{"id":41312,"date":"2023-11-08T21:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-08T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swishappeal.com\/ncaa\/2023\/11\/8\/23947248\/ncaa-women-basketball-big-ten-ohio-state-indiana-and-maryland-iowa-michigan-illinois-nebraska-purdue"},"modified":"2023-11-08T21:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-11-08T21:00:00","slug":"big-ten-preview-which-teams-will-challenge-iowa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gamefootballmobileanimeiphone.com\/index.php\/2023\/11\/08\/big-ten-preview-which-teams-will-challenge-iowa\/","title":{"rendered":"Big Ten preview: Which teams will challenge Iowa?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n \"Iowa
Ohio State\u2019s Cotie McMahon defends Iowa\u2019s Caitlin Clark during a game last season. | Photo by G Fiume\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes attract an outsized amount of national attention, the Big Ten is full of players and teams worth getting to know, and capable of challenging Clark and the Hawkeyes for conference supremacy. <\/p>\n

Last season, the Indiana Hoosiers<\/a> won the Big Ten regular season championship, matching the title earned exactly four decades prior. In the conference tournament, the Iowa Hawkeyes<\/a> prevailed, winning a second-straight Big Ten tournament<\/a> crown before a NCAA tournament run that would take them all the way to the national championship game. <\/p>\n

Led by Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year Caitlin Clark, Iowa is expected to finish the 2023-24 season atop the 14-team Big Ten. Coaches only were asked to assess the expected top five finishers in the conference standings, providing the following predicted order:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Iowa<\/li>\n
  2. Ohio State<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Indiana<\/li>\n
  4. Maryland<\/li>\n
  5. Illinois<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Media offered a slightly different perspective of how the top of the conference might shake out:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Iowa<\/li>\n
    2. Indiana <\/li>\n
    3. Ohio State<\/li>\n
    4. Maryland<\/li>\n
    5. Michigan<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      The pair of preseason polls present a clear top four, with Illinois and Michigan forming a second tier. From there, Michigan State<\/a>, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers<\/a> and Wisconsin will aim to exceed prognostications. <\/p>\n

      Here are our thoughts on the best of the Big Ten\u2014Iowa, Ohio State, Indiana and Maryland\u2014and the rest of the Big Ten:<\/p>\n

      \n

      Iowa<\/strong><\/h2>\n
      \n \"Georgia
      \n Photo by Matthew Holst\/Getty Images<\/cite>
      Iowa\u2019s Caitlin Clark.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

      All eyes will be on Caitlin Clark throughout the 2023-24 season. After collecting a cavalcade of national awards last season, she\u2019s continued to fill her trophy case with preseason honors. She unanimously was selected Preseason Player of the Year for the Big Ten, her third-straight season receiving the honor. She also unanimously was named to the preseason All-American Team<\/a> for the second-straight season. <\/p>\n

      Yet, No. 3 Iowa is more than Clark. Key contributors to last season\u2019s squad\u2014Gabbie Marshall, Kate Martin and Hannah Stuelke\u2014return with more command of and comfort in head coach Lisa Bluder\u2019s zippy offensive system. Our Iowa expert<\/a>, Zachary Draves, has you covered for all things Iowa. And he suggests the Hawkeyes may have a weapon they lacked last season\u2014depth. Zachary introduces the reserves<\/a> who could provide extra ammunition for Bluder. <\/p>\n

      Yet, in the crucible of a competitive conference and in the NCAA Tournament, it will come down to Clark. With her bold bombs from downtown, precision playmaking and inside-the-arc craft on the offensive end, combined with her active hands on defense, Clark has the ability and attitude necessary not only to meet\u2014but possibly exceed\u2014the expectations foisted upon her as one the sport\u2019s leading faces. NIL deals with Nike, State Farm and Buick will only amplify the attention on Clark and Iowa, and increase opponents\u2019 motivation to take them down. <\/p>\n

      Ohio State<\/strong><\/h2>\n
      \n \"Ohio
      \n Photo by Steph Chambers\/Getty Images<\/cite>
      Ohio State\u2019s Cotie McMahon.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

      Ohio State\u2019s season didn\u2019t get off to the start envisioned, as the No. 10 USC Trojans upset the seventh-ranked Buckeyes<\/a> in Las Vegas in the opener. The result, however, will have no ramifications on Ohio State\u2019s standing the Big Ten, while the experience should have the Buckeyes better prepared for inter-conference competition.<\/p>\n

      \n
      \n

      \u2022 \u201cOne of the most dangerous, one of the most exciting teams to watch in the country.\u201d pic.twitter.com\/HmvgHCZsee<\/a><\/p>\n

      \u2014 Ohio State WBB (@OhioStateWBB) November 5, 2023<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n