The Big Ten conference tournaments and championships will continue as scheduled despite the threat of coronavirus, according to a statement released Saturday.
The first case of coronavirus in Indiana was reported Friday, and Gov. Eric Holcomb declared a public health emergency.
The Chicago Tribune reported Friday that the Big Ten Network won’t send its studio team to the men’s basketball conference tournament in Indianapolis because of the threat of coronavirus.
The network will shoot “The B1G Show,” pregame, halftime and postgame shows from its headquarters in Chicago rather than live from the tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
“The Big Ten Conference’s main priority is to ensure the safety of our students, coaches, administrators, event staff and fans as we continue to monitor all relevant information on the COVID-19 virus and its impact on hosting events in publish spaces,” the statement read.
This comes after the decision to play Division III men’s basketball tournament games at John Hopkins University over the weekend without fans in attendance due to coronavirus-related concerns.
IU women's basketball is playing in Indianapolis for the Big Ten Tournament. The Hoosiers will face No. 1 seed Maryland on Saturday night in the semifinals. The men's team will play in the same building for the opening round of the men’s basketball tournament Wednesday for the first time in program history.
