#12/8 Maryland (16-2, 4-2) at USC (10-6, 2-3)
January 15, 2026
9 PM ET
Galen Center (Los Angeles, CA)
COLLEGE PARK, MD -- The 12th-ranked Maryland women's basketball team (16-2, 4-2 B1G) will open its West Coast swing trip with a matchup at USC (10-6, 2-3) Thursday, Jan. 15. The Terps and the Trojans will tip off at 9 p.m. ET at the Galen Center.
Thursday's game will be streamed on
Peacock.
2025-26 STORYLINES
What's UP
- Maryland is coming off a tough 89-76 loss to No. 19 Ohio State Sunday in College Park.The Terps led with 1:00 to go in the third quarter, but a late surge by the Buckeyes was the difference. Oluchi Okananwa led the way with 27 points and 9 rebounds. Yarden Garzon hit five three-pointers for 19 points.
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The Terrapins are No. 3 in the country and No. 2 in the Big Ten in rebounding margin (+14.7). The Terps are 10th in the country in scoring (87.0 ppg),10th in scoring margin (+30.2) and No. 12 in free throws made per game (17.17). Maryland is also 14th in the country in field goal percentage (48.1%).
- Yarden Garzon is leading the Big Ten and No. 11 in the country in threes made (53). Oluchi Okananwa and Saylor Poffenbarger are Nos. 5 and 6 in the Big Ten in steals per game with 2.2 and 2.0.
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Maryland is ranked No. 12 in the Associated Press poll released Jan. 12 and No. 8 in the USA Today Sports WBB Coaches Poll released Jan. 6.
- The Terps were picked to finish second in the Big Ten, behind just UCLA. USC, Michigan and Ohio State rounded out the predicted top five.
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Seniors Yarden Garzon and Kaylene Smikle were named to the 10-player All-Big Ten Preseason Team by both the league's head coaches and media panel.
- Head coach Brenda Frese and her staff signed two transfers in All-Big Ten honoree Yarden Garzon (Indiana) and 2025 ACC Tournament Most Outstanding Player Oluchi Okananwa (Duke). The Terrapins also welcome freshmen Lea Bartelme, Addi Mack, Rainey Welson, Nicole Fritea and Marya Boiko to the roster.
- Maryland will play six teams ranked in the AP preseason poll - No. 3 UCLA, No. 13 Michigan, No. 18 USC, No. 21 Iowa, No. 23 Michigan State and No. 24 Kentucky. The Terps will also play six teams receiving votes in Washington, Ohio State, Princeton, Minnesota, Illinois and Nebraska.
- Maryland women's basketball is its 55th season and owns a record of 1,166-474 (.711). The Terrapins are No. 11 all-time in NCAA Division I history in winning percentage and No. 9 in all-time victories.
series history
- The Trojans own the series at 6-1.
- USC took their last meeting, 79-74, in College Park on Jan. 8, 2025.
milestone and streaks
- Maryland has won the rebounding battle in 15 of 18 games this season. The Terps are 14-1 this year and 37-3 over the last two years when winning the rebounding battle.
- Over the last seven seasons, the Terps are 124-7 (94.7%) when they score 80 points or more.
- Over the last five seasons, the Terrapins are 91-10 when leading at the half. They are 33-5 over the last two years when leading at halftime.
- The Terrapins are 80-2 over the last four seasons when leading at the start of the fourth quarter and 266-4 since they moved to quarters in 2015-16.
- The Terps are 109-4 over the last five seasons when leading with 5:00 to play.
- Maryland has won 27 straight non-conference games at home, dating back to Nov. 11, 2022.
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Maryland has four 1,000 point scorers (Kaylene Smikle - 1,499, Yarden Garzon - 1,445, Saylor Poffenbarger - 1,069, Oluchi Okananwa - 1,018).
TERPS IN THE BIG TEN
Frese File
- Head coach Brenda Frese is in her 24th season in College Park. She's led the Terrapins to a record of 623-171 (.785), 14 conference titles, 21 NCAA Tournament bids in 23 postseasons, three Final Fours, seven Elite Eights, 12 Sweet Sixteens and the 2006 NCAA Championship.
- Frese owns a career record of 680-201 (.771) over her 27 years as a head coach.
- Frese was named National Coach of the Year by the AP, The Athletic and ESPN at the end of the 2020-21 season. In October 2021, Frese was the first woman inducted into the Washington DC Metro Basketball Hall of Fame.
- With the Terrapins' win at Nebraska on Feb. 14, 2021, Frese picked up win No. 500 at Maryland, which makes her the winningest coach in Maryland basketball history. Hall of Fame women's basketball head coach Chris Weller won 499 games in her 27 seasons (1975-02).
Terps in the Polls
- Maryland is one of the most consistent winning programs in the country.
- Maryland has been ranked for 332 weeks in the last 22 seasons, with 241 of those weeks in the AP top 10 and 94 in the AP top 5.
- Overall, the Terps have been ranked in 603 of 895 AP polls, which puts them at fifth-most poll appearances all-time.
- Brenda Frese has had a team ranked in 384 weeks in her career (376 at Maryland), which is 10th among coaches all-time.
- Maryland has started the season ranked in the last 16 seasons straight and 21 of head coach Brenda Frese's 24 seasons in College Park. The Terps have been in the AP Preseason Top 10 12 times under Frese and in the top five six times.
