Indiana-Purdue Basketball Now OFFICIALLY a Protected Rivalry

Finally, the most important basketball rivalry in the Big Ten is a protected rivalry. This morning the Big Ten announced its expansion to a 20-game conference schedule during basketball season. Buried in the announcement was an even more important part:

Under the new men’s format, teams will play seven opponents twice and six teams once (three home, three away) in a given season. The three in-state rivalries – Illinois/Northwestern, Indiana/Purdue and Michigan/Michigan State – will be played twice annually, while the new schedule will also include a regional component to increase the frequency of games among teams in similar areas. Over the course of a six-year cycle (12 playing…