Big Ten Tournament question.

Submitted by drakemc on
I apologize if this has been covered already, but why is the Big Ten tourney ending a full week before selection Sunday? Is it a scheduling thing with MSG?

lilpenny1316

February 19th, 2018 at 5:27 PM ^

...it would help to have the extra time off.  And if you truly want to make lemonade from these Delaney lemons, the extra time off allows Livers and Wagner to let those ankles heal up.

It also can't hurt to utilize extra practice time to figure out how to get Duncan more open looks in the offense.

stephenrjking

February 19th, 2018 at 10:07 PM ^

Yeah, after that exhausting run to the B1G tournament championship with four games in four days, a plane crash, and playing in practice jerseys, the team was so gassed that they limped into the next weekend and...

Uh, upset #1 seed Louisville to make it to the Sweet Sixteen.

The big layoff, a significant unknown, is more of a concern, at least to me.

Larry

February 19th, 2018 at 7:10 PM ^

They've had a long-standing contractual arrangement with MSG to hold their tournament in the week immediately leading up to Selection Sunday, going almost back to the inception of the Big East. Delany, thinking that Rutgers actually registers on New Yorkers' radar screens, decided to put the B1G tournament there anyway. So we had to go a week before.

StephenRKass

February 19th, 2018 at 5:33 PM ^

Question has been answered: MSG scheduling.

However, I am thinking this could be good for Michigan and the Big 10.

  1. Last year, Michigan was seeded a bit low, because the Big 10 Tournament ended just before selection announcements. By finishing a week early, it gives time for the selection committee to consider tourney results in seeding.
  2. Having time off is a two edged sword. But I personally think it is better. Why? Well, because time off gives time to rest, recuperate, and to practice more. Especially if you make it to the Big 10 tournament final on Sunday. Last year, Michigan barely had time to catch their breath before the NCAA tournament began.
  3. The other thing with having the gap is rust. However, if you are seeded high enough (six or above,) you are playing a weaker team in your first game, and should be able to get rid of the rust. And the 2nd game, the round of 32, you are no longer rusty, and should be able to play with anyone.

jbrandimore

February 19th, 2018 at 5:48 PM ^

Let's say Michigan ends up losing the 4/5 game that would be played on Friday, March 2nd.

Then, the NCAA committee puts Michigan into a Friday-Sunday pod for the NCAA tournament.

Do you realize that is 14 days between games? It's insane.

Even in the best case scenario, the teams that play in the B1G final on Sunday, March 4th and then end up in a Thursday-Saturday pod will have at least 11 days between games.

I think it's a disaster, and I could see the Big Ten getting swept out to sea in the 1st round.

Billy Seamonster

February 19th, 2018 at 5:57 PM ^

I agree. Not having a basketball game for a (potential) 14 days and probably more likely 12 is weird for bball players. There is a rhythm to it. I get you get rest, but this isn't football after all. If I was a big ten coach in the tourney, I'd try to at least set up a scrimmage vs another team just to get regular playing atmosphere. But, that's maybe why I'm here instead of coaching.

darkstar

February 19th, 2018 at 6:14 PM ^

Re: your hypothetical scenario of 1st round across the board - Obviously don't want to see UM lose in the 1st round of the NCAA. But it almost might be worth it if it meant that Staee and fOSU lost their games too.  If Staee was the 1st team ever to lose as a #1 to a 16 I would say yes because karma is a bitch and they would get what they deserve.

lilpenny1316

February 19th, 2018 at 6:42 PM ^

...are teams that finished their conference tournament at least a week before the major conferences finished their tournament.  The extra time off, for a team that knows they're in the tournament, can be a good thing.

Wichita State, Bucknell, and other smaller conferences are usually done well before the Power conferences have finished their tournaments. 

The other thing is that any rust due to a 10-day layoff is probably matched by the early jitters of their opponent.  I think people are focusing too much on the negatives.

