The Big Ten basketball tournament is heading into the semifinals and championship game this weekend. It’s easy to watch every game on Big Ten Network and CBS without cable.
You can watch Big Ten basketball games through six live TV streaming services:
You can also watch some games for free on CBS using a TV antenna. Paramount+ is another affordable option for Big Ten basketball games that air on CBS.
Between Wednesday and Saturday, 14 teams are meeting for the 2023 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Championship. The games have a single venue at the United Center in Chicago.
All the major conference teams, including Big Ten, are competing for an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
| Streaming Service | Big Ten Network | CBS |
|---|---|---|
| DIRECTV STREAM | Yes | Yes |
| fubo TV | Yes | Yes |
| Hulu Live TV | Yes | Yes |
| Sling TV | Yes | No |
| Vidgo | Yes | No |
| YouTube TV | No | Yes |
How to Watch Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament without cable
You can start streaming every game of the Big Ten Men’s Basketball live with an Internet connection, a streaming device or Smart TV.
Big Ten Network is the primary channel for the Big Ten tournament this weekend. The semifinals and the championship are on CBS.
Cord-cutters can use a number of live TV streaming services to watch college basketball games using streaming devices, Smart TVs and even iPhones and game consoles.
A Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Fire Stick or Apple TV will do the job. Smart TVs by Samsung, Sony Bravia and LG also support most live TV services. Game consoles including XBox and PlayStation also work.
Live TV streaming services have a wide variety of sports channels and regional sports networks.
ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3, ACC Network, CBS Sports Network, SEC Network, NBA TV, Longhorn Network, MLB Network, ESPNews and ESPN Deportes cover football, baseball and other professional and college sports.
Subscribers get local broadcast networks such as ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX to watch conference tournaments and the NCAA championship.
Some of these services have a free trial that lasts a week without any obligation. Just remember to cancel before the trial ends if you decide that the streaming service isn’t for you.
DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV STREAM (formerly AT&T TV) has Big Ten Network, ESPN, regional sports networks and local broadcast channels such as CBS.
That combination of sports networks is important if you’re a fan of your local NBA or Major League Baseball team.
The Choice plan, which carries 105+ channels is $99.99 per month. You can sign up for a free 5-day trial without any obligations.
Subscribers can get three months of HBO Max, Showtime, Cinemax and MGM+ for free before the monthly rates kick in.
A&E, History and USA Network are included in the channel lineup. You get unlimited hours of Cloud DVR and 40,000 on-demand movies and shows.
You can watch live TV on up to 20 screens at once. If you have used AT&T TV in the past, then you should be pretty familiar with the streaming quality and capabilities of DIRECTV STREAM.
DIRECTV STREAM works on Roku, Android TV, Fire TV devices, Apple TV and smartphones and tablets. Subscriptions run month to month and so you can cancel whenever you want.
You can look over the different channel lineups before deciding whether to sign up.
Sling TV
Sling TV is the cheapest option to watch Big Ten Network, but you won’t get a local CBS station. Sling TV is a good option for cord-cutters who are using a TV antenna for local channels.
The Sling TV Orange plan includes 32 channels, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3 and entertainment networks like A&E and History.
The important thing to remember is that you’re going to need to add the Sports Extra bundle to watch Big Ten Networks.
You can get all Big Ten channels by adding the Sports Extra bundle to either the Orange or Blue channel package.
A subscription costs $40 per month. Sports Extra costs $11 per month. Subscribers get 50 hours of Cloud DVR storage.
Sling Blue subscribers get NFL Network, FOX Sports 1, and FOX Sports 2. To maximize sports channels, you can combine the Sling TV Blue with Sling TV Orange for $55 per month.
Sling TV works on just about any streaming device: Roku, Firestick, Apple TV and even an Xbox. It is also supported by Samsung Smart TVs and Smart TVs operating on Android TV or Google TV. Sling TV also supports mobile apps for iOS and Android.
There are no hidden fees or contracts if you decide to keep the service. You can look over the latest offer Sling TV has for new and returning customers.
fubo TV
fuboTV carries Big Ten Network, local CBS stations and harder-to-find regional sports networks such as NESN, Bally Sports and ROOT Sports Northwest.
The Pro channel package has 152 channels, including local ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in most areas of the U.S. Food network, HGTV, and Comedy Central are part of the Pro bundle.
Subscribers get 1,000 hours of Cloud DVR storage. If you miss a game, you can use fuboTV’s “look back” feature to watch sporting events that aired in the last 72 hours.
A subscription costs $74.99 per month. fuboTV has a library of on-demand movies, and TV shows. Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV and Smart TVs all carry the fuboTV app.
Some games on Big Ten Network as streaming in upscaled 4K for Elite plan and Premier plan subscribers.
Fubo has mobile apps for iPhone and Android so you can watch ESPN live on your smartphone. Subscribers can also watch live TV through their web browser.
You can try fuboTV free for seven days, or look over the channel lineup for your area.
Hulu Live TV
Hulu Live TV has 75+ live TV channels, including ESPN, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN College Extra, and SEC Network.
You can watch live TV on up to two screens at once.
Hulu with Live TV comes with unlimited Cloud DVR storage so you can record sports, news, movies or whatever else you want. Hulu carries local ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC across the U.S.
A subscription costs $69.99 per month, and now includes Disney+ and ESPN+. With a Hulu Live TV subscription, you can activate the ESPN app for ESPN3, and unlock all live sports on ESPN Plus.
So you’re getting more than just live TV channels to watch.
Hulu’s channel lineup also has local NBC, ABC and FOX stations across the U.S. Hulu no longer offers a free trial for live TV, but you can look over the channel lineup before deciding whether to sign up.
Vidgo
Vidgo lets you live stream ESPN on a Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and iPhone.
