
The Big Ten Conference is one of the oldest in the US, predating the NCAA by a decade. The conference sponsors championship competitions in 14 men's and 14 women's NCAA-sanctioned sports, including basketball. In men's basketball, the Big Ten has faced a 25-year drought without a national championship win. Since 2000, no men's basketball team from the Big Ten has won a national title, with the latest near-miss being Purdue. In women's basketball, the Big Ten Conference's coverage does not include the first round and championship game.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Search | 29 April 2025 |
| Last Men's Basketball Champion | Michigan State |
| Year of Last Men's Basketball Championship | 2000 |
| Number of Years Since Last Championship | 25 |
| Number of Consecutive Championship Game Defeats | 8 |
| Number of Teams in the Big Ten in 2021 NCAA Tournament | 26 |
| Number of Teams that Advanced to the Elite Eight | 1 |
| Number of Teams that Reached the Sweet 16 | 4 |
| First Reference to the Conference as the Big Ten | December 1916 |
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What You'll Learn

Big Ten men's basketball tournament media rights
The Big Ten Conference is one of the oldest in the nation, predating the founding of the NCAA by a decade. The Big Ten was also one of the first collegiate conferences to sponsor men's basketball.
In 2007, a ten-year media rights agreement was reached, which split coverage of the Big Ten men's basketball tournament between ESPN networks, CBS Sports, and the Big Ten Network. This ended Comcast Chicago's regional coverage of the conference.
In 2016, a new six-year media rights deal worth $2.64 billion was signed with Fox Sports, CBS Sports, and ESPN. This deal, which began with the 2017-18 season, ended ESPN's coverage of the Big Ten men's basketball tournament.
Then, in 2022, the Big Ten announced seven-year broadcast rights deals with Fox, CBS, and, for the first time, NBC Sports. This ended a long-standing association with ESPN. The new deal, which begins in the 2023-24 academic year, will see NBC Sports airing some of its Big Ten basketball games on its broadcast network.
The most recent Big Ten men's basketball tournament winner is the Michigan Wolverines, who won their third title in 2025. Their coach, Dusty May, became the conference's first-ever first-year coach to win the tournament.
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Big Ten women's basketball tournament
The Big Ten Conference is one of the oldest in the nation, predating the founding of the NCAA by a decade. The conference was first referred to as the Big Nine in 1899, after Iowa and Indiana joined. The first known references to the conference as the Big Ten were in December 1916, when Michigan rejoined after a nine-year absence.
The Big Ten Conference sponsors championship competition in 14 men's and 14 women's NCAA-sanctioned sports, including the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament. The 2025 TIAA Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament is scheduled to take place in Indianapolis at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Guests are asked to arrive early, travel light, and have their mobile tickets ready.
The Big Ten Conference has had various media rights deals with different networks over the years. In 2010, the conference announced the creation of the Big Ten Football Championship Game, signing a broadcast deal with Fox. In 2016, a new six-year media rights deal worth $2.64 billion was signed with Fox Sports, CBS Sports, and ESPN. In 2022, the Big Ten reached a seven-year broadcast rights deal with Fox, CBS, and NBC Sports, ending its long association with ESPN.
The Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament is a highly anticipated event, with specific broadcast windows and draft picks for games negotiated as part of the media rights deals. While specific information about the 2025 tournament is not yet widely available, it is expected to be a significant event for fans and players alike.
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Big Ten men's basketball regular-season champions
The Big Ten Conference is one of the oldest in the nation, predating the founding of the NCAA by a decade. It was also one of the first collegiate conferences to sponsor men's basketball.
The first reference to the conference was in 1899 as the Big Nine, after Iowa and Indiana had joined. The conference was officially incorporated as the "Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives" in 1905. Michigan was voted out in 1907 due to their refusal to adhere to league rules limiting football teams to five games and players to three years of eligibility. However, Michigan rejoined in 1916, and with Ohio State joining in 1912, the conference became known as the Big Ten.
The Big Ten Conference has a rich history in men's basketball, with regular-season champions dating back to Minnesota's 1996-97 victory, although this title was later vacated by the NCAA. The conference has had several notable rivalries over the years, including Penn State's rivalry with Pittsburgh of the ACC, and their history with independent Notre Dame, Temple of The American, and Syracuse, among others.
