The Big Ten schedule for Indiana women’s basketball’s 2026-27 season just hit the wires, and if you follow college hoops, you know this is a squad fighting to bounce back after missing the NCAA Tournament last year. That was the first time since 2018 they missed the big dance, so you know Teri Moren and the staff were busy reloading through the transfer portal, keeping key talent, and bringing in one of the nation’s top freshman classes, even with Zoe Jackson out due to injury. There’s a lot riding on this season, and a few games in particular are gonna tell the tale.
SoCal Powerhouses Head East
Get ready for some serious home court advantage because Indiana is set to host UCLA and USC. Last season, Indiana made the trip out west and got absolutely clobbered, going 0-2 against the eventual national champs in UCLA and a USC team that was missing superstar JuJu Watkins all season with an ACL tear. This year, the Bruins are coming to Bloomington looking to defend their Big Ten and national crowns. They lost Lauren Betts, yeah, but you know their transfer portal haul will keep them dangerous. Then there’s USC, bringing back Watkins, leading scorer Jazzy Davidson, 2026’s No. 1 prospect Saniyah Hall, and a pair of five-star freshman forwards. These are massive games early on, and if Assembly Hall is rocking like it usually does, Indiana has to take advantage.
The Pacific Northwest Road Trip Is the Real Shocker
Here’s where it gets interesting for us here in Seattle. With no SoCal trip this time around, Indiana is taking a tour up north in February, hitting Seattle and Eugene. Conference programs are doing these west coast swings every year now. Last time Indiana was in the Emerald City, they handled Washington. But this isn’t that same Huskies team, not at all! This is a different beast, fresh off its best season in years with a ton of that talent returning. They’re gonna pose a real challenge this time around. Plus, Indiana gets to say hello to program great Mackenzie Holmes, who’s still tearing it up with our very own Seattle Storm. Oregon’s also on that trip, in a similar spot to Indiana after falling in recent years, but they did make the NCAA Tournament last season.
January’s Road Grind
Right in the middle of conference play, January brings a mixed bag of a three-game road slate for Indiana. First up is Penn State, who Indiana blew out to close last season, with the Lions slipping to 4-14 in Big Ten play. That should be manageable. But after a pretty substantial break, things get trickier. They head to Iowa City to face Iowa, and Jan Jensen always has that squad ready.
This season is all about proving they belong back in the NCAA Tournament, and that February trip to the Emerald City against a surging Huskies team might just be the pivot point. Can they conquer the West Coast challenge and show the Big Ten they’re back? We’ll be watching.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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