Iowa Shouldn't Fear UConn in Champions Classic

There's a case for the Cyclones being ranked much higher than No. 10, but that's not a discussion to be had at this point in time. Baylor, who was No. 7 when Iowa beat them earlier in the year, is still in the Top 15 despite getting embarrassed by No. 2 Texas.

It's clear there's levels to women's basketball, and UConn is head and shoulders above the rest. There's a case to be made for Texas being ranked No. 1, but the Top 10 has mostly held their ground for these first few weeks.

UConn already has wins over No. 20 Louisville, No. 6 Michigan, and the No. 16 Trojans. The Cardinals now sit at No. 16, the Wolverines have stayed put, and UConn's win over USC dropped them three spots. Either way, the Huskies have three ranked wins in their first 10 games.

Iowa's Toughest Challenge Yet

It's hard to pick a much tougher opponent than UConn. Looking at the Top 25, the Huskies have already beaten a trio of teams as they look to make it four on December 20. Before UConn heads to the Barclays Center, they'll host Marquette on December 17. ESPN Analytics doesn't give the Golden Eagles much of a chance (1.0%), but they are giving Iowa less than a 9% chance as well.

UConn will likely run through Marquette and have all the momentum in the world heading into the Champions Classic. They have three players averaging triple digits, but there's no doubt Iowa will be the fresher team. Going a full week without a game could either benefit them or hurt them, but if there's ever a team to have a week to prepare for, it's UConn.