Nine Big Ten programs made the NCAA tournament this season, including regular-season champion Michigan and tournament champion Purdue.
Ohio State and Wisconsin lost on Thursday, leaving seven Big Ten teams remaining in the field as second-round play begins today.
Here’s a look at the matchups involving Big Ten programs in the NCAA tournament second round:
No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 9 Saint Louis (Buffalo, Saturday, 12:10 p.m., CBS)
Michigan looked shaky for a half against No. 16 seed Howard on Thursday, but ultimately hit its stride in the second half for an easy 101-80 victory. Still, giving up 1.12 points per possession against the Bison means the Wolverines weren’t sharp defensively and will need to be much better this weekend.
Their Saturday opponent, Saint Louis, appears capable of providing a stiff test. Josh Schertz and company made easy work of Georgia in a 102-77 beatdown late Thursday night. The Billikens had six players finish in double figures and are one of the best shooting teams in the country.
Saint Louis enters Saturday’s matchup as a double-digit underdog and is going to need to shoot the lights out to pull off the upset. The Billikens have the personnel to make things interesting. Schertz’s club ranks second nationally in 3-point field goal percentage and 11th in 2-point field goal percentage. Both teams enjoy playing an up-tempo pace and Schertz and Dusty May are two of the best tacticians in the sport and close friends. Ultimately, the Wolverines likely have too much inside to fall victim to an upset.
KenPom: Michigan 87, Saint Louis 74
DraftKings: Michigan -12.5
No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 6 Louisville (Buffalo, Saturday, 2:45 p.m., CBS)
KenPom: Michigan State 77, Louisville 75
DraftKings: Michigan State -4.5
Michigan State cruised to a 92-67 win against North Dakota State on Thursday, while Louisville held on for a four-point win against USF after leading by 23 with 12:50 to play.
The Cardinals are without star freshman point guard Mikel Brown Jr., who remains sidelined with a back injury. The Spartans have a decided advantage in the frontcourt with the duo of Carson Cooper and Jaxon Kohler and should also have the best guard on the floor with Jeremy Fears Jr. Michigan State also thrives in transition.
Louisville’s chances to pull off the upset rest heavily on its ability to knock down 3-point shots. The Cardinals are a high-volume 3-point shooting team and Michigan State allows few second-chance opportunities. The duo of Ryan Conwell and Isaac McKneely will need to shoot it well and limit turnovers to move on to the Sweet Sixteen. This is one of the most intriguing matchups on Saturday’s schedule.
No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 11 VCU (Greenville, Saturday, 7:50 p.m., CBS)
The Fighting Illini made easy work of Penn in a 105-70 beatdown late Thursday night, while VCU erased a 19-point second-half deficit to beat North Carolina in overtime.
The Rams have won seven straight games and 17 of their last 18 entering Saturday’s round of 32 matchup. Illinois, meanwhile, is just 5-5 in its last 10 contests.
Still, Illinois is a solid favorite and rightfully so. The Fighting Illini have offensive firepower at every position and a likely lottery pick in freshman guard Keaton Wagler as well as freshman David Mirkovic, who went off for 29 in the win against Penn. The Rams needed all 45 minutes to beat the Tar Heels on Thursday and fatigue could become a factor against a bigger and more talented Illinois group that looks poised for the Sweet Sixteen.
KenPom: Illinois 83, VCU 74
DraftKings: Illinois -11.5
No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 5 Vanderbilt (Oklahoma City, Saturday, 9:45 p.m., TBS/TruTV)
Despite being the higher-seeded team and having a fan turnout that will provide a homecourt advantage, the Cornhuskers are a slight underdog against Vanderbilt, led by sophomore guard Tyler Tanner.
This matchup pits Vanderbilt, the nation’s eighth-best offense, against Nebraska, the nation’s seventh-best defense.
Fred Hoiberg’s team is highly dependent on the 3-point shot on offense but doesn’t get enough credit for what it has accomplished defensively this season. Nebraska forces tough, contested shots and doesn’t allow easy looks in the paint while staying out of foul trouble.
KenPom: Vanderbilt 75, Nebraska 74
DraftKings: Vanderbilt -1.5
No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 7 Miami (FL) (Saint Louis, Sunday, 12:10 p.m., CBS)
The Boilermakers cruised to an easy 104-71 win against Queens on Friday as Braden Smith broke Bobby Hurley’s record for career assists. Miami (FL), led by first-year coach Jai Lucas, beat Missouri 80-66 on the strength of a 24-point outing by former IU forward Malik Reneau.
Guard play for Miami will be critical in this matchup. The Hurricanes shouldn’t be overmatched in the frontcourt with the duo of Reneau and Ernest Udeh, but the trio of Smith, Foster Loyer and CJ Cox is experienced, can knock down perimeter shots and is as poised as it gets. The Hurricanes will need a steady performance from Tre Donaldson, who had 17 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals against Missouri.
This game is likely to be won on the glass. Both teams are elite on the offensive and defensive glass. The Hurricanes rank 16th nationally in offensive rebounding percentage and 19th in defensive rebounding percentage, while the Boilermakers are 19th in offensive rebounding percentage and 23rd in defensive rebounding percentage.
KenPom: Purdue 80, Miami (FL) 73
DraftKings: Purdue -7.5
No. 9 Iowa vs. No. 1 Florida (Tampa, Sunday, 7:10 p.m., TBS)
Florida had no issues with Prairie View A&M on Friday, cruising to a 114-55 win while Iowa never trailed in its 67-61 win against Clemson. The Hawkeyes won despite a 4-for-17 shooting performance from Bennett Stirtz, who controlled the game despite his off-shooting performance.
The Gators have a significant advantage in the frontcourt with the trio of Thomas Haugh, Reuben Chinyelu and Alex Condon. They’ll also be playing just 130 miles from their campus in Gainesville.
This matchup presents an interesting contrast of styles. No team remaining in the field plays at a more deliberate pace than Iowa, which ranks 361st nationally in adjusted tempo, per KenPom.com. The Hawkeyes routinely bring offensive possessions down to the final two or three seconds on the shot clock. The Gators play at the 29th-fastest tempo in the country and will need to build an early lead so Iowa can’t slow the game down.
KenPom: Florida 77, Iowa 69
DraftKings: Florida -10.5
No. 7 UCLA vs. No. 2 UConn (Philadelphia, Sunday, 8:45 p.m., TNT)
The Bruins beat UCF 75-71 on Friday without Tyler Bilodeau, who missed the tournament opener with a knee injury he suffered in the Big Ten tournament. The Huskies, meanwhile, weren’t sharp but still beat Furman, 82-71. UConn was without Silas Demary in the win, which was a five-point game at the five-minute mark.
UCLA, winners of five of its last six contests, will need another strong performance from Donovan Dent to pull off the upset. Dent has been a different player in the second half of the season and he stuffed the stat sheet on Friday, finishing with 10 points, six steals, five rebounds and five assists. Guard play reigns supreme in March, and Dent is a difference-maker when he’s on.
The Huskies, meanwhile, will look to ride Alex Karaban to yet another NCAA tournament second weekend appearance. Karaban was terrific against Furman, finishing with 22 points on 4-for-9 3-point shooting. But it was big man Tarris Reed Jr. who stole the show, finishing with 31 points and 27 (!) rebounds. UCLA is a poor defensive rebounding team and if they can’t keep Reed off the boards, it could be a long night in Philadelphia for the Bruins.
KenPom: UConn 72, UCLA 68
DraftKings: UConn -4.5
See More: Commentary, 2026 NCAA tournament