The 2025 men's NCAA tournament is underway, and eight Big Ten programs are set to compete to win the conference's first national championship since Michigan State cut down the nets at the end of March Madness in 2000.
The coach that led the Spartans to that most recent title, Tom Izzo, is still leading the program, and is the conference's favorite to win the Big Dance once again. Michigan State, the No. 2 seed in the South Region, is the highest seed of the league's eight teams. Only the SEC has more programs in the tournament, with a record 14 teams.
Will the Big Ten finally break through? That is far from guaranteed, and no program will be favored to win its region, but all eight teams are top-seven seeds in the bracket, so there's a fair chance that one of them can make a deep run. In March Madness, as we know, anything can happen.
With NCAA tournament play underway, here's how the eight Big Ten programs have fared thus far:
Big Ten Record in NCAA Tournament After the Elite Eight
The Big Ten's overall record is 13–8.
No Big Ten teams advanced to the Final Four, with Michigan State falling to Auburn 70–64 in the Elite Eight. Illinois, Oregon, UCLA and Wisconsin were all eliminated in the round of 32, while Maryland, Michigan and Purdue were eliminated in the Sweet 16.
Will Any Big Ten Teams Play in the Final Four?
With the Spartans out, the Final Four will consist of two SEC programs—No. 1 Auburn and No. 1 Florida—as well as No. 1 Duke out of the ACC and No. 1 Houston from the Big 12. The Big Ten will have to wait at least another year to break its lengthy national title drought.
How Many Big Ten Teams Made the NCAA Tournament?
Eight of the Big Ten's 18 teams made the March Madness bracket. Below are all eight schools and their seeding in the Big Dance:
Team
Region
Seed
Result
Michigan State
South
No. 2
Eliminated in Elite Eight
Wisconsin
East
No. 3
Eliminated in round of 32
Maryland
West
No. 4
Eliminated in Sweet 16
Purdue
Midwest
No. 4
Advanced to Sweet 16
Michigan
South
No. 5
Eliminated in Sweet 16
Oregon
East
No. 5
Eliminated in round of 32
Illinois
Midwest
No. 6
Eliminated in round of 32
UCLA
Midwest
No. 7
Eliminated in round of 32