🏀 College Basketball · Women’s Tournament Guide
2026 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament:
Schedule, Dates, Bracket & TV
The 2026 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament is set to be one of the most exciting conference championships in women’s college basketball. Running from March 4 through March 8, 2026, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, the tournament crowns the Big Ten’s automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament.
In the newly expanded 18-member conference, only the top 15 teams qualify — meaning three programs sit at home while the cream of the conference competes for the title. No. 1 seed UCLA enters as the defending champion and heavy favorite, but Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, and others are poised to make serious runs.
Whether you’re filling out a bracket, planning your watch parties, or looking for live-streaming options, this complete guide has everything you need to follow all the action from tip-off to trophy.
📅 Full Tournament Schedule & TV
The 2026 Big Ten Women’s Tournament uses a staggered format. The top four seeds earn a double bye directly into the Quarterfinals. Seeds 5–9 enter in the Second Round. Seeds 10–15 open play on Wednesday.
| Round | Date | Seeds / Matchups | Time (ET) | TV / Stream |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Round — Game 1 | Wed, Mar 4 | #13 Indiana vs. #12 Nebraska | 3:30 PM | Peacock |
| First Round — Game 2 | Wed, Mar 4 | #15 Purdue vs. #10 Washington | 6:00 PM | Peacock |
| First Round — Game 3 | Wed, Mar 4 | #14 Wisconsin vs. #11 Oregon | 8:30 PM | Peacock |
| Second Round — Game 4 | Thu, Mar 5 | #9 USC vs. #8 Illinois | 12:00 PM | Big Ten Network |
| Second Round — Game 5 | Thu, Mar 5 | G1 Winner vs. #5 Ohio State | ~2:30 PM | Big Ten Network |
| Second Round — Game 6 | Thu, Mar 5 | G2 Winner vs. #6 Maryland | ~5:00 PM | Big Ten Network |
| Second Round — Game 7 | Thu, Mar 5 | G3 Winner vs. #7 Michigan State | ~7:30 PM | Big Ten Network |
| Quarterfinal — Game 8 | Fri, Mar 6 | G4 Winner vs. #1 UCLA | TBD | Big Ten Network |
| Quarterfinal — Game 9 | Fri, Mar 6 | G5 Winner vs. #4 Minnesota | TBD | Big Ten Network |
| Quarterfinal — Game 10 | Fri, Mar 6 | G6 Winner vs. #3 Iowa | TBD | Big Ten Network |
| Quarterfinal — Game 11 | Fri, Mar 6 | G7 Winner vs. #2 Michigan | TBD | Big Ten Network |
| Semifinal — Game 12 | Sat, Mar 7 | QF Winners (Game A) | TBD | Big Ten Network |
| Semifinal — Game 13 | Sat, Mar 7 | QF Winners (Game B) | TBD | Big Ten Network |
| 🏆 Championship | Sun, Mar 8 | SF Winners | 2:00 PM ET | CBS Paramount+ |
🗂️ 2026 Big Ten Women’s Tournament Bracket
The full bracket is set by final regular-season conference standings. Below are all 15 qualified teams with their seeds, records, and bye status entering the tournament.