If you’re someone who like to weigh in online during sporting events, Vidgo’s mobile app is worth a try because you can participate in ‘watch parties’ for TV shows and sporting events.
The live TV service has 110+ channels, including Big Ten Network, SEC Network, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Goal Line, ESPNU, ESPN2 and ESPNews.
Subscribers get local FOX and ABC affiliates in some markets. A Vidgo subscription costs $64.95 per month. You can look over the channel packages before deciding whether to sign up.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV has 128 channels, including Big Ten Network, ESPN and local channels such as ABC and CBS.
A subscription costs $64.99 per month.
The YouTube TV base plan also carries other key sports channels for fans such as TNT, TBS, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPNews, FS1, FS2, NFL Network, and MLB Network. YouTube TV carries regional NBC Sports networks across the U.S., but is missing others such as Bally Sports and YES Network.
Despite those missing RSNs, YouTube TV is still one of the best sports streaming services for your money.
You’ll also be able to watch CNN, Golf Channel and FX. Unlimited Cloud DVR is included with a subscription. And you can create up to 6 profiles for a household per account.
The nice thing about YouTube TV is that you can watch ESPN online at home, or on your smartphone when you are traveling.
The service works with Chromecast, Roku, Fire TV, NVIDIA Shield TV, Apple TV and Chromecast. You can get a free 7-day trial of YouTube TV.
Big Ten Basketball on CBS
There are a couple of ways to watch the semifinal and championship games on CBS. You can watch these games either free using a TV antenna, or on the cheap with Paramount+.
Big 10 Games on CBS for free
Using a TV antenna is the least expensive way to get a High Definition signal from local CBS stations for free. People living within 30 to 40 miles of local broadcast towers have an excellent shot at getting CBS with a quality TV antenna. You can use the free tool at AntennasDirect to see whether CBS is available in your area.
If you are new to TV antennas, here is a list of resources that I have written to get you started.
- How to Choose the Best TV Antenna
- How to Connect Multiple TVs to One Antenna
- Review: The Best Indoor TV Antennas
- Review: The Best Outdoor TV Antennas
Paramount+
Paramount+ is the cheapest way to watch Big Ten basketball games that air on CBS without cable TV or satellite service.
A subscription to the Premium plan costs $9.99 per month.
Live sports under the Premium plan includes the PGA Tour, Champions League soccer, and SEC Football on CBS.
Paramount+ carries the latest episodes of TV shows on CBS. And there are popular programs from Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, BET, MTV and Smithsonian Channel.
It’s the cheapest way to watch new episodes of The Equalizer, Blue Bloods and The Neighborhood. You can watch NFL games on CBS every Sunday. There are also college football and basketball games.
Paramount+ has a growing library of new movies, including “Top Gun: Maverick” and the latest “Scream” movie in the franchise.
Subscribers can stream up two shows at once on different screens.
You can sign up for a free trial of Paramount+.
Watching Big Ten basketball FAQs
These are questions readers ask when searching for how to watch NCAA men’s basketball without a TV provider.
Where can I watch the Big Ten basketball tournament?
DIRECTV STREAM has a 5-day free trial. The Choice plan has Big Ten Network and CBS, allowing you to watch every game without cable TV. A subscription costs $99.99 per month. There is no obligation to keep a subscription. And you can sign up for free trials of premium networks such as HBO Max and Cinemax.
fuboTV has a free 7-day trial. The Pro plan has 152 channels, including ESPN, ESPN2, local channels and regional sports networks. The Pro plan costs $74.99 per month. The regional sports fee is $10.99 or $13.99 per month, depending on whether you get one or two RSNs.
What channel is Big Ten basketball conference tournament on?
The games are being broadcast on Big Ten Network and CBS. BTN games are also being simulcast on the FOX Sports app once it’s activated with a TV provider.
All of the Big Ten’s games are on Central Time because of venue.
The 2023 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament schedule is:
Wednesday, March 8 (First Round)
Game 1 (#12 Wisconsin vs. #13 Ohio State) – 5:30 p.m. CT (BTN)
Game 2 (#11 Nebraska vs. #14 Minnesota) – 25 minutes following Game 1 (BTN)
Thursday, March 9 (Second Round)
Game 3 (#8 Michigan vs. #9 Rutgers) – 11 a.m. CT (BTN)
Game 4 (#5 Iowa vs. Game 1 winner) – 25 minutes following Game 3 (BTN)
Game 5 (#7 Illinois vs. #10 Penn State) – 5:30 p.m. CT (BTN)
Game 6 (#6 Maryland vs. Game 2 winner) – 25 minutes following Game 5 (BTN)
Friday, March 10 (Quarterfinals)
Game 7 (#1 Purdue vs. Game 3 winner) – 11 a.m. CT (BTN)
Game 8 (#4 Michigan State vs. Game 4 winner) – 25 minutes following Game 7 (BTN)
Game 9 (#2 Northwestern vs. Game 5 winner) – 5:30 p.m. CT (BTN)
Game 10 (#3 Indiana vs. Game 6 winner) – 25 minutes following Game 9 (BTN)
Saturday, March 11 (Semifinals)
Game 11 (Game 7 vs. Game 8 winner) – 12 p.m. CT (CBS)
Game 12 (Game 9 vs. Game 10 winner) – 25 minutes following Game 11 (CBS)
Sunday, March 5 (Championship Game)
Game 13 (Game 11 vs. Game 12 winner) – 2:30 p.m. CT (CBS)
*Source: Schedule provided by BigTen.org.
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Founder and Editor of The Cord Cutting Report. Before launching the site in 2016, he worked for more than two decades as a staff writer or correspondent for a number of daily newspapers, including The Boston Globe. His enthusiasm for tech began with the Atari 2600. Follow @james_kimble
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