraska-Omaha (Dec. 20), Texas A&M Corpus Christi (Dec. 28)

Toughness scale: 4 -- The Gophers have at least one true standout game on their schedule: Their first-round Maui Invitational matchup with Syracuse, the best the 2013 Maui field has to offer. Which is not to say their trip to Richmond will be easy; indeed, after an injury-plagued 2012-13 season, Chris Mooney's program looks ready to pop back into tourney-bid contention this season. But that's basically it, besides a decent second Maui game with either Arkansas or Cal. Without would-be freshmen Andrew Wiggins (who chose Kansas instead) and Xavier Rathan-Meyes (who chose FSU, but wasn't cleared academically by the NCAA), the Seminoles could be in for another sub-.500 campaign, and from there it's all home cupcakes befitting a transitioning group -- which, under first-year coach Richard Pitino, is exactly what the Gophers are.

NEBRASKA

Toughest: at Creighton (Dec. 8), at Cincinnati (Dec. 28)
Next toughest: Charleston Classic (Nov. 21-22)
The rest: Florida Gulf Coast (Nov. 8), Western Illinois (Nov. 12), South Carolina State (Nov. 17), Northern Illinois (Nov. 30), Miami (Dec. 4), Arkansas State (Dec. 14), The Citadel (Dec. 21)

Toughness scale: 5 -- The signs of second-year coach Tim Miles' tepid forward progress are evident not only in the impending opening of Nebraska's new $300 million arena, or in his signing of impressive New Zealand native Tai Webster (who will immediately be the Cornhuskers' best player when he takes the court against Dunk City in early November), but also in Nebraska's schedule. The Charleston Classic could yield a matchup with New Mexico (not to mention first-round opponent UMass), the Dec. 28 trip to Cincinnati is a perfectly respectable road trip, and Dec. 8's visit to Creighton -- the one program whose success can be said to have played a role in Nebraska's newfound commitment to hoops -- has a chance to put the Cornhuskers on the radar before Big Ten play commences. Miles & Co. are still a year or two away, but there are green shoots all over the place here, and the slightly improved schedule is just one more piece of evidence.

NORTHWESTERN

Toughest: Las Vegas Invitational (Nov. 28-29), at NC State (Dec. 4)
Next toughest: at Stanford (Nov. 14)
The rest: Eastern Illinois (Nov. 9), Illinois State (Nov. 17), UIC (Nov. 20), IUPUI (Nov. 22), Gardner-Webb (Nov. 25), Western Michigan (Dec. 7), Mississippi Valley State (Dec. 16), Brown (Dec. 22), DePaul (Dec. 27)

Toughness scale: 6 -- First-year coach Chris Collins is the first person to admit that his rebuilding project will be a multiyear affair. The immediate future will be just as challenging: Collins has to get a group of players recruited to play former coach Bill Carmody's very specific (some would say gimmicky) style to update their entire philosophy toward a modern and more conventional approach. But Collins does have some players at his disposal in Year 1 -- fifth-year medical redshirt Drew Crawford, post-suspension junior JerShon Cobb, promising sophomore center Alex Olah -- set to play a nonconference schedule that helpfully avoids the softness that plagued the Wildcats' nascent tournament hopes in recent seasons. Two true road noncon games at Stanford and NC State complement a solid pair of back-to-back fixtures (Missouri, UCLA) in the Las Vegas Invitational. The point of all this? Northwestern has the schedule to compete for a tournament bid in Year 1. Whether it will have the results to get there -- and make Collins a lionized, conquering hero in 12 months’ time -- will be fascinating to see.

OHIO STATE

Toughest: at Marquette (Nov. 16), vs. Notre Dame (Dec. 21 in New York City)
Next toughest: Maryland (Dec. 4)
The rest: Morgan State (Nov. 9), Ohio (Nov. 12), American (Nov. 20), Wyoming (Nov. 25), North Florida (Nov. 29), Central Connecticut State (Dec. 7), Bryant (Dec. 11), North Dakota State (Dec. 14), Delaware (Dec. 18), Louisiana-Monroe (Dec. 27)

Toughness scale: 4 -- Save a trip to Duke, the Buckeyes' early schedule in 2012 was so gentle as to make their quality difficult to gauge. It took until February, when Shannon Scott, Aaron Craft, Lenzelle Smith Jr. and Sam Thompson congealed into a monster on the defensive perimeter, for the Buckeyes took on the look of a national title contender. (And they would have gotten to the Final Four, too, if it wasn't for those meddling kids Wichita State Shockers.) This season's slate is a bit more difficult, but not too much; its main attraction is that early road trip to Marquette, where Buzz Williams has forged an annual Sweet 16 attendee. Even if Dez Wells and the Maryland Terrapins prove better than expected, it's hard to see how they can put enough points on the Buckeyes in Columbus to keep pace. Four seems about right.

PENN STATE

Toughest: at Pittsburgh (Dec. 3)
Next toughest: La Salle (Nov. 19), Barclays Center Classic (Nov. 29-30 in Brooklyn, N.Y.)
The rest: Wagner (Nov. 9), Bucknell (Nov. 13), Longwood (Nov. 24), Monmouth (Nov. 26), Marshall (Dec. 7), Princeton (Dec. 14), Mount St. Mary's (Dec. 22)

Toughness scale: 4 -- Like Nebraska, Penn State's schedule is improved over recent seasons, and with D.J. Newbill returning and 2011-12's do-everything star Tim Frazier back from a season-ending Achilles tear, the Nittany Lions should improve along with it. It might be unfair to La Salle to keep them off that top line; the Explorers could still be a very dangerous team even without senior guard Ramon Galloway. The Barclays Center Classic offers a game against St. John's and a matchup with either Georgia Tech or Ole Miss, and putting a trip to Pittsburgh on the schedule doesn't only help coach Pat Chambers build his program's brand in a local recruiting zone, it also gives the Nittany Lions a real-deal road game against one of the nation's most consistent (and consistently RPI-friendly) programs.

PURDUE

Toughest: Old Spice Classic (Nov. 28-Dec. 1)
Next toughest: Boston College (Dec. 4), vs. Butler (Dec. 14 in Indianapolis), at West Virginia (Dec. 22)
The rest: Northern Kentucky (Nov. 8), Central Connecticut State (Nov. 13), Rider (Nov. 17), Eastern Illinois (Nov. 20), Siena (Nov. 24), Eastern Michigan (Dec. 7), Maryland Eastern Shore (Dec. 17)

Toughness scale: 5 -- The Boilermakers have one of those schedules that doesn't necessarily look great from this vantage point, but stands a reasonable chance of looking tougher and tougher as the season rolls on. How so? For starters, there's at least one really good game here -- the first-round Old Spice matchup with Oklahoma State and star point guard Marcus Smart. But a trip to West Virginia is never easy, and it's hard to imagine Bob Huggins' team repeating last season's monumental struggles. Boston College is a fringe ACC sleeper. And if Butler is better than most expect -- the Boilermakers could play the Bulldogs twice, if the two teams meet at the Old Spice in Orlando -- Matt Painter's team could benefit from a slate that proves better than the sum of its parts.

