Big Ten returns to 18-game women’s conference schedule this season, playing five home-and-away opponents
 

The Big Ten announced Wednesday a full breakdown of its 126 women’s basketball conference opponents for all 14 schools for the 2021-22 season, as revealed on Big Ten Network.

Each school will play an 18-game conference schedule for the third time in four seasons, facing five schools both home and away and playing the eight remaining schools once. Of the single-play opponents, schools will play four at home and four on the road.

The Big Ten season tips off on Sunday, Dec. 5, with 12 conference games scheduled between Dec. 5-12. Following a break in conference play through the Christmas holiday, Big Ten action resumes in earnest on Thursday, Dec. 30, tipping off an eight-week slate of conference games. The schedule culminates March 2-6 with the 29th Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

 

Rutgers
The Scarlet Knights, who finished third in the Big Ten in two of the last three seasons, will aim to qualify for its third consecutive NCAA Tournament for the first time since Coach Stringer's squad went dancing in 10 consecutive seasons from 2003 through 2012.

Iowa
Iowa finished the 2020-21 season 20-10, overall, and advanced to the Sweet 16 at the NCAA Tournament. The Hawkeyes tallied an 11-8 Big Ten record. They return nine letterwinners, including all five starters — Caitlin Clark  was named a Co-Freshman of the Year by World Exposure Report, Monika Czinano, Gabbie Marshall, Kate Martin, and McKenna Warnock.

Indiana
The Hoosiers are coming off its sixth-straight 20-win season in 2020-21 where it finished 21-6 overall and 16-2 in Big Ten play while advancing to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. All five starters return from that campaign including All-Americans junior forward Mackenzie Holmes and senior guard Grace Berger.

Maryland
Maryland returns all five starters, all five All-Big Ten honorees and 10 of 11 letterwinners from last year's Big Ten Championship squad. The Terrapins return their top eight leading scorers from last year's squad, which led the nation in scoring with 90.8 points per game and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen

Michigan State
During the abbreviated 2020-21 season, Michigan State went 15-9, including a 9-7 record in Big Ten action. The Spartans reached the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.

Minnesota
The fourth season for Minnesota women's basketball under head coach Lindsay Whalen begins Oct. 31 and features 29 regular season games, including 16 contests at Williams Arena, it was announced Wednesday.

Purdue
Purdue will open the Big Ten season in the midst of its non-conference slate, starting Dec. 5 at home against Ohio State, four days after the home Big Ten/ACC Challenge battle against Georgia Tech.


 

 

2021-22 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Schedule

 

Sunday, December 5
Maryland at Rutgers
Michigan State at Iowa
Ohio State at Purdue
Wisconsin at Northwestern

Monday, December 6
Penn State at Indiana
Nebraska at Minnesota

Wednesday, December 8
Purdue at Maryland

Thursday, December 9
Illinois at Michigan State
Michigan at Wisconsin
Rutgers at Penn State

Sunday, December 12
Indiana at Ohio State
Minnesota at Michigan

Thursday, December 30
Indiana at Rutgers
Iowa at Penn State
Maryland at Illinois
Purdue at Wisconsin

Thursday, December 30 or Friday, December 31
Nebraska at Michigan State
Northwestern at Minnesota

Friday, December 31
Ohio State at Michigan

Sunday, January 2, 2022
Maryland at Indiana
Rutgers at Purdue
Illinois at Iowa

Monday, January 3
Penn State at Ohio State
Michigan State at Northwestern

Tuesday, January 4
Michigan at Nebraska

Wednesday, January 5
Indiana at Wisconsin

Thursday, January 6
Illinois at Ohio State
Minnesota at Rutgers
Northwestern at Iowa
Penn State at Maryland

Sunday, January 9
Iowa at Nebraska
Maryland at Minnesota
Ohio State at Northwestern
Purdue at Michigan State
Rutgers at Michigan
Wisconsin at Illinois

Wednesday, January 12
Michigan State at Ohio State
Minnesota at Wisconsin

Thursday, January 13
Iowa at Purdue
Michigan at Penn State
Nebraska at Indiana
Northwestern at Illinois

Saturday, January 15
Ohio State at Minnesota

Sunday, January 16
Illinois  at Penn State
Indiana at Purdue
Michigan at Maryland
Nebraska at Iowa
Northwestern at Michigan State
Wisconsin at Rutgers

Wednesday, January 19
Michigan State at Indiana

Thursday, January 20
Iowa at Minnesota
Maryland at Ohio State
Penn State at Northwestern
Purdue at Illinois
Rutgers at Nebraska
Wisconsin at Michigan

Sunday, January 23   
Indiana at Iowa
Minnesota at Michigan State
Nebraska at Illinois
Northwestern at Maryland
Ohio State at Rutgers
Penn State at Wisconsin

Monday, January 24
Purdue at Michigan

Thursday, January 27
Illinois at Indiana
Iowa at Northwestern
Michigan at Ohio State
Michigan State at Penn State
Minnesota at Purdue
Rutgers at Maryland
Wisconsin at Nebraska

Sunday, January 30
Illinois at Northwestern
Indiana at Michigan
Maryland at Penn State
Michigan State at Rutgers
Purdue at Nebraska
Wisconsin at Minnesota

Monday, January 31
Ohio State at Iowa

Thursday, February 3
Iowa at Wisconsin
Maryland at Michigan State
Michigan at Illinois
Minnesota at Indiana
Northwestern at Purdue
Penn State at Nebraska

Sunday, February 6
Illinois at Wisconsin
Iowa at Michigan
Michigan State at Minnesota
Nebraska at Maryland
Northwestern at Penn State
Purdue at Indiana

Monday, February 7
Rutgers at Ohio State

Wednesday, February 9
Wisconsin at Maryland
Penn State at Purdue

Thursday, February 10
Indiana at Illinois
Michigan at Michigan State
Minnesota at Iowa
Nebraska at Ohio State
Rutgers at Northwestern

Sunday, February 13
Michigan at Northwestern
Michigan State at Wisconsin
Penn State at Rutgers

Monday, February 14
Indiana at Nebraska
Maryland at Iowa
Ohio State at Illinois

Thursday, February 17
Illinois at Purdue
Nebraska at Penn State
Northwestern at Indiana
Ohio State at Maryland
Rutgers at Minnesota

Sunday, February 20
Iowa at Indiana
Maryland at Michigan
Minnesota at Nebraska
Purdue at Rutgers
Wisconsin at Ohio State

Monday, February 21
Penn State at Michigan State

Wednesday, February 23
Nebraska at Wisconsin

Thursday, February 24
Illinois at Minnesota
Iowa at Rutgers
Michigan State at Michigan
Purdue at Northwestern

Friday, February 25 or Saturday, February 26
Indiana at Maryland

Sunday, February 27
Michigan at Iowa
Minnesota at Penn State
Northwestern at Nebraska
Ohio State at Michigan State
Rutgers at Illinois
Wisconsin at Purdue

Wednesday-Sunday, March 2-6
Big Ten Tournament (Bankers Life Fieldhouse – Indianapolis, Ind.)