Preview: No. 15 Maryland women’s basketball prepares for final non-conference affair against Purdue Fort Wayne

Following a massive victory over then-No. 6 UConn, No. 15 Maryland women’s basketball (9-3) looks to extend its win streak on the road against Purdue Fort Wayne (4-7).

For coach Brenda Frese, beating the famed Huskies program was a feat that had eluded her until now. The win was her first over UConn in eight tries.

“Just a really incredible, special win,” Frese said.

Now, the Terps look to round out possibly the toughest non-conference schedule Frese has ever built in her coaching career with a win over Purdue Fort Wayne, before looking ahead to Big Ten conference play. 

The Mastodons, losers of three in a row, certainly haven’t wowed anyone on paper. Still, the Terps need to keep their focus high on Wednesday.

Despite notching multiple huge wins over Baylor, Notre Dame and UConn, Maryland has played close games against unranked opponents. That includes wins against Fordham and Towson, and losses to DePaul and Nebraska, the latter of the two an ugly beatdown despite playing in College Park.

The Nebraska loss came after the Terps’ big win versus Notre Dame, but the Terps bounced back with a three-point victory over Purdue before the win most recently over UConn. Coming off the exciting win, the Terps will need to stay steady against the Mastodons.

Despite her shooting woes overall in the UConn victory, senior guard Diamond Miller looks to build off her late game heroics. Miller iced the game with an open three, her only made three-pointer of the game.

“I would leave me wide open too if I kept missing the way I was missing,” Miller said.

As a team, shooting has not been an issue in the Terps’ back-to-back wins. In both their wins, the Terps connected on 10 or more threes, something they look to continue against a Purdue Fort Wayne team that has held opponents under 25% from behind the arc on the season.

For sophomore guard Shyanne Sellers, the game might bring some bragging rights. She will be facing her sister, senior guard Shayla Sellers, whom she played with for two years in high school. 

“I know her tendencies so I know it’s going to be fun,” Shyanne said. 

Shayla is currently the Mastodons’ second leading scorer, averaging 7.8 points per game. Shyanne averages 13.9 points for the Terps, slotting her as Maryland’s third leading scorer. 

One similarity the sisters have is their prolific defense. Shyanne has the slight edge in steals per game, 1.8 compared to Shayla’s 1.5.

For the Mastodons, Amelia Bromenschenkel projects to lead their offense. The junior guard enters averaging 13.2 points this season, and has scored over 20 points three times thus far. Bromenschenkel is the Mastodons’ best shooter from both the field (49.6%) and three (37.3%).

In Maryland’s close games against teams they were favored against early on, it has been its opponent’s star guards that have troubled the Terps the most, particularly in the Fordham and Nebraska games. 

Bromenschenkel is the only Mastodon averaging over eight points per game, as Purdue Fort Wayne struggles as a whole on the offensive end of the floor. The Mastodons have scored under 60 points in six of their 11 games this season.

In addition to her scoring, Bromenschenkel leads Purdue Fort Wayne in rebounds per game (4.8), and is second in blocks per game (0.9).

The game will start at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, and will take place at the Hilliard Gates Sports Center in Fort Wayne, Ind.