MM 1.31: Big Ten announces future basketball scheduling format

This is the Maryland Minute, a short story followed by a roundup of Terps-related news.

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. The men’s basketball schedule will still have 20 conference games per team and the women’s schedule will feature 18 Big Ten contests for every school. The conference stated that the decision as to which opponents a team will face twice in a season will be determined with consideration for competitive balance, geography and rivalries.

In other news

Ryan Alonardo previewed Maryland women’s basketball’s upcoming game against No. 10 Indiana.

Maryland linebacker Fa’Najae Gotay will return next season.

Maryland gymnast Natalie Martin was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week.

Six Maryland wrestlers were ranked this week, with 197-pound Jaxon Smith leading the pack with top-five rankings in his weight class.

Maryland women’s basketball guard Jakia Brown-Turner crossed the 1,500-point threshold for her career.