The final week of the women's basketball regular season is here before conference tournaments start.
Iowa's matchup against Ohio State on Sunday highlights this week's schedule. The Buckeyes beat the Hawkeyes 100-92 on Jan. 21. Caitlin Clark scored 45 points in that game, but Cotie McMahon had 33 for the Buckeyes. This could be Clark’s final home game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, too.
The Buckeyes likely will stay a No. 1 seed no matter what. Iowa needs this one to get back on that line – which could matter more in March. South Carolina, Stanford and Texas are our other No. 1 seeds for now.
This year's Final Four is April 5-7 at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland.
Each week, we will break down the NCAA women's basketball tournament field. A look at the latest Field of 68:
Last four in: Auburn, Texas A&M, Iowa State, Penn State
New to field: Temple, Toledo, Columbia, Auburn
Dropped out: North Texas, Ball State, Washington State, Vanderbilt
* - Projected automatic bid
NCAA women's tournament Field of 68 projections
No. 1 seeds
*South Carolina (27-0, 14-0 SEC)
The Gamecocks are the no-doubt No. 1 seed under Dawn Staley. Seven players have 8.0 points per game or more, and Kamilla Cardoso averages 14.1 points and 10.1 rebounds. Who is going to stop this team?
*Ohio State (24-3, 15-1 Big Ten)
The Buckeyes have won 13 in a row, and Jacy Sheldon leads the way with 17.9 points per game. The home finale at Michigan precedes Sunday's rematch with Iowa.
MORE: Ticket prices for Ohio State-Iowa rematch are sky-high
*Stanford (24-4, 13-3 Pac-12)
Stanford is tracking toward a No. 1 seed in Tara VanDerveer's 38th season with the team. A 68-61 loss to Arizona was a setback, but it was not enough to drop the Cardinal from this line heading into Thursday's game at Oregon State.
*Texas (26-3, 13-3 Big 12)
The Longhorns bump up to the top line. Texas has a Net ranking of No. 3, and they have won eight in a row since a 91-87 loss to Oklahoma on Jan. 24. Wednesday's rematch on the road will decide whether the Longhorns can get a split of the Big 12 championship.
No. 2 seeds
Iowa (24-4, 13-3 Big Ten)
Caitlin Clark leads the NCAA with 32.1 points per game, but the Hawkeyes lost 86-69 at Indiana. They close the season with a trip to Minnesota before Senior Day against Ohio State on March 3 – a game that could put Iowa back on the No. 1 line heading into the Big Ten tournament.
MORE: Caitlin Clark doesn't need JWill or Pistol Pete to define her greatness
Virginia Tech (23-4, 14-2 ACC)
The Hokies are looking to return to the Final Four, too, a story that gets lost in the other headlines. Virginia Tech has won 10 straight games heading into Thursday's road trip to Notre Dame.
*UConn (24-5, 16-0 Big East)
The Huskies have not lost in the Big East and bumped up to No. 2 in the Net Rankings. Paige Bueckers averages 20.5 ppg. Geno Auriemma has UConn playing well at the right time, too, with four straight victories.
UCLA (22-5, 11-5 Pac-12)
UCLA has a strong resume with nonconference victories against UConn and Ohio State, and they piled up two more wins against ranked teams in Colorado and Utah. The Bruins have a strong Net ranking at No. 5. That keeps them here for now.
No. 3 seeds
USC (21-5, 11-5 Pac-12)
JuJu Watkins is second in the NCAA with 28.2 points per game. The Trojans had a seven-game winning streak snapped against Utah, and it's a coin flip with this seed with rival UCLA in the Pac-12.
LSU (24-4, 11-3 SEC)
The Tigers are trending toward a No. 2 seed. LSU has won six in a row and closes the season with Georgia and Kentucky. Angel Reese has a double-double in all six victories. Will the committee bump them up with that national-championship reputation?
Oregon State (22-5, 11-5 Pac-12)
USC beat Oregon State 58-50 – which capped a stretch of four straight games against ranked teams. The Beavers could move up a line with a victory against Stanford on Thursday.
*NC State (23-5, 11-5 ACC)
The Wolfpack are hanging on after losses to North Carolina and Duke, but a Thursday game against Syracuse is a chance to reaffirm their place on this line.
