With four programs set to join the conference next season, the Big Ten announced Tuesday its new scheduling formats for men’s and women’s basketball to accommodate an 18-team league.
Both the men’s and women’s tournaments will expand from their current 14-team formats to 15-team fields, leaving the three teams with the worst conference record out of the competitions. The tournaments will still last five days, with the top four seeds receiving double byes and teams in fifth through ninth place earning single byes.
After speculation that the additions of UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington would mean more Big Ten games, the conference also announced that it won’t expand the conference schedule.