This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/terps-women-enter-big-ten-tournament-as-top-seed-but-with-something-to-prove/2016/03/03/5cdb8ae2-e15a-11e5-8d98-4b3d9215ade1_story.html
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| 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 4 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 fortune 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 fortune 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 a split 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 it joined 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 a split 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 it joined the conference last season. |
| The Terrapins (27-3, 16-2) again are the top seed entering the Big Ten tournament, which 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 (27-3, 16-2) again are the top seed entering the Big Ten tournament, which 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 Ohio State turned into to 27 points. | |
| “I’m sure,” Frese said when asked whether 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 whether 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 of the Big Ten tournament went to 12th-seeded Northwestern, which bounced No. 5 seed Minnesota, 84-74, on Thursday. | The biggest upset in the early rounds of the Big Ten tournament 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 (88.0) 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 Golden Gophers entered as the third-highest-scoring team (83.7 points per game) in the Big Ten behind Ohio State (88.0) 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. |
| [Terps’ Walker-Kimbrough, Jones voted first team all-Big Ten] | [Terps’ Walker-Kimbrough, Jones voted first team all-Big Ten] |
| Maryland is coming off its highest-scoring game, a 110-77 win over the Golden Gophers at Xfinity Center on Sunday. The Terrapins have two players in the 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 break the single-season Division I record 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 break the single-season Division I record 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, meanwhile, is on pace to lead the country in overall field goal accuracy. She’s shooting 67.9 percent, including 10 for 12 for 24 points in the regular season finale. Ohio State’s Alexa Hart is second nationally at 65.5 percent. | Jones, meanwhile, is on pace to lead the country in overall field goal accuracy. She’s shooting 67.9 percent, including 10 for 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 ingrained 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 ingrained in us now.” |