Following a significant victory against Princeton, the No. 9 Maryland women’s basketball team is set to host Bethune-Cookman in College Park on Thursday evening. The Terps, with a perfect record of 5-0, are heavily favored to improve to 6-0 against a Wildcats squad that has struggled this season, yet to secure a win against a Division I opponent.
The matchup is scheduled to tip off at 6 p.m. and will be available for streaming on Big Ten Plus. Bethune-Cookman comes into the game with a record of 1-3, having previously endured losses to notable teams such as Miami, UCF, and FIU. Their only win this season came against Division II Albany State.
Head Coach Janell Crayton Del Rosario is in her fifth year with the Wildcats, a tenure marked by more struggles than successes as the team has faced challenges in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). Despite a rocky start this year, the team has been gaining experience by competing against programs with more resources.
Key players for Bethune-Cookman include Alexandria Johnson, a graduate student guard who is having her best season with an average of over 10 points per game, and a standout performance of 23 points in a recent game against Florida International. Junior forward Sanai Tyler is another player to watch; she boasts impressive efficiency, hitting over 60% of her shots, but will face a tough challenge against Maryland’s larger front court. Senior guard Daimoni Dorsey, a former standout at Baltimore’s St. Frances Academy and the SWAC preseason Defensive Player of the Year, contributes both defensively and offensively.
While the Wildcats have shown strength in drawing fouls, averaging over 25 free throws per game, they have struggled with shooting efficiency, ranking poorly in both field goal and three-point percentages. This could pose difficulties against Maryland’s robust defense.
Three points to monitor during the game include potential lineup changes for Maryland as Head Coach Brenda Frese may experiment with her bench following recent injuries, the long stretch of games in November leading to fatigue for the Terps, and the overall matchup dynamic against Bethune-Cookman, who is expected to challenge Maryland’s depth and conditioning.
As the Terps look to build on their successful season, fans can expect an exciting performance as Maryland aims to maintain its perfect record.