NEWARK, N.J. — The Maryland Terrapins are entering a crucial phase of their conference schedule, facing off against No. 12 Ohio State and the top-ranked UCLA this week. Unfortunately, the eighth-ranked Terrapins might have to navigate these challenging games without two of their three leading scorers. Bri McDaniel, a reserve guard, has been sidelined for the remainder of the season due to a torn ACL in her right knee. Additionally, Shyanne Sellers, who ranks as the team’s second leading scorer, suffered a knee injury on Monday during a significant 89-51 loss to seventh-ranked Texas at the Coretta Scott King Classic.
After the game, coach Brenda Frese expressed uncertainty regarding the extent of Sellers’ injury, noting that it was a contact injury, which is generally more hopeful than a non-contact occurrence. “She will be evaluated by the doctor tomorrow, and we’ll proceed from there,” Frese commented. “Her absence was greatly felt. She’s such a fierce competitor, and losing her so early in the game made a big difference.” McDaniel and Sellers were contributing an average of 24.8 points per game together.
“It’s tough to replace a player like Bri,” Frese stated. “Everyone will need to step up, particularly on the defensive side of things.” Despite the injuries, Frese emphasized that this week’s games wouldn’t solely dictate the trajectory of the Terrapins’ season since it’s still January. “We’re trying not to swing too far in either direction emotionally. We’ve secured 16 wins and done so in the right way,” she reflected. “Two losses have clearly been clouded by injuries. It’s unfortunate that this stretch coincided with our bye week in the Big Ten, but it’s the hand we’ve been dealt.”
Both Maryland and Ohio State, which will take the court Thursday, are coming off defeats, with the Buckeyes suffering their first loss of the season against Penn State on Sunday. Meanwhile, UCLA is coming off a solid performance, securing a 15-point victory over No. 25 Baylor. The Bruins will remain on the East Coast throughout the week, competing against Rutgers on Thursday before facing off with Maryland on Sunday.
“We needed to get away and focus on being together,” UCLA coach Cori Close stated following the win over Baylor. “I felt a bit guilty leaving (Los Angeles) with so much happening back home. I anticipated that this travel would require us to enhance our resilience and commitment. We’ll have to tough it out. It’s about how much we’re preparing for the challenges ahead.”
In other notable news, UConn’s Paige Bueckers has made history by becoming the fastest player in the program’s history to reach 2,000 career points, achieving this milestone in just 102 games during a decisive victory over Seton Hall. This accomplishment broke Maya Moore’s previous record of 108 games. Bueckers is now the 12th player in UConn history to reach this scoring threshold.
According to the NCAA’s latest NET ratings, utilized by the selection committee to shape the NCAA Tournament bracket, South Carolina holds the top position, while UConn has climbed to the second spot ahead of Texas.
