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| Terps women enter Big Ten tournament as top seed, but with something to prove | Terps women enter Big Ten tournament as top seed, but with something to prove |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Shortly after the fifth-ranked Maryland women’s basketball team throttled Minnesota on Sunday to win the Big Ten regular season title outright, point guard Chloe Pavlech talked about the good fortunate that allowed the Terrapins to be in such a position. | Shortly after the fifth-ranked Maryland women’s basketball team throttled Minnesota on Sunday to win the Big Ten regular season title outright, point guard Chloe Pavlech talked about the good fortunate that allowed the Terrapins to be in such a position. |
| “A little luck” was how the senior starter put it, referring to No. 9 Ohio State losing its final two regular season games when splitting them would have given the Buckeyes a share of the conference championship. The swoon also rendered meaningless, at least in the standings, Ohio State’s series sweep of Maryland for the Terrapins’ only Big Ten losses since joining the conference last season. | “A little luck” was how the senior starter put it, referring to No. 9 Ohio State losing its final two regular season games when splitting them would have given the Buckeyes a share of the conference championship. The swoon also rendered meaningless, at least in the standings, Ohio State’s series sweep of Maryland for the Terrapins’ only Big Ten losses since joining the conference last season. |
| The Terrapins (26-3, 16-2) again are the top seed entering the Big Ten tournament that began Wednesday in Indianapolis. Maryland’s first game is Friday afternoon in the quarterfinals against No. 9 seed Iowa. Ohio State (23-6, 15-3) is the No. 2 seed and opens Friday as well. | The Terrapins (26-3, 16-2) again are the top seed entering the Big Ten tournament that began Wednesday in Indianapolis. Maryland’s first game is Friday afternoon in the quarterfinals against No. 9 seed Iowa. Ohio State (23-6, 15-3) is the No. 2 seed and opens Friday as well. |
| “Some people think that they backed into a championship because Ohio State didn’t take care of their other business,” said Debbie Antonelli, a leading women’s basketball analyst for multiple networks, “but Maryland took care of theirs, so I don’t view it that way, and I’m sure that’s not the spin that Brenda’s putting on it. They’re the number one seed. Act like it.” | “Some people think that they backed into a championship because Ohio State didn’t take care of their other business,” said Debbie Antonelli, a leading women’s basketball analyst for multiple networks, “but Maryland took care of theirs, so I don’t view it that way, and I’m sure that’s not the spin that Brenda’s putting on it. They’re the number one seed. Act like it.” |
| [Maryland women rout Minnesota to win Big Ten championship] | [Maryland women rout Minnesota to win Big Ten championship] |
| Coach Brenda Frese and her players aren’t devaluing a second straight regular season title, but they would welcome nothing more than defeating the Buckeyes in the Big Ten tournament championship game, thus removing all doubt about whether there has been a shift at the top of the conference hierarchy. | Coach Brenda Frese and her players aren’t devaluing a second straight regular season title, but they would welcome nothing more than defeating the Buckeyes in the Big Ten tournament championship game, thus removing all doubt about whether there has been a shift at the top of the conference hierarchy. |
| Maryland’s losses to the Buckeyes were 80-71 at Xfinity Center on Jan. 2 and 94-86 in Columbus on Feb. 8. In the second of those games, the Terrapins allowed their most points this season and committed 23 turnovers that led to 27 points for Ohio State. | Maryland’s losses to the Buckeyes were 80-71 at Xfinity Center on Jan. 2 and 94-86 in Columbus on Feb. 8. In the second of those games, the Terrapins allowed their most points this season and committed 23 turnovers that led to 27 points for Ohio State. |
| “I’m sure,” Frese said, when asked if the team is eager for a third crack at the Buckeyes. “I think naturally as a competitor yeah, no question, but at the same point, for both teams to reach that, you have work in between to get there. We can’t wait to see who our actual opponent is going to be for the first game and just understanding our approach and being prepared for that game.” | “I’m sure,” Frese said, when asked if the team is eager for a third crack at the Buckeyes. “I think naturally as a competitor yeah, no question, but at the same point, for both teams to reach that, you have work in between to get there. We can’t wait to see who our actual opponent is going to be for the first game and just understanding our approach and being prepared for that game.” |