WISCONSIN

Toughest: Florida (Nov. 12), at Virginia (Dec. 4), Marquette (Dec. 7)
Next toughest: Cancun Challenge (Nov. 26-27), vs. St. John's (Nov. 8 in Sioux Falls, S.D.)
The rest: at Green Bay (Nov. 16), North Dakota (Nov. 19), Bowling Green (Nov. 21), Oral Roberts (Nov. 23), Milwaukee (Dec. 11), Eastern Kentucky (Dec. 14), Prairie View A&M (Dec. 28)

Toughness scale: 9 -- The Badgers' schedule is tough enough in the abstract. It's even tougher when you consider how quickly Bo Ryan will throw his team into the fire. The geographically baffling season opener against St. John's in Sioux Falls is one thing, but that game is followed by a visit from Florida just four days later. In late November, the Badgers will be the likely favorite in the two-game Cancun Challenge, but will have to get by both Saint Louis and (probably) West Virginia to come away with two wins. Then it's off to Charlottesville for a revenge game against Virginia, just three days before Marquette comes to the Kohl Center for another edition of Wisconsin's best basketball rivalry. Merely listing these games out doesn't quite do the schedule justice. You need to see the chronology to get the full, brutal picture.

Correction: An earlier version of this post substituted Temple coach Fran Dunphy for Iowa coach Fran McCaffery. It also neglected to list Michigan State's Feb. 1 game vs. Georgetown in Madison Square Garden, which is a pretty awesome game. Eamonn regrets the errors, and is now atoning via self-flagellation.

The times and networks have been finalized for the 15th annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge, which will take place Dec. 3-4 on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU.

All 12 Big Ten teams and 12 of the 15 ACC schools will participate in the 2013 Challenge, including the three newest ACC members (Notre Dame, Pittsburgh and Syracuse). Clemson, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest will not play in this year's event.

The ACC and Big Ten split last year’s Challenge with six wins each. In the event of a tie, the Commissioner’s Cup remains with the conference that won the previous year, which was the Big Ten in 2011. The ACC holds a 10-3-1 Challenge record, winning the first 10 events (1999-2008) before the Big Ten won the next three (2009-2011).

For an analysis of this year's matchups, check out Eamonn Brennan's take from back in May. As for the times and networks, here they are ...

Tuesday, Dec. 3 (all times ET)
7:15 - Indiana at Syracuse (ESPN)
7:15 - Illinois at Georgia Tech (ESPN2)
7:30 - Penn State at Pittsburgh (ESPNU)
9:15 - Michigan at Duke (ESPN)
9:15 - Notre Dame at Iowa (ESPN2)
9:30 - Florida State at Minnesota (ESPNU)

Wednesday, Dec. 4 (all times ET)
7:00 - Maryland at Ohio State (ESPN or ESPN2)
7:00 - Wisconsin at Virginia (ESPN or ESPN2)
7:30 - Northwestern at NC State (ESPNU)
9:00 - North Carolina at Michigan State (ESPN)
9:00 - Boston College at Purdue (ESPN2)
9:30 - Miami at Nebraska (ESPNU)

A few notes on this year's matchups:

• Seven of the 12 games will mark first-time Challenge matchups: Michigan-Duke, Maryland-Ohio State, Miami-Nebraska and Boston College-Purdue, plus the debut of the three new ACC members Syracuse (vs. Indiana), Notre Dame (at Iowa) and Pitt (vs. Penn State).
• In addition to first-time Challenge games, several of the teams are infrequent opponents: Nebraska holds a 3-1 record against Miami; Purdue won both previous meetings against BC; Ohio State and Maryland last played in 1985 with OSU three out of the five all-time games; and Notre Dame will play Iowa for the first time since 1990 and holds a 8-5 series record.
• Old Pennsylvania rivals Pitt and Penn State will meet for the first time since 2005. The Panthers have won the past five contests.
• Illinois/Georgia Tech and Wisconsin/Virginia will follow their first-time Challenge meetings in 2012 with a rematch in the 2013 event. The Illini and Cavaliers won last year's matchups.
• Best Three Out of Five: North Carolina/Michigan State and Minnesota/Florida State will meet in the Challenge for the fifth time. Both series are 2-2.
• Rubber Match: Northwestern and NC State will square off in the Challenge for the third time. Northwestern won in 2009 and NC State in 2002.
• Syracuse and Indiana have met five previous times in non-Challenge games, with the Orange winning the past four, including last season’s Sweet 16 matchup.

It's easy to be cynical about summer camps for college stars. There is always some kind of quid pro quo involved -- the Nike-sponsored LeBron James/Kevin Durant/Chris Paul/etc. Skills Camps often feel like they exist solely to pack scouts onto plastic bleachers. It rarely feels like anyone in attendance is genuinely drilling themselves in the same serious ways they would in an individual workout on campus. But as these summer events go, the adidas Nations has as good a reputation as any. The scouting stuff is a huge deal, obviously, and a great chance for NBA people to see how current college guys stack up against international talent. Still, the week of skill instruction from former NBA coaches is real, the ability for established players to serve as "counselors" is an old-school twist, and both coaches and players come away from the event swearing by the experience. At the very least, it seems like a lot fun.

The only downside, I'd wager, is the risk of injuring yourself during what ultimately amounts to one big exhibition. This weekend, two important players -- Indiana's Will Sheehey and Louisville's Montrezl Harrell -- had their respective weeks at the Nations cut short by that risk. Fortunately, it doesn't look like their either player's season will be affected.

The good news: Both injuries were minor. Sheehey had a moderate ankle sprain (to the same ankle he has injured in the past), but is expected to return to practice and workouts in a couple of weeks, according to Draft Express's Jonathan Givony, who spoke with Sheehey at the event.

Harrell's injury initially looked far more serious, but after an MRI in Louisville the forward responded to a Twitter question from former NC State and UConn guard Rodney Purvis assuring his fellow hoopster he was going to be just fine:

@rpurvis5 I'm good nothing bad just a tough sprain

— Montrezl Harrell (@MONSTATREZZ) August 5, 2013

Harrell also updated his Instagram account with a photo of his knee resting in a big blue brace, accompanied by a caption that should quickly ease Cardinals' fans fears:

No worries people I'm in the ville I told you I'm going to be fine all I have is a sprain nothing is going to keep me down an out an keep me out the court this year I love this game an I have a family to take care of I'm highly blessed #blessed #grateful #thankful #hardworkbeatstalent #whentalentdoesntworkhard

Normally, I would dock Harrell a couple of points for committing the grave sin of overhashtagging, but given his infectious relief, I'll let it slide.

The upshot is Sheehey's injury shouldn't set his summer back much, if at all, as he prepares for a star senior turn on a young IU team that desperately needs his experience and versatility on the court. Harrell might spend a bit more time getting right, which is in and of itself a bummer. Louisville needs its 6-foot-8 freak of nature (see Harrell's dunk just before halftime of the national title game for evidence to this effect) to sand off the rougher edges of his game and to rely less on sheer athleticism on both ends of the floor. But considering the ugly assumptions associated with knee injuries, the fact that Harrell got out of a freak bump against another camp counselor's leg without having to miss time during the season actually feels like a bonus. Or, if you prefer, a #blessing.

Anyway, good news all around -- relatively speaking, at least.

Indiana coach Tom Crean discusses his program's progress in recent years and the way the Hoosiers will try to replace Victor Oladipo and Cody Zeller.

