Preview: No. 8 Maryland women’s basketball prepares for top ten battle against No. 10 Ohio State

Now nearing the end of conference play, No. 8 Maryland women’s basketball (18-5, 9-3 Big Ten) gets set for its first of two matchups against No. 10 Ohio State (20-3, 9-3 Big Ten), at home Sunday afternoon in College Park.

The Terps are coming off a tough loss to No. 6 Iowa in a game that saw junior guard Caitlin Clark drop 42 points on a Maryland squad that had been rolling up until the matchup.

The Terps were riding a five-game win streak up until the road loss, although outside of a home win over then-No. 13 Michigan, the stretch largely consisted of wins against the bottom feeders of the conference.

That said, sophomore guard Shyanne Sellers really came into her own during the streak as well as the loss to Iowa. Sellers has averaged 17.8 points per game in her last six performances, including a career-high 26 in the loss against the Hawkeyes. 

“I don’t think our best basketball has come yet,” Sellers said.

Meanwhile, Ohio State is on a different trajectory than Maryland. The Buckeyes had risen all the way up to No. 2 in the country, before they dropped three straight games in Big Ten play.

“I think the scout for Ohio State is very similar to an Iowa situation,” senior guard/forward Faith Masonius said.

While losses to ranked foes Indiana and Iowa were predictable, Ohio State’s falter at home versus Purdue was shocking. The Boilermakers made 13 threes, shooting 45% from deep. 

Senior guard Abbey Ellis led the way for Purdue, scoring 26 points en route to the upset victory. For Ohio State, the offense was led by sophomore forward Taylor Thierry, who scored 18 points for the Buckeyes. Thierry is averaging 13.4 points per game this season.

Recently, the Buckeyes bounced back versus Wisconsin, defeating the Badgers 90-67. Thierry scored 25 points, a big part of a 55% shooting effort.

Ohio State’s offense ranks second in the Big Ten, trailing only Iowa at 84 points per game. Surprisingly, the Buckeyes rank eighth in the conference in three-point shooting (33%), but they do lead the Big Ten in turnover margin (8.30) per game.

Thierry has emerged recently as a go-to scorer for the Buckeyes, but the leading scorer for Ohio State is senior guard Taylor Mikesell (17 points per game). Yet, Ohio State is a balanced attack, as it has six scorers in double digits on the year.

A key part of the battle between the top ten teams will be the health of guard Jacy Sheldon. The senior will be a game-time decision, according to an Ohio State spokesperson.

Sheldon is scoring 16 points per game this season, along with three rebounds and assists. However, her value comes on the defensive end, where she is averaging six steals on the year. Sheldon has appeared in just five games.

“You have to anticipate she is going to play,” coach Brenda Frese said. “When she was healthy she was one of their best players.”

As a team defense, Ohio State checks in at sixth in the conference in scoring defense (65.1 per game) and ninth in opponent field goal percentage (41%). The Buckeyes are middle of the pack in most defensive categories, except defensive three-point percentage, where they allow teams to shoot just 28% from deep.

The Buckeyes are similar to Maryland in defensive styles, as both teams use their length to apply full court pressure to opponents, hoping to force turnovers. The Buckeyes rank second in the conference in steals (12.39 per game), which leads to transition opportunities and layups.

“We are going to have to drastically improve our [transition defense],” Frese said.

Tip-off is at 4 p.m. at the XFINITY Center.