Purdue (25-1, 16-0 Big Ten) -- The Boilermakers claimed not just the first undefeated season for a Big Ten women's team this decade with their 71-59 victory over Northwestern last Sunday, but also the No. 1 ranking in the Associated Press women's basketball poll. With players like All-Big Ten guards Stephanie White-McCarty and Ukari Figgs leading the way, the Boilermakers are more than comfortable with lofty rankings.

But make no mistake about it. Purdue still feels the pressure of a possible upset.

"We're excited about receiving what we've received," coach Carolyn Peck said. "But we recognize also that at tournament time, anyone can beat anyone on any given night."

Penn State (20-6, 12-4) -- This season has been nothing if not sweet vindication for the Lions. After a miserable regular season last year and a heartbreaking first-round elimination in the 1997 conference tournament, Penn State has completed its return to national prominence.

"I thought we started off the season really well, and then after Christmas was a little slump we went through," point guard Helen Darling said. "We just weren't clicking like we did at the end of the season. But now, I think everything is coming together and looking a lot better."

This season the Lions won 20 games, knocked off three top-10 teams and earned a first-round bye in the conference tourney for the first time since 1996. The only thing Penn State failed to do was beat the Boilermakers, suffering a pair of losses this season by a combined seven points.

Illinois (16-10, 10-6) -- A long shot among the favorites, coach Theresa Grentz's Fighting Illini surprised many in the Big Ten by overcoming the loss of star guard Ashley Berggren to become a conference power yet again.

Illinois' biggest win of the season was a 94-85 offensive explosion against Penn State. While Purdue and Penn State have been powered mainly by strong backcourt play, it has been frontcourt stalwarts Alicia Sheeler and Susan Blauser who have been Grentz's aces in the hole.

The contenders

Wisconsin (14-12, 9-7), Ohio State (16-10, 9-7), Michigan (16-10, 8-8) and Michigan State (14-12, 8-8) -- Each team in this group of up-and-down squads needs to have a strong tournament to impress the NCAA selection committee and garner a spot in the national championship tournament.

But as Penn State and Purdue proved last year, anything can happen as far as upsets, especially in this tournament.

Unquestionably the largest team in the conference, Wisconsin recovered nicely after a slow start to win five out of its last six conference games. With the exception of Purdue, no team can claim to be on a bigger roll.

Led by Freshman of the Year candidate Jessie Stomski and last year's recipient of the award, LaTonya Sims, the Badgers could be the best bet to spoil the weekend for one of the top three teams.

"We've really been pleased with that one-two punch inside," Badger coach Jane Albright-Dieterle said. "The consistency they've exhibited has really been the key reason we've been able to win some games."

Ohio State and Michigan have experienced their successes and failures this season due mainly to inconsistency. The Buckeyes lit up Penn State in December, but dropped a game to Northwestern less than a month later. Michigan defeated Illinois at the end of the season after losing to cellar-dwelling Minnesota at the beginning of the campaign.

With a potential meeting against Michigan State pending in the second round, Penn State is hoping its relative unfamiliarity with the Spartans -- the teams met just once in the regular season -- won't create a problem come tip-off time.

"I don't look at it as an advantage or a disadvantage. It really doesn't matter," Darling said. "Both teams (Michigan State and Indiana) I think we can beat by a margin of 20 points. But we can't look at it like that. We have to look at them like Purdue. We have to come out strong and hard."

The pretenders

Iowa (12-14, 7-9), Northwestern (11-15, 5-11), Indiana (13-17, 2-14) and Minnesota (7-19, 2-14) -- Every conference has its also-rans. The best these teams can realistically hope for maybe a first-round upset.

Iowa, however, nearly upended Purdue in mid-January and Northwestern would like nothing more than to send coach Don Perrelli, who is retiring at season's end, off with a victory.

Then again, this tournament is known for upsets.

Just ask Penn State.