Pressure of post-season starts for Big Ten women

By BRAD YOUNG
Collegian Sports Writer

Basketball junkies have begun drooling on the sketches of their NCAA tournament brackets with March Madness just a few weeks away. Once again, the Big Ten will be well represented among the women's basketball field of 64.

As many as six Big Ten teams may have their names announced when the postseason party participants are revealed on Selection Sunday, March 12. Three Big Ten teams have already locked up tournament bids. And three more might be on the Big Dance's invitation list, but they need to win the regular season's final games to primp for the tournament's selection committee.

Heading into the season's last weekend, No. 13 Purdue (20-6, 12-3 Big Ten), No. 8 Penn State (20-4, 11-3) and Wisconsin (18-6, 10-4) have already ensured themselves postseason berths.

Michigan State (14-9, 8-6) and Ohio State (14-10, 7-7) sit dangerously on the bubble, ready to fall off with the slightest of slips this weekend. Indiana (16-8, 6-8) is grasping desperately to any postseason hopes.

The Spartans played the first half of their conference schedule horribly, winning just two of eight games. A postseason appearance was far from Coach Karen Langeland's mind set. It still is, even after her squad has rattled off six straight wins, its longest streak since 1990-91.

"We haven't even thought about it at this point," Langeland said. "This weekend is too big for us to look past."

The Spartans' weekend includes a Friday night showdown with No. 8 Penn State in East Lansing and a Sunday trip to Indiana for a 2 p.m. tussle with the Hoosiers.

Indiana and Ohio State probably have the toughest roads to the NCAA tournament. Indiana has to win both its games this weekend to finish with an even conference record, almost a prerequisite for postseason play. But a slew of weak non-conference foes is a major stumbling block Indiana may not be able to hurdle.

The Hoosiers were able to jump all over Ohio State Sunday, winning their first game in Columbus in 21 years. The loss was one of two last weekend in St. John Arena for the Buckeyes, who may have played themselves out of tourney contention. They must beat conference front-runners Purdue and Penn State this weekend to earn a season-extending invitation.

All hope is not lost for teams that have no chance at an at-large bid. The Big Ten tournament on March 3-6 offers teams like Linda Hill-MacDonald's Golden Gophers (12-13, 7-8) the chance to win a conference title and the perk that goes with it.

"We'll be at the conference championship doing our best to get an automatic (bid)," Hill-MacDonald said.

Purdue at Ohio State (2 p.m. Friday). There may be more plot lines than players in this one. Purdue must win to clinch at least a share of the Big Ten's regular-season title. Ohio State must win to have any hope at receiving an at-large NCAA tournament bid.