University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Men's Basketball Earns No. 6 Seed in Big Ten Tournament
March 08, 2026 | Men's Basketball
LOS ANGELES โ The UCLA men's basketball team has secured the No. 6 seed in this week's Big Ten Tournament, which will take place at the United Center in Chicago from March 10-15.
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The Bruins will face either No. 11-seed Minnesota (15-16, 8-12) or No. 14-seed Rutgers (13-18, 6-14) on Thursday evening at the United Center. Game time is scheduled for approximately 6 p.m. PT (8 p.m. CT). Minnesota will take on Rutgers on Wednesday, March 11, at 6 p.m. (PT).
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This year's tournament format includes all 18 teams. The Bruins finished their regular-season schedule with a 21-10 overall record and a 13-7 record in the Big Ten standings. UCLA tied for sixth place in the standings with Purdue and earned the tiebreak with the head-to-head matchup (UCLA defeated Purdue in Pauley Pavilion on Jan. 20 in the only meeting between both programs).
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The top four seeds in this year's tournament are (1) Michigan, (2) Nebraska, (3) Michigan State and (4) Illinois. The advancing team from UCLA's game on Thursday will take on No. 3-seed Michigan State (25-6, 14-6) on Friday at approximately 6 p.m. PT (8 p.m. CT).
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Saturday's two semifinal contests are set for 10 a.m. (PT) and approximately 12:30 p.m. (PT). The second semifinal will begin 25 minutes after the conclusion of the first semifinal game. Sunday's title contest is scheduled to start at 12:30 p.m. PT (2:30 p.m. CT). The two semifinal games and the championship contest will be nationally broadcast by CBS.
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UCLA has won four of its last five contests, including an 89-68 win at USC on Saturday night. The Bruins have posted a 13-7 record in Big Ten action for the second straight season. Last year, UCLA advanced to the quarterfinals of the tournament with a double-bye (as the No. 4 seed) and lost to No. 5-seed Wisconsin, 86-70. This marks the second season in which UCLA has competed in the Big Ten Conference.
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UCLA's game on Thursday night will be nationally broadcast by Big Ten Network, with Kevin Kugler and Robbie Hummel on the call and Andy Katz serving as the sideline reporter. The Bruins' game will begin at approximately 6 p.m. (PT).
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