Big Ten will expand men's basketball tournament to 18 teams beginning in 2025-26

The Big Ten is preparing to expand the men’s basketball tournament to include all 18 teams in 2025-26, Big Ten Network’s Rick Pizzo announced during Thursday’s schedule reveal show. That’s an increase from the 15-team field introduced a year ago after conference realignment.

Coaches voted on the bracket and chose to expand to 18 teams, meaning every team will make the field this year. The tournament will make its return to the United Center in Chicago March 11-15, with the championship game taking place on Selection Sunday.

The Big Ten women’s basketball tournament will stay at 15 teams. That means, just like in 2024-25, the bottom three teams in the standings will not be in the bracket for this year’s event in Indianapolis March 4-8.

“There is a format change in one of the tournaments this year,” Pizzo said during the Big Ten schedule reveal Thursday on BTN. “The men’s tournament will expand to 18 teams this season. That was a coaches’ decision.

“Now, the coaches on the women’s side also opted, they voted and chose to remain at 15 teams in the tournament this season. That still means, just like last year, the bottom three teams in the standings at the end of the regular season will not play in the Big Ten women’s tournament.”

Last season, the Big Ten began its conference tournament on a Wednesday after expanding the field from 14 teams to 15. Michigan brought home the title after taking down Wisconsin in the title game.

This year, the Big Ten Tournament will begin with two games on Tuesday that week. Here’s the full schedule, as released by the conference.

2026 Big Ten men’s basketball tournament schedule

March 10 (First Round)                 

Game 1: No. 16 seed vs. No. 17 seed
Game 2: No. 15 seed vs. No. 18 seed

March 11 (Second Round)

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. No. 9 seed
Game 4: No. 12 seed vs. No. 13 seed
Game 5: Game 2 winner vs. No. 10 seed
Game 6: Game 11 seed vs. No. 14 seed

March 12 (Third Round)

Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. No. 8 seed
Game 8: Game 4 winner vs. No. 5 seed
Game 9: Game 5 winner vs. No. 7 seed
Game 10: Game 6 winner vs. No. 6 seed

March 13 (Quarterfinals)

Game 11: Game 7 winner vs. No. 1 seed
Game 12: Game 8 winner vs. No. 4 seed
Game 13: Game 9 winner vs. No. 2 seed
Game 14: Game 10 winner vs. No. 3 seed

March 14 (Semifinals)

Game 15: Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner
Game 16: Game 13 winner vs. Game 14 winner

March 15 (Championship)

Game 17: Game 15 winner vs. Game 16 winner