2025 Big Ten Basketball Tournament Projection: Bracket, schedule for field if season ended today - Feb. 27

The regular season is nearly over and that means that the 2025 Big Ten Basketball Tournament has nearly finished setting its field. In the first year of the Big Ten expanding its membership and trying out a new conference tournament format, there’s room for confusion in a tightly packed race.

This season, not every Big Ten team will make the conference tournament. The bottom three finishers are out. That’s going to make the race both at the top and bottom of the conference exciting in these final games of the regular season. Once the dust settles, the conference tournament will begin on March 12th in Indianapolis.

As of now, Michigan State is sitting atop the Big Ten standings. Behind them is a crowded field, though, and with that, here’s a look at the current projections for the conference tournament and what the schedule for the Big Ten Tournament looks like as of February 27th.

Big Ten Tournament Projected Bracket and Schedule

As of now, there are three teams that are going to be on the outside looking in at the Big Ten Tournament, including USC, Penn State, and Washington. Meanwhile, nine teams are in line for a bye game while four of those teams will get a double bye to start the Big Ten Tournament. Only the 8-9 matchup will pit two teams that had a bye against one another without playing a team coming off a game.

Currently in line to receive that double-bye are Michigan State, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Purdue. However, it’s a tight race, especially for that fourth and final double-bye. Maryland, UCLA, Illinois, Oregon, and Indiana are currently the teams in line for a bye.

Round 1

Game 1: 12 Nebraska vs. 13 Northwestern
Date/Time: March 12/TBD

Game 2: 11 Rutgers vs. 14 Minnesota
Date/Time: March 12/TBD

Game 3: 10 Ohio State vs. 15 Iowa
Date/Time: March 12/TBD

Round 2

Game 4: 8 Oregon vs. 9 Indiana
Date/Time: March 13/TBD

Game 5: 5 Maryland vs. winner of Nebraska-Northwestern
Date/Time: March 13/TBD

Game 6: 6 UCLA vs. winner of Rutgers-Minnesota
Date/Time: March 13/TBD

Game 7: 7 Illinois vs. winner of Ohio State-Iowa
Date/Time: March 13/TBD

Round 3

Game 8: 1 Michigan State vs. winner of Oregon-Indiana
Date/Time: March 14/TBD

Game 9: 4 Purdue vs. winner of Game 5
Date/Time: March 14/TBD

Game 10: 3 Wisconsin vs. winner of Game 6
Date/Time: March 14/TBD

Game 11: 2 Michigan vs. winner of Ohio State-Iowa-Illinois
Date/Time: March 14/TBD

Semifinals

Game 12: Winner of Game 8 vs. Winner of Game 9
Date/Time: March 15/TBD

Game 13: Winner of Game 10 vs. Winner of Game 11
Date/Time: March 15/TBD

Championship Game

Winner of Game 12 vs. Winner of Game 13
Date/Time: March 16/TBD