Expectations for No. 10 Maryland women’s basketball have heightened heading into the season.
The Terps fell in the Sweet 16 last year, but enter the new campaign with an improved roster. For its official season opener, Maryland will take the Xfinity Center court to showcase what it has in store.
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The Terps host Loyola Maryland at 7 p.m. on Monday. The game will stream on Big Ten Plus.
Loyola Maryland Greyhounds (0-0, 0-0 Patriot League)
2024-25 record: 9-21
Head coach Danielle O’Banion enters her fifth season at the helm with the Greyhounds. Under O’Banion, Loyola had one season with a win percentage over .500, in 2023-24.
Loyola comes into the season after a difficult 2024 campaign, in which it fell to Boston University in the first round of the Patriot League Tournament and won a total of nine games. The Greyhounds returned 11 players from last season’s roster and brought in three freshmen — Loyola did not have any incoming transfers.
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Players to watch
Amandine Amorich, junior guard, 5-foot-11, No. 34 — Amorich returns to Loyola for her third season with the program. She averaged 10 points, three rebounds and 1.7 assists per game last season and started in 22 of her 30 appearances.
Koi Sims, graduate student forward, 6-foot-0, No. 10 — Sims started 28 of Loyola’s 30 games last season and led the team with 10.2 rebounds per game. Sims was also solid offensively, averaging 9.5 points and 1.3 assists. She racked up 31 blocks last season and is one of the Greyhounds’ most experienced players, after spending her freshman season at Albany.
Kimmie Hicks, junior guard, 5-foot-9, No. 5 — Hicks returns to the Greyhounds after suffering a season-ending injury in 2024. In nine games, she led the team with 14.6 points per game. She also shot 44.9% from the field, 47.6% from beyond the arc and 83.7% from the charity stripe. Hicks averaged five rebounds and 1.1 assists, and will look to get into a groove after last playing on Dec. 7, 2024.
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Strength
Rebounding. Loyola averaged 32.4 rebounds per game last season — 0.7 rebounds more than its opponents. The Greyhounds returned its top three rebounders from 2024, as Sims dominated the boards alongside Hicks and Lex Therien. That trio averaged 21.9 rebounds collectively.
Weakness
Turnovers. Last season, the Greyhounds gave away 16.4 turnovers per game — 1.9 more than its opponents, on average. Sims led Loyola last season, turning the ball over 78 times. Amorich also fell victim to the turnover bug, making 67 of those mistakes a season ago.
Three things to watch
1. Injury issues are already present. In its final exhibition, Maryland had three potential starters sit out — and another injury occurred on Thursday. Bri McDaniel isn’t expected to return for a significant amount of time, but will play this season. Kaylene Smikle did not play in the final exhibition — it is unclear if she will play Monday. Lea Bartelme sat out Maryland’s final exhibition, but is expected to play in the season opener. Rainey Welson suffered an injury on Monday, but seemed to be okay after a scary fall.
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“We rested [Bartelme] today. She had some back tightness that I didn’t think was worth risking for tonight. And then Rainey [Welson]… She got back out there, she just kind of landed on her knee. So at this point, we heard she’s good,” head coach Brenda Frese said. “[Smikle] is still just dealing with naming injuries.”
2. How will newcomers perform? Several newcomers are expected to see significant playing time for the Terps this season. Maryland’s two transfers, Oluchi Okananwa and Yarden Garzon, will play significant roles, but it is unclear who else will. Bartelme and Boiko are also likely to see playing time, but Monday will be the first glimpse of how Frese’s regular season rotation will look.
3. The start of Maryland’s nonconference slate. Maryland begins the season with seven consecutive home games, and won’t play a true road game until Dec. 7 — its first conference game. The Terps seemingly have a relatively undemanding nonconference schedule, but time will tell how Maryland fares.
