Maryland women’s basketball (12-8, B1G 4-5) returns home after suffering two losses on the road, blowing a double digit lead to Michigan and a rout by Penn State. But the schedule does not get any lighter from here, with No. 10 Indiana (17-2, B1G 8-1) coming to town.
Maryland holds a 1-5 record against ranked teams in the AP Poll this season. That sole win came against Syracuse who is now ranked No. 21.
Maryland remains on the bubble in ESPN’s bracketology to make the NCAA tournament. The Terps are currently projected as a 10-seed and one of the last four teams in the tournament. Maryland has not missed the NCAA tournament since 2010.
A win against Indiana would boost Maryland’s tournament resume, but the team may be short -handed. Guard Shyanne Sellers is day-to-day after suffering a knee injury in Maryland’s loss to Penn State.
Maryland has suffered a rash of injuries this season as both Emma Chardon and Riley Nelson suffered torn ACLs, keeping them out for the season and creating an eight-man rotation. With Sellers potentially out, that depth is down to seven key players.
Sellers has been the best player on the floor for the Terps this season, leading the team in points (15.4), rebounds (5.6) and assists (5.3). Her absence would be a huge advantage to Maryland’s next two opponents.
“It’s like losing your quarterback on your football team,” coach Brenda Frese said. “We are more than capable … they just have to do a little bit more to pick up those pieces.”
Many role players have begun stepping up in recent games to support Sellers, but other issues have hampered the Terps in pulling out wins like surrendering too many offensive rebounds late against Ohio State or getting into foul trouble against Michigan.
The Terps have played much better at home this season, compiling a 9-1 record at Xfinity Center compared to a 1-6 record on the road, but Maryland will have a tough task Wednesday night. Indiana is the second-best shooting team in the country with a 51.6% field goal percentage.
“They play hard and scrappy, they run the floor and have a good inside-out game,” Lavender Briggs said.
That inside-out game starts with the Hoosiers All-American Mackenzie Holmes who is shooting 67.4 percent from the field while averaging 20.3 points per game and 7.3 rebounds per game. Indiana can also hurt opponents with its hot three-point shooting. The Hoosiers are shooting 40.1 percent from beyond the arc, which ranks as the second best in the Big Ten.
The season is not over yet as there is still a month left in the regular season and the Big Ten tournament where the Terps can boost their NCAA tournament resume.
“We’re not going to dwell on the past too much,” Briggs said. “…Dwelling on the past doesn’t do anything but will just cause negativity.”
