Maryland women’s basketball unveils full 2019-20 schedule

The Big Ten released its full 2019-20 schedules for both men’s and women’s basketball on Friday. Nonconference opponents and dates for Maryland women’s basketball were announced last month, but now the full picture of what lies ahead for the Terps has arrived.

Five of the Terrapins’ 11 nonconference opponents made the NCAA Tournament last season, highlighted by a home matchup against South Carolina on Nov. 10 and a trip to Raleigh to take on North Carolina State on Dec. 5 as part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

Conference play begins on Saturday, Dec. 28, with a home matchup against Michigan, followed up by a New Year’s Eve trip to face Northwestern on the road.

After a home contest against Ohio State on Jan. 6, Maryland will travel to Iowa City to take on the Iowa Hawkeyes, who managed to defeat the Terps in the Big Ten Tournament final, 90-76, last season.

That trip to Iowa precedes a road matchup against the Wolverines, who finished fourth in the Big Ten last season.

Between Jan. 16 and Feb. 6, the Terrapins have seven matchups – four of which are at home – against teams that predominantly finished with an even or losing record in the Big Ten last season. The one exception are the Ohio State Buckeyes, who finished 14-14 (10-8 Big Ten) last season. Maryland will travel to Columbus for a Jan. 30 battle.

After that block of the schedule, Maryland returns home on Feb. 9 to take on Rutgers – who upset the Terps, 73-65, in College Park last season – and have a second matchup with Iowa four days later. Though the Hawkeyes graduated last season’s Big Ten Player of the Year, Megan Gustafson, revenge will certainly be a factor in both meetings this season.

The Terrapins then wrap the regular season slate with matchups against Penn State, Wisconsin, Purdue and Minnesota. Three of those final four games are road contests, with the lone home matchup being Senior Day against Purdue on Feb. 25.

Last season, Maryland finished 29-5 (15-3), winning the Big Ten regular season title and earning a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Terrapins’ season ended abruptly at home with an 85-80 second-round loss to No. 6-seeded UCLA.