Craig Robinson picked up a big commitment — literally — when 7-0 center Evan Schmidt of Chesterton, IN, announced his decision to attend Brown next year. Prior to his junior year of high school, Schmidt had attracted the interest of a number of Big Ten programs. But after missing most of this past season due to injury, the high majors backed off and he switched high schools this summer, joining a talented Valparaiso team. Indiana Basketball News ranked Schmidt 30th among Indiana seniors in his July rankings. In an interview with The Northwest Times, the 2007 senior discussed his college decision, saying, “Academics is big for me; I’ve always had straight A’s. And I also get to play basketball.”

Slant: Robinson continues to mine the Midwest for talent, and Indiana is famed for its high school basketball. Given his lack of varsity experience, Schmidt appears to be an unproven prospect with a high ceiling — mostly because of his exceptional size. Last year, IBN wrote that Schmidt wasn’t being coached well at his previous school, so a change of scenery may pay off for him this season. In any case, Brown hasn’t had many seven-footers come through the program, so his height alone will make Schmidt a rare commodity on College Hill.