Is Indiana Women’s Basketball Better Than Maryland?

In this series, Hoosiers On SI examines where Indiana basketball stands against its Big Ten foes. Today, we look at how the Hoosiers stack up against Terrapins.

Maryland Terrapins guard Shyanne Sellers (0) dribbles as Wisconsin Badgers guard Ronnie Porter (13) defends the passing lanes during the first half at Xfinity Center. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – This story continues a series that will run for much of October. Is Indiana better than each of its Big Ten opponents?

Nine categories were chosen so there can be no ambiguity on which team is better. There will be no ties in individual categories. Think of it like you would the Supreme Court.

The categories: Point guard play, free throw shooting, inside scoring, perimeter shooting, rebounding, perimeter defense, rim protection, how much proven Power Five talent is on the roster, and intangibles.

The daily series will cover both the men’s and women’s basketball teams, and it will alternate between the teams.

Maryland is the focus today. In 2024, the Terrapins were 19-14, finished sixth in the Big Ten, and barely made the NCAA Tournament.

That won’t do in College Park, Md. It was the first time Maryland failed to win 20 games since 2004. The Terrapins lost more Big Ten games (nine) in 2024 than they had in the previous three seasons combined.

Legendary coach Brenda Frese went shopping to try to get back to Maryland’s typical standard.

Five players were enticed to Maryland from Power Five programs alone. Three of them were starters at their previous schools. Frese also signed an elite mid-major guard and a JUCO All-American.

This is in addition to returning standout guards Shyanne Sellers (15.6 ppg) and Bri McDaniel (12.6 ppg). Maryland is committed to returning to the Big Ten’s elite.

Here’s how the battle between the Hoosiers and Terrapins shakes out.

• Point guard play – Chloe Moore-McNeil is one of the best point guards in the Big Ten. Full stop. However, Maryland has amassed an arsenal of distributors.

In addition to Sellers (5.5 apg), Maryland brought in Sarah Te-Biasu (16 ppg, 2.9 apg) from Virginia Commonwealth, who has a stout assist percentage at 23.4%. While not a point guard, former Rutgers guard Kaylene Smikle (16.1 ppg, 2.5 apg) is a strong passer, too. This is one case of many where Maryland has assembled a lot of options. Edge: Maryland.

• Free throw shooting – Te-Biasu (86.2%), Sellers (84.9%), McDaniel (80.3%) and Smikle (74%) all top the 70% threshold used as a cutoff in this category. Ciezki (90.2%), Parrish (79.2%) and Moore-McNeil (76.1%) mean Indiana will be fine in this category, but there’s strength in the Terps numbers. Edge: Maryland.

• Inside scoring – Interesting comparison here. Maryland’s scoring strength is on the perimeter and so is Indiana’s. Both teams lost most of their proven inside scoring punch.

Indiana is counting on Lilly Meister, Karoline Striplin, and Yarden Garzon (to a point) to provide inside scoring. The Terps added 6-foot-2 Villanova transfer Christina Dalce (8.3 ppg), who was better known for her defense but also will help offensively. Maryland retains F Allie Kubek (9 ppg), who could add inside scoring, but she also stretches out to the arc on occasion. Tough call, but Dalce has more proven production than any Indiana player. Edge: Maryland.

Feb 29, 2024; College Park, Maryland, USA; Maryland Terrapins guard Bri McDaniel (24) reacts after scoring during the first half against the Wisconsin Badgers at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

• Perimeter shooting – Kubek made 52.6% in 2024, but with just 1.2 attempts per game. McDaniel was tops among returning Terps at 38.5%. Maryland has solid, though not elite, shooters otherwise. Indiana’s plus-40% crew – Garzon (42.2%), Moore-McNeil (40.9%) and Sydney Parrish (40%) – remains unbeaten in this department. Edge: Indiana.

• Rebounding – Maryland is going to be a force on the glass. Saylor Poffenbarger, a 6-foot-2 guard, was added from Arkansas. Poffenbarger’s paint production (10.2 ppg, 11.2 rpg) was akin to that of a post player. Dalce (9.4 rpg) is also a force on the glass. Sellers (5.9 rpg) and Smikle (5.2 rpg at Rutgers) are all proven, and the Terps will have an embarrassment of riches if Virginia graduate transfer Mir McLean (9.6) returns to form after sitting out the 2024 season with a knee injury. Edge: Maryland.

• Perimeter defense – Frese and Indiana coach Teri Moren both put a premium on defense, and both teams have elite-level defenders. In the advanced defensive box plus-minus category, Indiana has three players who exceed 4.0 – Parrish (4.4), Bargesser (4.4) and Moore-McNeil (4.2) – which denotes that all are excellent defenders.

Maryland doesn’t have anyone over 4.0, but it has four players – Sellers (3.9), McDaniel (3.8), Te-Biasu (3.4) and Poffenbarger (3.4) – who are still stout. If a draw was allowed, this would be one, but they aren’t, so we’ll give the edge to the Hoosiers because of their amassed, proven talent. Edge: Indiana.

• Defense at the rim – The Terps are going to be extremely hard to score against in the paint. Dalce (2.3 bpg) is the reigning Big East Defensive Player of the Year. Poffenbarger (1.1 bpg) can come in from the arc to block shots. Indiana’s best returning shot blocker is Parrish (0.7), and the teams are close enough in team defense to give this one to the Terps. Edge: Maryland.

• Proven Power 5 ability on roster – The standard here is whether a player averaged 25 minutes or more at the Power Five level at their current or former school. Ciezki, Garzon, Moore-McNeil and Parrish meet the standard for Indiana, but the quintet of Dalce, McDaniel, Poffenbarger, Sellers and Smikle beat the Hoosiers here. Edge: Maryland.

Maryland Terrapins head coach Brenda Frese reacts as Penn State Nittany Lions forward Ali Brigham (1) looks to pass during the first half at Xfinity Center. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

• Intangibles – The dynamic around Maryland’s team kind of reminds me of Indiana’s men’s team, though perhaps even more so for the Terps, who brought in comparatively higher-caliber players than Indiana’s men’s team did.

There’s a lot of talent that has to come together to form a unified front. Indiana is probably in a better place in terms of established culture. Still, Frese has a national championship resume that makes one trust that she will get it right with a new-look roster. Edge: Maryland.

• Verdict – A 7-2 edge for Maryland is an unkind verdict for the Hoosiers, but the Terrapins have to be trusted that they possess the ability to bounce back with the talent they’ve amassed. Indiana is itself in a bit of a transition period with some experienced players mixing with those getting their first chance to play big minutes.

This verdict reflects that, though the game itself – Maryland comes to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Feb. 27 – will likely be the high-level dogfight it almost always is.

Related stories on Indiana basketball

• IS INDIANA BETTER THAN RUTGERS? Read to see if Indiana's women's basketball team rates higher than Rutgers does for the 2024-25 season. CLICK HERE.

• IS INDIANA BETTER THAN OREGON? Read to see if Indiana's women's basketball team rates higher than new Big Ten member Oregon. CLICK HERE.

• GARZON READY TO SHINE IN 2025: Indiana's Yarden Garzon is ready to take further steps in her basketball development. CLICK HERE.

• IU PICKED FIFTH IN BIG TEN POLL: Indiana's women's basketball team was picked to finish fifth in both of the Big Ten's official preseason polls. CLICK HERE.