Bracket Breakdown: Hawkeyes Are 3 Seed

There wasn't a lot on the line for the Iowa women's basketball team in Sunday's game at Rutgers when it came to seeding the Big Ten tournament.

The Hawkeyes were already locked into nothing worse than the 3 seed, and the only way they could get to a 2 would have been with a win over the Scarlet Knights and a Maryland loss to Minnesota.

Iowa made the second part moot with a 78-74 overtime loss, meaning the Hawkeyes (23-6 overall, 14-4 Big Ten) will have some late nights in Indianapolis next weekend.

Their side of the bracket, though, is somewhat favorable. The Hawkeyes went 6-2 against teams they could face in Friday's 8 p.m. (CST) quarterfinal and Saturday's 8 p.m. semifinal.

Czinano. AND 1! #Hawkeyes #FightForIowa pic.twitter.com/jtDvvYgTYs
— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) March 1, 2020

Iowa would get the winner of Thursday's second-round game between sixth seed Ohio State and either 11th seed Minnesota or 14th seed Penn State. The Hawkeyes' last two home wins of the regular season were a 90-82 victory over Minnesota and a 100-57 win over Penn State. Iowa defeated Minnesota, 76-75, earlier in the season on the road.

Iowa and Ohio State played just once this season, a 77-68 win in Iowa City on Jan. 23.

The semifinal matchup would be either No. 2 seed Northwestern, No. 7 seed Michigan and No. 10 seed Nebraska.

Iowa and Northwestern played just once this season, a 77-51 victory by the Hawkeyes on Jan. 5.

Two of the Hawkeyes' losses in Big Ten play came to Michigan and Nebraska, both on the road. Iowa lost at Michigan, 78-63, on Feb. 2, a game that knocked the Hawkeyes out of sole possession of the Big Ten lead. The Hawkeyes lost at Nebraska, 78-69, to open conference play, but defeated the Huskers, 76-60, on Feb. 6 in Iowa City.

Iowa is the defending Big Ten tournament champion. The Hawkeyes beat Indiana, Rutgers, and Maryland on the way to last season's title.

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