Big 10 going to 18 conference games

The change is for both Men's & Women's basketball. Sounds like it was motivated, in part, by troubles scheduling smaller schools:

What fueled the schedule change was the difficulty that Big Ten, and other major conference schools, faced each year filling out their nonconference schedules. UW assistant men's basketball coach Greg Gard said mid-majors demand an excessive amount of guaranteed money and hold out until they get it.

"You get into July and the high majors still have games available. At that point in time, they're pretty much at their mercy to pay at what the others are requesting to fill the schedule," he said