The 2026 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Tournament schedule will take place from Tuesday, March 10, to Saturday, March 14, 2026, at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. This year marks the second season of the expanded 16-team format, featuring the “Four Corners” additions of Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah. The championship game will air live on ESPN on Saturday, March 14, at 6:00 PM ET.
2026 Big 12 Tournament Schedule, Times, and TV Channels
Kansas City has hosted the Big 12 Tournament more than any other city, and the 16-team era has brought an even more rigorous schedule. The tournament utilizes a staggered entry format where the top four seeds earn a double-bye into the Quarterfinals on Thursday, March 12.
Big 12 Tournament Daily Schedule:
- First Round (Seeds 9-16): Tuesday, March 10 (ESPN+)
- Second Round (Seeds 5-8 join): Wednesday, March 11 (ESPN/ESPN2/ESPN+)
- Quarterfinals (Seeds 1-4 join): Thursday, March 12 (ESPN/ESPN2)
- Semifinals: Friday, March 13 (ESPN/ESPN2)
- Championship Game: Saturday, March 14 (6:00 PM ET on ESPN)
Expert Note from the Sports Brackets Analyst: The Big 12 is widely considered the toughest basketball conference in America for 2026. In a 16-team bracket, the Wednesday ‘Second Round’ games are often more dangerous for high seeds than the Quarterfinals themselves. Watch for a team from the ‘Four Corners’ to struggle with the KC travel—historically, teams within driving distance of Kansas City have held a significant ‘home court’ advantage in the later rounds.
Selection Sunday Preview: Will the Big 12 get 7 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.
Big 12 Men’s Basketball Tournament Key Details
- Dates & Rounds:
- First Round: Tuesday, March 10 (seeds 9-16; 4 games, likely ESPN+/streaming).
- Second Round: Wednesday, March 11.
- Quarterfinals: Thursday, March 12.
- Semifinals: Friday, March 13.
- Championship: Saturday, March 14 (~8-9 PM ET on ESPN).
- Venue: T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, MO (capacity ~19,000+ for basketball).
- TV/Streaming: ESPN family (early on ESPN+, later ESPN/FS1); full on WatchESPN/app.
- Format: 16-team bracket (top seeds byes; lower seeds first round). Tiebreakers: head-to-head, common opponents, etc.
Auto Bid: Winner to NCAA March Madness (Selection Sunday ~March 15).
2026 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Tournament Schedule and TV Broadcasts
The 2026 Big 12 Men’s basketball tournament schedule takes place from March 10-14, 2026. 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 12 regular season basketball schedules and more posted up for you to enjoy too.
Please note the days of the week for the tournament are confirmed. The times and TV networks are based on the 2025 Big 12 Men’s basketball tournament. We’ll update them once the league confirms everything for you.
| Game | Time* | Matchup | Score | Television |
| First round – Tuesday, March 10 | ||||
| 1 | 1:00 PM | No. 12 vs No. 13 | TBD | TBA |
| 2 | 3:30 PM | No. 11 vs No. 14 | TBD | |
| 3 | 7:00 PM | No. 10 vs No. 15 | TBD | |
| 4 | 9:30 PM | No. 9 vs No. 16 | TBD | |
| Second round – Wednesday, March 11 | ||||
| 5 | 1:00 PM | No. 8 vs Winner No. 9 vs No. 16 | TBD | TBA |
| 6 | 3:30 PM | No. 7 vs Winner No. 10 vs No. 15 | TBD | |
| 7 | 7:00 PM | No. 6 vs Winner No. 11 vs No. 14 | TBD | |
| 8 | 9:30 PM | No. 5 vs Winner No. 12 vs No. 13 | TBD | |
| Quarterfinals – Thursday, March 12 | ||||
| 9 | 1:00 PM | No. 1 vs Winner No. 8/No.9/No.16 | TBD | TBA |
| 10 | 3:30 PM | No. 2 vs Winner No. 10/No. 15/No. 7 | TBD | |
| 11 | 7:00 PM | No. 3 vs Winner No. 6/No. 11/No. 14 | TBD | TBA |
| 12 | 9:30 PM | No. 4 vs Winner No. 5/No. 12/No. 13 | TBD | |
| Semifinals – Friday, March 13 | ||||
| 13 | 1:00 PM | Winner Game 9 vs Winner Game 12 | TBD | ABC / ESPN |
| 14 | 3:30 PM | Winner Game 10 vs Winner Game 11 | TBD | |
| Championship – Saturday, March 14 | ||||
| 15 | 1:00 PM | Winner Game 13 vs Winner Game 14 | ABC / ESPN | |
| *Game times in ET | ||||
Past Big 12 Men’s Basketball Tournament Champions
The following are the past Big 12 men’s basketball tournament champions since 2015.
| 2025 – Houston |
| 2024 – Iowa State |
| 2023 – Texas |
| 2022 – Kansas |
| 2021 – Texas |
| 2020 – Covid |
| 2019 – Iowa State |
| 2018 – Kansas |
| 2017 – Iowa State |
| 2016 – Kansas |
| 2015 – Iowa State |
| 2014 – Iowa State |
Printable Big 12 Basketball Tournament Bracket
If you are looking for an early, printable 2026 Big 12 Men’s basketball tournament bracket, we have a blank one for you here. You can download and print the league’s PDF of the bracket here (most up-to-date). The team who wins the Big 12 tournament will earn the conference’s automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Basketball Tournament. If you are looking for a printable, blank 2026 March Madness bracket, we have one posted as well as a March Madness schedule.
Mid-Season Big 12 Notes (as of February 2026)
Regular season ongoing (e.g., Houston, Kansas, Iowa State, Baylor strong contenders). Favorites: Houston (top-ranked), Kansas (tradition), Iowa State (hot streak). Tournament at T-Mobile Center features new LED court for enhanced viewing. You can checkout the Selection Sunday broadcast to see where your favorite Big 12 teams will be seeded for March Madness after the conference tournament concludes.
