2026 Big Ten Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament Basics
Format
With all 18 teams qualifying, the top four seeds earned a triple bye, and the next four a double bye.
Site
The event heads back to Chicago’s United Center for the first time since 2023.
Participants
This is the first year that all 18 Big Ten teams qualify, after just a single season of a 15-team bracket.
Schedule
Downloadable PDF Bracket
First Round (Tues. 3/10)
Peacock ($) will stream and NBCSN will air both games.
Gm. 1: (17) Maryland (11-20, 4-16) vs. (16) Oregon (12-19, 5-15), 5 The Ducks won 64-54 in College Park on 1/2. Gm. 2: (18) Penn State (12-19, 3-17) vs. (15) Northwestern
(13-18, 5-15), 7:30* The Wildcats won 94-73 in Evanston on 1/29.
Second Round (Wed. 3/11)
Gm. 3: Gm. 1 winner vs. (9) Iowa (20-11, 10-10), 12 (Peacock ($)/NBCSN)
Gm. 4: (13) USC (18-13, 7-13) vs. (12) Washington (15-16, 7-13), 2:30* (Peacock ($)/NBCSN)
The Huskies swept: 84-76 (away) on 12/6 and 91-72 (home) on 3/4.
Gm. 5: Gm. 2 winner vs. (10) Indiana (18-13, 9-11), 6:30 (BTN)
Gm. 6: (14) Rutgers (13-18, 6-14) vs. (11) Minnesota (15-16, 8-12), 9 (BTN)
The Golden Gophers won 80-61 in Minneapolis on 2/21.
Third Round (Thurs. 3/12)
BTN will air all four games.
Gm. 7: Gm. 3 winner vs. (8) Ohio State (20-11, 12-8), 12
Gm. 8: Gm. 4 winner vs. (5) Wisconsin (22-9, 14-6), 2:30*
Gm. 9: Gm. 5 winner vs. (7) Purdue (23-8, 13-7), 6:30
Gm. 10: Gm. 6 winner vs. (6) UCLA (21-10, 13-7), 9*
Quarterfinals (Fri. 3/13)
BTN will air all four games.
Gm. 11: Gm. 7 winner vs. (1) Michigan (29-2, 19-1), 12
Gm. 12: Gm. 8 winner vs. (4) Illinois (24-7, 15-5), 2:30*
Gm. 13: Gm. 9 winner vs. (2) Nebraska (26-5, 15-5), 6:30
Gm. 14: Gm. 10 winner vs. (3) Michigan State (25-6, 15-5), 9*
Semifinals (Sat. 3/14)
CBS will air both games.
Gm. 15: Gm. 11 winner vs. Gm. 12 winner, 1
Gm. 16: Gm. 13 winner vs. Gm. 14 winner, 3:30*
Championship (Sun. 3/15)
Gm. 17: Semifinal winners, 3:30 (CBS)
Mayhem Potential
Data originally posted by Bob Vetrone Jr. on Twitter in 2020 with my own additions for the seasons beyond.
Nine of the last 15 Big Ten Tournaments had been by either the 1 or 2 seed, with the 4, 6, 7, and all seeds from 9 down being shut out. Note that the 3 seed has won two of the last four.
- 1 seed (5): 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2023
- 2 seed (4): 2013, 2016, 2021, 2024
- 3 seed (3): 2014, 2022, 2025
- 5 seed (1): 2018
- 8 seed (1): 2017
NCAA Bid Totals In The 68-Team Era
- 9 Bids (2): 2021 (8-9 record, 14 teams), 2022 (9-9, 14)
- 8 bids (3): 2019 (13-8 record, 14 teams), 2023 (6-8, 14), 2025 (13-8, 18)
- 7 bids (5): 2011 (7-7 record, 11 teams), 2013 (14-7, 12), 2015 (12-7, 14), 2016 (8-7, 14), 2017 (8-7, 14)
- 6 bids (3): 2012 (11-6 record, 12 teams), 2014 (10-6, 12), 2024 (10-6, 14)
- 4 bids (1): 2018 (3-9 record, 14 teams)
Surprisingly, the Big Ten’s NCAA winning percentage was better with six reps in 2024 than with eight or nine between 2021 and 2023. There’s a diminishing chance that the conference hits double-figures in 2026, but Indiana will need to start winning again for that to happen. Note that all eight entrants won at least one NCAA Tournament game in 2025.
Last Conference Tournament Titles
Michigan: 2025 (3 seed)
Illinois: 2024 (2 seed)
Oregon: 2024 (4 seed, Pac-12)
Purdue: 2023 (1 seed)
Iowa: 2022 (5 seed)
Michigan State: 2019 (1 seed)
Wisconsin: 2015 (1 seed)
UCLA: 2014 (2 seed, Pac-12)
Ohio State: 2013 (2 seed)
Washington: 2011 (3 seed, Pac-12)
USC: 2009 (6 seed, Pac-12)
Maryland: 2004 (6 seed, ACC)
Nebraska: 1994 (4 seed, Big Eight)
Penn State: 1991 (3 seed, Atlantic 10)
Rutgers: 1989 (3 seed, Atlantic 10)
Remember the Big Ten Tournament only started in 1998, so it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise that long-term members Indiana, Minnesota, and Northwestern haven’t picked up a single conference tournament title (though it is a mild shock in the Hoosiers’ case). Maryland, Nebraska, Penn State, and Rutgers all won titles in previous conferences.
