Beginning five: Iowa’s Caitlin Clark tries to keep her team’s perfect Big Ten record against Ohio State.

How has January already dragged on for a few weeks? The year is going by quickly, and before we know it, March Madness will arrive. Are you prepared to do it?

So far this season, women’s college basketball has been incredibly captivating. In conference play, we have ranked teams attempting to hang on for dear life, unranked teams striving to make an impression, and a generational player in Caitlin Clark who is on track to shatter the scoring record.

This weekend’s events feature one of the greatest college basketball coaches in history breaking a significant record, Clark getting closer to breaking the scoring record, and two of the nation’s best conferences—the ACC and Pac-12—hosting games with significant postseason implications.

Two teams that have a real chance to be the top seeds will play in Boulder in a match that may be a preview of the conference tournament championship game. With a physical opponent, an energetic crowd, and an elevation of 5,430 feet, the CU Events Center may be the hardest place to play in the Pac-12. The difference may come in the paint because UCLA guards Kiki Rice (12.9 points) and Londynn Jones (13.3 points) can’t keep up with Buffs point guard Jaylyn Sherrod (13.8 points, 2.6 steals). If UCLA is going to steal a road victory, look for Bruins sophomore post player Lauren Betts (15.6 points, 8.6 rebounds) to have a big game.