Fresh off an upset win in the quarterfinals, the Terps look to keep their momentum rolling against the Cornhuskers.
Survive and advance. That’s what No. 8-seed Maryland women’s basketball has done thus far in the Big Ten Tournament. After a dominant upset victory over No. 1-seed Ohio State in the quarterfinals, the Terps all but locked up a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Now, they turn their attention to another red-hot team in the semifinals: No. 5-seed Nebraska.
The winner of Saturday’s semifinal will take on either Iowa or Michigan in the conference championship game on Sunday.
Game information
When: Saturday, March 9, 2 p.m. ET
TV: Big Ten Network
Streaming: FOX Sports
How they got here
No. 8-seed Maryland Terrapins (19-12, 11-9 Big Ten)
Before their Friday encounter with Ohio State, the Terps were 0-8 against ranked opponents. However, they showcased the unpredictable nature of March basketball, where the dynamics shift dramatically from the regular season, easily defeating the Buckeyes, 82-61.
The Terps jumped out to a lead in the second quarter and never relinquished it, dominating the Buckeyes on both ends of the floor. Shyanne Sellers and Jakia Brown-Turner scored a combined 44 points, and Faith Masonius stepped up with one of her best games of the year, posting 15 points and 11 boards.
No. 5-seed Nebraska Cornhuskers (21-10, 13-7 Big Ten)
The Cornhuskers are just as scorching as the Terps. In their first-round matchup, they defeated Purdue, 64-56. In the quarterfinals, they took care of business against No. 4-seed Michigan State by a score of 73-61.
They trailed by one after 10 minutes, but quickly picked up the pace, holding the Spartans to seven points in the second quarter. Nebraska then outscored Michigan State by 13 points in the third frame.
Alexis Markowski led the way, scoring 22 points and bringing down 12 boards. Jaz Shelley also impressed, chipping in 17 points off the bench.
Nebraska enjoyed a fruitful regular season, too, racking up 19 wins, including a convincing win over then-No. 2 Iowa. It had just 18 total wins last season.
What happened last time
It was a close duel the last time these two programs faced off, with Nebraska emerging victorious, 87-81.
Lavender Briggs had a spectacular night, scoring a Maryland career-high 25 points in her return from injury, shooting 11-of-17 from the floor. But, Briggs is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.
Down 10 points heading into the final quarter, the Terps brought themselves back to within three on multiple occasions but couldn’t knot the score. Markowski led the Cornhuskers in scoring with 20 points.
Three things to watch
1. Can the Terps sustain their energy? Three games in as many days is no easy task, even for a well-conditioned team. This is especially true for the Terps, who are operating with a seven-player rotation.
2. Starting fast. Facing Illinois, the Terps found themselves trailing by 14 points but rallied for the victory. However, relying on such comebacks isn’t a sustainable winning strategy. It’s crucial for the Terps to establish an early lead and find their rhythm, similar to how they performed against Ohio State.
3. Can the Terps stop Markowski? Markowski was Maryland’s toughest task when the two teams played earlier this season, and she just had a stellar performance against Michigan State. Given her size at 6-foot-3, it will be interesting to see how Maryland head coach Brenda Frese plans to match up against her in the paint.