Big Ten hits big time in big city
WITH A scandal swirling that is threatening the very fabric of the sport, college basketball will begin a busy two weeks in New York City on Wednesday when the Big Ten Tournament comes to the Garden for the first time.
It will be a rare taste of February Madness for the conference, which opted to move its tournament a week earlier this season in order to secure four days’ worth of time and space at the Knicks’ home arena. As usual, the Big East will be hosting its conference tournament at the Garden starting March 7, the same weekend the rest of the major conferences are holding their tournaments.
Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany regretted his decision to move the tournament in an Wednesday-Sunday, March 4 Madison Square Garden Wednesday-Friday, Big Ten Network; Saturday-Sunday (Semifinals, Final), CBS Sports ZONE interview with the Chicago Tribune on Friday, saying the condensed schedule “wasn’t healthy” for players. From 1998 to 2016, the conference held its tournament in either Indianapolis or Chicago, in close range to the midwestern schools. But last year, the Big Ten hosted the tournament in D.C., a short drive from Maryland’s campus. And this year, the tournament is in New York, as the Big Ten continues to try to pretend that the addition of Rutgers extends their domain into the city.
“We won’t do it again this way,” Delany said.
The Big Ten’s debut in New York will cap a topheavy year for the conference. Four teams are NCAA Tournament locks with title aspirations. The rest of the conference could be on the outside of the dance looking in.
Here’s a look at the Big Ten Tournament contenders and how they got here.