2026 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament Schedule: Dates, Bracket & TV – Sports Brackets
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.
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): Seeds 10-15 compete in three games (Peacock)
- Thursday, March 5 (Second Round): Seeds 5-9 join the winners of Wednesday’s games (Big Ten Network)
- Friday, March 6 (Quarterfinals): The top four seeds make their debut (Big Ten Network)
- Saturday, March 7 (Semifinals): Two games to determine the finalists (Big Ten Network)
- Sunday, March 8 (Championship Game): 2:00 PM ET (CBS / Paramount+)
Expert Note from the SportsBrackets 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.
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 | Session/Game | Time (ET) | Matchup | TV/Streaming | Notes/Location |
| First Round | Wednesday, March 4 | Game 1 | 3:30 p.m. | No. 13 seed vs. No. 12 seed | Peacock / NBCSN (some) | Opening tripleheader at Gainbridge Fieldhouse |
| First Round | Wednesday, March 4 | Game 2 | 6:00 p.m. | No. 15 seed vs. No. 10 seed | Peacock | |
| First Round | Wednesday, March 4 | Game 3 | 8:30 p.m. | No. 14 seed vs. No. 11 seed | Peacock | |
| Second Round | Thursday, March 5 | Game 4 | 12:00 p.m. | No. 9 seed vs. No. 8 seed | Big Ten Network / FOX Sports App | Four games; winners advance to quarterfinals |
| Second Round | Thursday, March 5 | Game 5 | ~2:30 p.m. (approx.) | Winner Game 1 vs. No. 5 seed | Big Ten Network | Approximate times; subject to adjustment |
| Second Round | Thursday, March 5 | Game 6 | ~5:00–6:00 p.m. (approx.) | Winner Game 2 vs. No. 7 seed | Big Ten Network | |
| Second Round | Thursday, March 5 | Game 7 | ~8:30 p.m. (approx.) | Winner Game 3 vs. No. 6 seed | Big Ten Network | Evening session |
| Quarterfinals | Friday, March 6 | Game 8 | 12:00 p.m. | No. 1 seed vs. Winner Second Round Game | Big Ten Network | Four games; top seeds in action |
| Quarterfinals | Friday, March 6 | Game 9 | ~2:30 p.m. (approx.) | No. 4 seed vs. Winner Second Round Game | Big Ten Network | |
| Quarterfinals | Friday, March 6 | Game 10 | ~6:00 p.m. (approx.) | No. 2 seed vs. Winner Second Round Game | Big Ten Network | |
| Quarterfinals | Friday, March 6 | Game 11 | ~8:30 p.m. (approx.) | No. 3 seed vs. Winner Second Round Game | Big Ten Network | |
| Semifinals | Saturday, March 7 | Game 12 | ~6:00 p.m. (approx.) | Winner QF1 vs. Winner QF2 | Big Ten Network | Two games; evening session |
| Semifinals | Saturday, March 7 | Game 13 | ~8:30 p.m. (approx.) | Winner QF3 vs. Winner QF4 | Big Ten Network | |
| Championship | Sunday, March 8 | Game 14 | 2:15 p.m. | Winner SF1 vs. Winner SF2 | CBS / Paramount+ | Championship game; national broadcast |
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.
