Indiana Basketball: What We Know About the 2019-2020 Schedule

With just one game remaining in the 2018-19 college basketball season, today we begin to look forward to next year’s campaign.

The 2019-20 Indiana men’s basketball season will begin in just seven short months.  While we don’t know all of the pieces to the schedule, much of it has already been determined due to a 20 game Big Ten schedule and other commitments.

Head coach Archie Miller will be entering his third season at Indiana as he attempts to continue to advance the program.  IU went from no postseason in Miller’s first year to an appearance in the NIT in year two as Indiana won three more games year over year.

There will be challenges in 2019-2020, with at least 9 of the 17 members of this past season’s roster moving on.  Miller will once again need to find the pieces to the puzzle and then build a cohesive lineup.

The Hoosier leader has placed an emphasis on building a difficult schedule.  For the 2018-19 season IU ranked 26th in overall strength of schedule according to KenPom.

The Big Ten should once again ensure that IU will have a reasonably challenging schedule.  The are already three and likely four power five nonconference games on the docket as well.  The biggest open question at this point is what will Miller do with the rest of the nonconference slate?

Will Indiana look to pick up another high major opponent to replace Louisville?

Here is what we know so far:

• Gavitt Tipoff Games: This Big Ten/Big East series will continue in November of 2019.  There are only eight games each season, so Indiana is not guaranteed to be part of the event.  The Hoosiers hosted Marquette in 2018 and would likely go on the road in 2019.  There are several intriguing potential road trips including Butler, Xavier and Villanova.  The matchups should be announced in May.
• Arkansas:  In an unusual turn of events, the Razorbacks will make a second trip to Bloomington in just a matter of months.  Indiana hosted Arkansas in the NIT in March and will host the Razorbacks again in a likely November matchup.  They will arrive with a new leader, as former NBA and University of Nevada head coach Eric Musselman has been named as the head men’s basketball coach.
• Big Ten-ACC Challenge:  Indiana should have a home game in the annual event after traveling to Duke last year.  The biggest question at this point is whether the powers that be will continue to match Indiana up with Duke and North Carolina.  The Hoosiers have faced either the Blue Devils or Tar Heels four years in a row.  Based on the standings, more appropriate opponents could include Louisville, NC State or Clemson.  The matchups should be announced in the summer of 2019.
• Crossroads Classic: IU will face Notre Dame on December 21 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in the annual event.  The Irish will look to rebound from a disappointing 14-19 campaign.
• Big Ten Regular Season:  
  • Home only:  Michigan State, Iowa, Northwestern
  • Away only:  Michigan, Rutgers, Illinois
  • Home and Away:  Purdue, Penn State, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Maryland, Minnesota and Nebraska.
• Big Ten Tournament:  The event returns to Indianapolis for the first time since 2016.  The 2020 Big Ten Tournament will be played at Bankers Life Fieldhouse from March 11-15.
• 2020 Final Four:  Just in case you were wondering.  The 2020 Final Four will be hosted by Atlanta.  The 2021 Final Four is back in Indianapolis.

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