I.U. Basketball
Creating the Perfect Schedule
The Big Ten could create a men’s basketball schedule which is more predictable, challenging, and interesting for players, coaches, fans and the media.
Every year the Big Ten releases its men’s basketball conference schedule and every year there is bitching and moaning about how the schedule is unfair. What leads to this perception?
Schools do play each other at least once. Unfortunately, the Big Ten determines which teams will play each other twice and which teams will play single contests at home or on the road.
This can have a huge impact on the conference standings. In a 14-team league certain disparity in talent exists between the teams. The early departure of “one and dones” and the influx of 5th year senior transfers make teams more or less competitive with the rest of the league.
It becomes a huge advantage when some of the top teams play other top teams only once, especially if that one meeting is on the road. Conversely, teams in the middle of the pack trying to make a run at the title find it nearly impossible. Sometimes they find themselves playing most of the league’s better teams twice and playing some of the lower-ranked teams only once and on the road to boot.
Prior to 1992–93 the ten conference teams played each opponent at home and on the road. The team with the best record represented the Big Ten in the NCAA Tournament.
As the conference began to expand things started to change. Penn State joined the Big Ten in 1992–93, followed by Nebraska (2013–14), Maryland (2014–15) and Rutgers (2014–15). The conference schedule remained 18 games, but playing home and away was no longer possible with the addition of the new teams. In 2018–19 the Big Ten introduced the 20-game schedule.
The Big Ten has sole authority to set up it’s conference schedule, but the NCAA has certain limitations about how schools create the rest of their men’s basketball schedules.
NCAA Guidelines
Brett Friedlander reported in Sports Illustrated, “Under new scheduling guidelines approved by the NCAA’s Division I Council on Friday (April 26, 2020) , men’s basketball programs will be allowed to schedule up to 28 regular season games and participate in one multiple-team event that includes up to three games starting with the 2020–21 season.
Since the Hoosiers play 20 conference games, that leaves nine additional games they may schedule which could include one multiple-team event.
According to a release put out by the NCAA, a multiple-team event must be sponsored by the NCAA, an active member or member conference, or the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
Among the rules concerning multiple-team events:
◼ Teams can only participate in the same event once in any four-year period;
◼ A three-game multiple-team event must be concluded in a 10-day window while two-game multiple-team events must be played within five days;
◼ All schools involved in the event must play the same number of games.”
This year over 60 multi-team events are scheduled across the country. IU finished third in the Maui Invitational a few day’s ago.
In September, Andy Katz reported that there has been a modification of this year’s schedule due to the uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“D-1 Council: Start date of college basketball season: Nov. 25; Start of practice: Oct. 14; Max number of games: 27 (reduced by 4); Minimum number of games: 13; No scrimmages/exhibitions,” Katz tweeted. “Recommendation for minimum 4 non-conference.”
That meant that Indiana could only schedule seven non-conference games and could not schedule an exhibition game. Exhibition games allow coaches to experiment with various lineups before the regular season begins.
The Hoosier’s 2020–21 schedule
20 Big Ten Conference game — IU plays home and away games with Northwestern, Illinois, Purdue, Iowa, Rutgers, Michigan, Michigan State; home games only with Penn State, Maryland, Minnesota; and away games only with Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Ohio State.
Depending on the relative strength of each team this year, playing a team only once or playing that team only once and at home can be a huge advantage or disadvantage for some teams.
3 Maui Invitational games (were played at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville, NC this season due to the Covid-19 pandemic)
1 ACC Challenge game at Florida State in Tallahasse, FL
1 Crossroads Classic game in Indianapolis against Butler
2 Non-conference games at Simon-Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington against Tennesee Tech and North Alabama
1–5 Big Ten Tournament games at the United Center in Chicago
The Big Ten Tournament was created in 1998. The Big Ten was one of the last NCAA Division I college basketball conferences to start a tournament. The tournament champion receives an automatic berth in the “Big Dance.” The NCAA Tournament Selection Committee then looks at each team’s resume to award at-large bids to the tournament.
A few creative changes could make the Hoosiers’ future schedules much more interesting for players, coaches, fans, and of course the media.
The Brave New Schedule
IU would open with an exhibition game against — Indianapolis, Ft. Wayne, Manchester, Indiana Wesleyan, or IUPUI.
Next, the Hoosiers would play at Simon-Skjodt Assembly Hall against — Ball State, Indiana State, Evansville or Valparaiso.
These first two opponents would receive guaranteed revenue from the gate receipts and concession revenue. In these challenging times it only makes sense to keep some of this money in the State of Indiana.
What if the Hoosiers’ second game of the season featured a home and home series with either Shawn Miller’s Arizona Wildcats or Steve Alford’s Nevada Wolf Pack. Who couldn’t get pumped up for those matchups?
IU would continue its participation in the Crossroads Classic playing either Notre Dame or Butler. What could follow is a series of Big Ten Challenges.
