Expanding Big Ten in Basketball

[MaxyJR1]

Would they have one division or two? Would they play 16-18-20-22 regular season games before the conference tournament. I know this is two years off, but fun to discuss.

Two six team divisions would work best with a 16 game schedule. Play your division twice for 10 games and play the other division each once for 6 more games. Balanced home and away schedule.

My favorites to join are: Nebraska, Missouri, Pittsburgh, and Iowa State.

 

[Gopher4Life]

I'd like to shorten the season overall. 2 preseason, 6 non-conference, and 16 conference. Like that will ever happen. It's all about revenue.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Let's be honest, the driving force behind adding a 12th school is for football purposes. Then the Big 10 could have a conference championship game (and more money).

Basketball-wise, I'm pretty certain the Big 10 would go back to 16 games (yuck, in all probability that means 2 more garbage games in their place, especially with a 96-team NCAA tourney coming in 2013), as outlined by Maxy. Certainly can't see them going to 20 or 22 conference games.

If the Big 10 does go to 12 teams, I hope they use the ACC or Big 12's tournament format and not the SEC's. Though technically split into divisions, seed teams 1-12 (based on conference record) and don't do the E-3 vs. W-6, E-4 vs. W-5 format, etc., like the SEC does.

 

[bassy123]

Would they have one division or two? Would they play 16-18-20-22 regular season games before the conference tournament. I know this is two years off, but fun to discuss.

Two six team divisions would work best with a 16 game schedule. Play your division twice for 10 games and play the other division each once for 6 more games. Balanced home and away schedule.

My favorites to join are: Nebraska, Missouri, Pittsburgh, and Iowa State.

no way they add iowa state. they don't add anything to the tv market.

 

[sec105]

...Basketball-wise, I'm pretty certain the Big 10 would go back to 16 games (yuck, in all probability that means 2 more garbage games in their place, especially with a 96-team NCAA tourney coming in 2013)...

I agree. going back to a 16 games Big Ten schedule would certainly mean two more games against Southwest Idaho ST-Boise Campus and the University of Carolina Western Shore (they don't have a western shore? not yet they don't). Paying what we now pay plus what Joel is going to start asking for next year..seat licences or premium seat fees...taking two Big Ten games away will really be hard to justify.

 

[howeda7]

Let's be honest, the driving force behind adding a 12th school is for football purposes. Then the Big 10 could have a conference championship game (and more money).

Basketball-wise, I'm pretty certain the Big 10 would go back to 16 games (yuck, in all probability that means 2 more garbage games in their place, especially with a 96-team NCAA tourney coming in 2013), as outlined by Maxy. Certainly can't see them going to 20 or 22 conference games.

If the Big 10 does go to 12 teams, I hope they use the ACC or Big 12's tournament format and not the SEC's. Though technically split into divisions, seed teams 1-12 (based on conference record) and don't do the E-3 vs. W-6, E-4 vs. W-5 format, etc., like the SEC does.

I agree, it would not be fun to go back to 16 games, but that's what would happen. Is the 96 team thing really going to happen or are you speculating? I'm 100% against it, but it might make teams (MN included hopefully) a bit more willing to schedule decent NC games. With a 96 team field it's unlikely that BCS conference teams with .500 conference records will ever be left out.

I also agree that the SEC's tournament format is ridiculous. Seed by overall record not division standings. No matter what the divisions are, they're going to be unbalanced more times then not. Not to mention that it just flat looks ugly and confusing on a bracket.

 

[SelectionSunday]

I'm speculating, but a guy I trust when it comes to college basketball (John Feinstein) says a 96-team tournament is going to happen starting with the 2012-13 season. Heard him on the radio, and he said pretty much everyone is against it, but the coaches want it so it'll happen. If it comes to fruition, the regular season is going to mean very little. Major-conference coaches will simply load up on more cupcakes (hence, the fans get screwed even more), win 5-6 games in their league, finish at or around .500 and safely make the tournament. ... what a joke. They'll pass it off as giving more opportuniuties to the little guys, but really it will just benefit the big boys even more.