Young players make mark as tournament time arrives for offensive-minded Big Ten women's teams

Michigan State's Aerial Powers, right, shoots over Indiana's Taylor Agler during an NCAA college basketball game Sunday, March 2, 2014, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo/The Saginaw News, Tim Goessman) LOCAL TV OUT LOCAL INTERNET OUT (The Associated Press)

Purdue coach Sharon Versyp calls a play for her team during an NCAA college basketball game against Nebraska on Sunday, March 2, 2014, at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind. Purdue won 82-66. (AP Photo/Journal & Courier, Michael Heinz) NO SALES (The Associated Press)

The Big Ten women's basketball tournament starts Thursday in Indianapolis with four games.

Regular-season co-champions Penn State (22-6) and Michigan State (21-8), along with Nebraska (22-6) and Purdue (21-7), have earned the top four seeds for the second straight year.

Purdue, which has won six straight games, is the two-time defending champion. The Boilermakers have put together their longest win streak of the season, and the longest current streak in the Big Ten, without injured point guard KK Houser.

Indiana (18-11) plays Ohio State (15-17) in the tournament opener. Other games Thursday match Iowa (23-7) against Illinois (9-20), Michigan (17-12) against Northwestern (15-14) and Minnesota (19-11) against Wisconsin (10-18).