2026 Big Ten Basketball Tournament Bracket: Semifinals TODAY — Michigan vs Wisconsin Noon ET, UCLA vs Purdue at 2:30 PM ET
The 2026 Big Ten Tournament semifinals are set for Saturday, March 14 at the United Center in Chicago, and the bracket has produced two stunning Friday night results — UCLA upset No. 3 Michigan State 88-84, and Purdue crushed No. 2 Nebraska 74-58. The full semifinal bracket is now confirmed: Michigan vs Wisconsin tips at Noon ET on CBS, followed by UCLA vs Purdue at approximately 2:30 PM ET.
Full 2026 Big Ten Tournament Bracket: Complete Results
First & Second Rounds — Tuesday–Wednesday, March 10–11
Maryland def. Oregon 70-60. Northwestern def. Penn State 76-66. Iowa def. Maryland 75-64. Washington def. USC 83-79 OT. Northwestern def. Indiana 74-61. Rutgers def. Minnesota 72-67.
Third Round — Thursday, March 12
Ohio State def. Iowa 72-69. Wisconsin def. Washington 85-82. Purdue def. Northwestern 81-68. UCLA def. Rutgers 72-59.
Quarterfinals — Friday, March 13
Michigan 71, Ohio State 67. Wisconsin 91, Illinois 88. Purdue 74, Nebraska 58. UCLA 88, Michigan State 84.
| Round | Game | Result |
|---|---|---|
| QF | No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 8 Ohio State | Michigan 71-67 ✅ |
| QF | No. 4 Illinois vs. No. 5 Wisconsin | Wisconsin 91-88 ✅ |
| QF | No. 2 Nebraska vs. No. 7 Purdue | Purdue 74-58 ✅ |
| QF | No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 6 UCLA | UCLA 88-84 ✅ |
UPSET ALERT: Purdue Crushes Nebraska 74-58, UCLA Stuns Michigan State 88-84
Purdue delivered the most dominant performance of the tournament Friday night — routing No. 2 seed Nebraska by 16 points in a game that was never close after halftime. The Boilermakers held Nebraska to 58 points and controlled the paint throughout.
UCLA's 88-84 win over Michigan State was the night's biggest upset on paper — the No. 6 Bruins eliminating the No. 3 Spartans to reach their first Big Ten Tournament semifinal since joining the conference. UCLA is now the feel-good story of the tournament.
Michigan State's loss was a tough blow given how well they played during the regular season. They will now await Selection Sunday hoping their resume is strong enough for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Big Ten Tournament Semifinals: Saturday Schedule — TODAY on CBS
| Game | Matchup | Time ET | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| SF Game 15 | No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 5 Wisconsin | Noon ET | CBS |
| SF Game 16 | No. 7 Purdue vs. No. 6 UCLA | ~2:30 PM ET | CBS |
Michigan vs Wisconsin: Championship Rematch
Michigan defeated Wisconsin 71-61 in last year's Big Ten Tournament championship game and went on to win the title. Now the Badgers — red hot behind Nick Boyd's 38 points and John Blackwell's 31 in Friday's 91-88 win over Illinois — get their shot at revenge.
Michigan counters with Aday Mara's interior dominance, the backcourt depth of Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney, and the experience of back-to-back tournament runs. Michigan is a 4.5-point favorite.
Purdue vs UCLA: The Surprise Final Four
Purdue has won 11 of their last 12 games and just dismantled Nebraska. UCLA is riding the momentum of an upset win over Michigan State. Neither team was expected to be here when the tournament began — making this the most compelling storyline of Saturday's slate.
Big Ten Tournament Championship: Sunday at 3:30 PM ET on CBS
The Big Ten Tournament Championship tips Sunday, March 15, at 3:30 PM ET on CBS at the United Center in Chicago. The winner earns the Big Ten's automatic NCAA Tournament bid heading into Selection Sunday, which immediately follows at 6:00 PM ET on CBS. Live streaming for all games is available on the CBS Sports App and Paramount+.
