Michigan Tops State for Big Ten Top Seed
No. 3 Michigan defeated Michigan State 90-80 for their 15th straight Big Ten win, earning the No. 1 seed and a quarterfinals bye in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament. The victory caps a dominant regular season conference run.
This year's Big Ten Tournament, held at Chicago's United Center from March 10-15, marks the first time all 18 conference teams will compete. Due to the expanded field, the top four seeds, including Michigan, receive a triple-bye and won't play until the quarterfinals on Friday. Michigan's 19-1 conference record is a new Big Ten record for league victories, surpassing the previous mark of 18 wins. The Wolverines also made history by going a perfect 10-0 on the road in conference play, becoming the first Big Ten team in 50 years to finish with an undefeated road record. The Wolverines enter the postseason seeking to defend their 2025 Big Ten Tournament title, which they won as a No. 3 seed. This is the third time in program history that Michigan has earned the No. 1 seed; in their previous two appearances as the top seed, they fell in the championship game (2014) and the semifinals (2021). While Michigan has four tournament titles (one of which was later vacated), Michigan State holds the record for the most Big Ten Tournament championships with six. Historically, the No. 1 seed has won the tournament ten times since its inception in 1998.
