The Iowa women’s basketball team has surprised me over the past couple weeks.

After going most of the season with zero wins over Associated Press Top 25 teams, Iowa took down ranked Indiana twice in a row on Feb. 19 and 21.

Now, with victories over the then-No. 5 and No. 10 team in the country, the Hawkeyes have clinched a double-bye in the 2022 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament in Indianapolis this weekend.

But I still don’t think the Hawkeyes have the chops to win the Big Ten Tournament title.

Indiana lost four of its last five games of the 2021-22 regular season to be the No. 5 seed in the Big Ten Tournament — losing out on the double-bye. For a team that was ranked as high as No. 4 in the nation this season, it was a lackluster ending.

The Hoosiers, who average 72.7 points a game this season, will come into the postseason with a vengeance. Indiana was projected to be a top-four seed in the NCAA Tournament, set to host the first two rounds.

If they don’t perform well, they’ll lose their hosting spot. Indiana has everything to lose, and nothing to gain. Iowa will also have to contend with No. 6 Michigan, who has stayed near the top 10 all season.

I just don’t believe that the Hawkeyes’ defensive abilities can keep up with the Hoosiers and the Wolverines. Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder said that the Hawkeyes are an offense-minded team, but Iowa’s defense ranks 308th out of 348 Division I teams, allowing 71.3 points per game.

Although the Hawkeyes average 84.7 points per game, there will be a team that comes along to score more points against Iowa’s listless defense. Whether it be against Indiana, Michigan, or another top Big Ten women’s basketball team, I think that time will come in the conference tournament championship game.

No. 21 Iowa women’s basketball has picked up steam over the last week with two consecutive top-10 wins over Indiana on Feb. 19 and 21.

For that reason, I think the Hawkeyes will climb the mountain and win the 2022 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament this upcoming weekend in Indianapolis.

Iowa also boasts two elite scorers in sophomore guard Caitlin Clark and senior center Monika Czinano.

Clark is a superstar. When a team has a player with the prowess of Clark, odds swing in their favor down the stretch in March. Clark leads the country in scoring, averaging 27.1 points per game.

Czinano has been consistent her whole career for the Hawkeyes and is the thunder to Clark’s lighting.

This season, Czinano is averaging a career-best 20.8 points, and making 66.3 percent of her shots as the anchor in the middle for head coach Lisa Bluder’s squad.

The Hawkeyes have proven that they can compete with any Big Ten opponent this season, and after clinching the double-bye after defeating Rutgers, the sky’s the limit.

With one of the nation’s best offenses seeming to find its stride at the perfect moment, Iowa will be a tough out in the Big Ten Tournament. The Hawkeyes will prove that a great offense can swarm even the best defenses on their way to a Big Ten Tournament title.