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There’s less than a week until Selection Sunday, but some of the most important men’s college basketball conference tournaments are just kicking off. We’ve put together everything you need to know about how to watch the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament, including live streaming options for cord-cutters.
Michigan State leads the pack this year, with Maryland, Michigan, and UCLA trailing close behind. All four top teams earned double-byes and secured automatic spots in the quarterfinals, where they will square off against whichever lower-seeded teams advance through the first two rounds. Illinois won last year’s championship in a 93-87 victory against Wisconsin. Both teams will begin play in the second round this year.
The tournament is spread across two networks and one streamer, so you’ll probably need to opt into a streaming service if you want to watch every game (even if you have cable). Below, we’ve outlined some of the best options and provided a full schedule for the rest of the tournament.
How to watch the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament in the US
The Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament is spread across multiple channels and services. Round 1 games will stream exclusively on Peacock, rather than a traditional TV channel. Round 2, Round 3, and the Quarterfinals will air on the Big Ten Network. The Semifinals and Championship will be broadcast on CBS.
Peacock subscriptions start at $8/month and offer select live sports streaming. Subscribers also gain access to a massive ad-supported catalog of NBC, Bravo, and Universal content. If you upgrade to Peacock Premium Plus for $14/month, you unlock 24/7 NBC live streams and ad-free on-demand content.
Only the First Round is available on Peacock. The rest of the tournament is spread across the Big Ten Network and CBS. If you’re a cord-cutter looking to watch the rest of the tournament, we recommend trying a live TV streaming package like DirecTV Stream or Fubo.
DirecTV Stream carries the Big Ten Network, CBS, and 125+ other live channels in its Choice signature plan, which costs $115/month. Subscribers can get their first three months for $90/month. DirecTV Stream’s MySports pack is a much cheaper option that carries the Big Ten Network and 25+ other live channels for $70/month. The only issue is that the MySports pack doesn’t have CBS, so you’d need to find another way (like the Paramount Plus option we’ll outline below) to watch the Semis and Championship. All DirecTV Stream plans come with a five-day free trial.
Previously known as AT&T TV, DirecTV Stream offers streaming access to a large selection of live channels, including most key networks typically found in traditional cable packages.
CBS, the Big Ten Network, and 150+ live channels are available on Fubo, a sports-centric live TV streaming package. Fubo subscriptions start at $85/month, but new users can get $20 off their first month of service after a one-week free trial.
Fubo is the streaming service for sports fans. Its huge library of channels includes regional and international sports leagues, setting it apart from the competition. You can also tack on additional programming to your plan, but it’ll cost you extra.
If you’re only interested in watching the Semifinals and Championship on CBS or you’re subscribed to a service that doesn’t have the network, you can live stream CBS with Paramount Plus. You’ll need to subscribe to the Paramount Plus with Showtime tier, which costs $13/month, to unlock live streaming. This tier also includes ad-free on-demand CBS, Paramount, and Showtime content. Paramount Plus is a handy subscription to keep for March Madness since so many games air on CBS.
Paramount Plus with Showtime (Monthly Plan)
Paramount Plus offers a huge library of on-demand content from Paramount, CBS, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, BET, and MTV. The Premium Plan also includes Showtime and live CBS streaming. It costs $12.99 a month or $120 a year. More importantly, it removes ads from the on-demand streaming library.
How to watch the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament from anywhere
Big Ten fanatics don’t have to worry about missing one second of the tournament just because they’re traveling outside the US. You can keep up with your usual streaming methods with the help of a VPN (virtual private network). VPNs are quick and easy ways to change your virtual location, so your go-to websites and apps work like they would back home. Plus, VPNs instantly give your cybersecurity a boost. Since the services we’ve highlighted today require US methods of payment, this option will work best for Americans who are simply traveling abroad at the moment.
Not sure where to start? ExpressVPN is our go-to recommendation since it’s a beginner-friendly option with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Check out our ExpressVPN review for more information, and keep reading to learn how to use a VPN.
With its consistent performance, reliable security, and expansive global streaming features, ExpressVPN is the best VPN out there, excelling in every spec and offering many advanced features that make it exceptional. Better yet, you can save more than 60% right now and get up to four months free.
How to watch the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament with a VPN
- Sign up for a VPN if you don’t have one.
- Install it on the device you’re using to watch.
- Turn it on and set it to a US location.
- Sign up for one of the above streaming services.
- Enjoy the games.
2025 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament schedule
All rounds are available to watch from home. You can find a complete schedule below, including dates and approximate start times. Some games don’t have exact start times and will instead commence 25 minutes after the end of the prior game, according to the Big Ten.
Note: Using VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Business Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.
Lillian Brown is the Associate Editor of Streaming on Business Insider’s Reviews team. A lifelong entertainment and media buff, she specializes in helping you find how to watch your favorite shows, movies, and sporting events.ExperienceLillian has been writing about entertainment, sports, TV, and film for over six years, starting her career in the Living/Arts department of The Boston Globe. She went on to write entertainment features, roundups, and conduct celebrity interviews for publications like Vulture, TV Guide, Esquire, Time, and The Daily Beast before joining Business Insider as a streaming specialist. In her current role, she writes about everything from finding the right VPN for watching overseas soccer games to choosing between the endless number of streaming services out there. When she’s not writing, she is editing stories from freelancers or fellow Reviews team members. Lillian is also an expert deal hunter. She loves the thrill of sharing an amazing discount with readers, whether it be on her favorite streaming services or on products she knows our team loves and recommends. She plays an active role in writing about sales and deals for the Reviews team.Why you can trust LillianWhether she’s testing streaming platform interfaces or actively comparing channel offerings between services, Lillian always has her finger on the pulse of what’s new in entertainment. She has tested nearly every streaming service and is an expert when it comes to VPNs. She is the first person to know when a streaming service has changed its price, and whether or not it’s still worth paying for. As a sports fan, she also knows exactly where the next big playoff game is streaming, what time it starts, and where they’re playing. Expertise
- Streaming services
- How to watch your favorite films, TV, sports
- VPN services for legal streaming
- Deals
Outside of workMost of the time, you can find Lillian watching a horror movie, WNBA game (go Liberty!), or long-distance running. She is located in Boston.
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