See the Big Ten men’s basketball Tournament bracket...

Michigan and Michigan State know the path to a 2026 Big Ten men’s basketball title. The bracket for the event was set Sunday night. Michigan earned the 1 seed; Michigan State is the 3. All 18 conference members will compete for the crown at Chicago’s United Center starting Tuesday. The Wolverines earned a triple-bye and will open Friday at noon ET against one of four teams. The 8 seed, which opens Thursday and is one of those possible teams, is Ohio State. Illinois, the 4 seed, could potentially be next. The Spartans start at approximately 9 p.m. on Friday against 6 UCLA, 11 seed Minnesota, or 14 seed Rutgers. Nebraska, the 2 seed, could be next. The first two rounds, which involve seeds 9 through 18, air on Peacock, NBC’s streaming service. The next two rounds are on Big Ten Network. The semifinals and championship, which is Sunday at 3:30, are on CBS. The NCAA Tournament Selection Show airs shortly after the championship. Michigan was a surprise winner of the event last season. Illinois won the year prior and Purdue before that, the last time it was in Chicago. Last year, the first with 18 members, the Big Ten Tournament did not include every team.