The Big Ten Conference, sometimes known as B1G, is a Division I college athletic conference located primarily in the north central and mid-Atlantic parts of the United States. It currently consists of 14 university members—Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, and Wisconsin. These teams square off for numerous competitions, including the highly anticipated NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.
Following each team’s regular season, the 14 go head-to-head in a single-elimination competition leading up to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Seeded based on their season record, the teams battle it out in 5 rounds over a 5-day period. The rim-rattling action culminates with the championship playoff, in which the winner earns an automatic bid into the tournament.
While the Big Ten is the oldest of the Division I conferences, it didn’t begin its own basketball tournament until 1998. However, since then, the competition has brought some of the most exciting and nail-biting moments in the conference. It’s a prime time for upsets and blowouts—when giants are felled or favorites go all the way, and basketball stars are born in front of our very eyes. There’s nothing like watching the tournament in person and there are budget-friendly tickets for all basketball fans.
So far, the Michigan State Spartans have the greatest success in the tournament with 5 wins, most recently in 2016. Can they nab the title again this year, or could Ohio State earn the victory and tie the Spartans for the most wins? The 2018 event begins on February 28 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It’s a must-see showdown for fans of college basketball, so don’t wait long to get your Big Ten Tournament tickets as they’re sure to sell out fast.
