Top 25 college basketball recruiting classes

The Indiana Hoosiers haven't had a winning season since 2008 and head coach Tom Crean is just 28-66 since arriving in Bloomington.

Help might be on the way. It's still early in the 2012 recruiting cycle and the Hoosiers may not end up with the No. 1-ranked class, but Crean's committed quintet – including three Top 100 talents – represents hope for IU fans.

Lightning-quick point guard Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell is the headliner. Ferrell led Park Tudor (Indianapolis) to a 25-2 record and the Class 2A state title last winter. Indiana Elite club teammates Hanner Perea and Jeremy Hollowell are also prized recruits.

Villanova and Virginia are Indiana's strongest competitors for the top spot. Both Jay Wright and Tony Bennett have verbal commitments from three members of MaxPreps.com's Class of 2012 Top 100.

The only certainty three months away from the early signing period is that change in the rankings is on the way. Just four of the nation's Top 25 players have rendered a pledge, leaving a lot of room for movement.



Only schools with multiple verbal commitments were considered for inclusion. That means that big dogs like Baylor, Duke and Connecticut – who all have commitments from players ranked in the top 35 – missed the cut, but could vault up the charts with another pledge. Recent recruiting king Kentucky is also absent.

Top 25 Class of 2012 college basketball recruiting classes

1. INDIANA
Commitments: No. 28 Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell (5-11, 165, PG), No. 35 Hanner Perea (6-8, 220, PF), No. 52 Jeremy Hollowell (6-7, 195, SF), NR Peter Jurkin (7-0, 205, C), NR Ron Patterson (6-3, 190, SG)
Breakdown: After landing Cody Zeller, Tom Crean has the future of Indiana basketball looking bright with nine committed players in the 2012, 2013 and 2014 classes.

2. VILLANOVA
Commitments: No. 43 Daniel Ochefu (6-9, 225, C), No. 51 Ryan Arcidiacono (6-3, 185, PG), No. 59 Savon Lloyd-Goodman (6-6, 210, SF)
Breakdown: Ochefu and Lloyd-Goodman have seen their stock slide a bit, but that shouldn't temper the enthusiasm for Jay Wright's current haul of talent.

3. VIRGINIA
Commitments: No. 44 Justin Anderson (6-6, 225, SF), No. 63 Evan Nolte (6-7, 200, SF), No. 78 Mike Tobey (6-10, 210, C)
Breakdown: James Robinson's recent pledge to Pittsburgh was disappointing for the Cavaliers, but L.J. Rose (No. 64 overall) wouldn't be a bad fallback option at the point guard position.

4. XAVIER
Commitments: No. 80 Semaj Christon (6-2, 180, PG), NR Sim Bhullar (7-4, 355, C) *, NR Myles Davis (6-1, 190, SG), NR James Farr (6-8, 200, PF), NR Jalen Reynolds (6-9, 215, PF)
Breakdown: Christon, Davis, Farr and Reynolds should be ready to contribute early after spending the 2011-12 season in the Northeast's highly-competitive prep school scene. Bhullar can be a game-changer with his incredible size.



5. ARIZONA
Commitments: No. 24 Gabe York (6-2, 175, PG/SG), No. 30 Grant Jerrett (6-9, 220, PF)
Breakdown: No. 7 Brandon Ashley (6-8, 220, PF) and No. 8 overall Kaleb Tarczewski (7-0, 235, C) are both in play for the Wildcats and would cement a second-straight elite recruiting class for Sean Miller.

6. NORTH CAROLINA
Commitments: No. 32 Marcus Paige (6-1, 160, PG), No. 66 Jean-Pierre Tokoto (6-6, 190, SF)
Breakdown: The Tar Heels have been a bit quiet since landing Paige and Tokoto earlier in the year. Expect that to change before the early signing period as Roy Williams and staff attempt to turn five offers to Top 40 players into pledges.

7. PITTSBURGH
Commitments: No. 67 James Robinson (6-2, 200, PG), NR Steven Adams (6-11, 230, C)
Breakdown: The numbers may not add up now, but Adams created a strong buzz at adidas Nations in Los Angeles earlier this month and could be a Top 10 talent in the class once he hits the floor at Notre Dame Prep (Fitchburg, Mass.).

8. TEXAS
Commitments: No. 9 Cameron Ridley (6-10, 250, C), No. 97 Javan Felix (5-11, 190, PG)
Breakdown: Following a huge summer, the Longhorns would love to keep do-it-all guard Marcus Smart close to home.

