The stage is set for one of the biggest basketball games in Iowa State’s history on Sunday, Nov. 17, against Michigan — at least for a nonconference game in November.

The reasons go on and on.

A primetime game on ESPN2; a game against the national runners-up from a year ago; Dick Vitale is calling his first game at Hilton Coliseum; more than 20 NBA scouts in attendance; Iowa State has plenty of Michigan-natives, and others have ties to the area.

“We’ve got a lot of guys on this team from the state of Michigan, so it’s always important for them,” said ISU coach Fred Hoiberg. “Their friends and family will be back home watching. Some of them will be at the game in Hilton here on Sunday and that’s big.”

Not to mention it’s a recruiting hotbed for Iowa State, who has grabbed five players from the state of Michigan in Hoiberg’s tenure.

“We’re in the process right now recruiting some players out of that state and they’ll be watching it,” Hoiberg said, speaking in generalities. “At the end of the day is it going to be the decision-maker throughout the process? Who knows, but it certainly can help.”

Iowa State’s top recruiting target, Rashad Vaughn, who scheduled his official visit to Iowa State for Sunday’s game, and recent signees Jameel McKay and Clayton Custer are both expected to be in the house along with target Alex Illikiainen and with a sold-out crowd and Vitale calling the game, the atmosphere should be something special.

“When you can see that many people fill up the stands and how loud it gets, it’s a surreal feeling,” said ISU forward Georges Niang. “Especially just to play. I can’t imagine just sitting there to take it all in watching. It could be a deciding factor for some of the recruits that we have here; I’m not saying anything too descriptive, but I hope it does.”

The latest Michigan native is freshman point guard Monte Morris, who hails from Flint, Mich. Morris played alongside Michigan’s Derrick Walton for the Michigan Mustangs, their AAU team.

Morris has been anticipating this game since he committed to Iowa State in June 2012. He said he’s not making it about him and Walton — it’s about the teams.

“It’s crazy we’re back at it again,” Morris said of Walton. “There’s hype on Twitter right now saying they can’t wait to see the Michigan Mustangs backcourt play each other, but I’m not feeding into it.

“I know at the end of the day it’s just basketball it’s not between just me and Derrick. It’s between the Cyclones and Michigan, so that’s what I’m looking forward to.”

Hilton’s atmosphere has been something that has been a key recruiting tool for Iowa State and this year makes no difference. Hoiberg and Niang — who both spoke in generally about recruiting because of NCAA rules about talking to media about specific recruiting target— are hoping it continues this year and on Sunday.

“That’s one of the biggest recruiting pitches we have is our fan base, is our arena,” Hoiberg said. “The players we’re recruiting right now, they know a lot about Hilton Coliseum, so to be able to see it this early in the season, [Vitale] talked about it last night in that Big Four Classic. So people are excited for that game, people we’re recruiting are excited about it and they’ll see an unbelievable atmosphere, that I know.”