Notre Dame faces high expectations

Before the first game is played, Notre Dame is regarded as the fourth-best women’s team in college basketball. But how will the Irish integrate the nation’s No. 1 high school player?

Purdue is coming off its second Elite Eight appearance in the past three seasons, but how will sophomore Brittany Rayburn respond to being the Boilermakers’ best player?

Indiana has a talented but inexperienced roster. Can the Hoosiers produce a third consecutive 20-win season?

And what of Butler, a Women’s NIT participant last season, and IUPUI?

Good questions all. Answers follow.

1. Will Skylar Diggins help make Notre Dame a title contender?

Coach Muffet McGraw had depth and talent before Diggins arrived from South Bend Washington. All 12 letter-winners return from the 22-9 team that earned the program’s 14th consecutive NCAA Tournament berth last season.

Diggins not only was the Indianapolis Star Indiana Miss Basketball, she was the Gatorade National High School Female Athlete of the Year after appearing in four consecutive state championship games.

As her high school averages suggest, Diggins can do it all: a state-best 29.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 5.4 steals as part of a four-year record of 102-7.

2. Can Purdue remain nationally relevant with a squad that doesn’t return a double-figure scorer?

Only two starters return from the 25-11 team that reached the Elite Eight, but neither senior was a scoring threat. Fahkara Malone averaged 7.8 points, Jodi Howell 7.4.

Rayburn, who like Howell was an Indiana Miss Basketball, will be thrust into a prominent role as the team’s leading returning scorer (9.8 points).

Only 32.8 points return from last year’s squad.

3. Will IU benefit from speed?

The Hoosiers have quickness throughout their roster, beginning with “Little” Whitney Lindsay, a junior who has run a 4.64-second 40-yard dash. (She got her nickname because former standout Whitney Thomas was much larger.)

Sasha Bernard is a flashy freshman point guard from Delray Beach, Fla., and Jamie Braun (12.7 points) and Jori Davis give IU (21-11 last year) a strong three-guard lineup.

Junior college transfer Hope Elam (21.2 points and 11 rebounds per game at Vincennes) will be a target on the inside.

4. Can Butler fulfill higher expectations? Can IUPUI rebuild?

Butler (20-12, 14-4 Horizon) returns four starters and four of its top five scorers. Senior forward Susan Lester drew a spot on the preseason all-conference squad, but she’s No. 2 among the team’s returning scorers at 10.2 points last season. Junior guard Brittany Bowen averaged 10.9 points on 40.5 percent 3-point shooting.

Senior center Julie Whitted is the only returning full-time starter for IUPUI (16-15, 10-8 Summit), and there are only four returning players in all. Whitted, who is 6-5, was second on the team last season at 13.8 points and 8.4 rebounds.

5. Which Big Ten team is most likely to win the conference tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse in March?

It’s a two-horse race with only one thoroughbred. Third-ranked Ohio State is the class of the field, led by the reigning Player of the Year and a certain first-round WNBA draft pick in junior center Jantel Lavender (20.8 points and 10.7 rebounds).

The Buckeyes (29-6) are seeking their sixth consecutive league title and their first NCAA crown. Sophomore guard Samantha Prahalis joined Lavender on the conference’s preseason first team. Michigan State returns all five starters from its 22-11 team but is playing for second at this point.

BIG TEN WOMEN

A look at how the women’s basketball teams were predicted to finish in the Big Ten this season according to the media, with last year’s overall and league records, plus an assessment from The Star’s Curt Cavin:

1. Ohio State (29-6, 15-3): The Buckeyes are the hands-down favorites to win a sixth consecutive league crown. Jantel Lavender (19.3 career scoring average) returns as Big Ten Player of the Year.

2. Michigan State (22-11, 13-5): The best of the Spartans’ five returning starters is 6-9 center Allyssa DeHaan , who is on pace to set NCAA records for blocks in a career.

3. Purdue (25-11, 13-5): Boilermakers looking to at least return to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for the third time in four seasons.

4. Minnesota (20-12, 11-7): Gophers, who reached second round of NCAA Tournament last season, are picked to finish ahead of Purdue in the poll of the coaches.

5. Iowa (21-11, 13-5): Hawkeyes could finish as high as third or as low as sixth in a very competitive second tier behind Ohio State and Michigan State.

6. Illinois (10-21, 5-13): Illini were the worst-shooting conference team last season, and are counting on senior Jenna Smith to lift them.

7. Wisconsin (19-15, 6-12): Seventh is where the Badgers finished last season, where the coaches have them picked and probably where they’ll finish.

8. Penn State (11-18, 6-12): Senior forward Tyra Grant (15.9 career scoring average) is a preseason all-conference choice, but she needs help if the Nittany Lions are to improve.

9. Indiana (21-11, 11-7): The Hoosiers are young, but this is not where a program with consecutive 20-win seasons wants to be — or probably will be.

10. Northwestern (7-23, 3-15): This was the Big Ten team with the worst record last season; league coaches think Wildcats could finish eighth.

11. Michigan (10-20, 3-15): Outside of Ann Arbor, there doesn’t seem to be anyone willing to say the Wolverines will be better than this.