The new additions to the Big Ten have made it an incredibly powerful conference in women’s college basketball. Three of the four West Coast schools are projected to make the Women’s 2025 NCAA tournament, and two are major threats to win it all.
Now, it is time to keep closer tabs on the goings-on in women’s Big Ten hoops action. This Bracketology series will serve to give an approximate idea of where the conference’s best teams may be seeded in the big dance, but it will also check in on top teams’ recent form as well as their upcoming schedules.
UCLA: 1-seed
Following LSU’s loss at South Carolina, the Bruins are the last undefeated team left atop the national rankings. Even amid all the turmoil in Los Angeles, UCLA continues to crank out conference wins by double-digit margins. This No. 1 team in the country is a machine that should expect to be the last one left standing when all is said and done.
USC: 1-seed
Make no mistake, Los Angeles is the center of the women’s college basketball universe, and JuJu Watkins is its brightest star. Watkins ranks third in the country with 24.8 points per game while also averaging 4.2 combined steals and blocks per game. USC, ranked No. 4, is a much better team than the one that went to the Elite Eight last year, improving its net rating from 16.7 to 37.6.
Ohio State: 3-seed
Losing to Penn State by three was a tough way to drop from the ranks of the undefeated, but that is the No. 8 Buckeyes’ only loss of the season. Things are about to get more difficult, with six straight games upcoming against teams currently projected to make the tournament, including matchups with the two L.A. teams.
Maryland: 4-seed
The depth of great teams in women’s college basketball is most apparent in the No. 14 Terrapins’ recent schedule. Maryland has four losses in their last six, with the defeats coming to No. 4 USC, No. 5 Texas, No. 8 Ohio State and No. 1 UCLA. It is hard to blame the Terps for dropping those games given the quality of competition, but it does indicate that they might not be in the absolute top tier of the conference.
Michigan State: 5-seed
Outside of a loss to Maryland, the No. 16 Spartans have managed to avoid playing most of the conference’s best teams. That will change in a tough closing stretch to the season, but for now, they can continue to pad their resume with wins against teams of similar levels.
Michigan: 7-seed
Until their Saturday loss against Michigan State, the Wolverines had only lost to elite teams, and mostly by understandable margins. The Wolverines do lack signature wins, but they have the chance to separate themselves from the rest of the conference’s middle tier with upcoming games against teams on the bubble.
Nebraska: 8-seed
Another team that has only lost to good teams, the Cornhuskers were riding a five-game conference winning streak until falling to Ohio State at home on Sunday. After facing Purdue on Wednesday, they will play seven straight games against the other Big Ten teams seeded between four and 11. It is time to find out exactly who this team is.
Minnesota: 9-seed
Credit to the Gophers for cranking out an 18-3 record. It mostly came against inferior competition, but they did manage wins against solid teams in Penn State and Illinois. They face the conference’s top three teams in the next five games, though, all in enemy territory. This is going to be a rough patch that Minnesota will just have to get through.
Oregon: 9-seed
The Ducks’ turnaround from 11-21 last season to 15-5 so far this season is remarkable. Deja Kelly has been a huge addition, but it has been a total team effort to improve considerably on both ends. Can Oregon continue to hang with the conference’s other tournament-worthy teams?
Indiana: 10-seed
It has been difficult for the Hoosiers to make up for the losses of Mackenzie Holmes and Sara Scalia, and they have taken a commensurate step back. They do not quite have the firepower to compete with the best, and the difficulty of the Big Ten has bitten them in three straight losses. Still, Indiana is in all these games and will be a tough out for anyone.
Illinois: 10-seed
The Illini are another team that has taken major steps forward this season. Kendall Bostic is a double-double machine, and the defense keeps them in every game. Illinois has secured a few good conference wins over Oregon, Iowa and Indiana, and their softer upcoming schedule affords them time to prepare for a daunting closing stretch.
Iowa: 11-seed (First Four)
Five consecutive losses to the conference’s middle class, all by fewer than 10 points, dealt Iowa a major blow. The Hawkeyes might have to snag a win against one of the L.A. schools or Ohio State to make up the difference and secure a definitive tournament spot, but they are not far off from the level they need to play at.
Washington: 11-seed (First Four)
The Huskies have taken a leap forward on the offensive end, led by potent scoring duo Ella Ladine and Sayvia Sellers. A bit of defensive regression has prevented them from reaching the next level, and an early-season loss to Montana will not look great on the resume. A team that can outscore anyone is dangerous on any night, though.
