There will be no Big Ten Tournament for the men this year.
The conference has officially announced that the remainder of the conference tournament will be canceled effective immediately.
The Big Ten Conference announced today that it will be canceling the remainder of the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament, effective immediately.https://t.co/MeQMNScXKQ
— Big Ten Conference (@bigten) March 12, 2020
The news broke just minutes before Michigan and Rutgers were scheduled to tip off in the first quarterfinals game in Indianapolis. Indiana, Minnesota, Northwestern, and Nebraska all played first round games Wednesday night. Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg was hospitalized after the game, and his team had to be quarantined in the locker room. Hoiberg later tested positive for influenza A, not coronavirus.
Michigan State had not yet left for the tournament according to Stephen Brooks of 247 sports.
MSU spokesperson says the basketball team was still on campus when the Big Ten Tournament was cancelled today. Never got on the road to Indy.
— Stephen Brooks (@StephenM_Brooks) March 12, 2020
The conference had originally planned to play games without spectators starting today. The first two games of the tournament were played in front of public crowds.
Late Wednesday night the NBA announced it was suspending the season amid the pandemic. Utah Jazz players Rudy Robert and Donovan Mitchell have tested positive for COVID-19.
Additionally MLS has announced they too will be suspending the season.
The ACC, SEC, Big 12, PAC-12, MAC, AAC, WAC, A-10, C-USA and Ivy League tournaments have all been cancelled as well. The Big East is still deciding on how to proceed, but a game is currently underway at Madison Square Garden. There is still no word as to whether or not the NCAA Tournament will be played. As of now the plan is to play the event without fans.
We will have more on this story as it develops.
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