February Fresh: A Maryland Mantra
For the University of Maryland women’s basketball team, the new year started in February, not January.
As the calendar turned to 2026, the Terps struggled to start the year and ended the month of January with a 3-6 record.
Despite the losses, Maryland continues to display a high level of resiliency in the face of adversity, a characteristic that has long been a staple of Brenda Frese's teams.
Born from the early-year struggle, the phrase “February Fresh” exemplifies the turnaround we’ve seen from the Terps this month.
After a home win last week against Penn State, Mir McLean described “February Fresh” as a “new mindset to put the past behind us and look forward to the future.”
As Maryland avenged a January home loss to No. 8 Ohio State on the road today, observers were shown how a mindset change can truly build a team to withstand tough moments.
The Terrapins started slow and trailed by as many as 19 points, but chipped away at the deficit and survived a late-game scare en route to a 76-75 victory.
Maryland had four players score in double figures. Yarden Garzon and Oluchi Okananwa led the way with 17 points apiece, with Okananwa recording a double-double with 10 rebounds before fouling out late. Addi Mack added 14 points, and Saylor Poffenbarger posted a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double.
Mir McLean also continued her strong play with eight points, seven rebounds, and three assists.
The game carried major implications for Big Ten tournament positioning and NCAA Tournament seeding, and Maryland delivered. The win marked the Terrapins’ fourth straight to begin February, fully embracing the “February Fresh” mantra for the group as they improved to 21-6 on the year.
Maryland will look to continue the streak at home on Feb. 22 against Purdue.
