The Terps and Scarlet Knights face off on Wednesday for the second time this season.
Riding a three-game win streak, Maryland women’s basketball will be back at home to take on Rutgers with just a few days rest.
The Terps, who brought their conference record back to .500 by beating Penn State on Sunday, defeated Rutgers on the road two weeks ago, 67-59.
Wednesday’s game will tip off at 7 p.m. and stream on Big Ten Plus.
What happened last time
Coming into its first game against Rutgers on a four-game losing streak, Maryland was neck-and-neck with the Scarlet Knights during the first quarter. Shots weren’t falling either, as Maryland shot 35% from the field in the first half. But the Terps’ defense was able to keep them in it, going into halftime up nine.
Ultimately, the game came down to the fourth quarter. Rutgers managed to cut what had been a 13-point deficit at the beginning of the quarter to just a three-point deficit with two minutes to go, but the Terps held the Scarlet Knights to zero points for the rest of the game to seal a 67-59 win.
Shyanne Sellers finished with 16 points and four assists, Bri McDaniel had 14 points and three steals and Jakia Brown-Turner put up 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Rutgers guard Destiny Adams recorded 22 points, eight rebounds, four steals and two blocks.
What’s happened since
Maryland’s game against Rutgers may have only been two weeks ago, but the Terps have been on a roll since. They have played twice, beating both Illinois and Penn State in convincing fashion.
After beating the Fighting Illini at home, Maryland traveled to Urbana-Champaign and did more of the same, beating Illinois, 69-53. Both Sellers and Brown-Turner had a double double, while Lavender Briggs and Allie Kubek combined for 28 points off the bench.
The Terps then looked to avenge a 36-point loss to Penn State earlier in the season and did so with authority. A dominant third quarter by Brown-Turner gave Maryland a lead it wouldn’t relinquish, as it won, 77-62. Brown-Turner finished with a career-high 32 points on her senior day.
On the other side, Rutgers continued its rough season but did have one bright spot. The Scarlet Knights lost to Michigan by 28 points and fell to Wisconsin at home by 18. However, they managed to secure their second conference win of the season in a victory over Minnesota, 81-73.
Three things to watch
1. Sellers is back to her best. Having fought through injury and consistency issues this season, Maryland’s leading scorer is back on top of her game. While her scoring has taken a dip, she’s had seven or more rebounds in three of her last four games and eight or more assists in two of her last four games. Last game she fell just one assist and rebound shy of a triple-double.
2. Brown-Turner’s scoring. Sunday’s performance by Brown-Turner wasn’t a fluke. After not scoring more than 20 points in her first 16 games, she’s done so in six of her last eight appearances.
3. Significant NCAA Tournament implications. Before playing Penn State, Maryland was the first team out of the NCAA Tournament according to ESPN’s bracket projection. The Terps have just four regular-season games left, with two of those opponents being ranked.