2021 Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament Preview
The Big Ten conference has several high profile teams, players and coaches that should make for an exciting tournament in Indianapolis.
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In 2020, the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament was one of the last tournaments played to completion before all NCAA athletics were halted due to the Coronavirus.
After a trying 2020-2021 season that saw multiple pauses for several teams due to COVID-19, the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament starts Tuesday March 9th and runs through Saturday March 13th at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The tournament has great potential for plenty of exciting and entertaining games due to the overall strength of the conference this year.
The Big Ten Conference Tournament has:
Four teams currently ranked in the AP Top 25
The top two scoring teams in the country (Maryland, Iowa) who played a crazy 111-93 game in February.
Seven of the top 45 Her Hoop Stats Overall Rated teams as of Monday, March 8.
Two Semifinalists for the Naismith Player of the Year award: Caitlin Clark (Iowa), Naz Hillmon (Michigan)
Three more players on the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Midseason Team: Veronica Burton (Northwestern), Kate Cain (Nebraska), Arella Guirantes (Rutgers)
Two finalists on the Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard award list: Ashley Owusu (Maryland), Arella Guirantes
Two Finalist for the Wooden Award: Guirantes, Hillmon
Top Seeded Teams
#1 Seed: Maryland Terrapins (21-2, 17-1)
HHS Overall Rating: 5 | HHS Offensive Rating: 1 | HHS Defensive Rating: 43.
First Game: Thursday, March 11 11:00 AM ET vs. #9 Minnesota/#8 Nebraska winner TV: FS2
Key Players: Ashley Owusu (18.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 5.8 apg, 1.3), Diamond Miller (17.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg), Katie Benzan (14.1 ppg, 51.6 3P%)
Maryland is an offensive force, averaging over 91 points per game, and enters tournament play on a 12-game winning streak. They have incredibly balanced scoring with six players who average double figures, led by Ashley Owusu at 18.7 points per game. The Terps lead the Big Ten in nearly every team scoring category and are second in most shooting measurements.
Maryland’s lone regular-season conference loss came against Ohio State. The Buckeyes are not playing in the tournament due to a self-imposed postseason ban due to potential NCAA infractions. Maryland also had close four-point wins over 2-seed Indiana and 3-seed Rutgers.
Since moving to the Big Ten Conference from the ACC in 2015, Maryland has won the regular-season championship every year, and the Big Ten Tournament every year except one (2019), while winning 89% of their conference games.
The Terrapins are led by head coach Brenda Frese, who won her 500th career game on Feb. 14 while also becoming Maryland women’s basketball’s career leader in wins. Frese was also named a semifinalist for Naismith Coach of the Year.
#2 Seed: Indiana Hoosiers (18-4,16-2)
HHS Overall Rating: 11 | HHS Offensive Rating: 22 | HHS Defensive Rating: 9.
First Game: Thursday, March 11 6:30 PM ET vs. #7 Michigan St./#10 Penn St. winner TV: FS2
Key players: Mackenzie Holmes (18.2 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.9 bpg 60.0 FG%), Grace Berger (15.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 5.0 apg), Ali Patberg (14.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.6 apg)
Indiana’s second-place finish in the Big Ten this season is their highest finish since sharing the Big Ten title in 1982-83 and their 16 Big Ten wins set a school record for conference wins in a season. The Hoosiers enter the postseason on a nine-game winning streak and narrowly lost to #1 seed Maryland 80-84 on January 4.
One of the team’s strengths is taking care of the ball. They rank eighth in lowest turnover rate (13.5%), ninth in fewest turnovers per game (11.3), and 12th in assist-turnover ratio (1.35).
#3 Seed: Rutgers Scarlet Knights (14-3, 10-3)
HHS Overall Rating: 10 | HHS Offensive Rating: 9 | HHS Defensive Rating: 17.
First Game: Thursday, March 11 9:00 PM ET (approximate) vs. #6 Iowa /#11 Purdue winner TV: FS2
Key players: Arella Guirantes (20.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 5.4 apg, 2.1 spg and 2.0 bpg), Diamond Johnson (17.4 ppg, 46.4 3P%, 2.1 spg), Tekia Mack (11.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 3.2 spg)
Rutgers only played one game in January due to COVID-19 issues, but have been unstoppable since returning, winning nine games in a row. Rutgers had a close game against No. 1 seed Maryland on Dec 14, losing 87-91.
Although Rutgers ranks in the top 20 for nearly every offensive category, and shoots over 50% on FGs and over 37% on 3-pointers, it is the team’s defense that truly makes them special. The Scarlet Knights average 12.7 steals and 5.6 blocks per game, and are No. 2 in both block and steal rate nationally. The defense held opposing teams below their scoring average in 16 of 17 games this year (94%). Terrific defense is nothing new for Rutgers though, since the 2017-2018 season, they have accomplished this feat in 103 of 112 games (92%)!
