Purdue's 57-43 win over Penn Sate last Sunday did more than just sting the Lady Lions with a bitter defeat. It also sent the Big Ten race into a three-team sprint for the regular season title.

The No. 13 Lady Lions (16-4, 7-3 Big Ten), No. 17 Boilermakers (16-6, 8-3) and No. 25 Wisconsin (15-5, 8-3) all have three conference losses with just three weeks remaining in the schedule.

The Lady Lions will try to rebound their loss at Purdue when they venture to Michigan and Northwestern this weekend. Penn State guard Carla Coleman realizes that every time her team plays, it is a must-win situation.

"We want to go 6-0," Coleman said of Penn State's remaining slate. "We're thinking about taking care of ourselves and not worrying about anybody else."

The good news for Penn State is that it probably has the easiest remaining schedule of any of the three front runners.

Penn State has to face Michigan, Michigan State and Northwestern on the road -- those teams have a combined 12-20 conference record. The Lady Lions still have tough home games against Iowa, Minnesota and Ohio State, but they have not lost a home conference game since entering the league two years ago.

Purdue and Wisconsin, though, both have tough games ahead at Indiana, Iowa and Ohio State, and Big Ten teams have an overall 16-42 road conference record.

BadgerBall Big

First-year Coach Jane Albright-Dieterle has brought more than just excitement and wins to Wisconsin. She is also bringing people in through the turnstiles.

When 9,346 people packed Wisconsin Field House for Sunday's 78-77 overtime win against Minnesota, the No. 25 Badgers set both single-game and season attendance records. The Badgers have packed in 33,376 total fans this season with three home games left.

Game of the Week

Purdue at Iowa (Sunday at noon). Coach C. Vivian Stringer's Hawkeyes are uncharacteristically buried in an eighth-place tie in the Big Ten. Purdue is playing well again, in a tie for first.

On the surface, this looks like a mismatch. But no coach likes to venture into Carver-Hawkeye Arena, especially when Iowa (8-12, 4-6) would love to salvage a lost season with an upset of the Boilermakers, who have won five in a row.

"Iowa is so talented," Dunn said. "They have the size, they have the speed, they have the quickness."