The Terps and Nittany Lions meet for the second time this season.
After a week-long hiatus, Maryland women’s basketball returns College Park riding a two-game win streak.
Now at 6-7 in Big Ten play, Maryland will turn its attention to Penn State, which defeated it by 36 on Jan. 28.
Sunday’s game will begin at 1 p.m. and stream on Big Ten Plus.
What happened last time
Penn State was the aggressor out of the gate when the teams last met, jumping out to a nine-point lead after the first quarter. Maryland trailed by as many as 14 points in the first half. But behind a solo 8-0 run by Bri McDaniel in the second quarter, which included two three-pointers, the Terps were able to cut the Lady Lions’ lead down to four.
In the second half, Maryland fell apart. Late in the third quarter, the Lady Lions connected on 10 straight shots and expanded its lead to 20.
Head coach Brenda Frese attributed some of the game’s struggles to the team’s fatigue building up as Penn State increased its defensive pressure. Despite 21 points from Jakia Brown-Turner, the Terps could not contain Penn State’s offense.
Former Maryland guard Ashley Owusu put forth a well-rounded and dominant performance, notching 16 points, six rebounds and seven assists.Makenna Marisa that led the Lady Lions in scoring with 24 points.
Ultimately, the Terps fell 112-76.
What’s happened since
Maryland faced the toughest part of its schedule after the loss, having to take on then-No. 10 Indiana and -No. 3 Iowa. Despite dropping both matches, there were some positives to be taken away from the performances, more so against the Hawkeyes.
In front of a sold-out XFINITY Center, the Terps trailed by 16 at the half, but valiantly fought back in the second half to take the lead. Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes pulled away in the fourth quarter, however. McDaniel once again was outstanding for Maryland, finishing with 22 points.
Maryland then bounced back with wins over Rutgers and Illinois.
Meanwhile, Penn State is in a slump. After defeating Minnesota, 80-64, the Lady Lions have lost four straight contests. Those results included an 18-point loss to 2 Iowa and a 15-point loss to Illinois.
Three things to watch
1. The Terps look for revenge. Sunday’s game should serve as a barometer for how much the Terps have improved since their 112-76 loss at Penn State. It’s a fair assessment, too, considering improvement is an essential part of this portion of the season.
2. Penn State is struggling. Not only are the Lady Lions on a four-game skid, they have weaknesses that the Terps could greatly benefit from exploiting. They’ve totaled 423 turnovers on the season, which is the third most in the Big Ten. At the same time, the Terps have been impressive on the fast break this season, consistently looking to push the pace.
If Maryland can effectively trap and force Penn State into mistake-prone basketball, it will only further advantage itself.
3. How will the Terps guard Ashley Owusu? Owusu isn’t just an impressive scorer, and that’s what makes her even harder to guard. Frese has been hesitant to send double-teams this season — even against Caitlin Clark — but it’s definitely worth looking out for with the former Terp back in College Park.