| Seed | Team | Overall | Conf. Record | Entry Round | Bye Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UCLA Bruins ⭐ Defending Champs | 27-1 | 17-0 | Quarterfinals | ✅ Double Bye |
| 2 | Michigan Wolverines | 24-5 | 15-3 | Quarterfinals | ✅ Double Bye |
| 3 | Iowa Hawkeyes | 23-5 | 14-3 | Quarterfinals | ✅ Double Bye |
| 4 | Minnesota Golden Gophers | 21-7 | 12-5 | Quarterfinals | ✅ Double Bye |
| 5 | Ohio State Buckeyes | 23-6 | 12-5 | Second Round | 🔶 First-Round Bye |
| 6 | Maryland Terrapins | 23-7 | 11-7 | Second Round | 🔶 First-Round Bye |
| 7 | Michigan State Spartans | 22-6 | 11-6 | Second Round | 🔶 First-Round Bye |
| 8 | Illinois Fighting Illini | 19-9 | 9-8 | Second Round | 🔶 First-Round Bye |
| 9 | USC Trojans | 17-11 | 9-8 | Second Round | 🔶 First-Round Bye |
| 10 | Washington Huskies | 19-9 | 9-8 | First Round | ❌ None |
| 11 | Oregon Ducks | 20-10 | 8-9 | First Round | ❌ None |
| 12 | Nebraska Cornhuskers | 18-11 | 7-11 | First Round | ❌ None |
| 13 | Indiana Hoosiers | 17-13 | 6-12 | First Round | ❌ None |
| 14 | Wisconsin Badgers | 13-15 | 5-12 | First Round | ❌ None |
| 15 | Purdue Boilermakers | 12-16 | 4-13 | First Round | ❌ None |
📺 How to Watch: TV Channels & Live Streaming
The tournament is broadcast across multiple platforms so you can watch every game live regardless of your cable situation.
| Platform | Rounds Covered | How to Access |
|---|---|---|
| Peacock | First Round (Wed, Mar 4) | Peacock subscription required; stream at peacocktv.com or app |
| Big Ten Network | Second Round, Quarterfinals, Semifinals | Cable/satellite or Fox Sports App; also via DIRECTV |
| CBS | Championship (Sun, Mar 8 @ 2 PM ET) | Free over-the-air; also on CBSSports.com |
| Paramount+ | Championship (Simulcast) | Paramount+ subscription; stream the CBS broadcast |
| DIRECTV | Second Round through Championship | DIRECTV or DIRECTV STREAM subscription |
🔍 Key Teams to Watch
The expanded Big Ten is loaded with elite talent. Here are the five programs to follow most closely throughout the bracket:
Lauren Betts and the Bruins were virtually unbeatable in conference play. They are the clear favorite to claim back-to-back titles and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Michigan had an outstanding regular season and is the most credible threat to dethrone UCLA. A potential championship game between these two would be unmissable.
Iowa is back in championship-caliber form with tournament-tested veterans. Expect a deep run from the Hawkeyes, who are always a dangerous team in March.
Minnesota secured the final double-bye spot and could be a surprise finalist. They’ve been one of the conference’s most consistent teams all season.
Don’t sleep on Maryland. Their 23-win season and veteran experience make them a prime upset pick despite the sixth seed. They match up well with anyone in the bracket.
📍 Venue: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
All 2026 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament games will be played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The arena — home to the NBA’s Indiana Pacers and WNBA’s Indiana Fever — seats more than 17,000 fans and is widely regarded as one of the best venues for college basketball tournaments in the country.
Indianapolis is a proven host city for marquee basketball events, having previously hosted multiple Big Ten tournaments, NCAA Final Fours, and WNBA Finals. The city’s walkable downtown, extensive hotel infrastructure, and passionate basketball culture make it an ideal setting for the championship weekend.
🏆 Path to the NCAA Tournament
The winner of the 2026 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament receives the conference’s automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. Even if the champion is already a projected at-large team, the auto-bid guarantees their inclusion and likely boosts their seeding.
The Big Ten is projected to receive up to 9 at-large bids in 2026, making it one of the most represented conferences in the entire NCAA field. Selection Sunday is scheduled for Sunday, March 15, 2026 at 8:00 PM ET on ESPN, just one week after the Big Ten Championship game.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
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BigTen.org (official tournament page) | The Sporting News (Cate Schiller, March 1 2026) | Yahoo Sports | Indiana Sports Corp | sportsbrackets.net | ESPN | NCAA.com
This article was last updated on March 2, 2026. Schedule times marked TBD will be updated as the tournament progresses. All times Eastern (ET).
