First it would go on as planned. Then it would be played without fans.
And on Thursday morning, minutes before Michigan and Rutgers were set to tip off, the Big Ten Tournament was canceled altogether amid fears of the coronavirus.
The Big Ten released the following statement shortly before noon:
"The Big Ten Conference announced today that it will be canceling the remainder of the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament, effective immediately. "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."
With Thursday's news, the NCAA Tournament is now in serious jeopardy.