Look for Iowa State's experience to take the Cyclones far next season.
theathletic.com
1. South Carolina
2. Connecticut
3. Stanford
4. Iowa
5. Iowa State
6. Texas
7. Notre Dame
8. Tennessee
9. Maryland
10. North Carolina
11. Oklahoma
12. Virginia Tech
13. UCLA
14. Louisville
15. North Carolina State
16. Kansas State
17. Ohio State
18. Arizona
19. Belmont
20. Indiana
21. Kansas
22. Creighton
23. Michigan
24. Oregon
25. Oregon State
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4. Iowa
Key Departures: None
Top Returnees: Caitlin Clark (6-0, guard, JR); Monika Czinano (6-3, center, SR); McKenna Warnock (6-1, forward, SR); Kate Martin (6-0, guard, SR); Gabbie Marshall (5-9, guard, SR)
Incoming: Hannah Stuelke (6-2, wing, No. 45); Jada Gyamfi (6-1, forward, No. 76); Taylor McCabe (5-9, guard, No. 89)
The reigning Big Ten champs ran out of steam in the NCAA Tournament, but every starter returns thanks to Czinano deciding to use her bonus year of eligibility for a super senior season. Clark will, again, be the star, but the Hawkeyes will need to use this offseason to make sure others around her can take the scoring pressures off her. Iowa is at its best when Czinano can get going in the paint and another player (or two) outside of Clark can be a consistent weapon from range. In the third year of this starting unit playing together, perhaps this is the time when everything really comes together.
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9. Maryland
Key departures: Ashley Owusu, 6-0 point guard (transfer); Katie Benzan, 5-6 guard; Chloe Bibby, 6-2 forward; Channise Lewis, 5-8 guard (transfer); Tai Koslova, 6-1 guard (transfer)
Top returnees: Angel Reese, 6-3 forward, junior; Diamond Miller, 6-3 guard, senior; Shyanne Sellers, 6-2 guard, sophomore
Incoming: Mila Reynolds, 6-2 guard (No. 60); Lavender Briggs, 6-1 guard, redshirt junior (mid-season transfer from Florida with two seasons of eligibility remaining)
With Owusu entering the transfer portal, there are now questions about how this offense-driven team will function. The good news for the Terps: If Reese and Miller stay healthy, they can power an offense that might function even if the point guard is only good, not great. Plus, Sellers’ growth during her freshman season was impressive, and she could become one of the Big Ten’s best perimeter defenders next year. Adding Briggs, who averaged 16 points a game in 61 games at Florida while shooting 40 percent, gives the Terrapins another dynamic scorer who has an ability to distribute. Still, Brenda Frese will need to find that point guard; without one on the roster or in the recruiting class, perhaps we’ll see her turn to the portal.
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17. Ohio State
Key departures: Braxtin Miller, 5-11 guard
Top returnees: Taylor Mikesell, 5-11 guard; Jacy Sheldon, 5-10 point guard, senior; Rebeka Mikuláśiková, senior; Madison Greene, 5-8 guard, senior
Incoming: Cotie McMahon, 5-11 wing
With the return of Greene, who only played 15 games in 2021-22 before suffering a season-ending injury, this again will be a very guard-driven team. With Sheldon as a scoring point (4.2 assists per game, 19.7 points per game) and targets in Mikesell (18.6 points per game, 48 percent 3-point shooter) and Greene, the Buckeyes will make some noise in the Big Ten.
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20. Indiana
Key Departures: Ali Patberg, 5-11 guard; Nicole Cardaño-Hillary, 5-6 guard; Aleksa Gulbe, 6-3 forward
Top returnees: Grace Berger, 6-0 guard, fifth year; Mackenzie Holmes, 6-3 forward, senior; Chloe Moore-McNeil, 5-11 guard, junior
Incoming: Lexus Bargesser, 5-8 guard
The Hoosiers lose three starters off their Sweet 16 team, but Berger and Holmes are enough to build around, especially in a Big Ten that will be seeing some transitioning rosters at the top. Could Teri Moren turn to the transfer portal to add more depth, given her starting unit won’t be as experienced from one through five this season?
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23. Michigan
Key Departures: Naz Hillmon, 6-2 forward; Danielle Rauch, 5-8 point guard; Emily Kiser, 6-3 forward
Top returnees: Leigha Brown, 6-1 guard, fifth year; Maddie Nolan, 5-11 guard, senior; Laila Phelia, 6-0 guard, sophomore
Incoming: Alyssa Crockett, 6-1 forward; Kate Clarke, 6-0 guard
The Wolverines will need to learn how to win in a different way without their rebounding juggernaut of Hillmon in the paint. With Brown back and the way Phelia grew throughout this season, Kim Barnes Arico has plenty of talent with which to work.