| The Terrapins will encounter other challengers apart from the Buckeyes — though none nearly as appealing. Michigan State, is the third seed after doing the Terrapins a huge favor by toppling Ohio State in triple overtime, 107-105, in the regular season finale. | The Terrapins will encounter other challengers apart from the Buckeyes — though none nearly as appealing. Michigan State, is the third seed after doing the Terrapins a huge favor by toppling Ohio State in triple overtime, 107-105, in the regular season finale. |
| Maryland beat the 19th-ranked Spartans in their only regular season meeting, 85-76. | Maryland beat the 19th-ranked Spartans in their only regular season meeting, 85-76. |
| The biggest upset in the early rounds went to 12th-seeded Northwestern, which bounced No. 5 seed Minnesota, 84-74, on Thursday. | |
| The Golden Gophers entered as the third-highest-scoring team (83.7 points per game) in the Big Ten behind Ohio State (88) and the Terrapins (85.2). Much of that output came from redshirt senior guard Rachel Banham, the Big Ten player of the year and second-leading scorer (27.7) in Division I. | |
| The Big Ten, in fact, has five teams in the top 15 nationally in scoring offense but none in the top 75 in scoring defense. Rutgers leads the conference in scoring defense, allowing 59.1 points per game. The Terrapins are second (60.6). | The Big Ten, in fact, has five teams in the top 15 nationally in scoring offense but none in the top 75 in scoring defense. Rutgers leads the conference in scoring defense, allowing 59.1 points per game. The Terrapins are second (60.6). |
| “The Big Ten is not the most daunting conference in terms of their defense as a whole,” said LaChina Robinson, a women’s basketball analyst for several networks. “You look at the different conferences across the country, the Power Five conferences, and the defensive field goal percentages, and they’re not a defensive conference I would say this year. | “The Big Ten is not the most daunting conference in terms of their defense as a whole,” said LaChina Robinson, a women’s basketball analyst for several networks. “You look at the different conferences across the country, the Power Five conferences, and the defensive field goal percentages, and they’re not a defensive conference I would say this year. |
| “More in my opinion a conference whose offense can really be high-scoring.” | “More in my opinion a conference whose offense can really be high-scoring.” |
| [Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Brionna Jones voted first team all-Big Ten] | [Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Brionna Jones voted first team all-Big Ten] |
| Maryland is coming off its most points this season in beating the Golden Gophers, 110-77, at Xfinity Center. The Terrapins also have two players in top 16 in scoring in the conference in guard Shatori Walker-Kimbrough and center Brionna Jones, both juniors selected to the Big Ten first team for a second consecutive season. | Maryland is coming off its most points this season in beating the Golden Gophers, 110-77, at Xfinity Center. The Terrapins also have two players in top 16 in scoring in the conference in guard Shatori Walker-Kimbrough and center Brionna Jones, both juniors selected to the Big Ten first team for a second consecutive season. |
| Walker-Kimbrough is Maryland’s leading scorer (19.6) and has a chance to surpass the single-season record in Division I for three-point field goal percentage (.575). She’s shooting 56.5 percent after uncharacteristically missing 4 of 5 from beyond the arc against the Golden Gophers. | Walker-Kimbrough is Maryland’s leading scorer (19.6) and has a chance to surpass the single-season record in Division I for three-point field goal percentage (.575). She’s shooting 56.5 percent after uncharacteristically missing 4 of 5 from beyond the arc against the Golden Gophers. |
| Jones, meantime, is on pace to lead the country in overall field-goal accuracy. She’s shooting 67.9 percent, including 10 of 12 for 24 points in the regular season finale. Ohio State’s Alexa Hart is second nationally at 65.5 percent. | Jones, meantime, is on pace to lead the country in overall field-goal accuracy. She’s shooting 67.9 percent, including 10 of 12 for 24 points in the regular season finale. Ohio State’s Alexa Hart is second nationally at 65.5 percent. |
| “The thing about our team is that our expectations are so high,” said Maryland redshirt senior point guard Brene Moseley, named Big Ten sixth player of the year Monday. “What’s demanded of us I guess at this point is routine. We have expectations of what we want to accomplish and what we have to do to be able to do that, so it’s kind of engrained in us now.” | “The thing about our team is that our expectations are so high,” said Maryland redshirt senior point guard Brene Moseley, named Big Ten sixth player of the year Monday. “What’s demanded of us I guess at this point is routine. We have expectations of what we want to accomplish and what we have to do to be able to do that, so it’s kind of engrained in us now.” |