The following teams could tumble in 2013-14. Just so we’re clear: That potential “tumble” is based on last season’s position for every team listed. It doesn’t mean these squads will finish at the bottom of the standings, but I think they’ll fall in comparison to their respective peaks from last season.

Top 10 teams that will tumble in 2013-14:

10. Gonzaga: For the first time in school history, the Zags recorded a No. 1 ranking and a top seed in the Big Dance. Their early tournament exit ended their season on a sour note, but the program reached new heights in 2012-13. Elias Harris and Kelly Olynyk comprised one of the toughest frontcourts in America. Harris (14.6 PPG, 7.4 RPG) was a rugged forward who had finesse and power. Olynyk (17.8 PPG, 7.3 RPG) was the best combo forward in America. He had an underrated post game too. The duo created matchup problems for every team they faced last season. And now both players are gone. Kevin Pangos and multiple members of a respectable backcourt are back, but that Olynyk-Harris combo was special. There’s still enough talent in Spokane to win the WCC and reach the NCAA tournament, but the Zags won’t be the national title contenders they appeared to be through the 2012-13 campaign.

9. Cincinnati: Coach Mick Cronin had one of the nation’s top backcourts last season. Now, two members of a trio that anchored his 22-win NCAA tournament team -- JaQuon Parker and Cashmere Wright -- are gone. Sean Kilpatrick, the team’s leading scorer, returns. But a Cincinnati squad that struggled with consistent scoring benefited from Parker’s and Wright’s ability to stretch the floor. Both shot better than 36 percent from behind the 3-point line. Kilpatrick could be a one-man show in 2013-14, but that’s not necessarily a good thing. The toughest void for the Bearcats (14th in adjusted defensive efficiency per Ken Pomeroy) could be the defensive deficit created by the departure of Cheikh Mbodj (2.6 BPG). There are holes everywhere for this Bearcats squad.

8. Detroit: Ray McCallum Jr. turned down offers from powerhouse programs to play for his father, Ray McCallum Sr. With McCallum at point guard, Detroit reached the NCAA tournament in 2012 after the Titans won the Horizon League tournament. But he’s gone now. And he’s not the only key player that Detroit will miss. The Titans have lost their top four scorers from last season. Somehow, Detroit must find respectable offensive contributors who can make up for the loss of McCallum (18.7 PPG), Nick Minnerath (14.6 PPG), Jason Calliste (14.4 PPG) and Doug Anderson (12.1 PPG). McCallum could face his toughest season as a head coach in 2013-14.

7. San Diego State: It’s fair to say that San Diego State underachieved last season. The Aztecs finished in a tie for fourth in the stacked Mountain West Conference. Then they were stopped in the third round of the Big Dance by Florida Gulf Coast. Not a shameful showing, but their potential suggested that they had a higher ceiling. Well, that ceiling is lower now with the loss of four of the team’s top six scorers from last season. Jamaal Franklin and Chase Tapley were two of the Aztecs’ top defenders too. Franklin wasn’t the game’s most efficient player (3.4 TPG, 28 percent from the 3-point line), but he was the guy with the ball in his hands when the Aztecs needed a big play. Whom will they turn to next year? Steve Fisher seems to have more questions than answers right now.

6. Butler: Rotnei Clarke (16.9 PPG) and Andrew Smith (11.3 PPG) have moved on. That’s a challenge for the program because they formed a potent inside-outside combo. But Roosevelt Jones, Khyle Marshall and Kellen Dunham remain. So Butler can find buckets in 2013-14. The Bulldogs are on this list, however, because Brad Stevens will not be on the sideline next season. Brandon Miller has a strong pedigree. I don’t doubt his coaching acumen. But Stevens is making millions in the NBA because he has the rare ability to extract every ounce of talent from his players. At Butler, they were devoted to him and his system. That combination of buy-in and strategy led to amazing highs in recent years. Even though Miller is in the Butler family, this is still a transition. And it’s a transition without the mastermind who made Butler a household name. The Bulldogs may fall before they establish their footing under Miller.

5. Georgetown: First, Otto Porter turned pro. Then Greg Whittington tore an ACL, jeopardizing his status for next season. Yes, three starters from last season's squad return, and former UCLA standout Josh Smith will join the team at midseason. And that helps. Markel Starks' presence is a major boost for the program too. But who will create offensive opportunities for a team that registered just 64.6 PPG (247th nationally) with a lottery pick running the show? That number doesn’t tell the full story of Georgetown basketball in 2012-13. The Hoyas were fourth in adjusted defensive efficiency per Ken Pomeroy. But Porter’s versatility eased the defensive responsibilities of his teammates. With a healthy Whittington, however, the latter will be a minimal concern for John Thompson III’s program. But there’s no guarantee that Whittington will be ready in time to help Georgetown in 2013-14. And that’s a problem.

4. Indiana: Yogi Ferrell is back. That’s the good news for Tom Crean. The bad news? Cody Zeller and Victor Oladipo are in the NBA. Christian Watford and Jordan Hulls are gone too. Although Indiana entered last season as a preseason pick by many to win the national title, similar hype will not follow the Hoosiers into the 2013-14 season. They have three top-100 kids, including five-star recruit Noah Vonleh, in their incoming class. And multiple players who contributed in spurts last season will earn more minutes. So there’s enough talent in Bloomington to register another NCAA tournament bid. But the Hoosiers were the No. 1 team in America in multiple stretches last season. I can’t imagine the young program rivaling that effort next season.

3. Temple: Remember when Khalif Wyatt dropped 31 points in Temple’s win over NC State in the NCAA tournament? Remember when he did it again versus Indiana two days later? Wyatt’s offensive explosiveness helped Temple beat teams that were more talented than the Owls last season. He scored 33 points in his team’s win over Syracuse in December. He recorded 30 points when the Owls defeated VCU in early March. Now, Wyatt and sidekick Scootie Randall have left the stage. That’s a combined average of 31.8 PPG, 2.7 SPG and 6.1 APG.

2. Minnesota: Can a team that went 8-10 in the Big Ten tumble? Yep, especially if that team is implementing a new system with a limited talent pool. Andre Hollins and Austin Hollins could be all-Big Ten performers next season, but the void created when Trevor Mbakwe and Rodney Williams exhausted their eligibility will be a challenge for new coach Richard Pitino. Plus, Joe Coleman transferred from a team that reached the Big Dance and beat UCLA in the second round. Pitino’s fast-paced, pressure system could work in the Big Ten, but he needs the right pieces to make that happen. He just doesn’t appear to have them yet.

1. Miami: Last season, Miami had it all. The hoopla that followed the surging Hurricanes included courtside appearances by LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. It was a great ride for the program. But a new reality will soon take hold as Miami coach Jim Larranaga attempts to replace Shane Larkin, Julian Gamble, Kenny Kadji, Reggie Johnson, Trey McKinney Jones and Durand Scott. Those veterans were responsible for one of the ACC’s and the nation’s top defensive attacks (28th in adjusted defensive efficiency per KenPom.com). His rebuilding effort will commence in a league that will add Pitt, Syracuse and Notre Dame next season. Hard times ahead for the Hurricanes.

In May of 2012, fresh off his first national title and facing no small amount of anger over the dissolution of the Indiana-Kentucky series, John Calipari took to his personal website to announce not only his scheduling plans but the realpolitik underpinning them.

