The Terps look to snap a two-game losing streak.
In the midst of a two-game losing streak and with its star player’s status in doubt, Maryland women’s basketball faces the start of a grueling homestand.
During Sunday’s humiliating 102-76 loss to Penn State, guard Shyanne Sellers suffered a knee injury, with a team spokesperson noting her as day-to-day. The 102 points the Lady Lions scored also marked only the second time in the Brenda Frese era an opposing team scored over 100 points.
Up next for the struggling Terps: No. 10 Indiana.
The pivotal game is set for Wednesday at 7 p.m. and will stream on Peacock.
No. 10 Indiana Hoosiers (17-2, 8-1 Big Ten)
2022-23 record: 28-4, 16-2 Big Ten
Under head coach Teri Moren’s leadership the past 10 seasons, Indiana has seen remarkable success. Coupled with eight consecutive 20-win seasons, Moren has led Indiana to five NCAA Tournament berths and two Sweet Sixteen appearances — including an Elite Eight showing in 2021.
The Hoosiers, justifiably holding their No. 10 ranking, have just two losses this season, both to formidable opponents. However, each came in convincing fashion, losing by 32 to Stanford and 27 to Iowa.
Players to know
Mackenzie Holmes, graduate forward, 6-foot-3, No. 54 — Holmes isn’t just Indiana’s standout player — she sits among the top players nationally. Boasting averages of 20.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, she also leads Indiana with 28 blocks.
Sara Scalia, senior guard, 5-foot-10, No. 14 — Last year, Scalia earned an All-Big Ten honorable mention, and her level of play has been elevated this season. A 3-point specialist, Scalia is hitting triples at a clip of nearly 50% while averaging over 15 points per game.
Yarden Garzon, sophomore guard, 6-foot-3, No. 12 — Garzon offers exceptional size as a guard and is a threat on both ends of the floor. Averaging 11.6 points per game and shooting over 46% from three, she is also second on the team in both assists and blocks.
Strength
Shooting. Not many teams can rival the Hoosiers’ shooting ability, and it’s largely because of the aforementioned Holmes. She herself is shooting a whopping 67.4% from the field, and the Hoosiers lead the Big Ten in field goal percentage with a clip of over 50%.
Weakness
Rebounding. Considering its size, Indiana has surprisingly struggled to rebound. It ranks 12th in the conference in total rebounds and last in offensive rebounds per game (7.9).
Three things to watch
1. Sellers’ status. Maryland can ill-afford to be without Sellers with back-to-back games against Indiana and No. 3 Iowa on its schedule. The team’s depth is already in question, and its chances in either game would be slim without its star guard.
If Sellers can’t go, that would also bring about serious questions as to who would be the secondary ball-handler. Could Bri McDaniel initiate offense by herself?
2. Rebounding battle. The Terps have a chance to capitalize on one of Indiana’s few weaknesses. Earning second-chance opportunities may be one of their only paths to winning Wednesday’s matchup.
3. How will the Terps contain Holmes? Allie Kubek will most likely have the primary assignment on Holmes, but the Terps have also shown a tendency to play a number of different zone defenses this season. If they try to constantly double-team Holmes in the paint, that will leave Indiana’s deadly shooters open on the perimeter.