The 2026 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament schedule takes place from March 4–8, 2026, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. In a unique move for the expanded 18-member conference, the tournament field is limited to the top 15 teams based on final regular-season records. The championship game will air live on CBS on Sunday, March 8, at 2:00 PM ET, with the winner securing the conference’s automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
Last Updated: March 3, 2026
2026 Women’s Big Ten Tournament Daily Schedule, TV Channels, and Bracket
The 15-team format for the 2026 Women’s Big Ten Tournament is being held at Gainbridge Fieldhouse creates a high-stakes regular-season finish, as three teams will be left out of the postseason field entirely. The tournament utilizes a staggered entry where the top four seeds earn a double-bye into the Quarterfinals on Friday, March 6. You can download and print the most updated Women’s Big Ten Bracket in PDF format from the league here.
Big Ten Women’s Tournament Session Schedule:
Wednesday, March 4 (First Round):
- Game 1: No. 12 Nebraska vs. No. 13 Indiana – 3:30 PM (Peacock)
- Game 2: No. 10 Illinois vs. No. 15 Wisconsin – approx. 6:00 PM (following Game 1, Peacock)
- Game 3: No. 11 Oregon vs. No. 14 Purdue – approx. 8:30 PM (following Game 2, Peacock)
Thursday, March 5 (Second Round):
- Game 4: No. 8 Washington vs. No. 9 USC – 12:00 PM (BTN/FOX Sports app)
- Game 5: No. 5 Ohio State vs. Winner Game 1 – approx. 2:00 PM (following Game 4, BTN/FOX Sports app)
- Game 6: No. 7 Michigan State vs. Winner Game 2 – 6:30 PM (BTN/FOX Sports app)
- Game 7: No. 6 Maryland vs. Winner Game 3 – approx. 8:30 PM (following Game 6, BTN/FOX Sports app)
Friday, March 6 (Quarterfinals):
- Game 8: No. 1 UCLA vs. Winner Game 4 – 12:00 PM (BTN/FOX Sports app)
- Game 9: No. 4 Minnesota vs. Winner Game 5 – approx. 2:00 PM (following Game 8, BTN/FOX Sports app)
- Game 10: No. 2 Iowa vs. Winner Game 6 – 6:30 PM (BTN/FOX Sports app)
- Game 11: No. 3 Michigan vs. Winner Game 7 – approx. 8:30 PM (following Game 10, BTN/FOX Sports app)
Saturday, March 7 (Semifinals):
- Game 12: Winner Game 8 vs. Winner Game 9 – 2:00 PM (BTN/FOX Sports app)
- Game 13: Winner Game 10 vs. Winner Game 11 – 4:30 PM (BTN/FOX Sports app)
Sunday, March 8 (Championship):
- Game 14: Winner Game 12 vs. Winner Game 13 – 2:15 PM (CBS)*
Expert Note from the Sports Brackets Analyst: The decision to cap the field at 15 teams adds a massive amount of pressure to the bottom of the standings. While the men’s side allows everyone in, the women’s coaches opted for a format that rewards regular-season consistency. If you’re filling out a bracket, pay close attention to the #5 through #9 seeds on Thursday. Those teams are often top-25 caliber but must survive an extra day of play to reach the heavy hitters on Friday.
Tournament Watch: Will the expanded Big Ten get 9 teams in? Track the latest bubble news and seed projections in our 2026 Women’s Selection Sunday Guide.
How many teams make the 2026 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament?
Only the top 15 teams out of the 18 conference members qualify for the 2026 Big Ten Women’s Tournament. The bottom three teams in the regular-season standings do not advance to Indianapolis.
Where is the 2026 Women’s Big Ten Tournament?
The tournament is held at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. This venue is also the home of the WNBA’s Indiana Fever.
What channel is the Big Ten Women’s Championship on?
The 2026 Big Ten Championship game will air nationally on CBS on Sunday, March 8. Early rounds are split between Peacock and the Big Ten Network.
2026 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament Schedule
Here’s the complete 2026 Big Ten Women’s Basketball tournament schedule with seeds and TV broadcasts for you.
| Round | Date | Game | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV/Stream |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Round | Wednesday, March 4 | Game 1 | No. 12 Nebraska vs. No. 13 Indiana | 3:30 p.m. | Peacock |
| First Round | Wednesday, March 4 | Game 2 | No. 10 Illinois vs. No. 15 Wisconsin | 25 min after Game 1 (6:00 p.m.) | Peacock |
| First Round | Wednesday, March 4 | Game 3 | No. 11 Oregon vs. No. 14 Purdue | 25 min after Game 2 (8:30 p.m.) | Peacock |
| Second Round | Thursday, March 5 | Game 4 | No. 8 Washington vs. No. 9 USC | 12:00 p.m. | BTN / FOX Sports app |
| Second Round | Thursday, March 5 | Game 5 | No. 5 Ohio State vs. Winner of Game 1 | ~25 min after Game 4 | BTN / FOX Sports app |
| Second Round | Thursday, March 5 | Game 6 | No. 7 Michigan State vs. Winner of Game 2 | 6:30 p.m. | BTN / FOX Sports app |
| Second Round | Thursday, March 5 | Game 7 | No. 6 Maryland vs. Winner of Game 3 | ~25 min after Game 6 | BTN / FOX Sports app |
| Quarterfinals | Friday, March 6 | Game 8 | No. 1 UCLA vs. Winner of Game 4 | 12:00 p.m. | BTN / FOX Sports app |
| Quarterfinals | Friday, March 6 | Game 9 | No. 4 Minnesota vs. Winner of Game 5 | ~25 min after Game 8 | BTN / FOX Sports app |
| Quarterfinals | Friday, March 6 | Game 10 | No. 2 Iowa vs. Winner of Game 6 | 6:30 p.m. | BTN / FOX Sports app |
| Quarterfinals | Friday, March 6 | Game 11 | No. 3 Michigan vs. Winner of Game 7 | ~25 min after Game 10 | BTN / FOX Sports app |
| Semifinals | Saturday, March 7 | Game 12 | Winner of Game 8 vs. Winner of Game 9 | 2:00 p.m. | BTN / FOX Sports app |
| Semifinals | Saturday, March 7 | Game 13 | Winner of Game 10 vs. Winner of Game 11 | 4:30 p.m. | BTN / FOX Sports app |
| Championship | Sunday, March 8 | Game 14 | Winner of Game 12 vs. Winner of Game 13 | 2:15 p.m. | CBS (Paramount+, CBSSports.com) |
Notes: Times after the first game each day are approximate/following previous (~25 min). Top 4 seeds (UCLA, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota) receive double byes to quarterfinals. No noted adjustments like BYU-style moves. For the full visual bracket/PDF with paths, check bigten.org or the linked article.
2026 NCAA Women’s Tournament Schedule and Bracket
The winner of the 2026 Big Ten Women’s basketball tournament earns the conference’s automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. If you are looking for a printable bracket to complete your bracketology (or follow the action after Selection Sunday), we’ve got you covered.
