Big 10 women’s basketball consists of a 6 haves and 8 have-nots.
School
|
Regular Season Titles
|
Outright-Tied
|
Tournament Titles
|
NCAA Final/ Comment
|
The Haves
| ||||
Ohio State
|
15
|
8-7
|
5
|
Lost 1993
|
Purdue
|
7
|
4-3
|
9
|
Won 1999 Lost 2001
|
Iowa
|
9
|
4-5
|
3
| |
Penn State—joined Big 10 in 1993
|
8
|
5-3
|
2
| |
Maryland—joined in 2014
|
4
|
2-2
|
3
|
Won 2006
|
Michigan State
|
4
|
1-3
|
1
|
Lost 2005
|
The Have Nots
| ||||
Indiana
|
1
|
0-1
|
1
| |
Nebraska—joined in 2011
|
0
|
0-0
|
1
| |
Northwestern
|
1
|
0-1
| ||
Rutgers—joined in 2014
|
0
|
0-0
|
0
|
Lost 2007; really a Have, just not since joining the Big 10
|
Michigan
|
0
|
0-0
|
0
| |
Minnesota
|
0
|
0-0
|
0
| |
Wisconsin
|
0
|
0-0
|
0
| |
There is of course variability. Even the Haves have off years.
And Penn State and Rutgers status is a little big misleading. Penn State was a powerhouse under coach Rene Portland from 1980 through 2007, winning 606 games, playing in 21 NCAA tournaments and winning 15 Atlantic 10 championships. In 1986, Portland went on record that she did not recruit and would not allow lesbians to play on her team. Penn State adopted an anti-discrimination policy in 1991 but, hey, Portland was winning. But 46 percent of her players over those 27 years did not complete their eligibility. Portland was sued in 2006, won 28 and lost 32 games in 2006 and 2007, her only losing seasons, then resigned. Portland won three-quarters of her conference games. Her successor, Coquese Washington, won less than half. So, the point is that Penn State’s overall record makes them a Have, but their recent performance does not.
Rutgers, meanwhile, played in 23 NCAA tournaments in 27 years and has played in 2 in 6 years since joining the Big 10. They won 17 conference championships—regular season and/or playoff—in 23 years in Atlantic 10, but have not won any conference championship in the Big 10. Their Big 10 record makes them a have-not, but their overall record would make them a Have.
Last year, the Haves (here, I am including Rutgers and not including Penn State) went 69-39 in the conference, and Iowa and Maryland played in the tournament final. The Have-Nots 54-90. In 6 tournament games matching Haves vs. Have-Nots, the Haves won 5 and lost 1. (#13 Wisconsin shocked #5 Ohio State 73-63.)
So all of that is background. The questions here, then, are: Which of the haves will stumble? Which of the Have-Nots will rise up? Last year Michigan State went 9-9 and Purdue 8-10, while Michigan went 11-7, while Minnesota, Nebraska and Northwestern also went 9-9.
The Haves
It would be a very unusual year if a Have did not win the regular season and tournament titles. Penn State won several over the years, but as we said, they weren’t really a Have Not until just recently. Otherwise a Have-Not has not won a regular season title since Illinois in 1997. Nebraska won a tournament title in 2014 and Indiana in 2002.
1. Maryland Last year 15-3, 29-5
Maryland should easily repeat as Big 10 regular season champion and should improve on last year’s runner-ups in the tournament. Coach Brenda Freese lost only Brianna Fraser (7 ppg) and returns Kaila Charles (6-1, sr., G, 17 ppg, 49% shooting), Stephanie Jones (6-2, sr., F, 13 ppg, 59%) and Taylor Mikesell (5-11, soph., G, 13 ppg), plus Shakira Austin (6-5, soph., C) and her 9 boards, and 3 other experienced hands. She can go 8 deep with players who played 10 minutes or more last year.
Their line is: 66 ppg returning-32 rebounds-15 assists-46% shooting as a group-37 minutes returning.
Again, this is returning from a 29-5 group. However, the Terrapins didn’t finish strong, losing to Iowa in the conference tournament and to #6 seed UCLA in the NCAA 2nd round.
2. Michigan State 9-9, 21-12
Michigan State and Purdue are Haves though both stumbled a little bit last year. But, both at least won 1st round games in the conference tournament. But Michigan State returns 3 double digit scorers and 7 double digit minutes performers. They’ve got 3 experienced guards, each of whom averaged 4 assists—5-8 sophomore Nia Clouden (12 ppg, 44%), 5-9 senior Shay Colloy (14 ppg, 37%) and 5-5 senior Taryn McCutcheon (10 ppg, 35%). You’ll note the shooting percentages, however, and hope that the four returning 6-footers, who include Minnesotan Nia Hollie, who shot 48 percent among them, take more of the shots this year.
