Some of the names that propelled Maryland women’s basketball to a Big Ten championship last year have moved on, such as WNBA rookie Kaila Charles. Others that were supposed to help fuel this year’s offense, such as Angel Reese and Channise Lewis, are sidelined due to injury.
The Terps faced those challenges without breaking. With youth and first-year members leading the charge, Maryland continues to rise week by week to reach the tail end of January ranked No. 7 in the nation, unbeaten through seven Big Ten games, riding a 10-game winning streak as well as a 24-game Big Ten streak dating back to last season.