In its first Big Ten season, Maryland has made it look easy, going 18-0 against conference opponents this season. With regular season ending wins this week against Indiana and Northwestern, Maryland clinched the Big Ten regular-season title outright and heads into this week's conference tournament in suburban Chicago as the top seed.
The Terrapins' regular-season title is the fourth in coach Brenda Frese's 14 seasons, including three in the Atlantic Coast Conference before joining the Big Ten in 2014. On Monday, Frese was named Big Ten Coach of the Year.
Maryland, which has won 27 consecutive games against Big Ten foes going back to 2007, became just the third Big Ten women's team to finish the regular season undefeated in the conference, joining Ohio State in 1984-85 and Purdue in 1998-99.
In the 69-48 win at Northwestern on Sunday, Brionna Jones had 14 points and 13 rebounds and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough added 11 points as the Terrapins (27-2) pulled away in the second half for their 21st consecutive win, ending Northwestern’s eight-game winning streak.
Maryland started the week with an 83-72 win against Indiana as senior guard Laurin Mincy led the way with a career-high 28 points in her final regular-season home game.
At this week’s Big Ten tournament, the Terrapins will await the winner of the Michigan State-Michigan game on March 6.
