The Big Ten men’s basketball conference tournament has massive stakes for almost every team involved.
Big Ten men’s basketball is bigger and better than ever. In its first year of its latest expansion, the Big Ten is home to 18 programs including former Pac-12 teams like USC, UCLA, and Washington. While the league went most of the season without a true powerhouse team, the games were competitive night in and night out.
The Big Ten is so big these days every team doesn’t even make the conference tournament. Only the top-15 teams in the league qualified, which meant Nebraska, Washington, and Penn State won’t have the chance to compete for the auto-bid to the NCAA tournament. We’re left with a field where any team can make a run to the championship.
The Michigan State Spartans enter the Big Ten tournament as one of the hottest teams in the country, and haven’t lost in more than a month. Michigan State could be in line for a No. 1 seed if it can win the conference tournament. The Spartans are one of 10 teams from the Big Ten currently projected in the 2025 NCAA tournament field. Other programs aren’t as comfortable.
There’s so much on the line at the 2025 men’s Big Ten tournament. No team slated for an at-large bid should feel comfortable with their seeding entering the conference tournament. Indiana and Ohio State are still trying to play their way into the field.
Here’s the bracket, schedule, TV times, and stakes for the 2025 Big Ten tournament.
Big Ten tournament bracket 2025 and matchups
Big Ten tournament 2025 stakes for Indiana, Michigan State, Ohio State and more
Every team in the field is under pressure entering the Big Ten tournament. Teams like Northwestern, Minnesota, Iowa, USC, and Rutgers can only make the big dance by winning the auto-bid. Most of the other programs are playing for seeding in the NCAA tournament.
Indiana and Ohio State probably need to win at least one, maybe two, games in the Big Ten tournament to feel comfortable about receiving an at-large bid on Selection Sunday. The Buckeyes are currently slated for the first four in our latest projection, and would love to play their way out of Dayton in the conference tournament.
Illinois is safely in the tournament field already, but right now they’re projected as an 8- or 9-seed, which would mean a matchup with a No. 1 seed in the round of 32. The Illini can get off the 8/9 line with a deep run in the conference tournament, which would also give them confidence and momentum heading into the big dance.
The Big Ten tournament title game falling just hours before March Madness is also a tricky proposition. Can Michigan State get a No. 1 seed if it wins the conference tournament, or will the Selection Committee already have the bracket set? Either way, the Spartans are on fire right now, and should be a trendy Final Four pick.
Big Ten tournament 2025 schedule, TV times, games, and more
Wednesday, March 12
- Game 1: No. 12 seed Minnesota vs. No. 13 Northwestern | 3:30 p.m. on Peacock
- Game 2: No. 10 Ohio State vs. No. 15 Iowa | 25 minutes after Game 1 on Peacock
- Game 3: No. 11 Rutgers vs. No. 14 Southern Cal | 25 minutes after Game 2 on Peacock
Thursday, March 13
- Game 4: No. 8 Oregon vs. No. 9 Indiana | 12 p.m. on Big Ten Network
- Game 5: No. 5 Wisconsin vs. Game 1 winner | 25 minutes after Game 4 on Big Ten Network
- Game 6: No. 7 Illinois vs. Game 2 winner | 6:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network
- Game 7: No. 6 Purdue vs. Game 3 winner | 25 minutes after Game 6 on Big Ten Network
Friday, March 14, Quarterfinals
- Game 8: No. 1 Michigan State vs. Game 4 winner | 12 p.m. on Big Ten Network
- Game 9: No. 4 UCLA vs. Game 5 winner | 25 minutes after Game 8 on Big Ten Network
- Game 10: No. 2 Maryland vs. Game 6 winner | 6:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network
- Game 11: No. 3 Michigan vs. Game 7 winner | 25 minutes after Game 10 on Big Ten Network
Saturday, March 15, Semifinals
- Game 12: Game 8 winner vs. Game 9 winner | 1 p.m. on CBS
- Game 13: Game 10 winner vs. Game 11 winner | 25 minutes after Game 12 on CBS
Sunday, March 16, Championship
- Game 14: Game 12 winner vs. Game 13 winner | 3:30 p.m. on CBS
