Big Ten Tournament 2026 Bracket: Michigan Is the No. 1 Seed and Heavy Favorite in Chicago

Mo. Basuony

Published: March 9, 2026 4:08 PM ET

Big Ten Tournament 2026 Bracket

The 2026 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament bracket is officially set, and the largest conference tournament in college basketball history tips off Tuesday, March 10, at the United Center in Chicago. All 18 teams are set to battle for the conference crown after Michigan separated itself above the rest during a dominant regular season. The Wolverines are prepared to defend their title in Chicago.

Big Ten Tournament 2026 Seeds and Full Bracket

The complete Big Ten Tournament 2026 bracket seedings are as follows: No. 1 Michigan, No. 2 Nebraska, No. 3 Michigan State, No. 4 Illinois, No. 5 Wisconsin, No. 6 UCLA, No. 7 Purdue, No. 8 Ohio State, No. 9 Iowa, No. 10 Indiana, No. 11 Minnesota, No. 12 Washington, No. 13 USC, No. 14 Rutgers, No. 15 Northwestern, No. 16 Oregon, No. 17 Maryland, No. 18 Penn State.

Michigan became the first team since the 1975-76 Indiana Hoosiers to win every single road game in conference play — an absurdly impressive accomplishment that makes Dusty May's Wolverines the unquestioned favorite heading into the Windy City.

Big Ten Tournament Bracket: Full Schedule From Tuesday Through Sunday

First Round — Tuesday, March 10 (Peacock) Game 1: No. 17 Maryland vs. No. 16 Oregon at 5:00 p.m. ET. Game 2: No. 18 Penn State vs. No. 15 Northwestern approximately 25 minutes after Game 1.

Second Round — Wednesday, March 12 (Peacock/Big Ten Network) Game 3: No. 9 Iowa vs. Game 1 winner at noon ET. Game 4: No. 12 Washington vs. No. 13 USC. Game 5: No. 10 Indiana vs. Game 2 winner at 6:30 p.m. ET. Game 6: No. 11 Minnesota vs. No. 14 Rutgers.

Third Round — Thursday, March 12 (Big Ten Network) Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. No. 8 Ohio State at noon ET. Game 8: Game 4 winner vs. No. 5 Wisconsin. Game 9: Game 5 winner vs. No. 7 Purdue at 6:30 p.m. ET. Game 10: Game 6 winner vs. No. 6 UCLA.

Quarterfinals — Friday, March 13 (Big Ten Network) Game 11: Game 7 winner vs. No. 1 Michigan at noon ET. Game 12: Game 8 winner vs. No. 4 Illinois. Game 13: Game 9 winner vs. No. 2 Nebraska at 6:30 p.m. ET. Game 14: Game 10 winner vs. No. 3 Michigan State.

Semifinals — Saturday, March 14 (CBS) Game 15: Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner at 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS. Game 16: Game 13 winner vs. Game 14 winner at approximately 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS.

Big Ten Tournament Championship — Sunday, March 15 (CBS) Game 17: Game 15 winner vs. Game 16 winner at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS — the final game before Selection Sunday bracket reveals.

Michigan Basketball Enters Big Ten Tournament as Heavy Favorite

Michigan has very likely already secured a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament regardless of what happens this week in Chicago, giving Dusty May the luxury of managing minutes while still chasing a Big Ten Tournament title.

For some teams, the Big Ten Tournament is a chance to prove they belong in the NCAA Tournament, while others are simply trying to improve their seeding. The top four seeds — Michigan, Nebraska, Michigan State, and Illinois — receive three days off before their first game, entering in the quarterfinal round on Friday, March 13.

How to Watch the 2026 Big Ten Tournament Bracket

The Big Ten Tournament will be broadcast across three different networks throughout the week — Peacock handles the first and second rounds, Big Ten Network carries the third round and quarterfinals, and CBS broadcasts both the semifinals and the championship game.

The Big Ten Tournament Championship game tips off Sunday, March 15 — the same day as Selection Sunday — meaning the automatic bid winner will be revealed with the full NCAA Tournament bracket set to follow that evening.