The IU-UK series, a hated border rivalry waged for much of the past century on both campuses and neutral courts, was dying. Indiana wanted to play on campus; Kentucky wanted to play on neutral floors. In his blog post, Calipari indirectly explained why: "When we schedule, I want to create experiences," he wrote. "Not just games."

Coach Cal went on to describe the various steps his Wildcats would take to do just that: This season's men's/women's Cowboys Stadium doubleheader vs. Baylor; negotiations for a traveling annual series against Duke; a preference for the higher-profile North Carolina series over the obvious border rivalry. Convincing and well-argued though it was, plenty of folks bristled at the strategy. For fans, at least, when the choice is between awesome, organic home environments and sterilized NFL-owned football stadiums, well, is there really a choice at all? Can we at least nod at the former before subsuming it into the latter? Like it or not, Calipari, per the usual, seemed to be on the vanguard of a new, ever more brand-obsessed reality. "Events" were paramount, and if another program -- even a program like Indiana -- didn't want to get on board, well, too bad. Kentucky, like Duke, could schedule who it wanted, when it wanted.

All of which is a preamble to this: On Monday, Purdue's athletics website announced that the Crossroads Classic -- an annual nonconference meeting of Indiana, Butler, Purdue and Notre Dame in Indianapolis -- would continue (at least) through 2016:

The highly successful Crossroads Classic will continue through 2016, the athletics directors at the four participating schools announced today. One of college basketball's premier non-conference events will continue to be played at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The additional dates and matchups are Dec. 19, 2015 (Purdue vs. Butler and Notre Dame vs. Indiana) and Dec. 17, 2016 (Purdue vs. Notre Dame and Butler vs. Indiana). Purdue will serve as the host school in 2015, with Indiana doing so in 2016.

Usually, a reporter's first reaction to a press release that leads with "The highly successful ..." is an unmitigated eye roll. In this case, that would be incorrect.

By any measure, the Crossroads Classic -- announced in 2010 by the athletic directors of the four participating schools, and first renewed in May 2012 -- has indeed been highly successful. Almost 19,000 fans comprising all four schools have packed Bankers Life Fieldhouse in each of the first two events. Administrators and program staffers have publicly and privately raved about the ease of behind-the-scenes negotiations and logistics. Unlike most nonconference events, no third party organization is in charge of hosting the event; the four schools teamed up to handle the logistics -- and rake their respectively tidy paydays -- themselves. (Coincidentally, tournament coordination by these four natural rivals was eased by casual circumstance: Purdue athletic director Morgan Burke and Indiana AD Fred Glass both grew up in the same Northwest Indianapolis neighborhood, and both attended Brebeuf Jesuit prep school, and Glass and Notre Dame AD Jack Swarbrick once worked together as attorneys at Indy law firm Baker & Daniels.) Oh, and the basketball was good, too -- particularly in the 2012 edition, when Butler walk-on Alex Barlow sank then-No. 1 Indiana in overtime.

More than anything, though, the Crossroads Classic is a promising way forward. Make no mistake about it: It is a capital-E Event. But unlike many such events, it has genuine roots beyond your cable box (the old Hoosier Classic ran from 1948 to 1951 and 1957 to 1960) and is waged in a genuine basketball arena, not a cavernous football edifice. It draws on what defines the state's relationship with basketball -- communal obsession, the sporting event as a public gathering, hoops memories as cultural shorthand -- and updates it with a modern sheen. When Indiana fans show up on the Jumbotron, everyone else boos. It is the perfect blend of the modern form with the generational investment that makes college basketball so great in the first place.

There's nothing wrong with events in and of themselves, obviously. (I bet that Kentucky-Baylor game is going to be really fun.) But if events are where the sport's elite are indeed going, let's hope the Crossroads Classic truly is a replicable model for the future -- something that provides brand equity, sure, but also something with stakes beyond "gee, that stadium sure is big!"

Losing rivalries and classic home gyms in November and December isn't preferable, but if the brave new "Classic" future is inevitable, perhaps our best hope is that it winds up more Crossroads than Carrier.

Editor's Note: Over two days, we're releasing the brackets/matchups for 11 of the top early-season events. A thread of previews and info for all 11 tourneys can be found here.

When and where: Nov. 21-22, Madison Square Garden (each of the featured teams will host two games on their home floor prior to the semis)

2K Sports Classic Semifinal Schedule

Nov. 21: UConn vs. Boston College (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2); Indiana vs. Washington (9 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
Nov. 22: Championship and third-place games

Initial thoughts: The future of the new patchwork American Athletic Conference that Connecticut basketball will find itself competing in this winter is entirely up for grabs. The same can be said for how that league will affect the Huskies' program in the coming years. I happen to think the answer is "not all that much" -- UConn is too good of a program, and I'm not sure how many players and families care all that much about conference "brand" when they're deciding where to go to school. The SEC isn't known for its hoops, but Kentucky and Florida seem to be recruiting just fine. But I guess we'll see.

But I'm high on UConn for 2013-14. This will be among the Huskies' first high-profile nonconference appearances, and it will be an awfully good chance to get a first look at whether Shabazz Napier, Ryan Boatright, DeAndre Daniels and Omar Calhoun -- one of the more talented perimeter foursomes in the country -- are ready to make the proverbial leap.

It also will be the first chance to put Indiana under the spotlight. The Hoosiers still are very talented, but losing two top-five draft picks (Cody Zeller and Victor Oladipo) and two four-year senior starters (Jordan Hulls and Christian Watford) is always going to put you back into the meat of the development curve. Meanwhile, Boston College and Washington are both coming off ugly seasons, but BC has a lot of efficient offense coming back, and Washington will be rebuilt around lead guard C.J. Wilcox.

Matchup I can’t wait to see: Indiana-Washington. This is kind of a push. After all, Boston College's score of returning players -- from Ryan Anderson to impressive 2012-13 freshmen Olivier Hanlan and Joe Rahon -- scored the ball well last season, and we can reasonably expect at least some youthful improvement on that end of the floor. The question is whether the Eagles will guard anyone, and I wager there will be few better tests of a team's ability to stick to defensive principles than when Napier and Boatright are slicing you up at the top of the key.

But I digress, and if I'm more interested in one of these games, it's Indiana-Washington, mostly because both teams are going to look brand new. There are some crucial familiar faces -- Wilcox for Washington, sophomore point Yogi Ferrell and senior Will Sheehey at IU -- but the most interesting pieces are newcomers. Lorenzo Romar desperately needed an infusion of talent this summer, and he got it with Nigel Williams-Goss, the No. 4-ranked point guard and No. 19 overall player in the Class of 2013.

The Hoosiers have a potential top-10 pick on campus in Noah Vonleh. Vonleh (ranked No. 13 in the 2013 class) is a rangy, 6-foot-8 forward whose raw athletic talent has tantalized scouts (and college coaches) for years. He's joining sophomore Ferrell, Sheehey and sophomore Jeremy Hollowell, who clearly improved throughout the 2012-13 season, on a team that sounds like a fringe Big Ten contender on paper. There's a lot of talent here, but a significant portion of it is raw and untested. Seeing the Hoosiers in action could tell a different story, particularly if they look ready as early as November. Should be fascinating.