The Big Ten Conference has also had a variety of media partners over the years, with ESPN networks, CBS Sports, and the Big Ten Network all previously holding rights to the conference's basketball tournaments. In 2022, the conference reached a seven-year deal with Fox, CBS, and NBC Sports, ending its long-standing association with ESPN.
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Big Ten basketball conference history
The Big Ten Conference is one of the oldest in the nation, predating the founding of the NCAA by a decade. The conference was one of the first collegiate conferences to sponsor men's basketball.
The first reference to the conference was in 1899 as the Big Nine, after Iowa and Indiana had joined. Nebraska petitioned to join the league in 1900 and again in 1911 but was turned away both times. In 1905, the conference was officially incorporated as the "Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives". Michigan was voted out in April 1907 for refusing to adhere to league rules limiting football teams to no more than five games and players to three years of eligibility. Ohio State joined in 1912, and Michigan rejoined in December 1916 after a nine-year absence, marking the first known references to the conference as the Big Ten.
After World War II, the conference was again known as the Big Nine after the University of Chicago decided to de-emphasize varsity athletics. The Big Ten Conference sponsors championship competition in 14 men's and 14 women's NCAA-sanctioned sports.
Penn State, a member of the Big Ten Conference, has a longstanding rivalry with Pittsburgh of the ACC. They did not meet between 2000 and 2016, but renewed their rivalry with an alternating home-and-home series from 2016 to 2019. Penn State also has long histories with independent Notre Dame, Temple of The American, Syracuse, and Boston College of the ACC, and West Virginia of the Big 12 Conference. Additionally, Penn State maintains strong intrastate rivalries with Patriot League universities Bucknell in men's basketball and men's lacrosse, and Lehigh in wrestling. Iowa has an in-state rivalry with Iowa State of the Big 12, with the winner receiving the Cy-Hawk Trophy in football.
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Big Ten basketball conference membership
The Big Ten Conference is one of the oldest college athletic conferences in the United States. It was formed in 1896 by the Universities of Chicago, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, and Purdue and Northwestern universities. The University of Iowa and Indiana University were added in 1899, and Ohio State joined in 1912. The first known references to the conference as the Big Ten were in December 1916, when Michigan rejoined the conference after a nine-year absence.
The Big Ten Conference has a long and complex history, with many changes in membership over the years. In 1939, the University of Chicago terminated its football program and officially withdrew from the conference in 1946. The conference did not include ten teams again until Michigan State was added in 1949. Pennsylvania State University joined in 1990, and the University of Nebraska became the 12th member in 2011.
The conference expanded further in 2014, with the addition of the University of Maryland and Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, bringing the total number of schools to 14. In 2024, the conference grew again, this time to 18 members, with the addition of former Pac-12 schools: the University of Oregon, the University of Southern California, the University of Washington, and the University of California.
The Big Ten has a strong tradition in basketball, with the conference being one of the first to sponsor men's basketball. The conference also sponsors championship competitions in 14 men's and 14 women's NCAA-sanctioned sports, including basketball. The Big Ten Conference has had various media deals over the years, with networks such as ESPN, CBS Sports, Fox Sports, and NBC Sports, for the coverage of its championship games and regular season games.
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Frequently asked questions
The Big Ten Conference is one of the oldest NCAA collegiate conferences, sponsoring championship competitions in 14 men's and 14 women's NCAA-sanctioned sports.
The Big Ten Conference currently includes the states of Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Nebraska.
Previous winners of the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament include Michigan State, Purdue, Illinois, and Wisconsin.
In 2005, Illinois made it to the regional final, rallying from a 15-point deficit to beat Arizona 90-89. In 2015, the Wisconsin Badgers ruined the Kentucky Wildcats' bid for a perfect season.
The Big Ten Conference signed a seven-year deal with Fox, CBS, and NBC Sports beginning in the 2023-24 academic year.











































