The 2025 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament is underway at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, marking a historic event as the conference expands to 18 teams with the inclusion of USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington. However, only the top 15 teams have qualified for the tournament, leaving Nebraska, Washington, and Penn State out of this year’s competition.
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Tournament Structure and Seeding
Teams are seeded based on their conference records, with tiebreakers applied where necessary. The top nine seeds receive a first-round bye, while the top four seeds enjoy a double bye, advancing directly to the quarterfinals. The seeding for the tournament is as follows:
- Michigan State (17–3)
- Maryland (14–6)
- Michigan (14–6)
- UCLA (13–7)
- Wisconsin (13–7)
- Purdue (13–7)
- Illinois (12–8)
- Oregon (12–8)
- Indiana (10–10)
- Ohio State (9–11)
- Rutgers (8–12)
- Minnesota (7–13)
- Northwestern (7–13)
- USC (7–13)
- Iowa (7–13)
Notably, tiebreakers were applied to teams with identical conference records to determine their exact seeding positions.
Tournament Schedule and Results
The tournament commenced on March 12 and will conclude with the championship game on March 16. The schedule is as follows:
- First Round – Wednesday, March 12:
- Game 1: No. 13 Northwestern defeated No. 12 Minnesota, 72–64.
- Game 2: No. 15 Iowa upset No. 10 Ohio State, 77–70.
- Game 3: No. 14 USC triumphed over No. 11 Rutgers in a double-overtime thriller, 97–89.
- Second Round – Thursday, March 13:
- Game 4: No. 9 Indiana vs. No. 8 Oregon
- Game 5: No. 13 Northwestern vs. No. 5 Wisconsin
- Game 6: No. 15 Iowa vs. No. 7 Illinois
- Game 7: No. 14 USC vs. No. 6 Purdue
- Quarterfinals – Friday, March 14:
- Game 8: Winner of Game 4 vs. No. 1 Michigan State
- Game 9: Winner of Game 5 vs. No. 4 UCLA
- Game 10: Winner of Game 6 vs. No. 2 Maryland
- Game 11: Winner of Game 7 vs. No. 3 Michigan
- Semifinals – Saturday, March 15:
- Game 12: Winners of Games 8 and 9
- Game 13: Winners of Games 10 and 11
- Championship – Sunday, March 16:
- Game 14: Semifinal winners
All game times are Eastern Standard Time (EST).
Implications for NCAA Tournament Selection
The outcomes of the Big Ten Tournament will significantly influence NCAA tournament selections and seedings. Currently, 10 Big Ten teams are projected to make the NCAA tournament, but teams like Indiana and Ohio State need strong performances to secure their spots.
Additionally, teams on the bubble, such as Vanderbilt, Georgia, and Ohio State, require favorable circumstances to secure a spot in the NCAA tournament.
Fan and Betting Insights
Despite an end-of-season slump, Purdue retains some national support, ranking third in a readers’ poll with 11% backing them to win the tournament. Michigan State emerged as the clear favorite with 50% of the votes, while Maryland received 13%, reflecting their strong recent performance. FanDuel offers odds of +700 on Purdue to win the conference tournament, suggesting a potential profit for optimistic bettors.
As the tournament progresses, fans can expect intense matchups and potential upsets, all leading up to the championship game on March 16. The Big Ten Tournament not only crowns the conference champion but also sets the stage for the national spotlight in the NCAA tournament.