Big Ten women's basketball tournament matchups revealed

UCLA grabs top seed, Michigan earns double-bye to quarterfinals

Mar. 2, 2026 at 8:47pm

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The matchups for the 2026 Big Ten women's basketball tournament have been set, with UCLA earning the top seed after winning the regular-season conference title. Michigan finished third in the standings and received a double-bye to the quarterfinals, while Michigan State earned a one-game bye as the No. 7 seed.

Why it matters

The Big Ten women's basketball tournament is a high-stakes event, with the winner earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Lower-seeded teams and bubble teams will be fighting for a chance to boost their March Madness hopes through a strong tournament performance.

The details

The 15-team, single-elimination tournament will take place from March 4-8 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Seeds 11-15 will play on the opening day, while seeds 5-9 get a one-game bye and play on Day 2. The top four seeds, including UCLA, Iowa, Michigan, and Minnesota, receive a two-day bye and automatically advance to the quarterfinals on Friday, March 6.

  • The Big Ten women's basketball tournament will take place from March 4-8, 2026.
  • The championship game is scheduled for Sunday, March 8, 2026 at 2:15 p.m. ET.

The players

UCLA Bruins

The UCLA Bruins are the No. 1 seed in the 2026 Big Ten women's basketball tournament after winning the regular-season conference title. They are the defending conference tournament champions.

Michigan Wolverines

The Michigan Wolverines finished the regular season 15-3 in conference play and earned the No. 3 seed, receiving a double-bye to the quarterfinals.

Michigan State Spartans

The Michigan State Spartans finished the regular season 11-7 in conference play and received the No. 7 seed, earning a one-game bye to the second round.

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What’s next

The Big Ten women's basketball tournament will begin on Wednesday, March 4, 2026 with the first-round games. The championship game is scheduled for Sunday, March 8, 2026.

The takeaway

The 2026 Big Ten women's basketball tournament features a competitive field, with the top-seeded UCLA Bruins looking to defend their title and lower-seeded teams fighting for a chance to earn an NCAA Tournament bid. Michigan and Michigan State will be teams to watch as they aim to make deep runs in the conference tournament.