9. MICHIGAN STATE
Commitments: No. 62 Matt Costello (6-9, 225, PF), No. 74 Kenny Kaminski (6-7, 230, PF), NR Denzel Valentine (6-5, 205, SG/SF)
Breakdown: This group could go from solid to spectacular with the addition of No. 22 Gary Harris (6-5, 195, SG).

10. MISSISSIPPI STATE
Commitments: No. 73 Gavin Ware (6-8, 240, C), No. 100 Fred Thomas (6-4, 175, SG/SF), NR Josh Gray (6-1, 175, PG), NR Craig Sword (6-2, 175, PG)
Breakdown: With Ware and Thomas on board, Rick Stansbury has landed five in-state Top 100 players over the past two years.

11. FLORIDA
Commitments: No. 42 Braxton Ogbueze (6-1, 185, PG), No. 85 Michael Frazier (6-4, 185, SG)
Breakdown: Though it seems like a bit of a long shot at this point, the Gators could add to their riches in the backcourt next month when No. 4 Kyle Anderson (6-7, 215, PG) makes his announcement.



12. UCLA
Commitments: No. 56 Jordan Adams (6-5, 215, SF), No. 84 Dominic Artis (6-0, 165, PG)
Breakdown: Bruin fans are frenzied about the possibility of landing No. 1 overall prospect Shabazz Muhammad (6-6, 205, SG). Anderson, Ashley and Georgia power forward Shaq Goodwin (No. 17, 6-8, 240) are possibilities as well.

13. MICHIGAN
Commitments: No. 77 Nik Stauskas (6-6, 200, SG/SF), No. 94 Glenn Robinson III (6-6, 190, SF)
Breakdown: The Wolverines are taken care of on the wing with Canadian native Stauskas and Robinson, the son of former Purdue and NBA standout Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson.

14. ST. JOHN'S
Commitments: No. 41 Ricardo Gathers (6-7, 240, PF), NR Darrick Wood (6-4, 180, SG)
Breakdown: Steve Lavin and the Red Storm are among the favorites to land Anderson. Top 100 shot-blocker Chris Obekpa is also a target.

15. PURDUE
Commitments: No. 93 Ronnie Johnson (5-10, 160, PG), NR Raphael Davis (6-5, 190, SG/SF), NR Jay Simpson (6-8, 230, PF)
Breakdown: Like in-state rival Indiana, the Boilermakers are stocked for the long- and short-term, compiling six commitments in the 2012 and 2013 classes.

16. IOWA
Commitments: NR Mike Gesell (6-1, 175, PG), NR Patrick Ingram (6-3, 175, SG), NR Kyle Meyer (6-9, 215, C)

17. BUTLER
Commitments: NR Kellen Dunham (6-4, 160, SG), NR Chris Harrison-Docks (6-0, 160, PG), NR Devontae Morgan (6-3, 175, SG)



18. CLEMSON
Commitments: NR Jaron Blossomgame (6-6, 195, SF), NR Jordan Roper (6-0, 170, PG), NR Josh Smith (6-7, 240, PF/C)

19. NEVADA-LAS VEGAS
Commitments: No. 36 Katin Reinhardt (6-4, 200, SG), NR DaQuan Cook (6-1, 160, PG)

20. NOTRE DAME
Commitments: No. 46 Cameron Biedscheid (6-6, 180, SF), NR Austin Burgett (6-8, 210, PF)

21. AUBURN
Commitments: No. 58 Jordan Price (6-4, 215, SG/SF), NR Shaquille Johnson (6-4, 205, SF)

22. COLORADO
Commitments: No. 86 Josh Scott (6-9, 215, C/PF), NR Wesley Gordon (6-7, 195, PF)

23. GEORGIA TECH
Commitments: No. 88 Marcus Hunt (6-5, 210, SF), NR Chris Bolden (6-2, 185, SG)



24. MARQUETTE
Commitments: No. 89 Steve Taylor (6-7, 200, PF), NR Jamal Ferguson (6-4, 175, SG)

25. GEORGIA
Commitments: NR Kenneth Gaines (6-3, 185, SG/SF), NR Charles Mann (6-4, 195, PG/SG)

* Shortly after publication of this story, Sim Bhullar de-committed from Xavier and committed to New Mexico State.