The 2026 Big East Men’s Basketball Tournament schedule returns to Madison Square Garden in New York City from Wednesday, March 11, to Saturday, March 14, 2026. Celebrating its 44th consecutive year at “The World’s Most Famous Arena,” the 11-team tournament features a single-elimination format with the top five seeds earning a first-round bye. The championship game will air live on FOX on Saturday night at 6:30 PM ET, with the winner securing an automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
2026 Big East Tournament Schedule: Dates, Times, and TV Broadcast
The Big East remains the only “Power” conference that has not expanded beyond its traditional footprint or team count in this latest wave of realignment. This stability makes the Madison Square Garden atmosphere the most authentic experience in college basketball. For 2026, the broadcast rights are shared between FOX Sports (FOX, FS1) and Peacock, which will host an exclusive tripleheader on opening night.
Big East Tournament Session Schedule:
- First Round: Wednesday, March 11 (Peacock)
- Quarterfinals: Thursday, March 12 (Peacock – Afternoon / FS1 – Evening)
- Semifinals: Friday, March 13 (FOX – 5:30 PM / FS1 – 8:00 PM)
- Championship Game: Saturday, March 14 (6:30 PM ET on FOX)
Expert Note from the Sports Brackets Analyst: Madison Square Garden is the ultimate equalizer. While UConn has dominated the national landscape recently, the Big East Tournament often favors the ‘local’ teams like St. John’s and Seton Hall who treat the Garden as a second home. Keep an eye on the Wednesday winners; because the Big East only has 11 teams, the #6 seed playing on Wednesday is usually a high-quality ‘bubble’ team for Selection Sunday that can create chaos for a #3 seed in the quarterfinals.
Selection Sunday Preview: Will the Big East get 5 teams into the field? Stay updated with our 2026 Selection Sunday Guide.
On the Bubble? See if your team is currently projected for the field in our Live 2026 March Madness Bubble Watch.
2026 Big East Men’s Basketball Tournament Key Details
- Dates & Rounds:
- First Round: Wednesday, March 11 (tripleheader on Peacock: #8 vs #9 at 4 p.m. ET, #7 vs #10 at 6:30 p.m., #6 vs #11 at 9 p.m.; last two on NBC Sports Network).
- Quarterfinals: Thursday, March 12 (Peacock/FS1).
- Semifinals: Friday, March 13 (FOX/FS1).
- Championship: Saturday, March 14 (~6:30-9 p.m. ET on FOX/ESPN).
- Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York City (capacity ~19,800+ for basketball; “The Mecca” of college hoops).
- TV/Streaming: Peacock for first round/quarters, FS1/FOX for later rounds/championship; full on WatchESPN/app.
- Format: 11-team bracket (top 5 seeds bye to quarters; first round for seeds 6-11). Tiebreakers: head-to-head, common opponents, etc.
Auto Bid: Winner to NCAA March Madness (Selection Sunday ~March 15).
2026 Big East Basketball Tournament Schedule
The 2026 Big East basketball tournament schedule takes place from March 11-14, 2026. All 11 teams from the league As we get closer to the tournament, we’ll update you with the team seeds, matchups, and TV broadcast plans for the tournament. We have Big East regular season basketball schedules and more posted up for you to enjoy too.
| Round | Date | Game | Time (ET) | Matchup | TV/Streaming | Notes/Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Round | Wednesday, March 11 | Game 1 | 4:00 p.m. | No. 8 seed vs. No. 9 seed | Peacock | Tripleheader at Madison Square Garden |
| First Round | Wednesday, March 11 | Game 2 | 6:30 p.m. | No. 7 seed vs. No. 10 seed | Peacock | |
| First Round | Wednesday, March 11 | Game 3 | 9:00 p.m. | No. 6 seed vs. No. 11 seed | Peacock (some on NBCSN) | |
| Quarterfinals | Thursday, March 12 | Game 4 | 12:00 p.m. | No. 1 seed vs. Winner Game 1 | Peacock | Doubleheader sessions typical |
| Quarterfinals | Thursday, March 12 | Game 5 | ~2:30/3:00 p.m. (approx.) | No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed (or winner) | Peacock/FS1 (varies) | Exact times/TV may adjust |
| Quarterfinals | Thursday, March 12 | Game 6 | ~7:00 p.m. | No. 2 seed vs. Winner Game 2 | FS1/Peacock (varies) | Evening session |
| Quarterfinals | Thursday, March 12 | Game 7 | ~9:30 p.m. (approx.) | No. 3 seed vs. Winner Game 3 | FS1/Peacock (varies) | |
| Semifinals | Friday, March 13 | Game 8 | ~5:30–6:00 p.m. (approx.) | Winner QF1 vs. Winner QF2 | FS1/Peacock | Evening session |
| Semifinals | Friday, March 13 | Game 9 | ~8:30–9:00 p.m. (approx.) | Winner QF3 vs. Winner QF4 | FS1/Peacock | |
| Championship | Saturday, March 14 | Game 10 | ~6:00–8:30 p.m. (approx.) | Winner SF1 vs. Winner SF2 | FS1 or FOX | Championship game |
Past Big East Men’s Basketball Tournament Champions
The following are the past Big East men’s basketball tournament champions since 2016. The conference tournament champion is generally always favored to have a good shot at winning the NCAA Championship.
| Year | Champion | Score | Runner-Up |
| 2025 | St. John’s | 82-66 | Creighton |
| 2024 | UConn | 78-72 | Marquette |
| 2023 | UConn | 78-56 | Providence |
| 2022 | Villanova | 61-55 | UConn |
| 2021 | Georgetown | 73-48 | Creighton |
| 2020 | Tournament canceled (COVID-19) | N/A | N/A |
| 2019 | Villanova | 94-83 | Georgetown |
| 2018 | Villanova | 90-67 | Providence |
| 2017 | Villanova | 74-60 | Butler |
| 2016 | Villanova | 90-84 (OT) | Seton Hall |
Printable Big East Basketball Tournament Bracket
If you are looking for an early, printable 2026 Big East Men’s basketball tournament bracket, we have a blank one for you here. You can also download and print the PDF updated by the league here. The team who wins the Big East tournament will earn the conference’s automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Basketball Tournament. If you are looking for a printable, blank 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket, we have one posted as well as a March Madness schedule.
2026 Big East Basketball Tournament Early Projections/Notes
Mid-Season Notes (as of February 2026)
Regular season in progress (e.g., UConn, St. John’s, Creighton, Marquette strong contenders). Favorites: UConn (defending national champs), St. John’s (hot streak), Villanova, Seton Hall. Tournament at MSG could feature epic rivalries and high stakes for NCAA seeding. Check ESPN or bigeast.com for current standings.
