Maryland Picked to Win Big Ten Title
10/24/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Maryland women's basketball team was picked to win the Big Ten title by both the league's head coaches and media panel, the conference announced Monday. The Terrapins have won the last two Big Ten regular season and tournament titles since joining the conference in 2014.
Seniors Brionna Jones and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough were named to the Preseason All-Big Ten Teams by the head coaches and the media panel as well. Both were unanimous selections to the 10-player team, voted by the coaches. Click here for the full Preseason All-Big Ten teams.
Both the media panel and the coaches picked Ohio State to finish second. The 14 head coaches selected Indiana and Michigan State to tie for third, and the media panel selected Indiana alone.
Maryland earned a record of 31-4 last year and went 16-2 in Big Ten regular season play. The Terrapins beat No. 19 Michigan State, 60-44, to win the Big Ten tournament title. In its two seasons in the league, Maryland is 40-2 overall in league games.
The Terrapins return their top two leading scorers and rebounders from last year's championship team in Walker-Kimbrough and Jones. Walker-Kimbrough averaged 19.5 points per game with 6.0 rebounds, while Jones scored 15.2 points per contest and pulled down 9.8 rebounds.
Jones led the country in field goal percentage of 66.5 percent (236-355) and is on-pace to top the Big Ten career field goal percentage record. Walker-Kimbrough led the nation and set a Big Ten record with her three-point field goal percentage of 54.5 percent (73-134) last season.
Both were named to the All-Big Ten First Team last season and earned All-America honors from the Associated Press and the WBCA.
Head coach Brenda Frese and her staff welcome the nation's No. 1 freshman class this season, made up of Kaila Charles, Stephanie Jones, Sarah Myers, Destiny Slocum, Jenna Staiti and Blair Watson. All six were named McDonald's All-American nominees last spring and three – Charles, Slocum and Watson – were named McDonald's All-Americans. Redshirt junior Ieshia Small is also eligible to play this season, after sitting out last year due to NCAA transfer rules.
The Terrapins will open the season with a 1 p.m. matchup with UMass-Lowell on Sunday, Nov. 13. Prior to the official season opener, Maryland will host exhibitions vs. Bluefield State on Nov. 2 and Mary Baldwin on Nov. 6.
The Terps' full schedule is available here.
Season tickets for the 2016-2017 season are on sale now starting at just $75. To purchase season tickets, click here. For ticket information for the 2016-17 season, log on to the Terrapin Ticket Office online umterps.com or call 1-800-IM-A-TERP.
– Terps –