Potential matchup I’d like to see: Indiana-Connecticut. This is the marquee matchup the TV folks obviously would prefer, but it's also the best game on offer. Napier and Boatright could be a nightmare for Ferrell, but the opposite also could be true -- few players in the country look as ready to have that classic sophomore breakout season as Ferrell. Another might be Calhoun. Fittingly, Calhoun was legendary former coach Jim Calhoun's last marquee recruit, and he showed flashes of his potential as a freshman despite battling two hips that required offseason surgery. Seeing him healthy, with some muscle added to that 6-5 frame, could provide a totally different picture.

Five players to watch

Yogi Ferrell, Indiana: He displayed admirable maturity during his first year in Bloomington, Ind., when he was asked to take the reins of an offense in which he was the only player to not score at least 1,000 career points. Now, with all four fellow starters gone, he's going to have the ball in his hands even more, and he's going to be asked to do even more, including (but not limited to): better 3-point shooting, constant rim attacks, efficient work on pick and rolls, great defense at the point of attack, solid distribution. Basically, you name it, and Ferrell will have to do some of it in 2013-14. As he goes, so will IU's season.

Noah Vonleh, Indiana: The highly touted future NBA draft pick has always impressed with his potential -- his classically attractive mix of size, athleticism and skill. What he's lacked, as many top high school players do, are the two things that set apart the NBA All-Stars from the Darius Mileses of the world: polish and strength. The good news? Vonleh has been impressing IU coaches with his offseason work ethic. On Monday, Inside The Hall reported that an aggressive weight regimen has added 20 pounds to Vonleh's frame in just six weeks, which is just plain freaky; IU assistant Kenny Johnson joked that Vonleh would move a bed into IU's practice facility if he could. This is all immensely promising stuff, of course, but Vonleh still has huge challenges facing him in the season to come -- not the least of which is whether he can play a legitimate go-to low-post role in the Big Ten. Those 20 extra pounds should come in handy.

Shabazz Napier, Connecticut: Napier's career has been an exercise in extremes. As a freshman, he played a key role in UConn's Kemba Walker-led national title run. As a sophomore, he couldn't get a massively talented but apparently apathetic group to take him seriously as a leader. As a junior, his coach retired, and was replaced by assistant coach Kevin Ollie just in time for the Huskies to be ineligible (thanks to NCAA-mandated Academic Progress Rate penalties) for postseason play. Now a senior, Napier has a talented group around him and a chance to finish the season in the NCAA tournament. Redemption awaits.

DeAndre Daniels, Connecticut: Boatright and Napier should be their typically lightning-quick selves in 2013-14, and you can tentatively pencil in Calhoun's improvement as a sophomore. The biggest question mark -- the player UConn fans are most anxious to see, if the Internet can be believed (and obviously it can) -- is Daniels. If the rising junior can improve his shooting even slightly, he could make Connecticut a devastating four-out operation; if he can do a bit more work on the low-block, he balances the whole lineup. Daniels is crucial to any bullish UConn prognostication next season. The 2K Sports Classic will be a good place to get an early read.

Olivier Hanlan, Boston College: BC coach Steve Donahue inherited some quality talent -- namely star guard Reggie Jackson -- when he took over for Al Skinner in 2010-11. Then Jackson left for the NBA, and four senior starters did what seniors do, and since then it has been all rebuilding, all the time. BC (16-17, 7-11 ACC) was better than many predicted last season thanks in large part to Hanlan, who shot 49.2 percent from 2 and 39.4 percent from 3 as a freshman and led the Eagles in scoring with 15.4 points per game. If Boston College can play even league-average ACC defense, and Hanlan improves, that crucial turn toward a post-rebuild existence will happen sooner than you think.

Nigel Williams-Goss, Washington: At this point, we know what we're going to get from Wilcox, who was the only truly capable scorer Romar had at his disposal last season. The rest of the Huskies' lineup -- which lost Abdul Gaddy, Aziz N'Diaye and Scott Suggs and wasn't good in the first place -- is up in the air. That's where Williams-Goss comes in. A highly regarded player in an incoming class full of them, our scouts say Williams-Goss is a good decision-maker with intuitive passing and transition skills and a reliable floater, lacking only elite athleticism and a long-range jumper. That actually sounds exactly like the player Washington needs (solid, smart, capable) and what it has lacked in these atypical recent down years. We'll see.

Title-game prediction: Connecticut over Indiana

The Hoosiers are going to be good, but the jury is out on how good -- whether they're merely a top-half Big Ten team, or whether they're a top-10 group overall. Much of that will have to do with how Ferrell manages the offense, how quickly Vonleh turns into the beast he appears destined to become, and whether Hollowell is ready to play a key role on the wing. But Indiana's defense is also a question mark. I'm guessing the team with the most cohesion out of the gate will have the advantage in an otherwise reasonably similarly matched game. That team is UConn. (Obviously, this prediction is ironclad and in no way subject to change. Obviously.)

Who others are picking:

Jeff Goodman: UConn over Washington
Andy Katz: UConn over Indiana
Jason King: UConn over Indiana
Myron Medcalf: UConn over Indiana
Dana O'Neil: UConn over Indiana

Last week, Indiana basketball achieved a milestone. When Victor Oladipo and Cody Zeller were selected No. 2 and No. 4, respectively, in the 2013 NBA draft, the Hoosiers joined an exclusive club: One of 13 teams in college hoops history to have at least two players selected in the top five of the same draft, the Wall Street Journal's Ben Cohen discovered Monday.

In the modern college hoops exposure economy, perhaps nothing is more impressive than landing multiple players in the highest echelons of the NBA draft; John Calipari's ability to do so at Kentucky has made him the dominant recruiting force of the past decade. That Indiana coach Tom Crean can play on that level, given where this IU's program was five years ago, really is a remarkable achievement.

That's one interpretation, anyway. The other is less charitable, but it's also impossible to overlook. Ben sums it up with this: "Indiana underachieved more than any similarly talented team in NCAA tournament history."

How so? Five of the 13 teams in the Two Top-Five Picks Club (we really need a catchier name) went on to win the national title. Only three failed to reach the Final Four, and just two -- Duke in 2002, and North Carolina in 1984, which both won national titles with the same players in preceding seasons -- ended their runs in the Sweet 16. Those facts are enough to earn the Hoosiers this ignominious title from the WSJ: "Biggest Underachiever in NCAA History." Yeah. Ouch.

There's certainly a case to be made. Indiana was one of the few teams in recent college hoops history to feature not one, but two genuine National Player of the Year candidates. Oladipo finished as a first-team All-American, Zeller on the second team; both players ended their seasons in the top 10 (Zeller third, Oladipo ninth) in Ken Pomeroy's kPOY metric. In all, Indiana mixed NBA chops (Oladipo, Zeller), veteran excellence (Jordan Hulls, Christian Watford, Will Sheehey) and young talent (Yogi Ferrell) into a blend that was the best offensive team in the country for much of its run, featured four 1,000-point scorers for the first time in IU history, and won the program's first outright Big Ten title since 1993 in a historically loaded league.

Given all that, the Hoosiers' tournament performance -- including a near-upset to the fighting Khalif Wyatts and a 50-point splat against Syracuse in the Sweet 16 (which began with a 29-11 Orange lead, and was never close) -- can't be considered anything other than a disappointment. How could it?

