2026 NCAA tournament: Previewing Big Ten first round matchups
- Alex Bozich
- 57m ago
Nine Big Ten programs made the NCAA tournament this season, including regular-season champion Michigan and tournament champion Purdue.
Here’s a look at the matchups involving Big Ten programs in the NCAA tournament first round, which begins Thursday afternoon:
No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 TCU (Greenville, Thursday, 12:15 p.m., CBS)
The first game of the tournament on Thursday pits the Buckeyes, in the tournament for the first time since 2022, against the Horned Frogs, coached by Jamie Dixon.
TCU is very good defensively, ranking in the top 25 of KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency metrics, while Ohio State should have an advantage in the backcourt with Bruce Thornton and John Mobley Jr. As well as the Buckeyes have played of late, TCU has been just as sharp, winning six straight games before a narrow five-point loss to Kansas in the Big 12 tournament.
As most 8 vs. 9 games are, expect a competitive, back-and-forth matchup with the winner getting a crack at No. 1 overall seed Duke on Saturday.
KenPom: Ohio State 75, TCU 72
DraftKings: Ohio State -2.5
No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 13 Troy (Oklahoma City, Thursday, 12:40 p.m., TruTV)
KenPom: Nebraska 77, Troy 61
DraftKings: Nebraska -12.5
Fred Hoiberg and the Huskers will look to make history by winning Nebraska’s first NCAA tournament game.
The Trojans, champions of the Sun Belt, are back in March Madness for a second straight year. To beat Nebraska, Troy will need a hot 3-point shooting game and that’s not a strong suit for the Trojans. Troy is shooting 33.2 percent on 3s this season – outside of the top 200 nationally – and Nebraska’s defense is elite, ranking in the top 10 nationally, according to KenPom.com.
No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 High Point (Portland, Thursday, 1:50 p.m., TBS)
KenPom: Wisconsin 88, High Point 78
DraftKings: Wisconsin -10.5
The Panthers enter Thursday’s matchup winners of 14 straight games, the longest streak in the country. This game will start at 10:50 a.m. local time, an early start for both teams who had to travel multiple time zones.
Turnover differential is the bread and butter for High Point. The Panthers are among the best in the country at taking care of the ball and their opponents are turning it over on 21.9 percent of their possessions, the fifth-highest mark nationally.
Unfortunately for High Point, Wisconsin is one of the best offensive teams in the country and the Badgers are only turning it over on 12.8 percent of their possessions, the third-best mark in the country. The guard duo of Nick Boyd and John Blackwell will be the best tandem High Point has faced all season.
No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 14 North Dakota State (Buffalo, Thursday, 4:05 p.m., TNT)
KenPom: Michigan State 79, North Dakota State 64
DraftKings: Michigan State -16.5
Michigan State is a solid favorite against the Bison, champions of the Summit League, and rightfully so given Tom Izzo’s history in the NCAA tournament. Izzo is 59-26 all-time in March Madness.
The Spartans have one of the nation’s best point guards in Jeremy Fears Jr. and an experienced frontcourt with Carson Cooper and Jaxon Kohler. If you’re looking for an upset to pick in your bracket, look elsewhere.
No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 16 Howard (Buffalo, Thursday, 7:10 p.m., CBS)
Howard beat UMBC on Tuesday in the First Four in Dayton, and its reward is a trip to Buffalo to take on No. 1 seed Michigan, the regular-season Big Ten champion.
The only question here is how badly the Wolverines will beat the Bison.
KenPom: Michigan 89, Howard 60
DraftKings: Michigan -30.5
No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 14 Pennsylvania (Greenville, Thursday, 9:25 p.m., TNT)
Fran McCaffery is back in the NCAA tournament, but this time it’s as the head coach of Penn, champions of the Ivy League.
The Quakers have won nine of 10 entering Thursday’s primetime matchup against the Fighting Illini and have a legitimate talent in TJ Power, who began his career at Duke.
That, however, won’t be enough against an Illinois squad that has too many weapons offensively for an overmatched Penn team to handle.
KenPom: Illinois 86, Pennsylvania 65
DraftKings: Illinois -25.5
No. 9 Iowa vs. No. 8 Clemson (Tampa, Friday, 6:50 p.m., TNT)
This game, like the Ohio State-TCU matchup, is one of the most intriguing first-round matchups of the entire tournament.
Iowa will have the best player on the floor – Bennett Stirtz – and the Hawkeyes will also be more than happy to play at the deliberate pace that Clemson prefers.
The winner will advance to Sunday, where the No. 1 seed, Florida, will likely await.
KenPom: Iowa 67, Clemson 65
DraftKings: Iowa -2.5
No. 7 UCLA vs. No. 10 UCF (Philadelphia, Friday, 7:25 p.m., TBS)
KenPom: UCLA 80, UCF 76
DraftKings: UCLA -5.5
UCLA has injury questions entering this game, particularly with Tyler Bilodeau. The Bruin big man was injured in the Big Ten tournament and if he’s unable to go, UCLA will need a by-committee approach to solidify its frontcourt.
Still, the Bruins are playing their best basketball of the season at the right time and the guard trio of Skyy Clark, Donovan Dent and Trent Perry is a handful for any defense. UCLA is a slight favorite here and is the team in far better form, given that UCF enters the tournament with losses in four of its last five contests.
No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 15 Queens (St. Louis, Friday, 7:35 p.m., TruTV)
KenPom: Purdue 93, Queens 71
DraftKings: Purdue -25.5
Purdue won four games in four days to win the Big Ten tournament, becoming the first program to ever accomplish that feat as the event’s No. 7 seed.
It’ll be a surprise to see Queens, the champion of the ASUN, give the Boilermakers a competitive game. Purdue is too experienced, has too much offensive firepower and is playing too well to stumble on Friday night against a No. 15 seed.
See More: Commentary, 2026 NCAA tournament