Challenges Could Raise the Bar
Every year fans complain about teams who play “cup cake” teams early in the season to build their season resume. Let’s challenge teams by creating more exciting and highly anticipated games early in the season. This could give the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee a more realistic look at the strength of each conference which could go a long way in determining how many at-large berths the Committee would award for “March Madness.”
Four dates could be set aside on the calendar in December for the Big Five Conferences to challenge each other. This year I.U. is plays in the ACC Challenge at Florida State in Tallahassee, but just imagine if the Big Ten played in three other challenges:
Big Ten/ACC Challenge
The Big Ten has 14 teams and the ACC has 15 teams, so 14 challenge games could be scheduled. One ACC team would have a bye and could schedule another non-conference game.
Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge
The Big Ten has 14 teams and the Big 12 has 10 teams, so 12 challenge games could be scheduled. Four Big Ten teams would have a bye and could schedule another non-conference game.
Big Ten/SEC Challenge
The Big Ten and the SEC both have 14 teams, so 14 challenge games could be scheduled.
Big Ten/Big East Challenge
The Big Ten has 14 teams and the Big East has 11 teams, so 11 challenge games could be scheduled. Three Big Ten teams would have a bye and could schedule another non-conference game.
Big Ten/PAC 12 Challenge
The Big Ten has 14 teams and the PAC 12 has 12 teams, so 12 challenge games could be scheduled. Three Big Ten teams would have a bye and could schedule another non-conference game.
Imagine that! Fans, sports writers, and TV networks would be salivating over the prospect of 49 challenge games. Each conference could determine which of its teams to pair with the other conference’s opponents. This could create wonderful cross conference opportunities with bragging rites on the line for each challenge contest.
Revamping the Big Ten Schedule
To improve predictability and consistency, two seven-team divisions should be created, much like football is now.
- The East Division would feature Ohio State, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Rutgers and Penn State.
- The West Division would include Northwestern, Wisconsin, Iowa, Purdue, Minnesota, Illinois, and Nebraska.
With this format, a 19-game schedule could be created and repeated each year.
- East Division teams would play a home and home series against each opponent in their division. Similarly, West Division teams would play a home and home series against each opponent in their division (12 games).
- In the first year East Division teams would play three road games and four home games against West Division opponents.
- In the second year the East Division teams would play four road games and three home games against West Division opponents. (7 games)
The schedule would be repeated each year changing only the home and away schedules. Division teams who played opponents at home first one year, would play the same teams first on the road the second year. With inter-divisional play, teams would play three opponents at home and three on the road. The following year the three opponents played at home would be played on the road and vice versa.
Players, coaches and fans could look forward to the next season knowing which conference teams they would play twice and which teams they would play at home and what road trips they would have to make.
Big Ten Tournament Becomes a Showcase
Each year fans watch as Big Ten teams wear themselves out, some playing as many as five games in a single weekend. This leaves some of the conference’s best teams without fresh legs when they reach the “Big Dance” and sometimes fall prey to lower-ranked opponents, who have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
The NCAA Men’s Baskeball Tournament consists of 68 teams. Thirty-two of the teams automatically qualify by winning their conference tournament. The Selection Committee selects the remaining 36 teams by reviewing all eligible team’s season resumes and awarding at-large bids.
Unfortunately, last year’s tournament was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but at that time many speculated that the 10 Big Ten could land 10 teams in its field — the Big Ten Tournament Champion along with nine at-large bids.
J. Gordon Hylton said, “For teams that have played extremely well during the regular season, these tournaments are not crucial but a good performance can improve a team’s seeding in the NCAA tournament.”
At the present time, all 14 teams are seeded and play a total of 13 games spread over five days. The four top-ranked teams in the conference receive double byes and don’t play until Friday.
I agree with Hylton’s view. Very little rests on the results of the Big Ten Tournament anymore. The grueling 20-game conference schedule provides clear evidence of its strongest, most tournament-worthy teams. More than likely last year’s tournament would have only hurt the chances of the possible 9th and 10th place team, which might have received a bid otherwise.
Why not change the format of the tournament to a showcase event instead of an elimination event?
A season-ending Big Ten Showcase event could be held on three days with each team playing only one game. The event would still bring every Big Ten team to the venue and provide ample media hype and revenue for the hosting city.
The Showcase Schedule could look like this:
Friday
6:00 pm East #7 vs. West #7
8:30 pm East #6 vs. West #6)
Saturday
12:00 pm East #5 vs. West #5
2:30 pm East #4 vs. West #4
6:00 pm East #3 vs. East #3
8:30 pm East #2 vs. West #2
Sunday
2:00 pm East #1 vs. West #1 Championship, Automatic NCAA Qualifier.
The Showcase Event would provide the 20th conference game for each team, would provide bragging rites for each division and give the Selection Committee one last look at the Big Ten’s teams.
Finally, each team would get some rest and have a final tune up before the “Big Dance.” The teams would enter the NCAA Tournament more rested, have fresh legs, and be ready to compete on the biggest stage.
