The Big Ten Conference announced Wednesday night that most fans won't be allowed into Bankers Life Fieldhouse for men's basketball tournament games over coronavirus concerns.

Only "student-athletes, coaches, event staff, essential team and conference staff, TV network partners, credentialed media and immediate family members of the participating teams" will be allowed inside the arena, the league said in a statement.

Northwestern played Minnesota in the tournament opener Wednesday night, followed by Indiana against Nebraska, with fans in attendance. Ticket charges for all tournament games, including Wednesday's, will be refunded.

Fans at Bankers Life booed the announcement during the tournament opener.

The statement added that other winter and spring sports competitions will have similar attendance limitations.

Earlier Wednesday, the NCAA announced that its men's and women's national tournaments will be played without attendance from the general public.