The Daily Hoosier

IU women’s basketball hopes to finally beat Big Ten giant Maryland in critical top-10 matchup

January 1, 2022 Mike Schumann Women's Basketball 0

It’s no secret.

If the IU women’s basketball program wants to secure their first Big Ten title since 1983, they’ll probably need to do something they’ve never done — beat Maryland.

Winning the Big Ten is something the Terrapins have done plenty.

Although they just joined the Big Ten in 2014, already Maryland has won the league’s regular season crown six times.  Over that span Indiana has dropped 11 straight in the series.

IU’s latest opportunity to take down the Big Ten’s gold standard comes in the form of a top-10 matchup on Sunday afternoon at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington.

#8/6 INDIANA (10-2, 2-0 B1G) VS. #6/8 MARYLAND (10-3, 2-0)

  • Sunday, January 2, 2022 • 3 p.m. Eastern
  • Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall • Bloomington, Ind.
  • Broadcast: ESPN2 (Beth Mowins, Debbie Antonelli)

ABOUT THE TERRAPINS

Like IU, Maryland had its latest Big Ten matchup against Illinois postponed and will be coming off a 12-day break. Sophomore guard/forward Angel Reese leads the way with 18.1 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. All five starters are in double figure averages including junior guard Ashley Owusu who adds 16.5 ppg. The Terps are one of the nation’s highest scoring offenses, averaging 82.8 points per game which is eighth in the country.

SERIES HISTORY

Maryland leads 11-0

LAST MEETING

1/4/21 – L, 80-84 (College Park, Md.)

NOTES

  • Sunday’s game will be Indiana’s third top 10 matchup of the season and fifth ranked foe it has faced in the 2021-22 season. The Hoosiers also faced No. 7/5 Stanford (Bahamas) and No. 2/3 NC State and have wins over No. 13/13 Kentucky and No. 20/21 Ohio State.
  • IU closed out non-conference play with a convincing 70-37 win over Southern Illinois on Dec. 23 at home. It finished with an 8-2 record against non-league foes. IU secured its 10th-straight winning non-conference slate dating back to the 2011-12 season. During the 10-game non-conference stretch, the Hoosiers averaged 71.8 points per game, allowed just 56.9 points per game and shot 46.2 percent from the floor.
  • A staple of any Teri Moren team over the years has been defense and the Hoosiers continue to show it. Giving up just 37 points to SIU on Dec. 23, the Hoosiers have held an opponent under 50 points now 30 times in Moren’s eight years at the helm. It has limited its last five opponents to under 40 percent shooting from the field. IU hasn’t let any opponent score over 70 points this season.
  • Junior forward Mackenzie Holmes was named to the Big Ten Player of the Week honor roll after her efforts against SIU as she continues to lead the program with 18.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. Senior guard Grace Berger adds 14.8 points while graduate student guard Ali Patberg chips in 11.7 per contest.
  • Indiana remained at No. 8 in the AP Poll and No. 6 in the USA Today/WBCA coaches poll this week.

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