Strap in folks, this is going to be a wild ride!
The No. 4 Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball team travels to hostile territory to take on No. 16 Indiana. It’s a matchup between last season’s Big Ten regular-season champion (the Hoosiers) and last season’s Big Ten Tournament champion (the Hawkeyes).
Last year these two produced an all-time classic in Iowa’s regular-season finale. Senior guard Caitlin Clark lifted then-No. 6 Iowa past then-No. 2 Indiana with a buzzer-beating, game-winning 3-pointer to propel the Hawkeyes to an 86-85 victory.
It sent Carver-Hawkeye Arena into a frenzy and started a run of nine straight wins that led Iowa to a Big Ten Tournament title and its first national championship game appearance.
This year, the two have already faced once, and it was a one-sided victory for the Hawkeyes. Clark scored 30 points and dished 11 assists in Iowa’s 84-57 victory. That was in January, though, and this time the game is being played on Indiana’s court, in front of Mick Foley himself. The Hoosiers are undefeated this year at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, and do not look to break that streak this late into the season.
For the Hawkeyes, it’s all about winning. The individual scoring record has been broken by Caitlin Clark, and it’s a huge weight lifted off of the team. All that’s left is making it back to the big dance where they can hopefully win it all this year. They have a big test first in Indiana, though.
Here’s how Hawkeye fans can watch, stream and listen to tonight’s massive Big Ten battle. Plus, a look at Iowa and Indiana’s projected starters and game notes for each.