No. 4 seeds
*Gonzaga (28-2, 15-0 West Coast Conference)
The Bulldogs have a Net ranking of No. 12, and Yvonne Ejim continues to dominate with 20.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. The Bulldogs would steal an at-large bid if the West Coast Conference tournament does not go according to plan.
Indiana (22-4, 13-3 Big Ten)
The Hoosiers are trending upward after an 86-69 victory against Iowa, and they close out the Big Ten regular season against Northwestern and Maryland.
Notre Dame (21-6, 11-5 ACC)
The Irish have the strength of schedule that includes nonconference victories against UConn and Tennessee, and Hannah Hidalgo (23.7 ppg.) can carry a tournament run. The Irish close the regular season with Virginia Tech and Louisville. A split would keep them on this line.
Kansas State (23-5, 12-4 Big 12)
The Wildcats are 4-4 in their last eight games, so this is a tenuous spot knowing the depth in the other power conferences. A sweep against Iowa State and Texas Tech this week would help. Remember, top 4 seeds get to host Rounds 1 and 2.
Rest of field
No. 5 seeds
Colorado (20-7, 10-6 Pac-12)
Syracuse (23-5, 13-4 ACC)
Utah (20-8, 10-6 Pac-12)
Baylor (21-6, 10-6 Big 12)
No. 6 seeds
Louisville (22-7, 11-5 ACC)
Duke (18-9, 10-6 ACC)
Oklahoma (20-7, 14-2 Big 12)
Creighton (22-4, 13-3 Big East)
No. 7 seeds
West Virginia (22-5, 11-5 Big 12)
Michigan State (20-7, 10-6 Big Ten)
North Carolina (18-10, 10-6 ACC)
*UNLV (24-2, 14-1 Mountain West)
No. 8 seeds
Florida State (20-8, 11-5 ACC)
Alabama (21-8, 8-6 SEC)
Nebraska (19-9, 11-6 Big Ten)
Ole Miss (20-7, 10-4 SEC)
No. 9 seeds
Marquette (21-6, 10-6 Big East)
Princeton (20-4, 10-1 Ivy)
Mississippi State (20-9, 7-7 SEC)
Green Bay (23-5, 16-2 Horizon)
No. 10 seeds
*Middle Tennessee State (23-4, 13-0 C-USA)
Miami, Fla. (17-10, 7-9 ACC)
Tennessee (16-10, 9-5 SEC)
Michigan (17-11, 8-8 Big Ten)
No. 11 seeds
Maryland (16-11, 8-8 Big Ten)
*Columbia (19-5, 10-1 Ivy)
**Auburn (17-10, 6-8 SEC)
**Texas A&M (18-9, 6-8 SEC)
**Iowa State (16-10, 10-6 Big 12)
**Penn State (16-11, 7-9 Big Ten)
No. 12 seeds
*Richmond (24-5, 14-2 Atlantic 10)
*Florida Gulf Coast (24-4, 14-0 Atlantic Sun)
*South Dakota State (22-5, 14-0 Summit)
*Toledo (21-4, 13-1 MAC)
No. 13 seeds
*Stony Brook (21-3, 11-2 CAA)
*Drake (22-5, 15-1 MVC)
*Cleveland State (25-4, 16-2 Horizon)
*Fairfield (24-1, 16-0 MAAC)
No. 14 seeds
*Chattanooga (23-4, 11-1 Southern)
*Marshall (21-6, 15-1 Sun Belt)
*Grand Canyon (23-5, 15-2 WAC)
*Temple (17-10, 11-4 AAC)
No. 15 seeds
*Jackson State (19-6, 14-0 SWAC)
*Norfolk State (21-5, 10-1 MEAC)
*Northern Arizona (20-8, 12-3 Big Sky)
*Hawaii (16-9, 13-3 Big West)
No. 16 seeds
*Lamar (20-5, 14-1 Southland)
*Albany (23-4, 12-2 America East)
**Southern Indiana (20-6, 15-1 OVC)
**Holy Cross (16-10, 10-5 Patriot)
**Sacred Heart (18-9, 12-1 Northeast)
**High Point (17-10, 12-2 Big South)