Big Ten women's tournament will set attendance record at Target Center

Nick Halter

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Caitlin Clark screams during a basketball game — Caitlin Clark at last year's Big Ten tournament which the Hawkeyes won. Photo: David Berding/Getty Images

The Big Ten women's basketball tournament won't just set an attendance record this week at Target Center, it will double the old mark, according to organizers.

Why it matters: The sold-out tournament will attract 109,000 fans between Wednesday's first-round games and Sunday's championship game, a nice boost for a city that doesn't typically get many tourists in March.

Context: Last year's tournament, also at Target Center, had a total attendance of just under 48,000 fans. But that was back when Caitlin Clark was merely a big star. Now she's the face of college basketball.

Reality check: While all eyes will be on Iowa and Clark as they go for a third-straight conference title, don't sleep on Ohio State, writes our editor Ross Terrell.

The Buckeyes are the No. 1 seed after going 16-2 in conference play, winning 15 of their last 16 games. They split the two games they played against Iowa.

Zoom in: The host city's Gophers aren't much of a threat. They finished with a 5-13 record in the Big Ten and lost their last four games, including a 56-point blowout to Penn State.

They play Rutgers at 8pm on Wednesday.

If you go: Downtown's City Center building will be a focal point of festivities, with a market, Big Ten alumni appearances, live music, face painting, and photo ops.

The market will be open from 11am to 6pm Wednesday through Saturday.

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Big Ten women's tournament will set attendance record at Target Center

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