Saturday, February 2, 2013
What's on the line for Indiana?
By Luke Lapinski
It's safe to say this is a pretty big weekend for Indiana basketball. The Hoosiers currently sit at 19-2, good for No. 2 in the vaunted Big Ten and No. 3 in the country. And today's the day they finally get a crack at the team that currently sits ahead of them in both rankings.
With that in mind, the nation will be watching when Tom Crean's squad plays host to No. 1 Michigan this evening. And IU might have more than just a huge game in February on the line in this one. As Dave Telep points out, a number of notable recruits are set to be in Bloomington for the showdown. Highly touted junior Theo Pinson (Greensboro, N.C./Wesleyan Christian) will be making his official visit to see what the Hoosiers have to offer. And Phil Booth (Baltimore/Mount St. Joseph’s) is expected to be there as well, alongside Tyus Battle (Edison, N.J./Gill St. Bernard’s). Pinson is the No. 7 overall player in the 2014 class, while Booth comes in at a respectable No. 52. Meanwhile, Battle is one of the most highly regarded freshmen around.
A number of other top prospects are likely to be in attendance for this one as well. And while one game isn't going to completely sway a recruit's decision, a big matchup like this -- and the campus atmosphere surrounding it -- is certainly something they'll remember. Crean already has a pretty strong 2013 crop lined up for his program. And today could be a great opportunity to make some inroads with future classes as well.