Jenny Allen and Sidney Cooks and their 21 ppg are gone.
Their line is 56 ppg-25 rebounds-17 assists-44%-32 minutes
3. Purdue 8-10, 19-15
Purdue, meanwhile, lost nobody, and also has 3 double digit scorers and 7 double digit minutes performers back. Guards Karissa McLoughlin (5-7, Jr., 15 ppg, 40%) and Dominique Oden (4-8, Sr., 14 ppg, 43%) are probably a little better shooters than the Spartans guards, but after Ae’Rianna Harris (6-1, Sr., F, 13 ppg. 9 reb, 49%), their bigs (and, for that matter, the entire rest of their roster) do not shoot well at all. So they’ll rely on their big 3 more than Michigan State will have to do. The shooting percentage is their main challenge. McLoughlin and Oden were #1 and #2 in the Big 10 in minutes, which may not be a good sign but, on the other hand, they’re accustomed to the pressure.
Their line is 63 ppg-29 rebounds-14 assists-37%-37 minutes
4. Ohio State 10-8, 14-15
Ohio State continues to rebuild under Kevin McGuff, who seems finally to have hit paydirt with one of the nation’s top recruiting classes led by Canton, OH, already 2-time Ms. Basketball, Kierstin Bell. There are 5 top 60s and 2 international players coming in and I think they’ll outscore the returnees. Still, the returnees are 6-4, 6-3, 6-1, 5-10, and, well, 3 of the 4 shoot it pretty well.
Their line is 30 ppg-17 rebounds-4 assists-44%-16 minutes
But that’s not as big of a deal as it is with everybody else. Nobody else has newcomers like this.
5. Iowa 14-4, 29-7
The Hawkeyes lose national Player of the Year Megan Gustafson. If you saw them last year, you know that everybody else was competent but not a lot more than that. And, they also lost 2 starting guards.
Guards Mackenzie Meyer (5-9, Sr., 9 ppg, 6 assists, 42%) and Kathleen Doyle (5-9, Sr., 12 ppg, 6 assists, 40%) will have to lead the way. It’s also time for the once-highly regarded Amanda Ollinger (6-1, Sr., F, 2 ppg, 47%) to step up. Minnesota Monika Czinano (6-3, Soph., C, 2 ppg, 55%) also figures to start.
Their line is 31 ppg-12 rebounds-15 assists-43%-20 minutes
6. Rutgers 13-5, 22-10
Rutgers loses a lot—4 players who played 116 minutes among them and scored 33 ppg—and they return 4 players who played 74 minutes and scored 26 ppg. And, they’re not as big as most of the teams listed above. 5-11 junior guard Arella Guarantes (12 ppg, 52%) will have to be huge.
Their line is 26 ppg-9 rebounds-5 assists-46%-15 minutes
The Have-Nots
1. Indiana 8-10, 21-13
If there’s a breakout, it will probably be the Hosers. They return guards Ali Patberg and Jaelynn Penn, both juniors , both 5-10, 5-11, who scored 30 between them with 9 boards and 6 assists while shooting 44% and 40%, respectively. Patberg was #3 in the conference in minutes. Breanna Wise (6-0, Sr., F, 12 ppg, 7 reb, 44%) is the top returnee inside.
Their line is 62 ppg-27 rebounds-11 assists-41%-33 minutes
That’s a lot of experience but the shooting percentages and the 8-10 record say they’re not a shoo-in.
2. Michigan 11-7, 22-12
Last year was a breakout for the Wolverines but they lose Hallie Thome, Nicole Munger and Deja Church and their 31 ppg and a lot of ball-handling. But, they’re big, led by 6-2 sophomore forward Naz Hillmon (13 ppg-7 reb-63%) and 6-0 sophomore guard Amy Dilk (7 ppg-4 reb-3 asts, 39%). Still, they don’t look like an 11-7 team again.
Their line is 40 ppg-20 rebounds-8 assists-46%-21 minutes
3. Minnesota 9-9, 21-11
We’ll look at the Gophers separately, but this at least says they’re competitive though the shooting percentage is a worry.
Their line is 53 ppg-24 rebounds-10 assists-40%-31 minutes
4. Northwestern 9-9, 21-15
For the Wildcats, this, too, is almost a breakthrough, and they only lost one key player. 5-10 junior guard Lindsay Pulliam (16 ppg-4 reb-2 asts-37%) leads the way with running mate Veronica Burton (5-9, Soph., 10 ppg, 41%). 6-2 senior center Abi Scheid (9 ppg-4 4 reb-3 ast-38%) has been injury-prone and her numbers last year were not as strong as her sophomore year. So she’ll be key. But, overall, they’re a bad shooting team.
