2026 Big Ten Women's Basketball Postseason Central
MARCH 18 - APRIL 5, 2026
Big Ten Women's Basketball
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Big Ten Standings
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Big Ten Schedule & Results
Big Ten Statistics
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NCAA Statistics
NCAA NET Rankings
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National Top 25 Polls (March 16-17)
Big Ten Postseason Release - March 18
For the second time in conference history, 12 programs earned their way into the NCAA Tournament. Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington will compete in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Led by No. 2 overall seed UCLA, the 12 berths were the top mark among all Division I conferences, followed by the SEC (10), ACC (9) and Big 12 (8).
This marks the fifth time a Big Ten program has garnered a No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament in the last four years. UCLA was the overall No. 1 seed a season ago and reached the program’s first-ever NCAA Final Four.
The 12 selections tied the conference record for most teams chosen in one season, which was set during the 2025 NCAA Tournament. It is the 21st time in the past 25 years and 28th time in Big Ten history that at least six current conference members have been selected to compete in the NCAA Tournament.
Wisconsin will represent the Big Ten Conference after being selected to participate in the 32-team Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT), which is in its third year. The Badgers are making their first appearance in the event and earned a No. 3 seed. The Big Ten has dominated the WBIT, having claimed every championship title. Illinois won the inaugural event in 2024 for its first-ever postseason crown with a 71-57 victory over Villanova. Minnesota defeated Belmont, 75-63, to take home the title in 2025.
(NOTES: Regional seeds listed with school names for NCAA Tournament only … all times listed below are Eastern … dates, times and TV coverage subject to change … all games on ESPN family of networks can also be seen on the ESPN app).
2026 Big Ten Women's Basketball NCAA Tournament Schedule
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Wednesday, March 18, 2026 - First Four |
Time (ET) |
Watch |
Links |
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Sacramento 2 Region (Durham, N.C. - Cameron Indoor Stadium) #11 Nebraska def. #11 Richmond, 75-56 |
7 p.m. |
ESPN2 |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Friday, March 20, 2026 - First Round |
Time (ET) |
Watch |
Links |
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Fort Worth 3 Region (Austin, Texas - Moody Center) #8 Oregon def. #9 Virginia Tech, 70-60 |
1:30 p.m. |
ESPN2 |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Sacramento 2 Region (Durham, N.C. - Cameron Indoor Stadium) #6 Baylor def. #11 Nebraska, 67-62 |
2 p.m. |
ESPN |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Sacramento 4 Region (Fort Worth, Texas - Schollmaier Arena) #6 Washington def. #11 South Dakota State, 72-54 |
2:30 p.m. |
ESPNews |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Fort Worth 1 Region (Chapel Hill, N.C. - Carmichael Arena) #5 Maryland def. #12 Murray State, 99-67 |
3 p.m. |
ESPNU |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Fort Worth 3 Region (Ann Arbor, Mich. - Crisler Center) #2 Michigan def. #15 Holy Cross, 83-48 |
5:30 p.m. |
ESPN2 |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Sacramento 2 Region (Minneapolis, Minn. - Williams Arena) #4 Minnesota def. #13 Green Bay, 75-58 |
6 p.m. |
ESPNU |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Sacramento 4 Region (Norman, Okla. - Lloyd Noble Center) #5 Michigan State def. #12 Colorado State, 65-62 |
7:30 p.m. |
ESPNews |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Saturday, March 21, 2026 - First Round |
Time (ET) |
Watch |
Links |
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Fort Worth 1 Region (Columbus, Ohio - Schottenstein Center) #3 Ohio State def. #14 Howard, 75-54 |
11:30 a.m. |
ESPN2 |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Sacramento 4 Region (Columbia, S.C. - Colonial Life Arena) #9 USC def. #8 Clemson, 71-67 (OT) |
3:30 p.m. |
ESPN2 |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Sacramento 4 Region (Iowa City, Iowa - Carver-Hawkeye Arena) #2 Iowa def. #15 FDU, 58-48 |
4 p.m. |
ESPN |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Fort Worth 1 Region (Nashville, Tenn. - Memorial Gymnasium) #7 Illinois def. #10 Colorado, 66-57 |
9:30 p.m. |
ESPN2 |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Sacramento 2 Region (Los Angeles, Calif. - Pauley Pavilion) #1 UCLA vs. #16 Cal Baptist, 96-43 |
10 p.m. |
ESPN |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Sunday, March 22, 2026 - Second Round |
