All eyes on Big Ten women's hoops
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Will this be another year to celebrate for IU? Photo: Jeremy Hogan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
The women of Big Ten basketball are battling to become the sport's next big star and for a spot in one of the biggest title games in college sports.
Why it matters: The 2024 women's championship game drew an average of 3 million viewers on CBS, thanks to superstar Caitlin Clark and her Iowa Hawkeyes, making it the network's most-watched women's game in 25 years.
- With Clark now on the Indiana Fever, the field is wide open for a new Big Ten megastar to emerge.
The intrigue: Clark won't be on the court (maybe the sidelines), but interest in women's sports remains red hot as Indy works to become the women's sports capital of the globe.
- This year, the Big Ten title game will be decided in Gainbridge Fieldhouse, bringing eyes and attention to the Circle City.
Zoom in: IU and Purdue women's teams are coming off of very different 2023-24 seasons.
- The Hoosiers ended as the third-best team in the conference and made it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament as a No. 4 seed before falling to national champions South Carolina by just four points.
- The Boilermakers left the court in 2024 as the third-worst team in the Big Ten and missed out on March Madness.
What they're saying: "Every day you're going into somebody's arena or you're having a home game, and records are being broken, attendance records are being broken, sell-out crowds," Purdue coach Katie Gearlds said at Big Ten Media Day. "The team talent, the individual talent, where our game is going right now … I'm excited, and I'm sure all of us are just to be a part of it and to see young women get the opportunity that they have now."
- "I tell our kids all the time what a great time it is to be a female in sport, but particularly in women's basketball right now with the popularity and all the people, the crowds, the fans that are coming out to watch us play and stay and keep coming back," said IU coach Teri Moren.
State of play: The Big Ten, which starts conference play Dec. 7, has ballooned to 18 teams with the addition of Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington this season.
- As a result, the 2025 Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament will only include the top 15 teams.
- The top four teams will enter the tournament with a double bye, teams ranked 5-9 get a single bye and teams ranked 10-15 will play in the opening rounds.
- The five-day tournament will be March 5-9 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
What's next: IU, who lost to the Butler Bulldogs 46-56 Wednesday night, play their next game at 2pm Sunday in Bloomington against No. 24 Stanford.
- Purdue hosts IU Indy Thursday at 7:30pm in West Lafayette. Tickets start at $10 for adults and $5 for kids.
Go deeper: Check out this recap of the Big Ten men's basketball landscape before their conference play begins on Dec. 3.