Nebraska WBB vs Maryland Preview

The Huskers are 0-12 all time vs the Maryland Terrapins.

Ouch.

Do I see that changing today vs the #9 team in the country?

Well, I think this Husker team is capable of playing with Maryland. However, the Huskers have lost three in a row. Two of those losses were by double digits. The team seems to have abandoned its identity as a lockdown defensive team that dictates the terms to their opponent. Unfortunately, the offensive production hasn’t kept pace with the increases by the other teams they play.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (9-8, 7-7 Big Ten) vs. 9/10 Maryland Terrapins (13-2, 9-1 Big Ten)
Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021, 4 p.m. (CT)
Pinnacle Bank Arena - Lincoln, Nebraska
Live TV: FS1 (Kevin Kugler, Meghan McKeown)
Live Radio: Husker Sports Network (3:45 p.m.) Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst) Lincoln (B107.3 FM), Omaha (ESPN 590 AM) Huskers.com, Huskers App, TuneIn

Maryland has not played since an 84-48 win over Wisconsin on Feb. 4. The Terps had their Sunday, Feb. 7 game against Michigan in Ann Arbor postponed by the Wolverines’ COVID-19 shutdown. Maryland has not played a road game since losing at then-No. 17 Ohio State (88-86) on Monday, Jan. 25 and has played just three games overall since Jan. 18.

Nebraska will take aim at its fourth win over an AP Top 25 foe at game time. The Huskers knocked off then-No. 15 Northwestern, 65-63, in Lincoln (Dec. 31). They followed with a 68-64 road win at then-No. 23 Michigan State (Jan. 10), before beating then-No. 15 Ohio State, 63-55, at Pinnacle Bank Arena (Jan. 16). Overall, Nebraska is 3-2 against AP ranked opponents at game time.

Scouting the Maryland Terrapins

Coach Brenda Frese will be shooting for her 500th win at Maryland on Sunday. Two seasons ago, she collected her 500th career win as a head coach with an 81-63 win over Nebraska in Lincoln on Jan. 8, 2019. Maryland will not have an active player on their roster Sunday who participated in the 2019 game in Lincoln. In her 18 seasons at Maryland, Frese has led the Terps to the 2006 NCAA title, three NCAA Final Four appearances and 15 NCAA Tournament bids.

The 2020-21 version of the Terps comes to Lincoln with the highest powered offense in the Big Ten, averaging 91.5 points per game. As a team, Maryland is shooting 47.7 percent from the field including a scorching 40.4 percent from three-point range and nearly 80 percent (.798) at the free throw line. UMD also controls the boards (+7.2 rebound margin) and a +2.5 team turnover margin.

Sophomore Ashley Owusu leads a balanced Maryland attack, averaging 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and a team-best 6.1 assists per game. Fellow sophomore Diamond Miller adds 17.1 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. The 6-3 guard also leads Maryland with 13 blocks on the season. Graduate transfer Katie Benzan is a lights-out shooter who has connected on 59-of-111 (.532) of her three-point attempts. The three-time first-team All-Ivy League pick at Harvard is also 21-of-23 (.913) at the free throw line this season.

Mississippi State transfer Chloe Bibby gives Maryland a fourth starter averaging in double figures at 14.2 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. The 6-1 forward/guard from Warracknabeal, Australia has scored in double digits in 10 straight games and ranks second among the Terps with 33 threes.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (9-8, 7-7 BIG TEN)

No. Player Ht. Yr. Pos. PPG RPG
14 Bella Cravens 6-3 Jr. F 6.6 7.8
31 Kate Cain 6-5 Gr./Sr.C 9.5 6.5
0 Ashley Scoggin 5-7 RSo. G 7.6 2.1
4 Sam Haiby 5-9 Jr. G 18.1 7.2
34 Isabelle Bourne 6-2 So. F 13.1 7.2

Off the Bench
2 Trinity Brady 5-11 So. G 8.5 5.0
21 Annika Stewart 6-3 Fr. F 5.9 3.4
11 Ruby Porter 5-10 Fr. G 4.1 2.1
10 Whitney Brown 5-8 Fr. G 3.9 1.4
5 MiCole Cayton 5-9 Gr./RJr. G 3.2 0.8
32 Kendall Coley 6-2 Fr. F/G 0.0 0.3

Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998) Fifth Season at Nebraska (68-70) 14th Season Overall (261-179)

9/10 Maryland Terrapins (13-2, 9-1 BIG TEN)

No. Player Ht. Yr. Pos. PPG RPG
2 Mimi Collins 6-3 RSo.F 9.5 7.0
55 Chloe Bibby 6-1 Sr. F/G 14.2 6.9
1 Diamond Miller 6-3 So. G 17.1 6.4
11 Katie Benzan 5-6 Sr. G 15.5 2.3
15 Ashley Owusu 6-0 So. G 18.9 5.8

Off the Bench
13 Faith Masonius 6-1 So. G/F 6.5 5.7
5 Alaysia Styles 6-3 Gr. F 3.4 3.1
14 Taisiya Kozlova 6-1 Fr. G 2.3 1.3
10 Zoe Young 5-10 RFr.G 1.0 0.3
10 Angel Reese (out) 6-3 Fr. F/G 13.3 7.0
3 Channise Lewis (out) 5-8 RJr. G 5.1 0.7

Head Coach: Brenda Frese (Arizona, 1993) 19th Season at Maryland (499-130) 22nd Season Overall (556-160)