Indiana University Athletics
2004-05 Schedule Announced
8/25/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
August 25, 2004
Bloomington, Ind. - Last season, Indiana was the only basketball program in the nation to face six consecutive 2003 NCAA Tournament teams in its non-league schedule. The Hoosiers face a similar task in 2004-05, as a mid-December string of contests against North Carolina (Big Ten-ACC Challenge), at defending national champion Connecticut, and games against Notre Dame, Kentucky, at Missouri and against Charlotte highlight IU's non-league schedule this winter. The Big Ten Conference announced the league games today, and Indiana has one more slot to fill on its non-league schedule. Although Indiana annually ranks among the NCAA leaders in non-conference strength of schedule, IU coach Mike Davis sees no reason for his program to rest on its laurels.
"We have a lot of talent on this team, but we are also very young," Davis said. "We have all learned a lot from last season, which has made us hungry to get back at it this year. Our summer workout program has been as intense and competitive since I have been here. All of this is only going to help us."
Indiana opens up exhibition play Nov. 4 against NCAA Division II Bellarmine at Branch McCracken Court at Assembly Hall. The Hoosiers close out the exhibition season on Nov. 12 against NCAA Division II Southern Illinois-Edwardsville. The Cougars are coached by former Indiana swingman Marty Simmons. Simmons, who lettered for the Hoosiers in 1984 and 1985, led SIU-Edwardsville to a 16-12 overall record and 11-9 Great Lakes Valley Conference finish in his second season at the helm in 2003-04.
Indiana entertains North Carolina in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge, Dec. 1 on ESPN. Indiana and North Carolina have combined to win eight national championships, as the Hoosiers' five titles ranks third all-time, ahead of the Tar Heels and Duke (tied for fourth with three titles each). IU holds a 7-4 advantage in the all-time series between the two programs, including four victories in the last five meetings. This is the second time that Indiana and North Carolina have met in The Big Ten-ACC Challenge. On Nov. 28, 2001, A.J. Moye scored 20 points to lead Indiana to a 79-66 victory at North Carolina.
Overall, Indiana is 2-1 in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge, while North Carolina is 1-4. Indiana made its Challenge debut at North Carolina and followed that with an 80-74 overtime victory over defending national champion Maryland in the 2002 event at Conseco Fieldhouse. Last season, Wake Forest handed the Hoosiers a 100-67 setback. North Carolina lost its first four Challenge appearances before defeating Illinois, 88-81 last year in Greensboro. This marks the fourth straight year that Indiana's Challenge opponent finished the previous season ranked among the nation's top 25 teams.
"We have a lot of respect for Coach (Roy) Williams and the whole North Carolina program," Davis said. "Raymond Felton, Sean May and Rashad McCants are, without a doubt, three of the best players in the country. And then, you have (Jawad) Williams, Melvin Scott, and Jackie Manuel, along with the guys that they signed. They are going to be really good."
Indiana continues the nation's toughest non-league ledger on Dec. 4, when it travels to defending national champion Connecticut. The Huskies may have lost two of the top three players selected in the 2004 NBA Draft (Emeka Okafor and Ben Gordon), but they return two of the nation's more versatile frontcourt players in Josh Boone and Charlie Villanueva.
Although the all-time series between Connecticut and Indiana is tied at two games apiece, Indiana and Coach Davis are looking for its third straight victory over a non-league defending national champion. The Hoosiers upended defending 2002 national champion Maryland, 80-74 on Dec. 3, 2002 in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Duke won the 2001 crown before being eliminated by IU, 74-73 in the 2002 NCAA Tournament.
Nonetheless, Davis knows that three in a row will not be easy.
"Coach Calhoun's record speaks for itself," Davis said. "I have always admired his programs, and Boone and Villanueva are two of the better young players in the country."
Indiana puts its seven-game series winning streak against Notre Dame on the line when the Fighting Irish visit Branch McCracken Court at Assembly Hall on Dec. 8. Senior guard Chris Thomas and junior forward Torin Francis spearhead the Notre Dame attack, which also welcomes Arizona transfer power forward Dennis Lattimore.
Indiana and Kentucky will meet for the 48th time on Dec. 11 at Freedom Hall in Louisville. The Wildcats return a veteran nucleus of Kelenna Azubuike, Patrick Sparks and Chuck Hayes and supplement it with one of the nation's top recruiting classes.
"Tubby Smith is one of the best coaches in the business," Davis said. "Year in and year out, his teams are always in the hunt. And when you look at the guys they have coming in, they're going to be even better."
After a week of final exams, Indiana visits Missouri on Dec. 19 before returning home to entertain Charlotte on Dec. 22. IU collides with Ball State at Conseco Fieldhouse on Dec. 28. Conseco Fieldhouse has served as the Hoosiers' home away from home, as IU has compiled a 9-3 record on the Indiana Pacers' homecourt.
Indiana closes out the non-league schedule with home games against Oral Roberts (Dec. 31) and Furman (Jan. 2).
Big Ten play gets underway Jan. 5 when Indiana travels to Northwestern. This marks the second time in four years that the Hoosiers open league action in Evanston. Of course, the last time was 2001-02, when IU captured a share of its 20th Big Ten regular season crown en route to its eighth NCAA Final Four.
Following the Northwestern game, Indiana plays three of its next four games at Branch McCracken Court at Assembly Hall. Wisconsin visits Bloomington on Jan. 8, and IU has a week off before visiting Purdue on Jan. 15 at 12 p.m., in a game slated to be televised by ESPN. This is one of the Hoosiers' 12 regular season national television appearances. Coach Davis' club then returns home to face Michigan (Jan. 19) and Ohio State (Jan. 22).
For the fifth time in school history, Indiana will play on Super Bowl Sunday. The Hoosiers look for their third straight Super Bowl Sunday victory when they travel to Illinois on Feb. 6 at 12 p.m. on CBS. Ironically, Indiana's four previous Super Bowl Sunday games were also on the road. IU downed Penn State in 1999 and 1997 but suffered losses at Illinois in 1994 and at Minnesota in 1990.
Overall, Indiana faces Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Purdue and Wisconsin. The Hoosiers host Penn State and Michigan State, but they do not visit the Nittany Lions or Spartans. Likewise, IU heads to Illinois and Iowa, but they do entertain the Illini or Hawkeyes.
The 2005 Big Ten Tournament will take place March 10-13, 2005 at the United Center in Chicago.
