2026 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament: Full Bracket, Seeds, Schedule, and How to Watch Live in Chicago
March is here. The United Center is the venue. And Michigan — the most dominant Big Ten regular-season team in half a century — is waiting. The 2026 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament opened Tuesday night and runs through Sunday, March 15, with all 18 conference teams competing for the title and an automatic NCAA Tournament bid.
The Biggest Big Ten Tournament Ever
For the first time in history, all 18 Big Ten teams are in the field — making this the largest conference tournament ever held. The top four seeds receive three days off before their first game, instead of the usual two, to accommodate the expanded bracket. Action runs March 10–15 at the United Center in Chicago.
Michigan earned the No. 1 seed by winning the conference's 16th Big Ten regular-season title. The Wolverines finished 19-1 in conference play and 29-2 overall. The other triple-bye recipients: No. 2 Nebraska (15-5), No. 3 Illinois (15-5), and No. 4 Michigan State (15-5).
Michigan became the first team since the 1975-76 Indiana Hoosiers to win every single road game in conference play — an absurdly clean regular season that set up an equally loaded tournament bracket.
Full Seedings
The complete order: No. 1 Michigan (19-1), No. 2 Nebraska (15-5), No. 3 Michigan State (15-5), No. 4 Illinois (15-5), No. 5 Wisconsin (14-6), No. 6 UCLA (13-7), No. 7 Purdue (13-7), No. 8 Ohio State (12-8), No. 9 Iowa (10-10), No. 10 Indiana (9-11), No. 11 Minnesota (8-12), No. 12 USC (7-13), No. 13 Washington, No. 14 Rutgers, No. 15 Northwestern, No. 16 Oregon, No. 17 Maryland, No. 18 Penn State.
Tuesday First Round (Tonight — Peacock)
The bottom four seeds open the bracket Tuesday on Peacock. Game 1 is No. 16 Oregon vs. No. 17 Maryland at 5 p.m. ET. Game 2 follows roughly 25 minutes later: No. 15 Northwestern vs. No. 18 Penn State at approximately 7:30 p.m. ET. The two winners advance to Wednesday's second round and face No. 9 Iowa and No. 10 Indiana, respectively.
Full Schedule — Round by Round
Wednesday, March 11 — Second Round (Peacock/Big Ten Network) Game 3: No. 9 Iowa vs. Game 1 winner | Noon on Peacock Game 4: No. 12 Washington vs. No. 13 USC | ~1:30 p.m. on Peacock Game 5: No. 10 Indiana vs. Game 2 winner | 6:30 p.m. on BTN Game 6: No. 11 Minnesota vs. No. 14 Rutgers | ~8 p.m. on BTN
Thursday, March 12 — Third Round (Big Ten Network) Game 7: No. 8 Ohio State vs. Game 3 winner | Noon on BTN Game 8: No. 5 Wisconsin vs. Game 4 winner | ~2:30 p.m. on BTN Game 9: No. 7 Purdue vs. Game 5 winner | 6:30 p.m. on BTN Game 10: No. 6 UCLA vs. Game 6 winner | ~9 p.m. on BTN
Friday, March 13 — Quarterfinals (Big Ten Network) Game 11: No. 1 Michigan vs. Game 7 winner | Noon on BTN Game 12: No. 4 Illinois vs. Game 8 winner | ~2:30 p.m. on BTN Game 13: No. 2 Nebraska vs. Game 9 winner | 6:30 p.m. on BTN Game 14: No. 3 Michigan State vs. Game 10 winner | ~9 p.m. on BTN
Saturday, March 14 — Semifinals (CBS) Game 15: Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner | 1 p.m. on CBS Game 16: Game 13 winner vs. Game 14 winner | ~3:30 p.m. on CBS
Sunday, March 15 — Championship (CBS) Game 17: Semifinal winners | 3:30 p.m. on CBS
How to Watch and Stream
Peacock streams first-round and two second-round games on March 10–11. Big Ten Network carries second round through quarterfinals on March 11–13. CBS broadcasts the semifinals on March 14 and the championship game at 3:30 p.m. ET on March 15. fuboTV also streams the full tournament.
The Michigan Question
Michigan is the heavy favorite to repeat. The Wolverines hold 85% championship odds according to simulation models. Dusty May's squad won't play until Friday — a massive rest advantage over everyone else in the field.
The bracket is ruthlessly top-heavy. One storyline worth watching: an Illinois-Michigan rematch would materialize in Saturday's semifinals if both teams advance through the quarterfinals — exactly the kind of marquee matchup that makes the United Center worth the ticket price. The NCAA Tournament bracket reveal happens the same day as the championship game Sunday, meaning the Big Ten title will land directly in the selection committee's lap with zero lead time to process it.
