I can’t find NET rankings based on specific dates but according to the NCAA’s final ranking, Rutgers finished 96th. If they can be roughly as good as they were last season then this is likely a Q2 game (51-100 neutral) for Michigan when it otherwise almost assuredly would be Q3 status in A2 (76-160 home).
I think it’s a sly little way to game the system into giving Michigan an additional resume booster. For that I’m good with it.
MSU didnt’ have to play in the Gavitt Games for years and thus far hasn’t had to sacrifice a home game for this. I’d hope they are next on the list.
Helps recruiting and visibility of the program to play in NYC. Takes a game that otherwise would have been buried in the college hoops season and makes a relevant talking point on national and regional sports shows.
Good strategic and branding decision for Michigan to stay involved in these type of showcase games.
Well, MSU participates in the Champions Classic every year, so it’s not really like they’re getting out of anything.
They are playing in the Gavitt Games this year (and I believe contractually obligated to play the next 2? Something like that)
It seems like the general reaction to these Big Ten games in NYC has been a few people on Twitter watching BTN tweeting “Why on earth is this game at MSG?” 
Michigan will draw well though, I think U-M games in NYC are always a fun time.
Dylan says this just as an excuse for him to go to NYC to cover the game 
Ha! Don’t hate a weekend in New York City. But I actually just like the vibe of college hoops in NYC whether it is a preseason tourney, postseason tourney, one off game, Barclays or MSG. Think it just feels right.
Compare that to a 2-game tournament in a casino in Uncasville, CT… That’s just blah.
All the national media and ton of fans made fun of the b1g tourney at msg, then it out drew the recent b1g tourneys in Indy. Selfishly the midwest Michigan fans may not like it but the more b1g events in NYC, the more beneficial it is to um. UM simply has a bigger crowd advantage there than any neutral site in the midwest.
Michigan doesn’t have a visibility problem that needs to be solved, especially now that Juwan Howard is the head coach.
If we lose this game and/or the next because we are road-weary and it costs us a top 4 seed in the BTT, we’ll see how this short-sighted gimic looks then. Should focus on the product and not the fluff.
Contractually obligated to play the next 4 in a row
If they are losing neutral court games to Rutgers, they probably aren’t in contention for a top 4 seed.
The best team in the conference last year lost to Illinois and then Indiana at home. We lost to Penn State and Rutgers beat Ohio State. Didn’t Rutgers beat Wisconsin the year before?
There’s also the fact that you’re on the road an extra night in the middle of conference play. If they play @Iowa or @Nebraska Tuesday night following this, that all of the sudden becomes much tougher.
You have 20 games, each one matters a lot and putting yourself at a disadvantage fire at least two of them is foolish for what stands to be gained from this.
Except it didn’t. The MSG tourney had attendance of 106,157 and the last tourney in Indy in 2016 had 117,051. Indy’s arena capacity is smaller by about 800 people as well. 2015 Indy had 118,496, 2014 111,592, 2012 107,737.
Chicago is hands down the worst Big Ten Tournament venue.
I thought New York City was fun. Indianapolis is a great one. Washington DC was a wild week, but I thought it was OK.
Any chance they put it in Milwaukee for a year? New arena, really fun city.
Would think Milwaukee or Detroit could be cool options down the line. Maybe St. Louis?
Thought it could be a Nebraska/Illinois venue, but it is a hike to Lincoln from there. I guess they could do Omaha.
Please not St Louis. Terrible town.
I like playing in New York but giving up a league home game … that I’m not in love with.