2024 Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament: Day 1 Preview

The Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament tips off Wednesday. Here's a preview of the Day 1 games, which features No. 13 Northwestern vs. No. 12 Purdue and No. 14 Rutgers vs. No. 11 Minnesota.

The postseason has officially arrived. The Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament tips off Wednesday evening, the start of a five-day event in Minneapolis.

Action begins at 6:30 p.m. ET with Purdue taking on Northwestern in the opening game. A matchup between Rutgers and Minnesota begins 25 minutes after the conclusion of the first contest.

Both games will be streamed on Peacock.

View the complete Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament bracket here.

No. 13 Northwestern  vs. No. 12 Purdue 

• Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
• TV: Peacock
• Game: No. 1

Preview

• Purdue record: 12-17 (5-13 in Big Ten)
• Northwestern record: 9-20 (4-14 in Big Ten)
• Regular season meeting(s): Purdue def. Northwestern 74-48 on Feb. 14.

Purdue had no trouble with Northwestern in the lone regular season meeting between the two teams. Jeanae Terry had an impressive double-double of 12 rebounds and 11 assists in the 74-48 victory over the Wildcats on Feb. 14. The Boilermakers also got 17 points from Caitlyn Harper and 16 from Madison Layden.

The Boilers enter Wednesday's game having lost their last two games, to Penn State (93-88) and Michigan (64-60). The Wildcats head into the Big Ten Tournament having defeated Rutgers 72-61 in the final game of the regular season Sunday.

Purdue players to watch

• Abbey Ellis, senior: Ellis has been Purdue's leading scorer this season, averaging 14.2 points per game. She's been scoring at a high rate in the last four games, scoring more than 20 points three times. 
• Jeanae Terry, senior: She's not the most dynamic scorer on the floor, but Terry does a lot of little things to help her team. She's averaging 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists to go along with 5.1 points per game this season. 
• Mary Ashley Stevenson, freshman: Earlier this week, Stevenson was named the media's Big Ten Freshman of the Year. In her first season in West Lafayette, Stevenson has averaged 9.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Her top performance came in an overtime win over Illinois, when she scored 25 points and grabbed nine rebounds.

Northwestern players to watch

• Caileigh Walsh, junior: Walsh is a do-it-all player for the Wildcats, averaging 12.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game this season. The 6-foot-3 forward ended the year with three double-doubles. 
• Melannie Daley, junior: The junior guard is Northwestern's leading scorer this season, averaging 13 points per game. She's also been a really solid defender for the Wildcats, recording 1.5 steals per contest. 
• Maggie Pina, senior: Defenses will want to keep an eye on Pina's whereabouts on the floor. She doesn't shoot a ton from behind the 3-point line, but she's been Northwestern's most accurate perimeter player. The transfer from Bradley is knocking down the 3-point shot at an impressive 43.8% clip for the year.

No. 14 Rutgers vs. No. 11 Minnesota

• Time: 25 minutes after Game 1
• TV: Peacock
• Game: No. 2

Preview

• Minnesota record: 15-14 (5-13 in Big Ten)
• Rutgers record: 8-23 (2-16 in Big Ten)
• Regular season meeting(s): Rutgers def. Minnesota 81-73 on Feb. 13

Destiny Adams and Mya Petticord really shined for Rutgers in the lone regular season meeting against Minnesota. Adams recorded a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Petticord scored a game-high 25 points. But the Scarlet Knights won the game at the free throw line, hitting 26-of-28 attempts.

Both teams are limping into the Big Ten Tournament and are on four-game losing streaks. Minnesota has an advantage, essentially playing a home game with the tournament being held in Minneapolis. The Gophers were 13-6 at home this season, while Rutgers was 1-10 in road contests.

Minnesota players to watch

• Grace Grocholski, freshman: The freshman guard has been really impressive for the Gophers this season, averaging 11.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. She can also be a weapon from behind the 3-point line, knocking down 36.1% of her attempts on the year.
• Mallory Heyer, sophomore: Heyer has nearly averaged a double-double this season, posting 9.4 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. She struggled offensively in the last two games of the regular season, failing to score a point on 13 shot attempts in losses to Penn State and Iowa. Still, she provides a solid interior presence.
• Amaya Battle, sophomore: Battle has been an excellent scorer and distributor for the Gophers this season, averaging 10.8 points and 5.5 assists per contest. She enters the Big Ten Tournament having scored in double figures in four of the last five games.

Rutgers players to watch

• Destiny Adams, junior: Adams, a transfer from North Carolina, has been a huge asset for the Scarlet Knights this season. She's averaging 15.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. She's hit a double-digit point total in each of her last 16 games, which included a 33-point effort against Penn State.
• Jillian Huerter, freshman: As a freshman, Huerter has been Rutgers' top 3-point threat. Though she's averaging just 6.9 points per contest, she's hitting at a 37.1% clip from long range this season. 
• Kassondra Brown, senior: The 6-foot-2 center has been a solid contributor for the Scarlet Knights this season. She's averaging 8.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Earlier this season, she scored 21 points in a win over Nebraska.

Related Big Ten stories

• UPDATE ON HOLMES, MEISTER: Indiana women's basketball forwards Mackenzie Holmes and Lilly Meister both exited Sunday's win over Maryland with injuries, and head coach Teri Moren updated their status Monday. CLICK HERE
• SARA SCALIA SENIOR DAY VIDEO: Here's the video of Sara Scalia's senior day tribute following Indiana women's basketball's 71-54 win over Maryland on Sunday at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. CLICK HERE
• MACKENZIE HOLMES SENIOR DAY VIDEO: Here's the full video of Mackenzie Holmes' senior day speech following Indiana women's basketball's 71-54 win over Maryland on Sunday at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. CLICK HERE
• ARIELLE WISNE SENIOR DAY VIDEO: Here's the full video of Arielle Wisne singing the national anthem before Indiana women's basketball's 71-54 win over Maryland on senior day at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, plus her postgame tribute video. CLICK HERE