The Big Ten’s men’s basketball national championship drought is over

Michigan coach Dusty May.

For the first time since 2000, a Big Ten team is the national champion in men’s college basketball.

Michigan ended the conference’s lengthy drought by defeating UConn 69-63 on Monday night at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

It was the second national championship for the Wolverines, who also cut down the nets by beating Seton Hall in 1989 at the Kingdome in Seattle, Washington.

Michigan finished the 2025-26 season 37-3 under second-year coach Dusty May, a 2000 Indiana University graduate who served as a manager for the Hoosiers under Bob Knight.

Monday’s national championship win by Michigan gives the Big Ten the most recent national champion in college football (Indiana), women’s college basketball (UCLA) and men’s college basketball.

Coincidentally, the Big Ten’s last men’s basketball national championship prior to this season, in 2000, also came in Indianapolis. Michigan State beat Florida to earn a second championship for the Spartans.

From 2001 through 2025, the Big Ten reached the national championship game eight times before finally breaking through on Monday night.

Here’s a list of total national championships by program for the Big Ten, which has 18 teams.

The list only includes championships won by the program while a member of the conference. UCLA’s 11 national championships are the most all-time, but were won as a member of the Pac-12.

Indiana – 5 (1940, 1953, 1976, 1981, 1987)
Michigan State – 2 (1979, 2000)
Michigan – 2 (1989, 2025)
Ohio State – 1 (1960)
Wisconsin – 1 (1941)

The 11 national championships for the Big Ten ranks behind the ACC (15), Pac-12 (15) and SEC (12). The Big East has 10 national championships.

See More: Media