Big Ten women’s basketball tournament 2026: Bracket, schedule and odds
UCLA went unbeaten in the Big Ten in the regular season — can they also capture the tournament crown in Indy?
By
Isabel Gonzalez
Mar 2, 2026
at
5:29 pm ET
•
2 min read
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This season of Big Ten women’s basketball has featured must-watch games and a deep pool of talent. The conference is now getting together for the Big Ten Tournament this week at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Action tips off Wednesday and Sunday’s championship game airs on CBS.
UCLA was the outright champion of the conference regular season title after completing the first perfect Big Ten season in more than a decade. The Bruins are the No. 1 seed for the conference tournament and have likely already locked in a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Iowa is the No. 2 seed for the Big Ten Tournament as Jan Jensen continues to succeed in the post-Lisa Bluder and post-Caitlin Clark era. Earlier this season, the Hawkeyes got three consecutive wins against top-15 opponents for the first time in program history.
USC has struggled without star JuJu Watkins, as reflected by the Trojans’ 17-12 overall record. However, they have had a few bright spots, including a win over Iowa on Jan. 29. Jazzy Davidson is a top Big Ten Freshman of the Year candidate as she has led the Trojans in every major category.
The biggest surprise this season has been Minnesota, a team that has not been to the NCAA Tournament since 2018. The Gophers are not just set to return to the Big Dance, they are projected to host for the first time ever as a top-four seed. They earned the No. 4 seed in the Big Ten, which means a double-bye this week.
Women’s basketball Big Ten Tournament bracket
The bracket is set 👀
Grab your tickets ➡️ https://t.co/JhPaf32GAJ pic.twitter.com/p8oI2zackB
— Big Ten Women’s Basketball (@B1Gwbball) March 2, 2026
Women’s basketball Big Ten Tournament schedule
All times Eastern
Wednesday, March 4 — First Round
Game 1: #13 Indiana vs. #12 Nebraska — 3:30 p.m. (Peacock)
Game 2: #15 Wisconsin vs. #10 Illinois — 25 min. after Game 1 (Peacock)
Game 3: #14 Purdue vs. #11 Oregon — 25 min. after Game 2 (Peacock)
Thursday, March 5 — Second Round
Game 4: #9 USC vs. #8 Washington — 12 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
Game 5: Game 1 winner vs. #5 Ohio State — 25 min. after Game 4 (BTN)
Game 6: Game 2 winner vs. #7 Michigan State — 6:30 p.m. (BTN)
Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. #6 Maryland — 35 min. after Game 6 (BTN)
Friday, March 6 — Quarterfinals
Game 8: Game 4 winner vs. #1 UCLA — 12 p.m. (BTN)
Game 9: Game 5 winner vs. #4 Minnesota — 25 min. after Game 8 (BTN)
Game 10: Game 6 winner vs. #2 Iowa– 6:30 p.m. (BTN)
Game 11: Game 7 winner vs. #3 Michigan — 25 min. after Game 10 (BTN)
Saturday, March 7 – Semifinals
Game 12: Game 8 winner vs. Game 9 winner — 2 p.m. (BTN)
Game 13: Game 10 winner vs. Game 11 winner — 4:30 p.m. (BTN)
Sunday, March 8 — Championship
Title game: Game 12 winner vs. Game 13 winner — 2:15 p.m. (CBS)
