Big Ten Conference Sweeps March Madness As UCLA Women’s And Michigan Men’s Basketball Teams Win 2026 NCAA Title

By David Jordan Jr

The University of Michigan men’s basketball team and the UCLA women’s basketball team swept March Madness for the Big 10 Conference, as both teams would win the 2026 NCAA Championship.

Michigan 69 – UConn 63

    The University of Michigan (No. 1 seed) secured a 69-63 victory over the University of Connecticut (No. 2 seed) to claim the national championship for the 2025-26 season. This win was Michigan’s second national title (the first came in 1989) and broke a 26-year drought in the Big Ten Conference. The Wolverines concluded the season with a record of 37 wins and 3 losses. Elliot Cadeau scored 19 points and earned the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award.

UCLA 79 – South Carolina 51

    The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) triumphed over the University of South Carolina 79-51 to win the women’s NCAA Tournament championship in Phoenix. This victory marks UCLA’s first NCAA title, though the program previously won the AIAW championship in 1978, finishing the season with an impressive 37-1 record. Lauren Betts notably achieved a double-double, contributing 14 points and 11 rebounds. Gabriela Jaquez led the team in scoring with 21 points, while Gianna Kneepkens added 15 points, and both Charlisse Leger-Walker and Kiki Rice contributed 10 points each. Lauren Betts was honored as the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament, playing a crucial role in guiding UCLA to its inaugural national championship.