The Michigan women’s basketball team is 8-15 all time in the Big Ten Tournament and lost 68-50 to Indiana in the first round last year. The Wolverines hope to improve on that record Thursday at noon against Northwestern in the Big Ten Tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The tournament poses tough competition, with the Big Ten being possibly one of the most competitive conferences in women’s basketball this year.

The Daily outlines what Michigan must do to take on each Big Ten foe:

No. 10 Ohio State

The Buckeyes have officially won their sixth straight conference title and have beaten the Wolverines in their last 14 meetings. Michigan’s last win came Jan. 21, 2001. But the Wolverines kept it close in both contests this season. Michigan lost 59-56 on Jan. 3 in Columbus and 58-56 on Jan. 21 at Crisler Arena.

The biggest key to winning for the Wolverines will be shutting down Ohio State center Jantel Lavender. Lavender scored a total of 35 points in the last two matchups. She just recently was named the Big Ten Player of the Year for the third straight season and will look to dominate the glass. Lavender leads the conference in scoring. She averages 21 points a game. Lavender also leads the conference in defensive rebounds; she has collected 244 of them to date.

For Michigan to defeat the Buckeyes the Wolverine post players will have to step up and control Lavender in the paint.

No. 25 Michigan State

Michigan has not fared well against the Spartans recently. The Wolverines have lost in their last seven matchups. But if Michigan can defeat Northwestern in round one on Thursday, Michigan State will be its next target. The first matchup between the intra-state rivals this season was an 81-76 blowout in East Lansing on New Years Eve and most recently Michigan State won a 50-45 nail-biter in Ann Arbor on Feb. 11.

To upset the Spartans, Michigan senior center Krista Phillips has to come to the game. In the last matchup she put no points on the board. If Phillips can score this game she can pose huge problems for the Spartans. The Wolverines have won just eight conference games, and in only two of them did Phillips not score in double digits. Phillips’s production is critical to Michigan success.

For the Wolverines to be the Cinderella in this tournament, Phillips must find the glass slipper.

Iowa

The Hawkeyes have won eight of their last 10 games. But Michigan shouldn’t have too much to worry about. Iowa hasn’t faced an opponent in the top four of the conference besides Wisconsin since the first time they faced the Badgers on Dec. 31. And then, coincidentally, their winning streak began. Michigan has beaten the Hawkeyes twice this year. Michigan won at Carver Hawkeye Arena 54-51 in its Big Ten opener on Dec. 6 and the Wolverines ousted Iowa in Ann Arbor on Jan. 7, in a 63-46 contest.

For Michigan to win its third straight against the Hawkeyes, its starting five has to produce. In the last game four starters scored in double digits for Michigan. That included freshman guard Dayeesha Hollins, sophomore forward Carmen Reynolds, junior guard Veronica Hicks and Phillips. And in the first matchup, three of the starters scored in the doubles. The second time around it was Reynolds, Phillips and Hicks.

The third time won’t be a charm for Iowa as long as Michigan coach Kevin Borseth doesn’t have to rely on his bench for this game.

Wisconsin

On Jan. 10 Wisconsin beat Michigan 68-48 in Madison and on Feb. 21 the Badgers came to Crisler Arena and beat the Wolverines again, 73-61.

This is where Borseth’s infamous offensive-rebounds rant from two seasons ago should be taken into consideration. That post-game passion came after a loss to Wisconsin. To keep it close, the Wolverines must do exactly what coach said, “rebound.” In the first contest, Michigan was outrebounded 37-26, and the Badgers collected 11 offensive boards. Those second chances are something the Wolverines can’t allow if they expect to compete with Wisconsin.

Purdue

The Boilermakers have only squared off against the Wolverines once this year. Last Sunday, Michigan defeated Purdue 64-63 at Crisler Arena. And the Wolverines lead the series against the Boilermakers 47-13. So everything is in Michigan’s favor, right? No, actually not at all.