This year, all eyes have been on No. 4 Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, who is only eight points away from being the all-time greatest scorer in women’s collegiate basketball. Clark has the opportunity to break the record on Thursday night when Iowa hosts Michigan. With Clark taking center stage during the conference, it’s difficult to get a complete picture. But don’t worry. This week’s Inside NU power rankings provide a comprehensive assessment of the conference.
Ohio State is perhaps the hottest team in the country, having extended its winning streak to 12 games with an 80-47 victory over Nebraska on Wednesday night. Senior Jacy Sheldon delivered another outstanding effort for OSU, scoring 23 points, grabbing six rebounds, and dishing out six assists in helping the team defeat the Cornhuskers. As Sheldon and the Buckeyes continue to win meaningful conference games, it looks increasingly plausible that they will be a one-seed in March Madness this season.
Iowa suffered its second conference setback this week, falling 82-79 to Nebraska in front of their fans at Pinnacle Bank Arena. However, there should not be cause for concern because the Hawkeyes were in it until the end and had a chance to tie the game with eight seconds left, but Clark missed a three-pointer. I still believe the Hawkeyes have the best opportunity to win the conference because, with Clark on the team, the sky is the limit, as evidenced by Iowa’s march to the national championship last season. The Hawkeyes will aim to get back on track when they host Michigan on Thursday night.
