Big Ten Confirms Basketball Scheduling Format For 2024-25 Regular Season, Tournament
The Big Ten has confirmed its format plans for the 2024-25 men's and women's basketball season. The news comes as the conference prepares to add four new schools — Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington — at the beginning of the next academic year.
Per a release from the Big Ten, the regular season schedule format will remain unchanged for the men's and women's basketball seasons in 2024-25. The men will play 20 conference games while the women will compete in 18 league contests.
"Both the men’s and women’s conference schedules will remain at 20 and 18 contests, respectively, for each school. This allows for non-conference scheduling flexibility, is consistent with peer schedule formats and maximizes opportunities for NCAA postseason berths," the league said in a statement.
"Single-play home/away locations will rotate annually, and two-play opponents will be determined with consideration for competitive balance, geography and rivalries."
The Big Ten Tournament will undergo change beginning next season. Currently, all 14 teams are included in the conference's postseason event in both men's and women's basketball.
With 18 teams in the league next season, the Big Ten has decided to shift the number to 15 teams in the tournament.
"Beginning next season, both the Big Ten Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament fields will expand to 15 teams (from 14), a format that maintains the five-day schedule of the event, provides access to all teams in contention for postseason invitations, and will maintain a double bye for each of the top four seeds while seeds 5-9 will receive a single bye," the conference said.
For those wondering, here's what the bracket will look like next season:
Conference schedules for the 2024-25 basketball season will be announced at a later date.
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