Katz indicates Big Ten likely to stick with 18-game schedule

[SelectionSunday]

Another wise decision by Mr. Delany and the Big Ten presidents and AD's appears on the horizon. Going to 6-team divisions and back to 16 conference games would be a huge step back and likely a screw-job for season-ticket holders at most of the conference schools. The more conference games the better. I like the idea of always playing protected rivals twice. I'm guessing that means we'd always get the Badgers and/or Hawkeyes twice.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...5629916/pac-10-12-weighing-scheduling-options

 

[playhosea!]

Good to hear. The football divisions would be insanely unequal if used in basketball.

 

[ilovethebarn]

This is great news. I was hoping they wouldn't replicate the division split in football in the basketball side of things.

 

[94Gopher]

I love the idea of playing rivals 2x every year in b-ball. I hate only playing WI once. Anybody know what they are doing with Nebraska rivals? I assume there will be some changes to rivals because of the addition. Could we be one of them?

 

[SelectionSunday]

Protected rivals would be pretty simple, if only 1

If Big Ten basketball goes to 1 protected rival that you always play twice, the breakdown really would be pretty simple. ...

Illinois/Northwestern
Indiana/Purdue
Iowa/Nebraska
Michigan/Michigan State
Minnesota/Wisconsin
Ohio State/Penn State

The only ones that really wouldn't be (basketball) rivalries are Iowa-Nebraska and OSU/PSU. I suppose it's possible they could flip-flop Iowa & the Gophers (leaving us with the 'Huskers), but I think the Big Ten realizes Minnesota-Wisconsin is a more passionate/heated rivalry than Minnesota-Iowa. Certainly in basketball that's the case.