Likewise, the NBA's impressions of Zeller and Oladipo, in particular Zeller's otherworldly measurements at the combine, have caused some to revisit recurring complaints. Zeller didn't touch the ball enough. A 7-footer with a 36-inch standing vertical shouldn't lower his torso and play under opposing defenders so often. That an already-great Zeller, and thus an already-great IU team, should have been even more.

There is some truth to all this. When you're 7-feet tall and you can launch yourself that high into the air from a standstill, but your biggest purported flaw is that you struggle against "athleticism," something's not quite right. I've heard plenty of IU fans wail and gnash their teeth at the rare opportunity lost in 2013, particularly as Zeller tested through the roof and Oladipo shot up draft boards last week.

That's not unfair: Indiana's tournament finish really was about as disappointing as it gets for a No. 1-seeded title favorite. (Even the President picked IU to win it all. Presidential disappointment can't be overlooked here.) The Hoosiers didn't lose to a plucky underdog in the game of its life. They got punched in the face by a buzzsaw of a defense and they froze. Twelve of their 15 3s clanged off the rim. Let's be candid: At times, it appeared Indiana hadn't adequately prepared for Jim Boeheim's 2-3 zone; other coaches I talked to in the wake of the loss were shocked Crean played Zeller at the top of the key, instead of under the rim, where his offensive rebounding was needed most. The result wasn't pretty.

But there's also more to the story. For one, Syracuse might have been the worst possible matchup for the Hoosiers, all length and size and forceful interior rebounding. Michael Carter-Williams and Brandon Triche towered over Ferrell and Hulls. The Orange came strapped with a 2-3 zone that held opponents to the third-lowest 3-point percentage (28.4 percent) in the country last season, and was better than ever in the tournament. Two days after the IU win, the Orange held Marquette, which won 74-71 at the Carrier Dome on Feb. 25, to 39 points in 54 possessions.

In other words: It's the NCAA tournament! Wacky stuff happens in 40 minutes of single-elimination basketball. Sample size is important. Matchups can kill. Surviving the tournament to win a title is an insane accomplishment; falling short somewhere along the way need not be a proportional indictment. Judging a team's legacy -- or using draft picks as a cudgel with which to whack a coach -- risks a vast oversimplification of the issue. As Calipari, who would know a thing or two about this kind of criticism, has said: "We just want to be up to bat."

There are other caveats. Oladipo was a totally unknown three-star recruit before Crean brought him to Bloomington, Ind., and you have to give credit where it's due. Likewise, the 2013 draft was not exactly well-regarded by NBA GMs, in case you hadn't heard. Having two top-five picks this season might require some sort of tiny "this was a bad draft" asterisk. Why should we retcon the entire 2013 season after that draft, again? (Oh, and speaking of which, noting that the 1984 Tar Heels and 2002 Blue Devils won national titles in previous years doesn't mean their eventual Sweet 16 finishes were any less disappointing, does it? If it can happen to Dean Smith and Michael Jordan, it can happen to anyone.)

Reason requires evaluating last year's IU team on much more than a one-game sample. In every other respect, the season was a success: Big Ten outright title, first- and second-team All-Americans, two top-five draft picks, ongoing recruiting resurgence, continued restoration of a once-cratered hoops power. It checked all the boxes, save the big one. It would be easy, even tempting, for Indiana fans to look at that gap between talent and finish and sum to "most disappointing team in history." It would provide an easy target, and sports fans do adore an easy target. Emotion works better that way. Nuance is chore.

Even having the opportunity to blame that target in the first place requires overlooking years of hard-fought program resurrection, just as it requires a thoroughly unreasonable attitude about the way we should ultimately remember good teams. Ben wasn't making that argument, but plenty of others have. There's so much more to it than that.

The Big Ten ranks last among the six power conferences in active NBA players (25) and first-round NBA draft picks (28) since 2000 -- the last year a Big Ten team won an NCAA title.

Still, a large chunk of Big Ten standouts who have entered the professional ranks have fared quite well.

Here’s a look at the 10 Big Ten products who have enjoyed the most successful pro careers since 1989, the year the NBA draft was whittled down to two rounds.

1. Chris Webber, Michigan: Webber played 14 full seasons in the NBA and averaged more than 17 points in all but one of them. For his career, he averaged 20.7 points and 9.8 rebounds per contest, earning first-team All-NBA honors after scoring 27.1 points and grabbing 11.1 rebounds in 2000-01. Webber, who led Michigan to the NCAA title game in 1992 and 1993, was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1993 NBA draft and went on to earn NBA Rookie of the Year honors. A five-time All-Star, Webber retired in 2008.

2. Deron Williams, Illinois: Currently one of the NBA’s top point guards, Williams has averaged a double-double in four of his seven NBA seasons and boasts career marks of 17.8 points and nine assists per contest. His numbers are even more impressive in the postseason, when he has stepped up to average 21 points and 9.4 assists in 51 playoff games with Utah and Brooklyn. Williams has been on three All-Star squads and was named second-team all-league in 2008 and 2010. He also was a member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic squad that won a gold medal.

3. Zach Randolph, Michigan State: With career averages of 17.2 points and 9.3 rebounds, Randolph is currently one of the top power forwards in the NBA. This season, he led Memphis to the Western Conference finals for the first time in franchise history. Randolph was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player in 2004 and was named third-team All-NBA in 2011. Randolph has averaged a double-double in seven of his 11 NBA seasons, and he’s averaged more than 20 points five times. In his one season at Michigan State in 2000-01, Randolph led the Spartans to the Final Four.

4. Glenn Robinson, Purdue: In his junior year at Purdue, “The Big Dog” averaged 30.3 points and 11.2 rebounds, making him the first Big Ten player since 1978 to lead the league in both categories. The No. 1 pick in the 1994 NBA draft averaged 20.7 points and 6.1 rebounds in 11 NBA seasons. He made the All-Star team in 2000 and 2001 and made four playoff appearances with Milwaukee (three times) and San Antonio (once). Robinson’s best year came in 1997-98 when he averaged 23.4 points for the Bucks. He played his last NBA game in 2005.

5. Glen Rice, Michigan: By the time he retired in 2004, Rice had played 846 games for six teams in 15 NBA seasons. The forward averaged 18.9 points during that span and shot 85 percent from the foul stripe. The fourth overall pick in the 1989 draft played in three All-Star games and earned the game's MVP honors in 1997 -- the same year that he was named second-team All-NBA. That was also the year Rice averaged a career-high 26.8 points. Known for his long-range prowess, Rice was a 40 percent career 3-point shooter.

6. Michael Redd, Ohio State: After proving himself against top players such as Ray Allen and Glenn Robinson in practice, Redd became a star for the Milwaukee Bucks. He averaged more than 21 points for six straight seasons (2003-2009) and was a third-team all-league selection in 2004. Redd also was a member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic team. He’s currently the NBA record holder for 3-pointers made in one quarter (eight). Redd averaged 19 points in 12 NBA seasons.

7. Juwan Howard, Michigan: Howard has had the longest career of any member of “The Fab Five.” He’s played in 1,257 games in 18 NBA seasons and boasts career averages of 13.4 points and 6.1 rebounds. Howard’s best season came in 1995-96 when he averaged 22.2 points and 8.1 boards. Following that season, he was named third-team All-NBA. Last season, as a seldom-used reserve, he earned an NBA title as a member of the Miami Heat.

