Big Ten announces 2016-17 men's hoops conference schedule

The Big Ten office released the official 2016-17 men's basketball conference schedule.

[ MORE: View BTN's loaded non-conference schedule ]

It all gets started Dec. 27, with a quartet of games. Reigning Big Ten champ Indiana opens its title defense the following day, Dec. 28, vs. Nebraska.

Check out the full conference slate below.

DECEMBER

27 Illinois at Maryland
Michigan State at Minnesota
Northwestern at Penn State
Rutgers at Wisconsin

28 Iowa at Purdue
Nebraska at Indiana

30 Northwestern at Michigan State

***

JANUARY

1 Michigan at Iowa
Minnesota at Purdue
Nebraska at Maryland
Ohio State at Illinois
Penn State at Rutgers

3 Wisconsin at Indiana

4 Penn State at Michigan
Rutgers at Michigan State

5 Iowa at Nebraska
Minnesota at Northwestern
Purdue at Ohio State

7 Illinois at Indiana
Maryland at Michigan
Michigan State vs. Penn State (The Palestra, Philadelphia, Pa.)

8 Northwestern at Nebraska
Ohio State at Minnesota
Rutgers at Iowa
Wisconsin at Purdue

10 Indiana at Maryland

11 Michigan at Illinois
Minnesota at Michigan State

12 Northwestern at Rutgers
Ohio State at Wisconsin
Purdue at Iowa

14 Maryland at Illinois
Minnesota at Penn State
Nebraska at Michigan

15 Iowa at Northwestern
Michigan State at Ohio State
Rutgers at Indiana

17 Illinois at Purdue
Michigan at Wisconsin

18 Indiana at Penn State
Ohio State at Nebraska

19 Maryland at Iowa

21 Illinois at Michigan
Michigan State at Indiana
Nebraska at Rutgers
Penn State at Purdue
Wisconsin at Minnesota

22 Northwestern at Ohio State

24 Penn State at Wisconsin
Purdue at Michigan State
Rutgers at Maryland

25 Iowa at Illinois
Minnesota at Ohio State

26 Indiana at Michigan
Nebraska at Northwestern

28 Illinois at Penn State
Maryland at Minnesota
Ohio State at Iowa
Wisconsin vs. Rutgers (Madison Square Garden, New York, N.Y.)

29 Indiana at Northwestern
Michigan at Michigan State
Purdue at Nebraska

31 Iowa at Rutgers
Maryland at Ohio State
Wisconsin at Illinois

***

FEBRUARY

1 Northwestern at Purdue
Penn State at Indiana

2 Michigan State at Nebraska

4 Minnesota at Illinois
Ohio State at Michigan
Purdue at Maryland
Rutgers at Penn State

5 Indiana at Wisconsin
Nebraska at Iowa

7 Illinois at Northwestern
Maryland at Penn State
Michigan State at Michigan

8 Iowa at Minnesota
Rutgers at Ohio State

9 Purdue at Indiana
Wisconsin at Nebraska

11 Iowa at Michigan State
Minnesota at Rutgers
Ohio State at Maryland
Penn State at Illinois

12 Michigan at Indiana
Northwestern at Wisconsin

14 Ohio State at Michigan State
Penn State at Nebraska
Rutgers at Purdue

15 Indiana at Minnesota
Maryland at Northwestern

16 Wisconsin at Michigan

18 Illinois at Iowa
Michigan State at Purdue
Rutgers at Northwestern

18 or 19 Nebraska at Ohio State

19 Maryland at Wisconsin
Michigan at Minnesota

21 Indiana at Iowa
Northwestern at Illinois
Purdue at Penn State

22 Michigan at Rutgers
Minnesota at Maryland

23 Nebraska at Michigan State
Wisconsin at Ohio State

25 Iowa at Maryland
Purdue at Michigan

25 or 26 Northwestern at Indiana
Penn State at Minnesota
Wisconsin at Michigan State

26 Illinois at Nebraska

28 Indiana at Purdue
Maryland at Rutgers
Ohio State at Penn State

***

MARCH

1 Michigan at Northwestern
Michigan State at Illinois

2 Iowa at Wisconsin
Nebraska at Minnesota

4 Illinois at Rutgers
Indiana at Ohio State

4 or 5 Purdue at Northwestern

5 Michigan at Nebraska
Michigan State at Maryland
Minnesota at Wisconsin
Penn State at Iowa

8 Big Ten Tournament Game #1
Big Ten Tournament Game #2

9 Big Ten Tournament Game #3
Big Ten Tournament Game #4
Big Ten Tournament Game #5
Big Ten Tournament Game #6

10 Big Ten Tournament Game #7
Big Ten Tournament Game #8
Big Ten Tournament Game #9
Big Ten Tournament Game #10

11 Big Ten Tournament Semifinal #1
Big Ten Tournament Semifinal #2

12 Big Ten Tournament Championship