BYU Hands Big Ten Conference First Loss In 2025 NCAA Tournament
Mar 23, 2025, 4:36 AM
DENVER, COLORADO - MARCH 22: John Blackwell #25 of the Wisconsin Badgers drives to the basket against Keba Keita #13 and Richie Saunders #15 of the Brigham Young Cougars during the second half in the second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Ball Arena on March 22, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
(Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER — In addition to ending Wisconsin’s season, BYU basketball ended the perfect record for the Big Ten Conference in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
Entering Saturday night’s matchup between No. 6 seed BYU and the No. 3 seed Wisconsin Badgers, the Badgers league, the Big Ten, was a perfect 10-0 in NCAA games this season.
BYU basketball advances to the Sweet 16 after defeating Wisconsin
The Big Ten produced eight teams into this year’s field of 68. All eight won in the first round. On Saturday, Purdue crushed McNeese State to advance to the Sweet 16, followed by Michigan taking down Texas A&M in Denver.
The Big Ten had a chance to get a third team into the second weekend of the “Big Dance.” Instead, it was the Big 12 producing a third team into the Sweet 16.
"The Big Ten is 10-0 in the tournament!"
BYU: pic.twitter.com/qFhqgHesgH
— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) March 23, 2025
Big 12 member BYU knocked off the Big Ten’s Wisconsin Badgers, 91-89, on Saturday night in the East Region Second Round.
Big 12 vs. Big Ten
The Big 12 now has three teams moving on to the Sweet 16. BYU is in the tournament’s second weekend for the first time since 2011.
No. 3 seed Texas Tech defeated No. 11 seed Drake to move on in the West Region.
Then, finally, back-to-back Big 12 Champion Houston took down No. 8 seed Gonzaga to move on in the Midwest bracket.
After BYU’s defeat of Wisconsin, the Big Ten dropped to 10-1 in the NCAA Tournament, while the Big 12 improved to 9-1.
The lone loss from the Big 12’s seven bids in this year’s NCAA Tournament is Kansas, who lost to No. 10 seed Arkansas in the Round of 64.
Later on Saturday night, after BYU knocked off Wisconsin, the Big Ten suffered another setback when No. 7 seed UCLA fell to No. 2 seed Tennessee in the Midwest region.
That dropped the Big Ten’s record to 10-2 entering Sunday’s second-round matchups.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