Time (ET) |
Watch |
Links |
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Fort Worth 1 Region (Chapel Hill, N.C. - Carmichael Arena) #4 North Carolina def. #5 Maryland, 74-66 |
12 p.m. |
ESPN |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Fort Worth 3 Region (Ann Arbor, Mich. - Crisler Center) #2 Michigan def. #7 NC State, 92-63 |
1 p.m. |
ABC |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Sacramento 2 Region (Minneapolis, Minn. - Williams Arena) #4 Minnesota def. #5 Ole Miss, 65-63 |
2 p.m. |
ESPN |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Fort Worth 3 Region (Austin, Texas - Moody Center) #1 Texas def. #8 Oregon, 100-58 |
6 p.m. |
ESPN |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Sacramento 4 Region (Norman, Okla. - Lloyd Noble Center) #4 Oklahoma def. #5 Michigan State, 77-71 |
8 p.m. |
ESPN |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Sacramento 4 Region (Fort Worth, Texas - Schollmaier Arena) #3 TCU def. #6 Washington, 62-59 (OT) |
10 p.m. |
ESPN |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Monday, March 23, 2026 - Second Round |
Time (ET) |
Watch |
Links |
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Sacramento 4 Region (Iowa City, Iowa - Carver-Hawkeye Arena) #10 Virginia def. #2 Iowa, 83-75 (2OT) |
2 p.m. |
ESPN |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Fort Worth 1 Region (Columbus, Ohio - Schottenstein Center) #6 Notre Dame def. #3 Ohio State, 83-73 |
4 p.m. |
ESPN |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Fort Worth 1 Region (Nashville, Tenn. - Memorial Gymnasium) #2 Vanderbilt def. #7 Illinois, 75-57 |
7 p.m. |
ESPN2 |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Sacramento 4 Region (Columbia, S.C. - Colonial Life Arena) #1 South Carolina def. #9 USC, 101-61 |
8 p.m. |
ESPN |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Sacramento 2 Region (Los Angeles, Calif. - Pauley Pavilion) #1 UCLA def. #8 Oklahoma State, 87-68 |
10 p.m. |
ESPN |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Friday, March 27, 2026 - Sweet 16 |
Time (ET) |
Watch |
Links |
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Sacramento 2 Region (Sacramento, Calif. - Golden 1 Center) #1 UCLA def. #4 Minnesota, 80-56 |
7:30 p.m. |
ESPN |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Saturday, March 28, 2026 - Sweet 16 |
Time (ET) |
Watch |
Links |
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Fort Worth 3 Region (Fort Worth, Texas - Dickies Arena) #2 Michigan def. #3 Louisville, 71-52 |
12:30 p.m. |
ABC |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Sunday, March 29, 2026 - Elite 8 |
Time (ET) |
Watch |
Links |
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Sacramento 2 Region (Sacramento, Calif. - Golden 1 Center) #1 UCLA def. #3 Duke, 70-58 |
3 p.m. |
ABC |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Monday, March 30, 2026 - Elite 8 |
Time (ET) |
Watch |
Links |
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Fort Worth 3 Region (Fort Worth, Texas - Dickies Arena) #1 Texas def. #2 Michigan, 77-41 |
7 p.m. |
ESPN |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Friday, April 3, 2026 - Final Four |
Time (ET) |
Watch |
Links |
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Phoenix, Ariz. - Mortgage Matchup Center #1 UCLA def. #1 Texas, 51-44 |
9:30 p.m. |
ESPN |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Sunday, April 5, 2026 - National Championship Game |
Time (ET) |
Watch |
Links |
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Phoenix, Ariz. - Mortgage Matchup Center #1 UCLA def. #1 South Carolina, 79-51 |
3:30 p.m. |
ABC |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
2026 Big Ten Women's Basketball WBIT Schedule
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Thursday, March 19, 2026 - First Round |
Time (ET) |
Watch |
Links |
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at Corvallis, Ore. (Gill Coliseum) Wisconsin def. Oregon State, 62-58 |
9 p.m. |
ESPN+ |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Sunday, March 22, 2026 - Second Round |
Time (ET) |
Watch |
Links |
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at Coral Gables, Fla. (Watsco Center) Wisconsin def. Miami (Fla.), 72-65 |
12 p.m. |
ESPN+ |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Thursday, March 26, 2026 - Quarterfinals |
Time (ET) |
Watch |
Links |
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at Madison, Wis. (Kohl Center) Wisconsin def. Harvard, 64-61 (OT) |
7:30 p.m. |
ESPN+ |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |
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Monday, March 30, 2026 - Semifinals |
Time (ET) |
Watch |
Links |
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at Wichita, Kan. (Charles Koch Arena) Columbia def. Wisconsin, 67-50 |
2:30 p.m. |
ESPNU |
Live Stats | Recap | Box Score |