With all this talk of division alignment for football. ...

[SelectionSunday]

here's my proposal for basketball. I would be in favor of doing something similar to what the Big East does. Year to year it varies which teams you play once or twice. An educated guess at which teams are going to be strong, middle of the pack, bottom-feeders, etc., is made every offseason by the coaches/AD's, etc. Then they go from there and determine each team's conference schedule.

To that end, like the Big East, I'd go with no divisions for basketball. The Big Ten would be able to maintain playing 18 conference games instead of going back to 16, which is the likelihood if the Big Ten goes to divisional scheduling.

Play 7 teams twice.

Play 4 teams once.

That guarantees you play every team at least once, and means there are only 2 opponents the season-ticket holders won't get to see in their home arena.

With Tubby's scheduling history, please Big Ten I beg of you, don't go back to a 16-game conference schedule.

 

[CollegeBBallFan]

SS, I like your idea. However, I opt that they will go to two divisions. It helps bring added hype for the "East" vs "West" and a Conference Championship as well as a pseudo secondary automatic bid to the NCAA for the Championship game loser ( even if that team is not the second-strongest in the whole league because the second-strongest was actually in the same division as the strongest and didn't make it to the title game.) [That was a mouth-full, but I think you get my jest.] Hopefully.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Cliff notes version. ... regardless of divisions for football, I hope Big Ten basketball is not split into divisions. There's no rule that says a conference has to have divisional play for both sports. Copy ACC & SEC divisional format for Big Ten football (division champs play off for automatic BCS bid), use the Big East format (no divisions, cross-over matchups determined year by year) for regular-season basketball scheduling.

 

[jovs]

Cliff notes version. ... regardless of divisions for football, I hope Big Ten basketball is not split into divisions. There's no rule that says a conference has to have divisional play for both sports. Copy ACC & SEC divisional format for Big Ten football (division champs play off for automatic BCS bid), use the Big East format (no divisions, cross-over matchups determined year by year) for regular-season basketball scheduling.

Yes, what would the need be, there is a conference tournement at the end of the year anyway. No need for divisions. Four teams get byes the first round of the tournement, the other eight play.

Just create a schedule that changes from year to year, you play everyone at least one time.