Women’s Conference Tournament Preview: Big Ten
WOMEN’S CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT PREVIEW: BIG TEN — If you’re looking for a showcase this week, the Big Ten has you covered. Current projections have 13 league members on track to qualify for the NCAA tournament.
Considering that only 15 teams even make the Big Ten tournament, that says just how deep the league is. Iowa, for example, won more than half of its league games and won 20 games for the season. The Hawkeyes finished 11th in the league, landing them in the Wednesday section of the bracket. And they’re likely looking at a No. 6 or No. 7 seed in the NCAA tournament.
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Only Wisconsin and Rutgers arrive without realistic hopes of making it to the NCAA tournament, barring a miracle run. But for everyone in Indianapolis, the big question is whether there will be a round 3 between the two Los Angeles schools. USC and UCLA are both in line for No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tournament, but winning in Indianapolis would go a long way toward claiming the top overall seed.
Details
When: Wednesday, March 5 to Sunday, March 9
Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
TV: Peacock, Big Ten Network and CBS
Who’s the Favorite?
With two wins over UCLA under their belts, the USC Trojans have to be considered the team to beat. JuJu Watkins has dominated the Bruins twice this season, and the Trojans arrive in Indianapolis having gone 22-1 in their past 23 contests. The travel hasn’t affected USC at all this year; the only loss the Trojans took in the league was to Iowa.
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UCLA has gone 0-2 against USC and 16-0 against everyone else in the league. The Bruins might just have a bad matchup in facing the Trojans, but Lauren Betts gives them an edge against everybody else they come up against.
Who Needs A Good Showing?
Washington vs. Minnesota might well be an elimination game. The two teams face off in game 1 of the event Wednesday, and both are currently sitting on the last four spots in the field. The winner would pick up a key win and have an all-reward matchup with Michigan on Day 2, while the loser would have a nervous wait.
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Oregon and Indiana are in a similar spot. Neither will play on Wednesday, so their first game with each other on Thursday is vital. The winner probably isn’t beating USC, so the loser is likely to have a really tough wait.
Who’s In the Best Form?
Besides USC, the answer might be Washington. The Huskies have won four straight, three against fellow bubble teams, and their losses were all understandable. Losing by eight to Maryland, five to USC and one at Oregon isn’t going to do any damage to the profile. On the contrary, the Huskies have looked to be in fine form as of late. And that’s a scary thought for Minnesota, which just lost to Washington at home by 10.
The Pick
It’s hard to beat a good team three times in a season, but USC is clearly the superior of the Los Angeles schools. As long as the Trojans don’t rest JuJu Watkins and she doesn’t have a bad day, they’re the favorites for a reason. Maryland could give them trouble in the semifinals, but SC should claim the Big Ten.
