After beginning the season 1-1, the Terps have rattled off five consecutive wins. Now, Maryland (6-1, 2-0 B1G) looks to remain undefeated in conference play approaching its matchup Monday night against Indiana (5-2, 3-0 B1G).
In the last five seasons Maryland has been unstoppable when playing at home in College Park. The Terps are 59-7 and currently are on a two-game home winning streak in this young season.
Both the Hoosiers losses came against SEC opponents in No. 13 Kentucky and Tennessee, while the Terps lone defeat came at the hands of Missouri State during the Beach Bubble Showcase.
Since 2015, the Hoosiers are 0-10 against the Terps. Last season, Maryland defeated Indiana 66-51 on March 7 at the Xfinity Center.
In the most recent matchups, the Terps defense has been stout and has been able to control Indiana’s offense limiting them to an average of 62.7 points per game.
Last season, the Terps held the Hoosiers to a measly 32.8% from the field and a porous 21.1% from behind the arc.
Not to mention, the Terps held Indiana to only 11 second chance points, 10 points off the bench and zero fast break points.
Meanwhile, a trio of Maryland guards finished last season’s game in double figures. Kaila Charles, Ashley Owusu and Diamond Miller finished with a combined 40 points, while they shot a respectable 41.3% from the field against a tough and durable Indiana defense.
All in all, this conference matchup will boil down to Maryland’s dominant offense and Indiana’s disciplined defense.
In seven games this season, the Terps have the second ranked offense in the country averaging 97.5 points per game, according to ESPN, trailing only New Mexico.
However, the Terps have yet to face a defense as talented as the Hoosiers. Indiana has the 13th ranked defense in the country, according to ESPN, allowing opponents to shoot only 31.4% from the field and teams are only averaging 52.3 points per game.
With both the Terps and Hoosiers schedules loaded with conference opponents the remainder of the season, every game is critical.
In Monday’s matchup, Maryland will look to exploit a struggling Indiana offense, while leading scorer, Mackenzie Holmes, and the rest of the Hoosiers look to take advantage of a Terps defense that has not cracked the top 50 in the country.
However, Maryland is leading the Big Ten in rebounding. They are out rebounding their opponents 312-263 and averaging 44.6 rebounds per game as a team led by graduate transfer Chloe Bibby, who is averaging 8.1 rebounds per game this season.
After the Terps take part in tomorrow’s Big Ten battle against Indiana, Maryland will then travel to East Lansing to joust against No. 25 Michigan State (7-0, 2-0 B1G).
Tip-off is Thursday Jan. 7 at 5:00 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.
