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B1G Preview: Maryland, and Michigan, and Minnesota…..oh my!

Jasmine Brown|
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 04: Ohio State Buckeyes Head Coach Kenin McGuff holds up the Big Ten Championship trophy after defeating the Maryland Terrapins during the Big Ten Women's Championship game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Maryland Terrapins on March 4, 2018, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. The Ohio State Buckeyes defeated the Maryland Terrapins 79-69. (Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 04: Ohio State Buckeyes Head Coach Kenin McGuff holds up the Big Ten Championship trophy after defeating the Maryland Terrapins during the Big Ten Women's Championship game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Maryland Terrapins on March 4, 2018, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. The Ohio State Buckeyes defeated the Maryland Terrapins 79-69. (Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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COLLEGE PARK, MD – FEBRUARY 25:Maryland Terrapins head coach Brenda Frese cheers on her team during the first half of the game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Nebraska Cornhuskers at the Xfinity Center on Sunday, February 25, 2018. (Photo by Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
COLLEGE PARK, MD – FEBRUARY 25:Maryland Terrapins head coach Brenda Frese cheers on her team during the first half of the game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Nebraska Cornhuskers at the Xfinity Center on Sunday, February 25, 2018. (Photo by Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Predicted finish: 1st

Last year’s record: 25-7, 12-4 B1G

Key returners:

G-Kaila Charles 6’1 13.8 PPG 50% FG, 6.8 RPG

G-Blair Watson 6’0 (Before injury: 13.8 PPG, 40% FG, 38% 3PA)

F-Stephanie Jones 6’2 7.4 PPG, 60% FG, 4.3 RPG

Newcomers:

F- Shakira Austin- 6’5 (Fredericksburg, Virginia) Fr. (no. 4 on ESPN’s Hoopgurlz)

C-Olivia Owens 6’4 (Niskayuna, New York) Fr. (no. 34 on ESPN’s Hoopgurlz)

G-Taylor Mikesell 5’11 (Massillon, Ohio) Fr. (no. 33 on ESPN’s Hoopgurlz)

G-Sara Vujacic 5’11 (Maribor, Slovenia) Trns. 

Key non-conference games: 

11/18. @ South Carolina

11/24: Georgia

11/29: Georgia Tech

Head Coach: Brenda Frese 15th season

The last four seasons of B1G women’s basketball have belonged to Maryland and that is largely because of head coach Brenda Frese. Under Frese, Maryland has achieved 15 winning seasons, 14 straight 20-win seasons, and 14 trips to the NCAA Tournament. In their first B1G season, the Terps had a perfect 18-0 conference record and a 24-game win streak over three months. They were the first team to go undefeated in conference play since Purdue went 16-0 in 1998-99 and Ohio State went 18-0 in 1984-85. This led to Frese being named Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2015 for the second time in her career—if anything, she’s deserved it even more other campaigns, such as 2017-18.

Outlook: 

Maryland is the team that should be the standard bearer in the conference. Maryland has finished top four or five in almost all categories every season, with young players who succeed right away. That’s important, because Maryland has three incoming freshmen, all of whom are ranked on ESPN’s Hoopgurlz top 100 list, plus they add Sara Vujacic, who is the sister of former NBA player Sasha Vujacic. The Terrapins will have a new look this seasonand no senior on the roster, but with a Brenda Frese team, that seldom matters.

Best case scenario: The trio of Kaila Charles, Blair Watson, and  Stephanie Jones continues to dominate the conference. Newcomers in Shakira Austin, Taylor Mikesell, and Olivia Owens, make it hard to stop a team with a lot of depth.

Worst case scenario: The lack of senior veteran presence catches up to the Terrapins, and for the first time in its Big Ten history, Maryland does not win at least a share of the regular season title or play in the B1G championship game.

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