Maryland women’s basketball is making a late push to crack the NCAA Tournament field.
With a 79-63 win over Wisconsin on Thursday night at Xfinity Center in College Park, the Terps have won five of their past six games as they enter March squarely on the bubble. Only No. 6 Iowa and No. 2 Ohio State have beaten Maryland in February.
Four Terps scored in double figures Thursday with Jakia Brown-Turner scoring a game-high 18 points and adding 10 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season. Bri McDaniel scored 16 points and grabbed five rebounds, Shyanne Sellers notched 16 points, five assists and three steals, and Towson transfer Allie Kubek chipped in 11 points.
Maryland (17-11, 9-8 Big Ten) led by 20 points at halftime, but the Terps endured a four-minute scoring drought in the third quarter and Wisconsin battled to cut the deficit to six early in the fourth. Maryland responded by going on a 13-2 run to regain a 17-point lead, 67-50, on an 3-pointer by Brinae Alexander with 4:51 left.
The Terps enjoyed one of their best shooting performances of the season, finishing 7-for-15 from 3-point range while shooting 44.6% from the field. Wisconsin shot 42.9% from the field, 25% from 3-point range and 10-for-11 from the free-throw line.
The Badgers (13-14, 6-11) were led by Serah Williams, who with 14 points and 10 rebounds extended her program-record streak of double-doubles to 14 games, one shy of the Big Ten mark set by Iowa’s Megan Gustaffson. Sania Copeland and D’Yanis Jimenez both exited the game with injuries and did not return.
Maryland wraps up its regular season at No. 14 Indiana on Sunday before heading to the Big Ten Tournament, which begins March 6 at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
Regular-season finale
Maryland at No. 14 Indiana
Sunday, 3 p.m.
Stream: Peacock