Michigan State finished seventh in the latest AP Top 25 poll after running away with the Big Ten regular-season championship. The Spartans won seven straight games in league play to secure their first title since 2020. Moreover, depending on how conference tournament action shakes out, they have a (slim) shot of claiming a No. 1 seed in this year's March Madness.
If Michigan State wins the double Big Ten Crown outright, they'd be the first school to accomplish the feat since Purdue did in 2023. The Spartans nearly pulled it off in 2019, though they shared regular-season conference supremacy with Purdue.
Nonetheless, just because the Spartans cruised through the regular season doesn't mean they'll dominate the 2025 TIAA Big Ten men's basketball tourney. Having a double-bye certainly boosts Michigan State's odds, but head coach Tom Izzo's squad has a target on its back. Rivals like No. 11 Maryland, No. 18 Wisconsin No. 20, Purdue and No. 22 Michigan are eager and equipped to dethrone them.
With that in mind, fans will want to tune into the Big Ten tournament. Below, you can find everything about the multi-day event, from scheduling to location and viewing information. There's even an easily handy printable bracket for anyone trying to predict the results!
Printable Big Ten Men's Tournament Bracket
To print FanSided's bracket, right click on image and save.
As mentioned, Michigan State was a cut above the rest of the Big Ten. Their efforts earned them and the other top four seeds (Maryland, Michigan and UCLA) automatic quarterfinal bids. The Bruins won the tiebreaker over Purdue and Wisconsin for the final spot due to a superior record against Big Ten teams by conference finish.
UCLA was the only one of them, Purdue or Wisconsin that managed to defeat the first-place Spartans. With a potential semifinal matchup looming, Michigan State must be wary of the Bruins.
Big Ten Men's Tournament schedule and key dates
Wednesday, March 12
- Game 1: No. 13 Northwestern vs. No. 12 Minnesota, 3:30 p.m. ET, Peacock
- Game 2: No. 15 Iowa vs. No. 10 Ohio State, 25 mins after Game 1, Peacock
- Game 3: No. 14 USC vs. No. 11 Rutgers, 25 mins after Game 2, Peacock
Thursday, March 13
- Game 4: No. 9 Indiana vs. No. 8 Oregon at 12 p.m. ET on BTN
- Game 5: No. 5 Wisconsin vs. Game 1 winner at 25 mins after Game 4 on BTN
- Game 6: No. 7 Illinois vs. Game 2 winner at 6:30 p.m. ET on BTN
- Game 7: No. 6 Purdue vs. Game 3 winner at 25 mins after Game 6 on BTN
Friday, March 14
- Game 8: No. 1 Michigan State vs. Game 4 winner at 12 p.m. ET on BTN
- Game 9: No. 4 UCLA vs. Game 5 winner at 25 mins after Game 8 on BTN
- Game 10: No. 2 Maryland vs. Game 6 winner at 6:30 p.m. ET on BTN
- Game 11: No. 3 Michigan vs. Game 7 winner at 25 mins after Game 10 on BTN
Saturday, March 15
- Game 12 (semifinal): Game 8 winner vs. Game 9 winner at 1 p.m. ET on CBS
- Game 13 (semifinal): Game 10 winner vs. Game 11 winner at 25 mins after Game 12 on CBS
Sunday, March 16
- Championship Game: Game 12 winner vs. Game 13 winner at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS
Big Ten Men's Tournament location and venues
The Big Ten men's basketball tournament will be played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, home of the NBA's Indiana Pacers and WNBA's Indiana Fever. With a seating capacity of 18,165, the venue has plenty of space and is filled with delicious food options, including a Chick-fil-A!
2025 marks the 14th time in the competition's 28-year history it's taking place in Indy. Interestingly, the city has hosted the NFL Scouting Combine annually since 1987 at Lucas Oil Stadium, the Indianapolis Colts' arena. For whatever reason(s), Naptown has become a sports hotbed.
How to watch the Big Ten Men's Tournament live
Folks can tune into the Big Ten tournament on various networks and platforms. Round 1 of the contest will be streamed exclusively on Peacock, a subscription-based service from NBCUniversal. Albeit less than ideal, it'll only get easier to watch from that point forward.
The second-round and quarterfinal showdowns will be televised on the Big Ten Network (BTN). CBS will air the conference's final four and championship games, meaning most spectators with cable should have no problem accessing the matches.
Alternatively, you can stream the Big Ten tournament using the Fox Sports Go app. All you need to do is sign in with cable provider login credentials. FuboTV carries both the BTN and CBS and offers a free trial to new users.