Indiana Women's Basketball: Potential Big Ten Tournament Slate

The 2023 Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament starts on March 1 in Minneapolis, Minn. No. 1 seed Indiana will automatically advance to the quarterfinals on Friday. Here's a look at who the Hoosiers might face in their three games or less.

IU Athletics

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The 2023 Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament in Minneapolis, Minn. begins March 1 and goes through Sunday at Target Center. Here's a look at the potential opponents for No. 1 seed Indiana.

2023 Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament Schedule / Big Ten Conference

Since the Hoosiers are the No. 1 seed, they'll get to automatically skip ahead to the quarterfinals on Friday March 3 along with No. 2 Iowa, No. 3 Maryland and No. 4 Ohio State.

If Indiana makes it to the championship game Sunday, March 5, the Hoosiers will have faced two teams to get there. Friday's game is a little more predictable as the Hoosiers will play one of two teams, No. 8 Nebraska or No. 9 Michigan State at 12:30 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network.

Regular season games are in the past, but it could still be helpful to look back at how the Hoosiers sized up against those two opponents. It turns out, both the Cornhuskers and Spartans fought hard and well against the Hoosiers.

On Dec. 29, Indiana dropped its first game of the season 83-78 to Michigan State in East Lansing following an eight-day holiday break. Keep in mind the Hoosiers were still without graduate student guard Grace Berger, who was out nursing a right knee injury. Still, four Hoosiers scored in double figures and achieved 58.5 percent from the field.

The Spartans, however, capitalized off of 21 Indiana turnovers and also visited the charity stripe for 19-of-29 shots while Indiana went 13-for-17.

Graduate student guard Kamaria McDaniel led Michigan State with 24 points in the win and continues to be the leading scorer averaging 13.7 points per game. Since the win, the Spartans have won 6-of-14 Big Ten matchups with its two recent victories against Minnesota and Penn State.

Mackenzie Holmes (54) goes in for the layup versus Michigan State in the Breslin Center on Dec. 29, 2022 / IU Athletics

New Year's Day, the Hoosiers returned home to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall to battle Nebraska. Indiana got it done in overtime 74-62 for the Hoosiers' sole overtime matchup of the season.

Berger was still not playing at this time as senior forward Mackenzie Holmes was picking up the slack, scoring 22 points and crashing the boards with 10 rebounds. Four Hoosiers scored 11 points or more, but it was a poor shooting night as Indiana shot 39 percent from the field and missed 12 triples.

The Cornhuskers made nine three-pointers to keep up with Indiana, but the Hoosiers' 24 made free throws as opposed to five from Nebraska saved them this game.

Sophomore forward Isabelle Bourne led her team with 15 points. The team's leading scorer Jaz Shelley, who normally averages 13.1 points, had a quiet night with just five. 

Sydney Parrish (33) and Yarden Garzon (12) box out on Nebraska forward Isabelle Bourne (34) in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Jan. 1, 2023 / IU Athletics

Saturday, Indiana could potentially face four different teams depending on how things shake out. It's not favorable that either lower seeds Penn State or Minnesota will beat No. 5 Michigan on Thursday, but there's always a chance in the Big Ten. The winner of that game will be tasked with taking on No. 4 Ohio State on Friday.

The Buckeyes are still without their starting point guard Jacy Sheldon who's been nursing a lower leg injury this season. She played for five minutes at Maryland on Feb. 5, but hasn't hit the court since. Fellow starting guard Madison Greene is also out with a season-ending left knee injury she suffered in December.

Ohio State does however have senior guard Taylor Mikesell and Big Ten Freshman of the Year forward Cotie McMahon stuffing the stat sheet.

Indiana handled Ohio State just fine this season winning both at home and on the road by 13 or more points.

Chloe Moore-McNeil (22) dribbles past Ohio State guard Taylor Mikesell (24) in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Jan. 26, 2023 / IU Athletics

Michigan is another potential Saturday opponent for Indiana. The Hoosiers beat the Wolverines twice in the regular season by nine or more points. Since then, Michigan has been spotty in its last four matchups as it has lost three, ending its season with a defeat by Wisconsin.

By Sunday, anything could happen, but the two most challenging possibilities for Indiana would perhaps be Iowa or Maryland. Indiana beat Maryland once in the Hall this season by eight points. The Terrapins are now on a six-game winning streak and destroyed Iowa 96-68 last Tuesday after losing to the Hawkeyes earlier this season.

Indiana finished out its regular season in Iowa City and lost by Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark's buzzer beater. The Hoosiers beat the reigning tournament champions by just nine in the Hall earlier this year.

While one can predict and scout all day long, there's no clear frontrunner as the Big Ten conference is one of the most competitive in the country if not the best.

Related stories on Indiana women's basketball

• CONVOS WITH THE 1982-83 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM Enjoy these exclusive interviews with five members of the 1982-83 Indiana women's basketball team, the last team before this year's bunch to win a Big Ten regular season title. From recruitment stories to the conference crown and beyond, these women have built an unbreakable bond thanks to Indiana basketball. CLICK HERE
• HOOSIERS STAY PUT IN WEEK 17 AP POLL Despite losing 86-85 to Iowa on Sunday, Indiana women's basketball will keep the same rank in the Week 17 Associated Press Top 25 Poll. The full poll plus season records are included in the story. CLICK HERE
• SYDNEY PARRISH: 'WE JUST GOT TO MOVE ON': Sunday afternoon, Indiana women's basketball dropped its second game of the season to Iowa in a nail biter between the conference's two best teams. Hoosier guard Sydney Parrish spoke with media following the defeat. CLICK HERE