Big Ten preview: All eyes on Caitlin Clark and Iowa, with Ohio State lurking as a dark horse
Jacy Sheldon and Cotie McMahon helm a talented Buckeyes team trying to take down the Hawkeyes and the nation's leading scorer
Transfers, NIL and conversations about conference realignment have changed the landscape of college basketball this season. One thing is the same, though, and that’s Caitlin Clark, who is playing her senior season at Iowa. The prolific scorer is coming off a Player of the Year award win and a national championship game appearance in which Iowa lost to Angel Reese and LSU.
The Big Ten will again be Clark’s playground as opposing defenses try to find solutions for the senior and her NCAA-leading 30.5 points per game.
Big Ten outlook: Spotlight shines brightly on Caitlin Clark, Iowa
Because of Clark, when you talk about the Big Ten, Iowa is the first team brought up. Who else can sell out a football stadium for a preseason college basketball game?
Clark is the biggest star in Iowa basketball history, and her window as a Hawkeye is closing. Technically, because of COVID-19, she has one more season of eligibility, but Clark can choose to enter the 2024 WNBA Draft at the end of the season. If she does, the guard is likely to be the No. 1 pick.
After coming up just short last season, the goal for Iowa will be to win an NCAA championship, but even with the country’s best scorer, the path this season will be challenging. Without Monika Czinano, who averaged 14.9 points per game to complement Clark, and McKenna Warnock, who was third on the team in scoring, Clark has had to take on an even bigger role this season. Her 37.1% usage rate is the highest in the country.
As the season progresses, the Hawkeyes will need to rely more on sophomore Hannah Stuelke, who is starting to find herself in the offense, with 13.9 points and seven rebounds per game.
The Big Ten looks to be a three-team race this season, with Ohio State and Indiana joining Iowa as the most likely teams to win the conference.
Ohio State is coming off its most successful season in 30 years, having advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1993. The Buckeyes lost 3-point specialist Taylor Mikesell to graduation but added Celeste Taylor from Duke. The Buckeyes will continue to play their suffocating style of defense — the one that helped them top UConn in the Sweet 16 last season — led by Taylor and Jacy Sheldon.
Sheldon makes things happen for the Buckeyes, averaging 18 points, 3.4 rebounds, three assists and 2.3 steals per contest. Alongside her is Cotie McMahon, who was last season’s Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
Indiana’s 2023 NCAA tournament, on the other hand, was disappointing. The Hoosiers came in as a No. 1 seed but were upset by No. 9-seeded Miami in the second round.
The Hoosiers also lost top player Grace Berger, who now plays for the WNBA’s Indiana Fever, but they still have a talented roster. Led by Mackenzie Holmes, one of the top posts in the country and a core of experienced guards, Indiana heads into Big Ten play as the No. 16 team in the country.
After the top three teams, the Big Ten looks a bit different this season, with usual suspects Maryland and Michigan out of the national conversation. Both have been tournament mainstays for years but haven’t displayed the same level of success in nonconference play.
Meanwhile, Nebraska, Penn State and Michigan State could provide a bit of drama in conference play, as underdogs with the potential to pull off upsets.
Under-the-radar player to watch
Holmes is the centerpiece of the team’s offense, and Sara Scalia is Indiana’s second-leading scorer, but perhaps the most dangerous player on the team is Yarden Garzon.
In her second season at Indiana, the sophomore continues to get better. She’s averaging 13.3 points per game and shooting 41.7% from beyond the arc. Against Tennessee earlier in the season, Garzon finished with 23 points on 5-of-6 shooting from 3-point range.
Yahoo Sports’ prediction to win the conference
Cassandra Negley: Iowa
Eden Laase: Ohio State
Clark will give Iowa a chance to win every game this season, but Ohio State is the most complete team in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes have offense at every position, from Sheldon running the point to Rebeka Mikulasikova in the post.
McMahon continues to polish her game, but the sophomore has a strength and speed advantage on almost any defender going to the rim. If Ohio State needs a bucket, she’s tough to slow down.
Taylor Thierry is also having a great season for Ohio State, as the team’s third-leading scorer with 13.7 points per game. She gives the Buckeyes efficiency on offense, making 62.4% of her shot attempts.
Teams that could make noise in March
Once again, it’s Ohio State. The Buckeyes are a complete team on offense, but in the chaos of March Madness, their defense will make a difference.
Because of their ability to speed up opponents and create turnovers, the Buckeyes are rarely out of a game. Take the Dec. 18 loss to UCLA: Ohio State was down 19 points heading into the fourth quarter but was able to lean on its defense in the final frame, nearly completing the comeback before falling 77-71. With added pressure in March, that ability will come in handy.
