Brackets set for Big West men’s and women’s basketball tournaments
The regular season was completed Saturday and the fields are now set for the 2026 Big West men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, which will be played Wednesday-Saturday in Henderson, Nevada.
A few of the seedings were already locked before the regular-season finales were played, but the rest of the brackets were sorted out as teams made their final moves up or down the standings.
The top two seeds in each bracket receive double-byes into Friday’s semifinals. The third- and fourth-seeded teams receive byes into Thursday’s quarterfinals with the fifth- through eighth-seeded teams forced to play first-round games on Wednesday.
UC Irvine (22-10, 15-5) and Hawaii (22-8, 14-6) are the top two seeds on the men’s side, and UCI (26-5, 17-3) and UC San Diego (22-8, 17-3) occupy the top two seeds for the women’s tournament.
The championship games are scheduled for Saturday at 3 p.m. (women) and 7 p.m. (men).
—– 2026 BIG WEST MEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT —–
All games at Lee’s Family Forum in Henderson, Nev., all times are PT
First Round – Wednesday, March 11
6 p.m. – No. 5 seed UC San Diego (22-10) vs. No. 8 seed Cal Poly (14-18)
8:30 p.m. – No. 6 seed UC Davis (18-13) vs. No. 7 seed UC Santa Barbara (18-13)
Quarterfinals – Thursday, March 12
6 p.m. – No. 4 seed Cal State Northridge (19-13) vs. UCSD-Cal Poly winner
8:30 p.m. – No. 3 seed Cal State Fullerton (17-15) vs. UC Davis-UCSB winner
Semifinals – Friday, March 13
6 p.m. – No. 1 seed UC Irvine (22-10) vs. CSUN-TBD winner, ESPNU
8:30 p.m. – No. 2 seed Hawaii (22-8) vs. Fullerton-TBD winner, ESPN2
Final – Saturday, March 14
7 p.m. – Championship game, ESPN2
—– 2026 BIG WEST WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT —–
All games at Lee’s Family Forum in Henderson, Nev., all times are PT
First Round – Wednesday, March 11
Noon – No. 5 seed Cal State Fullerton (17-13) vs. No. 8 seed Cal State Northridge (10-19)
2:30 p.m. – No. 6 seed UC Santa Barbara (20-9) vs. No. 7 seed UC Riverside (10-20)
Quarterfinals – Thursday, March 12
Noon – No. 4 seed Hawaii (20-10) vs. Fullerton-CSUN winner
2:30 p.m. – No. 3 seed UC Davis (22-9) vs. UCSB-UCR winner
Semifinals – Friday, March 13
Noon – No. 1 seed UC Irvine (26-5) vs. Hawaii-TBD winner
2:30 p.m. – No. 2 seed UC San Diego (22-8) vs. UC Davis-TBD winner
Final – Saturday, March 14
3 p.m. – Championship game, ESPN+