Big Ten Tournament Primer (New Format in 2025)

[coolonetoo]

The field has officially been announced. Nebraska is the #8 seed and is in Pool A with #1 seed Oregon and #12 seed Michigan State.

Tuesday, May 20, 6:00pm - Michigan State vs. Nebraska
Thursday, May 22, 6:00pm - Oregon vs. Michigan State
Friday, May 23, 6:00pm - Nebraska vs. Oregon

If one team is 2-0, that team advances to Saturday's semifinals vs. the winner of Pool D. If all three teams are 1-1, Oregon advances because it's the highest seed.

So, bottom line, Nebraska must go 2-0 to make it to Saturday.

 

[MargotDeeper]

If all three teams are 1-1, Oregon advances because it's the highest seed.

So, bottom line, Nebraska must go 2-0 to make it to Saturday.

That's the stupidest pool format I've ever seen.

 

[coolonetoo]

That's the stupidest pool format I've ever seen.

The ACC used it for several years but went to a 16 team single-elimination tournament this year after conference expansion.

There are good and bad aspects:

Conference Tournament Format

I recently became aware of the ACC's format and I was intrigued. It's a 12-team tournament with four three-team round-robin pools. The team with the best record in each pool advances to the semifinals and it's single elimination from there. It's a larger version of the what the Big 12 did...

nebraska.forums.rivals.com

 

[saluno22]

That's the stupidest pool format I've ever seen.

I agree because once a non-top 4 seed loses, they have nothing to play for anymore but usually still have a game of consequence left to play. At least in this format, the top-4 seeds in each pool are always involved in the last of the three pool games, so there is a chance their opponent in that game is 1-0 and the game will be for advancement into the semifinals.

But at the same time, if Michigan State loses to Nebraska the first day, they could just absolutely empty the pitching tank against Oregon on Thursday knowing they have no more games after that but can play spoiler.

Nonetheless, it's extremely unusual. I think the intention is to have teams not just show up for one game and go home, which is admirable to a degree, but then you look around at how the rest of the country changed to just straight single-elimination and this looks foolish.

This does get away from just absolutely taxing pitching staffs heading into the NCAA tournament for teams who will be selected, so to that end, it's an improvement. But there is a reason other conferences aren't using this format anymore.

It is kind of stupid UCLA as the 2 seed is playing a pair of 10amCT games (8am PT) and is done with pool play Thursday morning before #1 seed Oregon has played their first game on Thursday night.