No team has won as many Big Ten tournament championships as Maryland men’s lacrosse. The Terps have won four out of 10 tournaments since the Big Ten lacrosse conference was created in 2015. 

No. 9 Maryland will look to continue its dominance of the tournament in what has been an up-and-down 2026 season for the Terps. 

“The goals are all the same, now that you’re in the Big Ten tournament try to win the thing,” head coach John Tillman said. “That starts with having a good week of practice.”

After having a chance to win the regular season title against Johns Hopkins, Maryland lost and dropped to the No. 3 seed in the Big Ten tournament. The Terps lost the chance at a first-round bye in the process and will play No. 6 seeded Rutgers in the quarterfinals on Saturday.

Maryland dismantled Rutgers earlier this season en route to a 12-2 win. The Terps played arguably their best game of the season, dominating on both sides of the ball and posting their best defensive performance of the year. 

Face-offs were another huge key to the game, with Henry Dodge and Jonah Carrier capitalizing on an injured Rutgers group. John Scarelli did not play in the last matchup and has yet to return from his March 29 injury. If Scarelli continues to miss time, Maryland should be able to dominate the possession again.

If Maryland is able to repeat its performance against the Scarlet Knights and advance to the semi-finals, the Terps will face Penn State.

One of the two Big Ten teams that beat the Terps, they will get a chance for redemption.

Maryland was in the midst of its worst stretch of play all season, and it showed in the Big Ten opener against the Nittany Lions. Offensive improvement will be the biggest need for the Terps, as they struggled to score and create rhythm on offense.

The dynamic between Eric Spanos and Leo Johnson will be the difference maker, with the duo being the bulk of the offense in the Terps’ recent games. Neither played well in the first matchup against Penn State.

Performing well in the Big Ten tournament will be crucial for Maryland’s NCAA Tournament hopes, as the Terps are squarely on the bubble.

Losing to Rutgers could eliminate Maryland from consideration for a bid, but if the Terps run the table, a top-eight seed could be possible and would provide a huge advantage.

If Maryland advances to the Big Ten tournament championship, there is a chance for another version of “The Rivalry” against Johns Hopkins this season. The two teams have matched up twice in the final, each winning once.