NittanyFan

February 19th, 2018 at 7:48 PM ^

We don't have a ton of data points in terms of quality teams having the extra week off.  But we do have a few: MVC (Wichita State) and WCC (Gonzaga, St Mary's) are the big ones.

Wichita State has over-achieved versus their seed 4 of the last 6 years (1 of the 2 was when they were #1 and lost to #8 Kentucky, an eventual Final 4 team).  Although one could argue that's because WSU has been continually under-seeded.

Gonzaga is 2-1-6 over the last 9 years: overachieved versus their seed twice, played in-line with their seed 3 times, and under-achieved once.  That one time happened with a loss to Wichita State in 2013 (see above).

St.Mary's is 1-1-2 over the last 9 years.

Whatever happens with the B1G in the 1st/2nd Rounds, I expect a lot of wide-ranging conclusions to be based upon it!

kjhager444

February 19th, 2018 at 5:48 PM ^

the ACC tournament is at the Barclays Center the from 3/6-3/10- so both big venues in NYC were accounted for.  Woudn't be surprised if it was MSG or bust anyways.

M-GO-Beek

February 19th, 2018 at 5:55 PM ^

Rest is one thing, but a potentially full 2 week lay-off, all so the BIG could have their tournament at MSG, where it is considerably harder for 90% of the BIG fans to get to? Makes no sense.  They couldn't even get the Barclay Center since the ACC tournament is there the same weekend as the Big East. If you have to have the tournament in NY, wait until you can have the tournament on the last weekend with the other Major confrences. This isn't 1-bid league just hoping to get their championship game on ESPN for the one TV payoff they will get all year. Further evidence, Deleany makes bad choices (as if we need more).

tlo2485

February 19th, 2018 at 6:02 PM ^

This will happen every time Delaney wants to ship everyone to NYC. The Big East has had their tourney there for over 35 years and is contracted until sometime in the second half of the 2020's. The ACC is done with Barclay's after this season for awhile, but is there really much reason to play in Brooklyn?

Thankfully we alternate between Chicago and Indy the next four years. I assume we go back to the normal weekend?

Indy Pete - Go Blue

February 19th, 2018 at 6:54 PM ^

That was a story for the ages.  We will tell our grandchildren about the plane crash, the practice jerseys, the water parties, and the 4 wins in 4 days as an 8 seed to become champions!  Walton and Irvin became perma-legends in my mind, just from that tournament alone.  I hope you get to go this year and make more great memories!

goblue61

February 19th, 2018 at 6:57 PM ^

1 day later. Have the quarterfinals and semis Saturday and Sunday, then the final Monday night. Going to be difficult to get out of work thursday and friday for 2:30 games

NittanyFan

February 19th, 2018 at 7:58 PM ^

scheduled for MSG.  2019-2022 will rotate between Indy and Chicago.  2023 forward have yet to be scheduled.

I'd like to see Detroit get into the B1G tournament rotation.  Although we may have to take a back-seat to the Horizon League for that - they're currently there!  (semi-sarcasam)

Richard75

February 20th, 2018 at 7:59 AM ^

Would be great indeed. Delany has actually sounded open to it. He said that Detroit, Minneapolis and others should seek to host, and that it’ll be up to the schools.



So it comes down to whether the schools will be in favor of having the tournament go to a bunch of places instead of being rooted in Chicago/Indianapolis. If Detroit gets one, then it follows that OSU, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, etc. have a right to one—any school that has a suitable big-city arena in the vicinity. (In Nebraska's case, that could be Omaha or maybe even Denver—Delany specifically mentioned that the conference stretches to Colorado.)



Seems logical that all those schools would be for it. The only schools who might oppose are the ones who don’t stand to benefit: the Indiana schools (who already have a great deal), the Illinois schools and Iowa.

2018 National Champs

February 20th, 2018 at 12:09 PM ^

Since it’s confirmed that Louisville has to vacate the title does that mean in the record books nobody won it that year or (probably just wishful thinking) does it go to Michigan with an * next to it???