2025 Big Ten men's tournament begins in Indianapolis
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Braden Smith and the Boilers are ready to ball. Photo: Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images
With the women's tournament wrapped, the men of the Big Ten are preparing to hit the hardwood at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The big picture: This year's Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament is the first since UCLA, USC, Washington and Oregon joined the fray in 2024.
- That shakeup proved to be a foundation breaker on the women's side, with UCLA claiming the tournament crown over USC Sunday afternoon in a battle of the newcomers.
Why it matters: Both Purdue and IU made the cut for the tournament that now only invites the top 15 teams in the conference, giving local hoops fans plenty of reasons to tune in.
State of play: The Boilermakers want to make a strong showing and carry that momentum into a hopeful return to the NCAA Championship Game.
- The Hoosiers, meanwhile, will look to take advantage of the tournament to battle from the bottom half of the Big Ten standings and straight into March Madness.
Driving the news: The action kicks off Wednesday afternoon with Northwestern versus Minnesota, Iowa versus Ohio State and USC versus Rutgers.
- Indiana plays Oregon at 12pm Thursday.
- Purdue faces the winner of USC and Rutgers late Thursday. The game is slated to begin 25 minutes after the 6:30pm game between Illinois and the winner of the Ohio State vs. Iowa game.
Zoom in: Here are some storylines that will define the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis.
🚂 Boilers battle back
- The Boilermakers fell victim to tiebreakers and ended up the No. 6 seed as they shared fourth place in the conference. But this is the fifth straight year Purdue has finished in the top four.
- The backcourt is the big reason for their success this season, and Braden Smith is one of five finalists for the 2025 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year award.
⛹️ Spartans on the attack
- No. 1 seed Michigan State claimed the 2024-25 Big Ten Men's Basketball championship with its 91-84 win at Iowa last week.
- This is Michigan State's 17th Big Ten championship and the 11th for head coach Tom Izzo, who is now tied for the most in conference history alongside Indiana legend Bob Knight.
📣 New kids
- UCLA claimed the No. 4 seed in its inaugural Big Ten season, closing their regular season with a 90-63 win over rival and fellow Big Ten newbies USC.
- The Bruins enter the tournament with the Big Ten's top scoring defense which gives up just 65.1 points per game.
🙏 Hoosier hope
- The IU men come into the tournament as a No. 9 seed and a winnable first game against No. 8 Oregon.
- They know this will be the final run with coach Mike Woodson calling the shots, so look for them to try to make a statement.
How to watch: First-round games will stream live on Peacock. Second-round and quarterfinal games will be on the Big Ten Network. The semifinals and championship game will air on CBS.
If you go: Tickets to attend every session of the tournament start at $468.
- Tickets for IU vs. Oregon start at around $30.
- Tickets for Purdue's first game start at around $40.
- Tickets for Sunday's final game start at around $80.
Zoom out: The men's Big Ten isn't the only tourney tipping off Wednesday. The 2025 Big East Tournament returns to New York's Madison Square Garden for the 43rd year, and the Butler Bulldogs will be there to do some barking.
- The Bulldogs are the No. 9 seed and will play No. 8 seed Providence at 4pm Wednesday.