No. 8 Maryland couldn’t catch a break Monday.
The day began with the Terrapins asserting that key reserve Bri McDaniel would miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL in her proper knee.
Hours later, senior Shyanne Sellers exited the second recreation of the Coretta Scott Traditional doubleheader at Prudential Heart with a proper knee damage.
After getting blown out 89-51 by No. 7 Texas, Maryland head coach Brenda Frese didn’t have an instantaneous replace on Sellers, who shall be evaluated Tuesday by medical doctors.
Sellers leads the Terrapins in assists (4.9 per recreation) and is second in scoring (14.9 factors per recreation). She additionally contributes 4.3 rebounds per recreation.
McDaniel, who harm her knee in final week’s win in opposition to No. 24 Minnesota, has additionally been a key contributor to Maryland’s success this season. She averaged 10.6 factors, 2.4 assists and a pair of.1 rebounds per recreation off the bench.
Sellers and McDaniel’s absences in Monday’s recreation “clearly” impacted the end result, Frese stated.
“We’re trying to regroup as a team, losing Bri and then having Shy go down was also extremely painful to be going against the pressing team with limited guard play,” Frese stated. “But obviously playing a top-10 team and losing two of your top three scorers is a tough pill to be able to swallow.”
Frese stated Maryland (16-2) had solely two practices with out McDaniel to organize for the Texas recreation, however there isn’t a straightforward resolution to filling the void left by McDaniel.
“You’re not going to replace a player like Bri,” Frese stated. “Everyone has to do a little bit more and that’s a little bit more on the defensive end and lock it in … one player doesn’t have to do it, it’s got to be by committee.”
Now, with Sellers’ future availability unsure, the Terrapins might need to start out making ready for the fact of enjoying with out two of their most impactful gamers.
“We’re going to have to find ways to get on the glass and get to the free-throw line,” Frese stated. “No one is going to feel sorry for us. So you just got to figure out [how] to find a way.”
Maryland opened the season 14-0, marking this system’s greatest begin since 2011-12. However the Terrapins have gone 2-2 since Jan. 8 and are within the midst of their most difficult stretch of the season.
Maryland performs at No. 9 Ohio State on Thursday earlier than internet hosting No. 1 UCLA on Sunday.
“For us, it’s just understanding we’re not going to get too high or too low in January,” Frese stated. “And we’re going to figure it out. We always do.”