Their line is 56 ppg-20 rebounds-14 assists-38%-37 minutes
5. Nebraska 9-9, 14-16
They’ll be led by guards Hannah Whitish, 3 point-shooting specialist; Minnesotan Sam Haiby (10 ppg as a freshman); and Nicea Eriely, 6-1 defensive specialist. They’re a good shooting team, so anything can happen.
Their line is 59 ppg-21 rebounds-1 assists-46%
6. Wisconsin 4-14, 15-18
They could be improved if they can shake the injury bug, especially Minnesotans Courtney Frederickson and Carmen Backes. Backes is a redshirt freshman who has yet to play for the Badgers. I still say she’s got a world of upside. But Imani Lewis (6-1, Soph., F, 12 ppg, 8 reb, 43%) should be their best player. They lost nobody, except to injury.
Their line is 43 ppg-22 rebounds-6 assists-39%-25 minutes
7. Penn State 5-13, 12-18
New coach, Minnesotan Carolyn Kieger, will have her hands full this year, losing Teriya Page and Amari Carter and their 30 ppg. Alisa Smith (6-3, Jr., F, 9 ppg, 7 reb, 46%) is a horse and 5-9 guard Siyah Frasier (Sr., 10 ppg, 5 reb, 2 asts, 45%) is solid but, after that, it’s hard to say.
Their line is 42 ppg-23 rebounds-4 assists-41%-24 minutes
8. Illinois 2-16, 10-20
The Illini are bad, which is precisely why their win over the Gophers was such a blight on Lindsay Whalen’s 1st season. Now, they lost their best player, Minnesotan Alex Wittinger, from a 2-16 team. Brandi Beasley (5-6, Sr., G, 12 ppg, 4 reb, 5 asts, 41%) is pretty much the show in Champagne.
Their line is 35 ppg-16 rebounds-10 assists-42%-22 minutes
Big 10 Prediction
Combine the 2 lists and here’s what you get.
1. Maryland 17-1
2. Michigan State 14-4
3. Purdue 13-5
4. Indiana 12-6
5. Michigan 11-7
6. Ohio State 10-8
7. Minnesota 9-9
8. Iowa 8-10
9. Northwestern 8-10
10. Nebraska 8-10
11. Rutgers 7-11
12. Wisconsin 4-14
13. Penn State 3-15
14. Illinois 2-16
All-Big 10
Big—Taiye Bello, Minnesota, 6-2, Sr., 10 ppg, 12 reb, 53%
Big—Kaila Charles, Maryland, 6-1, Sr., 17 ppg, 7 reb, 49%
Wing—Stephanie Jones, Maryland, 6-2, Sr., 13 ppg, 6 reb, 59%
Point Guard—Ali Patberg, Indiana, 5-11, Jr., 16 ppg, 5 reb, 5 ast, 44%
Combo Guard—Karissa McLoughlin, Purdue, 5-7, Jr., 15 ppg, 3 reb, 4 ast, 40%
2nd Team
Big—Naz Hillmon, Michigan, 6-2, Soph., 13 ppg, 7 reb, 63%
Big—Ae’Rianna Harris, Purdue, 6-1, Sr., 13 ppg, 9 reb, 49%
Point Guard—Kathleen Doyle, Iowa, 5-9, Sr., 12 ppg, 3 reb, 6 asts, 40%
Combo Guard—Taylor Mikshell, Maryland, 5-11, Soph., 13 ppg, 3 reb, 3 ast, 42%
Shooting Guard—Destiny Pitts, Minnesota, 5-10, Jr., 16 ppg, 4 reb, 42%
3rd Team
Big—Kierstin Bell, Ohio State, Fr.
Big—Dorka Julasz, Ohio State, 6-4, Soph., 12 ppg, 9 reb, 46%
Wing—Imani Lewis,Wisconsin, 6-1, Soph., 12 ppg, 8 reb, 43%
Point Guard—Dominique Oden, Purdue, 5-8, Sr., 14 ppg, 4 reb, 3 ast, 43%
Shooting Guard—Lindsay Pulliam, Northwestern, 5-10, Jr., 16 ppg, 4 reb, 2 ast, 37%
4th Team
Big—Abi Scheid, Northwestern, 6-2, Sr., 9 ppg, 4 reb, 3 ast, 38%
Big—Brenna Wise, Indiana, 6-0, Sr., 12 ppg, 7 reb, 44%
Point Guard—Nia Clouden, Michigan State, 5-8, Soph., 12 ppg, 4 reb, 4 ast, 44%
Combo Guard—Brandi Beasley, Illinois, 5-6, Sr., 12 ppg, 4 reb, 5 ast, 41%
Combo Guard—Arella Guarantes, Rutgers, 5-11, Jr., 12 ppg, 4 reb, 2 ast, 52%
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