The Big Ten Tournament has been canceled

The Big Ten announced Thursday morning that the remainder of the Big Ten Tournament In Indianapolis has been canceled due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19.

Purdue and Ohio State were scheduled to play at 6:30 p.m.

The conference's statement Thursday read in part: "The Big Ten Conference will use this time to work with the appropriate medical experts and institutional leadership to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The main priority of the Big Ten Conference continues to be the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes, coaches, administrators, fans and media as we continue to monitor all developing and relevant information on the COVID-19 virus."

Minnesota and Northwestern and Indiana and Nebraska each played Wednesday on Day 1 of the event, but soon after the event tipped off, the conference announced the remainder of the tournament would be played without spectators present, following closely an announcement made earlier by the NCAA regarding its upcoming men's and women's NCAA Tournament events.

After Wednesday night's second game, concern peaked due to the condition of Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg, who left his team's bench late In the second half and ultimately was taken to the hospital, where It was reportedly determined he'd contracted Influenza A. Cornhusker players were reportedly quarantined in their locker room for a period of time.

The SEC and American Athletic Conference also canceled their postseason tournaments Wednesday. Other conferences had already done so, too.

Nationally, the NBA suspended its season Wednesday night after two Utah Jazz players were found to have contracted coronavirus, which was labeled on Wednesday by the WHO as a global pandemic.

Locally, Purdue joined countless other college programs in enacting precautionary measures, closing off all athletic activities to spectators for the time being. Purdue University had earlier implemented policy to move classes online following spring break, limit travel and effectively bar gatherings of 50 or more people.

Basketball may be a secondary concern in light of all that's going in, not just in the United States, but the world.

But from a basketball perspective, the cancelation of the Big Ten Tournament denies Purdue, essentially, its last opportunity to play its way into the NCAA Tournament, if there actually is going to be an NCAA Tournament. As rapidly as things are changing, that may be in question, as might be the NIT, Purdue's likely postseason destination, should the college basketball season commence.

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