8. Jason Richardson, Michigan State: The current Philadelphia 76er has posted a double-digit scoring average in each of his 12 NBA seasons. His best year came in 2005-06 when he scored 23.2 points a game for Golden State. Richardson is averaging 17.3 points for his career and 17.1 points in the playoffs. Known as one of the NBA’s top high-flyers, Richardson won the NBA Slam Dunk title in 2002 and 2003. Richardson was the fifth overall pick in the 2001 NBA draft.

9. Michael Finley, Wisconsin: A small forward, Finley averaged 15.7 points during his 15 NBA seasons. Nine of those were spent with the Dallas Mavericks, including his best season in 1999-2000 when posted career highs in both scoring (22.6) and rebounding (6.3). Finley was selected to the NBA All-Star team in 2000 and 2001, and he won an NBA title in 2007 as a member of the San Antonio Spurs. He averaged 11.2 points in the playoffs that season. Finley retired in 2010.

10. Steve Smith, Michigan State: The standout guard averaged 14.3 points in 14 NBA seasons, including 20.1 points in both 1996-97 and 1997-98. He was strong in the postseason, where he averaged 14.9 points in 90 games. Smith played in the 1998 All-Star game and was a member of the 2000 U.S. Olympic team. He won an NBA title with the Spurs in 2003, though he received little playing time that season. He is one of just three players in league history to drain seven 3-pointers in a single quarter.

Ten more notables: All of these players have excelled in the NBA, including a few who almost cracked the top 10 and/or could be there soon (names in alphabetical order).

Nick Anderson, Illinois
Mike Conley, Ohio State
Jamal Crawford, Michigan
Ricky Davis, Iowa
Kendall Gill, Illinois
Eric Gordon, Indiana
Devin Harris, Wisconsin
Jim Jackson, Ohio State
Brad Miller, Purdue
Jalen Rose, Michigan

Too soon to tell: These guys haven’t been in the league long enough to make the top 10, but all appear to have bright futures (names in alphabetical order).

Draymond Green, Michigan State
Meyers Leonard, Illinois
E’Twaun Moore, Purdue
Jared Sullinger, Ohio State
Evan Turner, Ohio State

*Note: Of the 25 names on these lists, five are from Michigan, five are from Ohio State, four are from Illinois, four are from Michigan State, three are from Purdue and two are from Wisconsin. Indiana and Iowa boast one player each.

1. The Anaheim Classic is going through some changes that should make it a more intimate event, building up toward a more unique championship day. The tournament, played over Thanksgiving weekend, has been at the Anaheim Convention Center, but has had plenty of sparsely populated games. So, the plan is to move the first two days of the tournament to Cal State-Fullerton's Titan Gym. The final day of the event will be played at the Honda Center in Anaheim to give it more of an elite ending. And to raise the profile of the event, the name will no longer be the Anaheim Classic but rather the Wooden Legacy. The first two rounds will be Nov. 28 and 29 with the championship day on Dec. 1. The tournament has headline teams in Creighton, San Diego State, Marquette, Arizona State and Miami with the College of Charleston, George Washington and the host Titans. Fullerton needs to take advantage of their homecourt and play well for two reasons -- to play rare higher-level games at home and to ensure the crowds are decent.

2. The cuts for the World University Games team playing in Russia could be some of the hardest for USA basketball. Junior national director Jim Boeheim of Syracuse will have a hard time whittling down this list. The team, which will train the last week of June in Colorado Springs, should be the overwhelming favorite in the event. But getting down to the cut list of 24 will be quite a chore for Boeheim and WUG coaches Bob McKillop (Davidson), Frank Martin (South Carolina) and John Beilein (Michigan). Here is the list: Eric Atkins (Notre Dame), Markel Brown (Oklahoma State), Deonte Burton (Nevada), Quinn Cook (Duke), Bryce Cotton (Providence), Spencer Dinwiddie (Colorado), C.J. Fair (Syracuse), Yogi Ferrell (Indiana), Davante Gardner (Marquette), Treveon Graham (VCU), Jerian Grant (Notre Dame), P.J. Hairston (North Carolina), A.J. Hammons (Purdue), Luke Hancock (Louisville), Joe Harris (UVA), Tyler Haws (BYU), Andre Hollins (Minnesota), Rodney Hood (Duke), Josh Huestis (Stanford), Cory Jefferson (Baylor), Sean Kilpatrick (Cincinnati), Alex Kirk (New Mexico), Devyn Marble (Iowa), Doug McDermott (Creighton), Adreian Payne (Michigan State), Chasson Randle (Stanford), Will Sheehey (Indiana), Aaron White (Iowa), Kendall Williams (New Mexico).

3. The list will be cut down to 12. Everyone could use making the team to better themselves. But Hood could use it more than anyone else after sitting out last season as a transfer from Mississippi State. Hood needs game action before he starts to star for Duke. Fair, Grant, Hairston, Jefferson, McDermott and Payne all are trying out for the team after making the decision to return to school. The fact that two players from Indiana, Duke, Notre Dame, New Mexico and Iowa are on the first list is a sign about these three teams' future next season. Kirk and Grant have a chance to be headline players next season. So too, does White. The one player who could benefit as much as anyone is Ferrell, who will have to be even more of a playmaker next season without Victor Oladipo on his wing.

1. The new Big East has soccer and volleyball schedules for the fall despite not having a commissioner or staff yet. Each athletic director among the 10 was given a sport to work on scheduling along with the coaches from each school. The athletic directors are completely in the dark on the league's new commissioner; the decision is being made by the university presidents. Meanwhile, the schools are still waiting to hear from broadcast partner Fox about what nights they will typically play on during the conference season. Monday and Thursday doubleheaders are a possibility, but the use of pro arenas by Seton Hall, Providence, Villanova, Marquette, Georgetown and St. John's makes it hard to lock in just two nights per week for games.

2. Independent investigator Stu Brown of the Indianapolis-based law firm Ice Miller has submitted the report about the officiating controversy during the Pac-12 basketball tournament to league presidents for their spring meetings this weekend in Utah. The Pac-12 called for an outside report after Ed Rush, the coordinator of officials, resigned over allegations that he jokingly offered financial and other incentives for handing out a technical foul to Arizona coach Sean Miller. Officials also at the time told ESPN that Rush ruled through intimidation during his one year in the position. Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott and the presidents will review the investigation and determine if further action is needed. The Pac-12 is still seeking a replacement for Rush.

3. The high-profile challenge games between the ACC and Big Ten and the SEC and Big 12, neutral-site single games and neutral-site tournaments are making it harder for elite programs to set up true home-and-home series. Take Indiana, for example: The Hoosiers will play Notre Dame in Indianapolis at the Crossroads Classic, go to Syracuse in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and play in the 2K Sports tournament with Connecticut, Boston College and Washington. That gives the Hoosiers four games away from Bloomington -- probably enough for a program that has to fund a number of sports. Kansas is one of the few top-10 programs that still plays true home-and-home series. KU had a series with Ohio State that wasn't tied to anything, and now has one with Georgetown. The Hoosiers have one game left to give, but likely will buy a home game instead of starting a new series on the road.

In five months, the 2013-14 college basketball season will begin.

It’s always tough to make projections in the weeks following any season. But the dust has settled.

