The Terps look to bounce back after their first loss of the season.
Maryland women’s basketball will be tasked with an unfamiliar assignment Saturday afternoon: bouncing back from a tough loss.
After suffering defeat in a thrilling game against No. 4 USC, 79-74, the Terps will make the trip to Madison, Wisconsin, for what should be a get-right game against a struggling Wisconsin squad.
The game will tip-off at 2:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network.
Wisconsin Badgers (10-6, 1-4 Big Ten)
2023-24: 15-17, 6-12 Big Ten
Despite being a perennial contender in men’s hoops, Wisconsin has been a bottom-dweller in the Big Ten for years on the women’s side.
The Badgers are struggling once again in 2024-25, suffering losses to South Dakota State and San Diego State in nonconference play. They won their first Big Ten game of the season against Rutgers, but have since lost four straight to unranked conference opponents since.
Players to watch
Serah Williams, junior forward, 6-foot-4, No. 25 — Williams has been a star for Wisconsin in her three seasons with the Badgers. The Brooklyn native is averaging a double-double for the second straight season, with 18.2 points per game and 11.6 rebounds per game. She also averages 2.5 assists per game and the fourth-most blocks per game (2.8) in the country. Last season, Williams was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and named to the Big Ten first team.
Carter McCray, sophomore center, 6-foot-1, No. 1 — McCray is listed as Wisconsin’s center despite being three inches shorter than Williams. She ranks second on the team with 10 points per game and 6.9 rebounds per game. She is in her first season with the Badgers after transferring from Northern Kentucky, where she was the Horizon League Freshman of the Year and All-Horizon League second-team selection.
Ronnie Porter, junior guard, 5-foot-4, No. 13 — Porter is Wisconsin’s point guard and the shortest player on the team. She is in her third season with the Badgers and her second as a full time starter. This season, Porter is averaging 10 points, 4.8 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game, along with 1.9 steals per game. Last season, she was an All-Big Ten honorable mention.
Strength
Defensive discipline. The Badgers have been called for fewer fouls than almost anyone in the Big Ten, just under 14 times a game. Maryland has lived at the line, shooting the second most free throws in the conference, but it may get fewer chances at the charity stripe than it is used to.
Weakness
Offense. At 65.6 points per game, no team in the Big Ten has been less effective offensively than Wisconsin. It won’t be in for an easy time against Maryland, who has bolstered a solid defensive unit. The Badgers struggle to find reliable scoring options outside of Williams, who will likely receive plenty of double teams in the low post.
Three things to watch
1. How will the Terps bounce back from a loss? The Terps lost their first game of the season Wednesday after starting 14-0. This is the first time they will require a bounce-back effort, and it’s yet to be seen how Maryland will react on the road in Madison.
2. Can Shyanne Sellers keep up her hot stretch? Sellers has been on a tear as of late, scoring 17 or more points in each of her past three games. Sellers has been a primarily used as a facilitator this season, and it should be interesting to see if she keeps attacking on the scoring end Saturday.
3. Will Maryland recover on the boards? The Terps were outrebounded in each of their last two games after outrebounding their opponents in every game before that. As the seventh-best team in the country in rebounding — averaging 45.3 boards per game — it would be discouraging for Maryland to lose that battle again Saturday.