Andrew Pace
The Big Ten Basketball Tournament is an annual tournament featuring men's college basketball teams from the Big Ten Conference. The seeding of teams in the tournament bracket is based on various factors, including the teams' regular-season records and performance indicators such as strength of schedule. Purdue has been a dominant force in recent years, claiming the top seed in 2024 for the second consecutive year and seeking its third tournament title in 2024. Michigan State holds the record for the most tournament titles, having won six times, with their most recent victory in 2019. The seeding process aims to select and recognize the 16 best teams while maintaining national balance by limiting conference participation to four teams.
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What You'll Learn
Tournament seeding based on regular-season performance
The seeding for the Big Ten basketball tournament is based on the regular-season performance of the teams. The teams are seeded No. 1 through No. 14 in the tournament bracket, with the champion of the regular season as the No. 1 seed, the runner-up as the No. 2 seed, and so on. Teams that finish in the top four regular-season positions receive a "bye" through the first two rounds of the tournament.
In the 2024 Big Ten Tournament, Purdue was the top seed for the second consecutive year, finishing the regular season with a 26-3 record. They were the defending conference champions and seeking their third Big Ten tournament title. However, Illinois beat Wisconsin in the championship game to win the 2024 tournament.
The Michigan Wolverines won the 2025 Big Ten tournament, beating Purdue in the final. The 2025 tournament saw 15 teams compete, with the teams seeded No. 1 through No. 15, and no team receiving a "bye" through the first two rounds.
In the case of a tie for any position in the regular-season standings, the tie-breaking procedure is as follows:
- Results of head-to-head competition during the regular season.
- Each team's record against the team occupying the highest position in the final regular-season standings (or the next highest in the case of a tie for the championship), continuing down through the standings until one team gains an advantage.
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Previous tournament champions
The Big Ten Conference has concluded its college basketball season with the Big Ten Tournament every year since 1998, except in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tournament has been held at neutral sites every year, with the first four tournaments taking place in Chicago, Illinois. From 2002 onwards, the tournament alternated between Chicago and Indianapolis, Indiana.
Michigan State has won the most Big Ten tournament titles, with six wins in 1999, 2000, 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2019. In 2025, Michigan beat Wisconsin to claim their third-ever title and their first since 2018. Michigan has also won the tournament as a No. 8 seed in 2017, the lowest seed to ever win the tournament.
Ohio State won consecutive championships in 2010 and 2011, while Michigan won back-to-back in 2017 and 2018. The No. 1 seed has won the tournament ten times, the most of any seed.
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Current odds and favourites
For the 2023 Big Ten Conference Basketball Tournament, the Iowa Hawkeyes were the defending champions, but it was hard to look past the Hoosiers as favourites to win the tournament. Head coach Mike Woodson had a 3-1 record against Purdue at the time, and Indiana had a well-balanced team with a do-it-all big man like Jackson-Davis and an emerging star in freshman Jalen Hood-Schifino.
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights were also considered dark horses for the 2023 tournament. They had a winning season and were fourth in the nation in KenPom's adjusted defensive efficiency rankings.
In 2024, Purdue was the odds-on favourite to win the Big Ten Tournament, having finished the regular season with a 26-3 record. However, Illinois was also considered a strong contender, having won nine of its last 12 games and sporting one of the best offenses in the conference.
In 2025, Michigan State was the favourite in the Big Ten futures odds, although the tournament was expected to be a shootout, with six teams at odds of +700 or shorter. Michigan State went on to win the 2025 Big Ten tournament, beating Purdue, Maryland, and then Wisconsin in the championship game.
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Geographical considerations in seeding
In the context of the Big Ten Basketball Tournament, geographical considerations in seeding may have been a factor in the past when the tournament was held across different sites. However, in recent years, the tournament has been held at a single site, such as in Indianapolis in 2025. Holding the tournament at a single site eliminates the need for geographical considerations in seeding, as all teams will be playing at the same location regardless of their geographic location.
Historically, when a tournament like March Madness is held at multiple sites, the selection committee would need to consider the geographic balance of the bracket to ensure fair play and minimize travel burdens for the teams. This could involve grouping teams from the same region together or trying to ensure that certain regions are evenly represented across the bracket.
However, with the Big Ten Tournament now being held at a central location, all teams will have similar travel distances and accommodations, eliminating the need for geographical seeding considerations. This change simplifies the seeding process and allows for a more standardized approach to determining the tournament bracket.
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Selection and seeding criteria
Teams that finish the regular season in the top four positions receive a "bye" through the first two rounds. In the event of a tie for any place in the regular-season standings, a tie-breaking procedure is followed to determine the seeding. For a two-team tie, the results of head-to-head competition during the regular season are considered first. If the tie is not broken, each team's record against the team occupying the highest position in the final regular-season standings is examined, continuing down through the standings until one team gains an advantage.
ESPN's Bracketology projections for the NCAA tournament field are based on similar data points used by the NCAA Division I basketball committee, including strength of schedule and other season-long indicators. The 68-team bracket is the standard version of the NCAA tournament, with conference participation capped at four teams to maintain national balance.
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Frequently asked questions
The seeding is determined by a committee that selects and seeds the 16 best available teams. Factors such as strength of schedule, season-long indicators, NET, and team-sheet data are considered.
The committee considers a variety of factors, including strength of schedule, season-long indicators, NET (likely referring to the NCAA Evaluation Tool), and team-sheet data.
The tournament includes 68 teams, which has been the standard since 2011.
Illinois was the winner of the 2024 Big Ten Tournament, beating Wisconsin in the championship game.
The Michigan Wolverines won the 2025 Big Ten Tournament, claiming their third-ever title and first since 2018. They defeated Wisconsin in the championship game.
