Report: Big Ten, Big East agree to annual basketball series

IOWA CITY - The Big Ten and Big East conferences will announce a plan Monday to meet in season-opening men's basketball games from 2015 through 2020, ESPN reported Sunday.

The leagues will hold a joint news conference from Madison Square Garden in New York City. Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany, Big East Commissioner Val Ackermann and coaches from both leagues will attend the announcement.

ESPN reported the annual challenge will include eight annual games played the first Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of the regular season. The games will be played on school home sites. The each member of the 10-team Big East will compete six times and Big Ten schools will play at least four games.

Fox Sports 1, BTN or the ESPN family of networks will air the series, which will be called the Gavitt Tipoff Series, named after Big East founder Dave Gavitt.

The Big Ten already has an annual challenge with the ACC and this adds another compelling early-season game for most teams. The Big East now consists of Villanova, Georgetown, Butler, Creighton, Providence, Xavier, Seton Hall, St. John's, Marquette and DePaul.

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