IU basketball's tough 2022 nonconference schedule includes big names, game in Indianapolis

Indiana released its nonconference men's basketball schedule Friday morning, confirming a long-reported neutral site game in Las Vegas against Arizona on Dec. 10 and also its reported Gavitt Games matchup at Xavier on Nov. 18. The Hoosiers also announced they will play Miami (Ohio) at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Nov. 20, maintaining a presence there after allowing the Crossroads Classic to expire.

Xavier is coming off an NIT championship. Former IU wing Jerome Hunter is still on the roster, and Sean Miller, brother of former IU coach Archie Miller, was hired as the Musketeers' head coach this offseason.

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With a previously announced road game at defending national champion Kansas on Dec. 17 and the ACC/Big Ten Challenge matchup at home against national runner-up North Carolina having already been announced, the Hoosiers' nonconference strength of schedule promises to be drastically more robust than it was in 2021-22. They didn't play a nonconference opponent ranked in the top 40 of the final NET rankings until the NCAA tournament when they lost to Saint Mary's, and played just three top 100 opponents in the regular season nonconference schedule. IU coach Mike Woodson indicated before last season that he would take it easy on his first team from a scheduling perspective but would push the envelope once he had a sense of his roster.

Unlike last season when they held two closed scrimmages, the Hoosiers will hold two exhibition games against Marian on Oct. 29 and St. Francis on Nov. 3 before opening the season Nov. 7 at home against Morehead State. They host Bethune-Cookman on Nov. 10, before the matchups with Xavier and Miami (Ohio). They follow those with home games against Little Rock on Nov. 23 and Jackson State on Nov. 25.

After the matchup with North Carolina on Nov. 30, the Hoosiers have spots open for two Big Ten games before playing Arizona on Dec. 10 and then Kansas on Dec. 17. They finish out the nonconference schedule with home games against Elon on Dec. 20 and Kennesaw State on Dec. 23.

Follow Herald-Times IU Insider Dustin Dopirak on Twitter at @DustinDopirak or email him at DDopirak@gannett.com.

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INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL 2022-23 NONCONFERENCE SCHEDULE

EXHIBITIONS

Oct. 29 vs. Marian (BTN+)

Nov. 3 vs. St. Francis, 7 p.m. (BTN+)

REGULAR SEASON

Nov. 7 vs. Morehead State

Nov. 10 vs. Bethune Cookman

Nov. 18 at Xavier (Gavitt Games)

Nov. 20 vs. Miami of Ohio (Hoosier Classic), at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

Nov. 23 vs. Little Rock

Nov. 25 vs. Jackson State

Nov. 30 vs. North Carolina (ACC/Big Ten Challenge)

Dec. 10 vs. Arizona, at Las Vegas

Dec. 17 at Kansas

Dec. 20 vs. Elon

Dec. 23 vs. Kennesaw State

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: IU basketball releases tough 2022 nonconference schedule