Big Ten Tournament Preview for Games on Tuesday, March 10, 2026

By Richard Janvrin | Mar 09, 2026, 5:16pm

The 2026 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Conference Tournament tips off on Tuesday, March 10. There are two games on the docket, the first featuring the Oregon Ducks and Maryland Terrapins for a spot to take on the Iowa Hawkeyes. Also, the Northwestern Wildcats face off against the Penn State Nittany Lions for a spot to take on the Indiana Hoosiers.

The Michigan Wolverines are the No. 1 seed in the tournament, closing out the regular season on Sunday with a 90-80 win over the Michigan State Spartans. This marked the first time that the Wolverines have swept the Spartans since the 2013-14 season.

Let’s examine all of the games on the Big Ten Tournament schedule for Tuesday and provide a best bet. Be sure to follow along each day as we bring you a guide for each round of the Big Ten Tournament!

Tuesday’s Big Ten Conference Tournament Schedule

Oregon , vs. Maryland – 16:00/Peacock
Northwestern , vs. Penn State 18:30/Peacock

2026 Big Ten Tournament Resources

Oregon vs. Maryland Game Preview

The Terrapins head into this matchup with an 11-20 record and are heading into the tournament losing their last four. Not only that, but they’re just 2-10 on the road and only 4-16 in the Big Ten. The team’s best scoring option, Pharrel Payne, only played 10 games this season due to a leg injury. Now, their leading scorer is David Coit, who’s averaging 13.5 points per game. The team ranks 137th in offensive rating (111.2) and 138th in defensive rating (107.8), according to KenPom.

As for the Ducks, they’re dealing with a notable injury of their own as guard Jackson Shelstad suffered a hand injury and hasn’t played since December 28. That said, they still have the 7-footer Nathan Bittle, who’s averaging 16.8 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. They head into the tournament coming off a win over Washington. On February 28, they took Northwestern to the wire, losing 63-62. Per KenPom, the Ducks have an offensive rating of 112.2 (120th) and a defensive rating of 104.5 (83rd).

The matchup to watch in this game will be how Maryland plans to handle someone like Bittle, with size and scoring ability. No player on their team is taller than 6-foot-9.

Oregon vs. Maryland Game Odds

Northwestern vs. Penn State Game Preview

The Wildcats hit the tournament coming off two straight losses and a close call against Oregon. However, they only lost their last two games to Minnesota and Purdue by a combined five points. The Wildcats led the Boilermakers, the No. 7 in the tournament, at halftime, but were outscored 45-32 in the second half.

This team is led by forward Nick Martinelli, who’s averaging 22.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. Their next top scorer, Arrinten Page (10.2 points per game), recently suffered an undisclosed injury and didn’t play in the team’s loss to Minnesota. After going 13-18, the Wildcats are 65th in offensive rating (117.2) and 88th in defensive rating (104.7).

Their opponent, the Nittany Lions, was the worst team in the Big Ten, posting a conference record of just 3-17. They finished with a better overall record (12-19) than the Terrapins (11-20), but with only three conference wins, they fell to the bottom seed.

This team has three players averaging between 11.4 and 14 points per game: Freddie Dilione V (14.0), Kayden Mingo (13.7), and Josh Reed (11.4). As a unit, they’re 94th in offensive rating (144.4) and among the worst in the country, ranked No. 232, in defensive rating (112.1).

As for a matchup to watch for, it’ll be curious to see if they can slow down Martinelli at all. He’s had 20 points or more in all but seven games this season.

Northwestern vs. Penn State Game Odds

Big Ten Conference Tournament Betting Pick

Of the two games on this slate, I’m targeting the Wildcats at against the Nittany Lions.

While I’m somewhat concerned with Page’s injury, I believe the Nittany Lions’ defense is so bad that Martinelli is going to have a phenomenal performance. Over his last five games, Martinelli hasn’t scored fewer than 22 points.

Also, the last time Northwestern played Penn State (January 29), the Wildcats beat them by 21 points (94-73), and Martinelli scored 34 points. In addition to ranking No. 232 in defensive rating, they’re 305th in points per game allowed at 79.5.

Look for Martinelli and the Wildcats to win big over the Nittany Lions.

Best Bet: – Northwestern (1 unit)

Big Ten Conference Tournament Betting Tracker

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Richard Janvrin

While attending the University of New Hampshire and pursuing a degree in English/Journalism, Richard Janvrin landed his first paid writing role, creating fantasy football and NFL content for Bleacher Report. After three years with the company, he expanded into the sports betting and iGaming space as legalized online wagering grew across the United States. Richard’s first role in the sports betting/iGaming industry came with Gambling.com, where he continues to contribute today. What began as a side hustle eventually turned into a full-time freelance career, leading to opportunities with outlets such as The Game Day, BetMGM, Forbes, LegalSportsReport, Lineups, and Pro Football Focus, among others. With more than a decade of professional writing experience, Richard has covered a wide range of topics, including sportsbook and casino reviews, prediction analysis, emerging prediction markets, and lottery coverage. His goal is to present complex subjects in a clear, engaging, and easy-to-understand format for readers of all experience levels.