The following list highlights sophomores who will be asked to carry more weight next season. Some of these young men might have to carry an entire team.

1. Javan Felix (Texas) – Felix entered 2012-13 as a freshman who expected to play minimal minutes in Rick Barnes’ rotation. Then Myck Kabongo was suddenly suspended for receiving impermissible benefits and lying to the NCAA about it. Enter Felix, who started 23 games at point guard (6.8 PPG, 4.1 APG) for the Longhorns. Barnes lost his top three scorers from a team that failed to make the NCAA tournament, so Felix will assume a leadership role again. This time, however, he’ll guide an even younger and more inexperienced bunch than last season’s crew. But his invitation to this summer’s USA Basketball U19 training camp is a testament to his performance under pressure last year.
2. Sam Dekker (Wisconsin) – Few question Dekker’s ceiling. His 116.7 offensive rating was fifth in the Big Ten per KenPom.com (among players who’d used at least 20 percent of their team’s possessions). In a reserve role (22.3 MPG), the freshman averaged 9.6 PPG and 3.4 RPG. He also shot 39 percent from the 3-point line. It was an impressive debut. He certainly seems capable of handling more next year for Bo Ryan. He doesn’t have a choice. Jared Berggren, Mike Bruesewitz and Ryan Evans are gone. Josh Gasser will return from an ACL injury, so Dekker won’t have to lead alone. But he’ll have to help in more ways.
3. Siyani Chambers (Harvard) – Tommy Amaker had a roster that was fully capable of retaining its Ivy League crown as the 2012-13 campaign approached. Then top performers Kyle Casey and Brandyn Curry abruptly left the program before the season amid an academic scandal. So Amaker turned to this freshman who had few Division I offers. Chambers embraced his new responsibilities as the starting point guard for Harvard, averaging 12.4 PPG, 5.7 APG and 1.5 SPG. He also hit 81 percent of his free throws and 42 percent of his 3-point shots. The Crimson return the heart of a squad that upset New Mexico in the second round of the NCAA tournament in March, so this team will be favored to win the Ivy League again. Amaker knows he has a point guard he can trust.
4. Yogi Ferrell (Indiana) – The Hoosiers are the most mysterious team in the Big Ten, perhaps America. Yes, they’ve lost Victor Oladipo, Cody Zeller, Christian Watford and Jordan Hulls. But Tom Crean signed another stellar recruiting class, led by Noah Vonleh. Then there’s Hanner Mosquera-Perea & Co., part of Indiana’s previous recruiting crew that collectively provided inconsistent production. Ferrell (7.6 PPG. 4.1 APG), who ended last season as the apparent leader of the future, will be the key to the new chemistry in Bloomington. He walked into a fortified situation his freshman season. It’s not exactly clear what sort of situation he’ll encounter this fall. But it won’t work without him.
5. Georges Niang (Iowa State) – Fred Hoiberg wanted to win on Day 1. He couldn’t wait for young players to blossom two or three years down the road. He needed guys who could play immediately. So he signed a bunch of Division I transfers and junior college prospects in his first few seasons on the job. The results? Back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances. But Hoiberg can build in the coming years around Niang, a 6-foot-7 wing with the tools to mature into a high-level talent in 2013-14. He averaged 12.1 PPG and 4.6 RPG last season and made 39 percent of his 3-point attempts. The Cyclones lost four of their top six scorers from last year’s squad. Next season’s squad, which will feature four new junior college transfers, will be one of the most inexperienced teams in Hoiberg’s tenure. So Niang has to improve on last year’s production and prove that he’s a go-to guy in the locker room too.
6. Perry Ellis (Kansas) – Well, a lot has changed in recent weeks for Kansas. The Jayhawks ended last season with question marks. They’d lost all five starters once Ben McLemore declared for the NBA draft. So perhaps the Big 12 title streak – nine in a row – would be in jeopardy entering the 2013-14 season? That was then. Andrew Wiggins signed with Bill Self’s program and squashed all doubts. The addition of Tarik Black certainly helps too. But Kansas has historically benefited most from depth. And they have that inside now. Ellis is in a great position as the projected starter at power forward. He’s surrounded by playmakers, so he just has to continue to be the efficient threat he was in 2012-13 (5.8 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 48 percent from the floor, 13.6 MPG). Kansas has suddenly become a national title contender again. Self’s freshman class is uncanny now, and Black is an instant boost for the program. If Ellis is as potent as his prep accolades suggested he’d be at this level, KU will be in a position to reach Arlington next April.
7. Montrezl Harrell (Louisville) – Kentucky might be favored to win the national crown next season. But Louisville deserves consideration too. The Cardinals lost Peyton Siva and Gorgui Dieng. But Russ Smith, Luke Hancock, Chane Behanan and Wayne Blackshear return. Harrell could have an expanded role in Rick Pitino’s system too. Louisville lost size when Dieng decided to turn pro. But now the Cardinals have a bunch of versatile forwards who will continue to cause matchup problems for opponents. Harrell fits that formula. The 6-8 North Carolina native had his moments last season, including a 4-for-4 performance against Wichita State in the Final Four. He averaged 5.7 PPG last season, and he’s capable of more in 2013-14.
8. Kyle Anderson (UCLA) – Welcome to the Steve Alford Era. It begins a year after Ben Howland signed the nation’s top recruiting class, a class that -- without an injured Jordan Adams -- was dismissed from the second round of the NCAA tournament by Minnesota. But with the exception of Shabazz Muhammad, that heralded class will return. Adams must regain his strength after suffering a season-ending foot injury. Tony Parker’s minutes will increase if he’s in better shape and more focused. Anderson is as critical as any returnee on the roster. The 6-9 athlete averaged 9.7 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 3.5 APG and 1.8 SPG. Anderson entered 2012-13 as a lengthy point guard with a unique skill set. By the end of the season, however, we really weren’t sure what position he played for the Bruins. That’s what Alford must decide. Anderson can pass and handle the ball. His shooting must improve (21 percent from the 3-point line). But he’s usually a mismatch. Still, he needs a position.
9. Fred Van Vleet (Wichita State) – Gregg Marshall’s squad will enter next season as the clear favorite to win the Missouri Valley Conference. Ron Baker, Cleanthony Early and Van Vleet return to a program that surprised the nation with a run to the Final Four in April. With point guard Malcolm Armstead gone, Van Vleet steps into his slot as starting point guard. Van Vleet (4.3 PPG, 2.3 APG) flourished in spurts last season. But his effort against Ohio State in the Elite Eight (4-for-8, 12 points, 2 steals, 3 rebounds and 2 assists) provided evidence that the young guard will not be intimidated with a more significant role next season. His postseason experience made him more confident. The latter is crucial, especially for a young point guard.
10. Chris Obekpa (St. John’s) – On Dec. 8, Obekpa recorded a school-record 11 blocks against Fordham. He’s a true rim protector. He was second in the nation with 4.1 BPG, and he led the nation with a 15.8 block percentage, per KenPom.com. He’s the defensive anchor for a young St. John’s squad, and the 6-9 big man was also a solid rebounder (6.2 RPG). Now … the other things about his game. His offense was limited to dunks and garbage points. He’s a phenomenal athlete, so he has the potential to make strides on that end of the floor. And if that happens, watch out. With improved shooting and a better post game, Obekpa could evolve into one of the nation’s most complete players.