Northwestern University Athletics
Wednesday, February 25
College Park, Md.
5:30 p.m. CT
Northwestern
at
Maryland
Photo by: Mary Grace Grabill/Northwestern Athletics
Northwestern Visits No. 14 Maryland Wednesday For 2025-26 Road Finale
2/24/2026 11:30:00 AM | Women's Basketball
‘Cats dropped 85-79 decision to Terrapins last season
EVANSTON, Ill. (February 24, 2026) – Northwestern (8-19, 2-14 B1G) wraps up its 2025-26 road slate on Wednesday evening, jetting east to take on No. 14 Maryland in a 5:30 p.m. CT tip-off inside XFINITY Center in College Park, Md.
LAST TIME OUT
Tayla Thomas led all scorers, finishing with a game-high 25 points, as Northwestern dropped its penultimate home game of the 2025-26 season to in-state rival Illinois, 92-65, last Sunday at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Thomas, who paced a trio of 'Cats in double figures, finished 8-of-14 from the field, a mark that included a 2-of-4 ledger from beyond the three-point arc, en route to her second career game of 20-plus points. Thomas also ripped down a team-high six rebounds.
Grace Sullivan surpassed the 10-point mark for a 15th straight outing, adding 13 points, three rebounds, and a block. Like Thomas, Xamiya Walton canned a pair of attempts from distance as part of a 12-point showing, her sixth game in double figures this season.
SCOUTING MARYLAND
Winners of five straight games, Maryland (22-6, 10-6 B1G) throttled Purdue, 99-66, last Sunday at XFINITY Center. Four-time Big Ten Coach of the Year honoree Brenda Frese has piloted the Terrapins to the 21st season of 20-plus wins during her 24-year tenure in College Park.
Since losing All-Big Ten guard Kaylene Smikle to injury just seven games into the season, the pairing of Oluchi Okananwa and Yarden Garzon has stepped up to lead Maryland.
A transfer from Duke, Okananwa averages a team-high 17.4 points per game, while operating at just shy of 53 percent from the field. Okananwa, who has 11 games of 20-plus points this season, poured in 26 points in only 19 minutes of action in the Terrapins' win over Purdue.
Garzon, a three-time All-Big Ten honoree during her time at Indiana who puts up 13.1 points per game, is one of the conference's preeminent sharpshooters. Garzon connects on a Big Ten-best 2.9 three-point field goals per game and connects at a 40-percent clip from distance. She has six games this season with at least five made triples.
SERIES STUFF
Northwestern and Maryland will battle for the 17th time in the Wildcats' road finale on Wednesday. The Terrapins have come out victorious in 15 of the previous 16 matchups, all of which have come since Maryland's move to the Big Ten Conference ahead of the 2014-15 academic year.
Northwestern's lone win over Maryland came in an 81-58 triumph at Welsh-Ryan Arena on December 31, 2019.
In last season's meeting with the Terrapins, the 'Cats battled until the end, trimming a 21-point third-quarter deficit down to four in the closing minutes of an 85-79 setback. Melannie Daley led Northwestern with 22 points in the defeat, while Taylor Williams finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
UP NEXT
Northwestern hosts Purdue at Welsh-Ryan Arena in its regular season finale on Sunday, March 1. The Wildcats will honor their graduating seniors ahead of the 2 p.m. CT tip-off, while a special ceremony recognizing head coach Joe McKeown will follow the game.
LAST TIME OUT
Tayla Thomas led all scorers, finishing with a game-high 25 points, as Northwestern dropped its penultimate home game of the 2025-26 season to in-state rival Illinois, 92-65, last Sunday at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Thomas, who paced a trio of 'Cats in double figures, finished 8-of-14 from the field, a mark that included a 2-of-4 ledger from beyond the three-point arc, en route to her second career game of 20-plus points. Thomas also ripped down a team-high six rebounds.
Grace Sullivan surpassed the 10-point mark for a 15th straight outing, adding 13 points, three rebounds, and a block. Like Thomas, Xamiya Walton canned a pair of attempts from distance as part of a 12-point showing, her sixth game in double figures this season.
SCOUTING MARYLAND
Winners of five straight games, Maryland (22-6, 10-6 B1G) throttled Purdue, 99-66, last Sunday at XFINITY Center. Four-time Big Ten Coach of the Year honoree Brenda Frese has piloted the Terrapins to the 21st season of 20-plus wins during her 24-year tenure in College Park.
Since losing All-Big Ten guard Kaylene Smikle to injury just seven games into the season, the pairing of Oluchi Okananwa and Yarden Garzon has stepped up to lead Maryland.
A transfer from Duke, Okananwa averages a team-high 17.4 points per game, while operating at just shy of 53 percent from the field. Okananwa, who has 11 games of 20-plus points this season, poured in 26 points in only 19 minutes of action in the Terrapins' win over Purdue.
Garzon, a three-time All-Big Ten honoree during her time at Indiana who puts up 13.1 points per game, is one of the conference's preeminent sharpshooters. Garzon connects on a Big Ten-best 2.9 three-point field goals per game and connects at a 40-percent clip from distance. She has six games this season with at least five made triples.
SERIES STUFF
Northwestern and Maryland will battle for the 17th time in the Wildcats' road finale on Wednesday. The Terrapins have come out victorious in 15 of the previous 16 matchups, all of which have come since Maryland's move to the Big Ten Conference ahead of the 2014-15 academic year.
Northwestern's lone win over Maryland came in an 81-58 triumph at Welsh-Ryan Arena on December 31, 2019.
In last season's meeting with the Terrapins, the 'Cats battled until the end, trimming a 21-point third-quarter deficit down to four in the closing minutes of an 85-79 setback. Melannie Daley led Northwestern with 22 points in the defeat, while Taylor Williams finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
UP NEXT
Northwestern hosts Purdue at Welsh-Ryan Arena in its regular season finale on Sunday, March 1. The Wildcats will honor their graduating seniors ahead of the 2 p.m. CT tip-off, while a special ceremony recognizing head coach Joe McKeown will follow the game.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballWomen's Basketball - Illinois Postgame Press Conference (2/22/26)
Sunday, February 22
Women's Basketball - Michigan Postgame Press Conference (2/12/26)
Friday, February 13
Women's Basketball - USC Postgame Press Conference (2/5/26)
Friday, February 06
Women's Basketball - Northwestern Rallies Back, Downs Wisconsin, 66-61 (1/15/26)
Friday, January 16
