Mr. Tibbs
- southeast DuPage
Big Ten Basketball 2024-2025
Your best bet as a fan is to just stop worrying about conferences. Just check the schedule and see who we're playing like you would an NBA team.
This thing is so janky that winning it isn't even going to be that satisfying. The concept of the Big 10 that we all grew up with is dead. This is a different thing.
This thing is so janky that winning it isn't even going to be that satisfying. The concept of the Big 10 that we all grew up with is dead. This is a different thing.
redwingillini11
White and Sixth
- North Aurora
I looked back since 1998 (when the BTT started) to see what teams were falling in the bottom three positions of the conference. Now, the bottom 3 teams of a 10/11 team conference is much different than the bottom 3 teams of a 18 team conference. And some of these teams have come a long way in the last few years. Still, history can teach us a lot, and this rough exercise may do that to some extent.
Team # of times in the bottom 3 of conference
Northwestern 14
Penn State 13
Rutgers 13
Minnesota 12
Nebraska 12
Washington 8
Iowa 6
Michigan 5
USC 5
Illinois 4
Indiana 3
Ohio State 3
Purdue 3
Wisconsin 2
Oregon 2
UCLA 1
Maryland 0 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Michigan State 0
There will likely be some shakeup in this new alignment, but there is a significant gap between the teams that are likely to face this fate often vs rarely at all.
Team # of times in the bottom 3 of conference
Northwestern 14
Penn State 13
Rutgers 13
Minnesota 12
Nebraska 12
Washington 8
Iowa 6
Michigan 5
USC 5
Illinois 4
Indiana 3
Ohio State 3
Purdue 3
Wisconsin 2
Oregon 2
UCLA 1
Maryland 0 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Michigan State 0
There will likely be some shakeup in this new alignment, but there is a significant gap between the teams that are likely to face this fate often vs rarely at all.
FlyNavy
- Los Angeles
Yet two of those four ended with a run to the tournament finals (1999 and 2008)! Only other school to pull that off once was Iowa, who was third-to-last in 2002.
Even more impressive is that Maryland didn't finish in the bottom 3 in the ACC from 1998 until their entrance in the B1G . . .
I'll happily take the minority position on this one. Love a shortened tournament. Adding a bunch of 14 v 18 and 15 v 17 games (or however it would have worked out) just dilutes and drags out the BTT. Give me fewer and more quality games, and as much rest time before the NCAA tournament. (I know the end date is not changing in my example, just less kerfuffle leading up to it).
For the record, I do like the BTT. Have gone several times. But less is more here.
The regular season stuff, not sure and will have to see how it plays out.
For the record, I do like the BTT. Have gone several times. But less is more here.
The regular season stuff, not sure and will have to see how it plays out.
I love the tourney when it’s in Indy (haven’t gone elsewhere). Some friends and I will get nosebleed tickets, find the usher who doesn’t care, and sit fifth row to watch big ten games. Truly one of my favorite times of the year if in Indy (which is sadly for me gonna change in frequency)
danielb927
Orange Krush Class of 2013
- Rochester, MN
Only problem with this is that playing everyone twice would now mean 34 games... more than a (current) full season including non-con and the BTT.
the national
- the Front Range
I think playing everyone once would be adequate. And we’d alternate years home and away. Let us play a few more non-con games.
I’m sure old fans will adjust to this change but this will bring plenty of excitement from casual or new fans. Personally, I think it’s a refreshing change that will make home games even more exciting.
Plenty of mid- and low-major conferences do this. In the case of many of them, it's just top 8 teams in the conference that make it through.
I think there's a misunderstanding of the new format and what the real limitation is. It has been assumed by some that in a 15-team tourney there will only be one bye, for the top seed. That would be true if #1 played #16, 2 vs 15, etc. But that would require playing 8 games in a day, and we're limited to four per day. To wrap your brain around the schedule, work backwards from Friday (the first normal day with four games and seeds 1-8). You can only add 4 teams per day, so Thursday adds seeds 9-12 playing 5-8 for their slots. Wednesday could potentially add seeds 13-16 playing 9-12 for their slots, but here's where the extra bye comes into play - the ninth-seeded team gets a break for finishing in the top half during the regular season.
To add the three leftovers you'd either need yet another day or you'd have to add a fifth game on Wed and Thurs, with the 4 seed playing on Thurs. It'd be hard to squeeze in a fifth game, you'd lose the dinner break and still have a 14-hour day.
To add the three leftovers you'd either need yet another day or you'd have to add a fifth game on Wed and Thurs, with the 4 seed playing on Thurs. It'd be hard to squeeze in a fifth game, you'd lose the dinner break and still have a 14-hour day.
Of course Dan posts the actual bracket as I type my lengthy description...
redwingillini11
White and Sixth
- North Aurora
We could have played more than four games in a day if we had a game or games at a secondary venue. In Chicago, you could have played games at Wintrust Arena or the UIC Forum. In Indy you could have games at the Hinkle Fieldhouse. It would be great.
Heck, you could just have your fifth game take place in the morning. These kids are used to playing AAU games starting at 8 AM. It's not ideal, but it's something for these bottom teams.
This just seems like an unwillingness to think outside the box.
True, true, and true.
8 and 9 also gets a bye. They just play each other after the bye.
danielb927
Orange Krush Class of 2013
- Rochester, MN
Not quite... 5-9 all get a single bye, which is one less than 5-10 getting a single bye in the current format.
What goes up is the number of single-bye teams who get a less-rested opponent. That's now the 5-7 seeds, instead of just 5 and 6.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Illinois/Iowa deserves to be protected just as much as any other matchup ... make it happen, twice per year.
They'll make Northwestern our protected "rivalry". *sigh*
If we only get one protected rival, I'd prefer IU. Although that wouldn't happen because of their rivalry with Purdue.
If we get two, I'd like IU and Iowa.
The basketball rivalries aren't quite as important in basketball as they are in football since you're still getting to play each team at least once regardless. But associating ourselves so closely with Northwestern and to a lesser extent, Iowa, waters down our brand.
So long as Howard remains at Michigan, I would love to keep playing them twice every year.