The Big Ten announced Maryland women’s basketball’s 2025-26 conference slate on Thursday, lining the Terps’ path in their quest to return to the Sweet 16.

Maryland will end a relatively light non-conference schedule and visit Minnesota on Dec. 7 to begin Big Ten play. For the second consecutive season, the Terps will start their conference slate on the road.

Wisconsin will take a trip to College Park on Dec. 29 to close out 2025. Maryland begins the new year traveling to Illinois on Jan. 1.

Transfer Yarden Garzon will face her former squad on Jan. 4 in an anticipated matchup when Indiana comes to College Park. The 6-foot-3 guard started every game and led the Hoosiers with 14.4 points per game her junior season — a key cog whose absence leaves a huge gap in the Indiana lineup.

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The Terps will play USC and UCLA on the West Coast for the first time since the programs joined the conference in 2024. Three days separate the matchups against the California powerhouses, with Maryland facing the Trojans on Jan. 15 and the Bruins on Jan. 18.

USC, led by Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year Juju Watkins, narrowly handed the Terps their first loss of the season last year, 79-74. Despite playing on the road, Maryland has its best chance to upset the Trojans with Watkins likely to remain sidelined from an ACL tear she suffered in March.

A three-game homestand, the longest of the conference slate, closes out January for Maryland, starting with a key game against Iowa on Jan. 22 before facing Washington and Oregon on Jan. 28 and Jan. 31, respectively.

Maryland will hit the road again in February to visit Michigan State and Nebraska. The Cornhuskers handed the Terps their biggest loss of the conference season last year, a 91-71 thrashing at Xfinity Center.

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The Terps will face Ohio State twice — first at home on Jan. 11 before heading to Columbus on Feb. 15. Maryland’s 13-5 conference record tied Ohio State for third-best behind the two California programs.

Purdue and Northwestern will visit College Park for the Terps’ final homestand on Feb. 22 and Feb. 25, respectively. Michigan will host Maryland’s final match on Feb. 28, where the Terps look to get revenge from their 98-71 loss in the Big Ten tournament.

With minimal shakeups from the draft and transfer portal, USC and UCLA appear set to dominate the Big Ten for a second straight season.

The Trojans lost Kiki Iriafen and Rayah Marshall to the WNBA Draft but secured the commitment of No. 1 recruit Jasmine Davidison. The Bruins, who visited the Final Four last season, return star Lauren Betts and picked up her younger sister, Sienna, the No. 2 recruit in the nation.

Maryland aims to challenge the West Coast’s reign if the roster can remain healthy. Picking up at least one win on the California trip will be crucial for the Terps if they want a chance of claiming their first Big Ten title since 2021.