#4 Seed: Michigan Wolverines (14-4, 9-4)
HHS Overall Rating: 23 | HHS Offensive Rating: 21 | HHS Defensive Rating: 50.
First Game: Thursday, March 11 2:00 PM ET (approximate) vs. #5 Northwestern/#12 Illinois/#13 Wisconsin winner TV: FS2
Key players: Naz Hillmon (25.1 ppg, 64.5 2P%, 11.3 rpg), Leigha Brown (17.4 ppg, 57.8 2P%), Akienreh Johnson (11.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg), Amy Dilk (7.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 4.0 apg)
Michigan has all-everything Naz Hillmon who can take over a game at times as evidenced by her 50-point game Jan 21 against Ohio State, where she made 20 of 30 shots. She is the highest-ranked Big Ten player in Win Shares and No 11 overall (7.7).
Michigan had multiple games canceled due to COVID-19 issues, including a two-week stretch from mid-January to early February. Since the return from that break, the Wolverines scoring has dropped significantly in conference games from 76 to 68 points per game. Michigan finished the regular season 2-2 with wins against Ohio State and Northwestern and losses to Iowa and Maryland. The victory over Northwestern in the last game of the regular season gave Michigan the No. 4 seed and double bye.
#5 Seed: Northwestern Wildcats (13-7, 11-7)
HHS Overall Rating: 43 | HHS Offensive Rating: 69 | HHS Defensive Rating: 27.
Game: Wednesday, March 10 2:00 PM ET (approximate) vs. #12 Illinois/#13 Wisconsin winner TV: BTN
Key players: Veronica Burton (16.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 4.8 apg, 4.2 spg), Lindsey Pulliam (15.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg), Sydney Wood (12.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.7 spg)
Northwestern is another team that has elite defensive skills. They are top-5 nationally in both steals per game and steal rate. In addition to that, the Wildcats take care of the ball, ranking in the top 10 for fewest turnovers per game, lowest turnover rate, and lowest assist-turnover ratio.
Northwestern swept the home and away series with both Illinois and Wisconsin during the regular season.
First Round Games
#13 Wisconsin Badgers (5-18, 2-18) vs. #12 Illinois Fighting Illini (4-17, 2-16)
Game: Tuesday, March 9 5:00 PM ET TV: BTN
Wisconsin key players: Sidney Hilliard (15ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.0 apg), Imani Lewis (15.2 ppg, 8.7 rpg)
Illinois key players: Jada Peebles (12.1 ppg), Jeanae Terry (10.8 ppg 7.9 rpg, 4.5 apg, 1.8spg)
Wisconsin won the only meeting between these two teams 69-57 on Jan. 31.
#9 Minnesota Golden Gophers (8-12, 7-11 ) vs. #8 Nebraska Cornhuskers (11-11, 9-10)
Game: Wednesday, March 10 11:00 AM ET TV: BTN
Minnesota key players: Sara Scalia (14.5 ppg), Jasmine Powell (13.6 ppg, 5.2 apg)
Nebraska key players: Sam Haiby (17.0 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 4.5 apg), Isabelle Bourne (13.9 ppg, 7.9 rpg), Kate Cain (10.3 ppg, 56.5 FG%, 6.3 rpg, 3.0 bpg)
Minnesota swept the regular season home and away series winning 76-71 on Jan 19 and 73-63 on Feb 24.
#10 Penn State Nittany Lions (9-14, 6-13) vs. #7 Michigan State Spartans (13-7, 8-7)
Game: Wednesday, March 10 6:30 PM ET TV: FS2
Penn State key players: Kelly Jekot (16.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg), Johnasia Cash (14.3 ppg, 9.3 rpg), Makenna Marisa (14.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 4.6 apg)
Michigan State key players: Nia Clouden (18.0 ppg, 4.2 apg), Alyza Winston (10.7 ppg)
Michigan State won the only meeting between these teams 78-65 on Feb. 13.
#11 Purdue Boilermakers (7-15, 4-14) vs. #6 Iowa Hawkeyes (15-8, 11-8)
Game: Wednesday, March 10 9:00 PM ET (approximate) TV: FS2
Purdue key players: Kayana Traylor (14.8 ppg, 3.8 apg), Brooke Moore (12.0 ppg)
Iowa key players: Caitlin Clark (27.7 ppg, 43.5 3p%, 6.5 apg), Monika Czinano (18.3 ppg, 65.7 FG%,)
Iowa won the only meeting between these schools 87-81 on Jan. 18.
Bracket:
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