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Maryland and South Carolina agree to home-and-home in 2019-20 and 2020-21

By Kim Doss

COLLEGE PARK, MD - FEBRUARY 21: Maryland Terrapins guard Kaila Charles (5) with guard Sara Vujacic (32) after scoring the winning basket at the buzzer during a women's college basketball game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Minnesota Golden Gophers, on February 21, 2019, at Xfinity Center, in College Park, Maryland.(Photo by Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
COLLEGE PARK, MD - FEBRUARY 21: Maryland Terrapins guard Kaila Charles (5) with guard Sara Vujacic (32) after scoring the winning basket at the buzzer during a women's college basketball game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Minnesota Golden Gophers, on February 21, 2019, at Xfinity Center, in College Park, Maryland.(Photo by Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Marquee out-of-conference match-up will continue

Everyone has suggestions for how to grow women’s basketball. Big time non-conference match-ups might be the most important one on the list. Maryland and South Carolina are doing their part to bring that to fruition.

The Gamecocks will travel to College Park next season to take on the Terrapins. The following season, Maryland will make the return trip to Columbia.

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Maryland defeated South Carolina 85-61 this season in Columbia. The previous season, South Carolina took the road win, defeating the Terrapins 94-86 in College Park.

The Terrapins put together on a 29-5 season this year, going 15-3 in the Big Ten. The earned the top seed in the Big Ten Tournament by one game over Iowa.

In the postseason, Maryland advanced to the Big Ten Championship game, but was defeated by No. 2 seed Iowa. Despite hosting the first two rounds, they exited the NCAA Tournament in the second round at the hands of UCLA.

GREENVILLE, SC – MARCH 08: Alexis Jennings (35) forward of South Carolina during the SEC Women’s basketball tournament between the Arkansas Razorbacks and the South Carolina Gamecocks on March 8, 2019, at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, SC. (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
GREENVILLE, SC – MARCH 08: Alexis Jennings (35) forward of South Carolina during the SEC Women’s basketball tournament between the Arkansas Razorbacks and the South Carolina Gamecocks on March 8, 2019, at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, SC. (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

The Gamecocks had a 23-10 year with a 13-3 mark in the SEC. That was good for the second seed in the SEC Tournament.

When the postseason kicked off, South Carolina was upset in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals by No. 10 seed Arkansas. They rebounded by advancing to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Tournament, where they ran into top-seeded Baylor. The Gamecocks’ season ended with a  93-68 loss to Baylor.

When the two teams meet up in 2019-20, they will look a little different. South Carolina will lose senior starters Alexis Jennings and Doniyah Cliney, who accounted for a combined 15.4 points per game this season. However, they will return three of their top four scorers, and add a highly-regarded recruiting class.

Maryland will return all five of their top scorers next season, including All-Big Ten guard Kaila Charles, who led the team with 17 points per game this year, and a top recruiting class as well.

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