Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament Primer

This. Is. March. It’s tournament time and the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament is back at the Target Center in Minneapolis for the second straight season. Last year, it was the Iowa Hawkeyes taking home the trophy with a win over Ohio State in the championship game. The Buckeyes are the top seed for the second time in three seasons, but they weren’t able to raise the trophy last time. This year, the top teams looking to unseat OSU will be Iowa and Indiana, although there can always be a surprise or two. HawkeyeReport takes a brief look at the tournament, including things to watch throughout the week.

The Tournament Bracket

Tournament Favorite: Iowa Hawkeyes

Whether people like it or not, the Hawkeyes are the favorite going into the week. They have won back-to-back Big Ten Tournaments and are ranked #3 in the country this season, so it’s hard to pick another team outright. Lisa Bluder flat out knows how to beat Big Ten teams when the calendar flips to March, as Iowa is 11-2 against the Big Ten over the last four seasons . Another important thing to note is that the Hawkeyes will have a large fan advantage in Minneapolis with all games sold out and they are 18-1 in home/neutral games this season. Oh, by the way, Caitlin Clark still plays for Iowa. It won’t be easy, as they might have to win the season rubber match against both Indiana and Ohio State to do it.

Darkhorse: Michigan State Spartans

The Spartans have been really close this season and this week would be the perfect time for them to follow through with an upset. MSU was tied or leading after three quarters against Iowa, Ohio State and Indiana, but lost all three by a combined 11 points. Why are they so dangerous? The Spartans have five players with 100+ made field goals and six players with 20+ made three-pointers. They are ranked 13th in the country in three-point percentage (37.3%) and 8th in the made three-pointers (270). Also worth mentioning, MSU enters the tournament on a five-game winning streak.

Most Intriguing Day 2 Matchup: #8 Maryland vs #9 Illinois

Two teams that have seen their seasons not go according to plan, but two teams that can turn it up on any given night. It might not show in their overall record, but Illinois has played better basketball over the last month, including wins over Indiana and Nebraska. As for the Terrapins, they still need a win to make sure their name is called on Selection Sunday. The Fighting Illini have nothing to lose, with talented players like Makira Cook and Genesis Bryant, while Maryland still has everything to play for NCAA Tournament wise. Should be a fun one early on Thursday.

Semifinal matchup to root for: #2 Iowa vs #3 Indiana

Remember how exciting last year’s semifinal matchup between Iowa and Maryland was? You can expect the same type of emotion and fire if the Hawkeyes and Hoosiers meet up on Saturday afternoon. This would be the eighth straight meeting where both teams are ranked inside the top 15. Caitlin Clark, Mackenzie Holmes, Kate Martin, Sara Scalia, Hannah Stuelke, Yarden Garzon, etc. How could you not sign up for the third meeting of the season.

NCAA Tournament Seeding Implications

Ohio State – 1 Seed – The Buckeyes stayed at a one seed in the latest ESPN Bracketology update and as long as they take care of business, they will stay on the top line. OSU is going to be heavily favored to make it to Sunday. That would earn them a one seed.

Iowa – 2 Seed – In the final selection committee reveal, the Hawkeyes were a two seed in the South Carolina region. The win over Ohio State in regular season finale changed that projection, so now Iowa is looking to move to the one line. It’s going to take title game appearance for that to happen.

Indiana – 4 Seed – The Hoosiers were on the wrong side of the hosting bubble, but a three-game winning streak to end the season, including wins over Iowa and Maryland helped their odds. As long as they don’t lose in the quarterfinals, they should be fine, but a win over Iowa in the semifinals would lock them in as a regional host.

Michigan State – 7 Seed – The Spartans are going to be headed to their sixth NCAA Tournament since 2015 and their first since 2021. At this point, MSU is just looking to build some momentum going into the tournament, although a semifinal appearance would likely jump them to the 6 seed line.

Nebraska – 8 Seed – The Huskers win over Iowa last month cemented their NCAA Tournament bid, so they are safe coming into this week. Right now, Nebraska is just hoping they aren’t an 8/9 seed paired with South Carolina. Getting to the semifinals would do that, but a 1-1 weekend would leave that scenario on the table.

Michigan – Last Four Byes – Win and In. As long as the Wolverines don’t take a damaging loss against the Rutgers/Minnesota winner, a loss to Indiana shouldn’t knock them out. They are 7-12 against the NET Top 100, including a marquee win over Ohio State.

Maryland – Last Four Byes – The Terps should be safe if they defeat Illinois on Thursday, but not without a doubt. Their schedule has been incredibly tough sledding, including 2-11 against the NET Top 50, but they are 15-1 against teams outside the NET Top 50. It will be interesting to see how the committee handles their resume.

Penn State – First Four Out – The Lady Lions second round game against Wisconsin is a must win if they want to keep their tournament hopes alive. They were seemingly a lock a month ago, but a six-game losing streak in February really turned the tables. Upsetting Iowa on Friday would certainly change things, but they’ve lost nine in a row in that series.