Indiana Hoosiers coach Tom Crean

Preseason college basketball tournaments are on tap, but calling it the “preseason” just isn’t right. These non-conference games definitely count – the NCAA selection committee will be paying very close attention, as will handicappers.

The best of the tip-off tournaments feature top programs like North Carolina and Texas at the Maui Invitational, or Wisconsin and UConn at the Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Maui will also be our first look at Tom Crean’s rebuild at Indiana; good thing he has a 10-year contract to do the job.

Teams also began announcing their 2008-09 regular-season schedules on Tuesday. The A-10 schedule gets underway on Jan. 7 with Charlotte at Duquesne and St. Bonaventure at Fordham. The Atlantic Coast Conference also released its slate on Tuesday; ACC teams will be on national television 151 times this year. Keep an eye on the official NCAA men’s basketball newswire for the full 2008-09 sked.