Basketball is finally back in College Park.

Maryland women’s basketball hosted an open practice on Saturday to debut its 2025-26 roster. The Terps scrimmaged their scout team, falling 70-67 to the group in overtime.

Coach Brenda Frese called them “the best scout team” Maryland’s had during her tenure after the matchup.

The final score was irrelevant, though. The scrimmage was intended to show fans what Maryland’s new roster looked like in the early stages of the season.

Here are three takeaways from Saturday’s showing.

Oluchi Okananwa shined as point guard

At Duke, Oluchi Okananwa played primarily on the wing and came off the bench. Her first game in a Maryland uniform was a much different sight.

Okananwa started for the Terps as a point guard during the scrimmage and dominated. The junior led the team in scoring, posting 21 points and eight rebounds.

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The guard came off the bench for Duke, averaging 10.1 points and 22.4 minutes per game in 2024-25 and earning the ACC Sixth Player of the Year award in 2024.

After two years on the bench, Okananwa looks poised to take over the role as Maryland’s starting point guard.

Despite the scoring outburst, her freshness at the position showed. She recorded five of Maryland’s 19 turnovers.

Frese, who emphasizes not turning the ball over, was vocal during timeouts about fixing the Terps’ struggles to keep possession.

Don’t expect Maryland to start the season fully healthy

The Terps were hindered by injuries during the 2024-25 season. It looks like they’ll start this year’s campaign in a similar spot. 

Three of Maryland’s expected contributors didn’t suit up Saturday.

Then-junior Bri McDaniel suffered an ACL tear in January against Minnesota — an injury that can take up to a year to recover from. McDaniel underwent surgery and remains unlikely to start the season in the rotation.

Returners Kaylene Smikle and Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu also notably didn’t play Saturday. Ozzy-Momodu redshirted her junior campaign to recover after tearing her ACL in February 2024 while still with Gulf Coast State.

But it’s unclear why Smikle was sidelined for the scrimmage. The senior guard was named to the preseason All-Big Ten team on Oct. 2 and led the Terps in points last season.

Four-star freshman Rainey Welson didn’t appear either. The No. 34 recruit in the 2025 class’ senior year ended early after she suffered a knee injury. It’s unclear if that injury is still lingering.

Frese is likely giving her players time to nurse any of their injuries before Maryland faces Loyola in their first game on Nov. 3. It will be interesting to see if any of the absent Terps make an appearance in their exhibition matchup on Oct. 26 against No. 9 NC State.

The freshman talent is strong

247Sports ranked Maryland’s 2025 class No. 22 overall and didn’t even make ESPN’s Top 25 rankings. But the incoming class looked much stronger than that ranking in the scrimmage.

Marya Boiko was hard to ignore inside the paint. The 6’4 forward finished with 14 points and four rebounds, all on defense. Boiko’s aid under the rim will be a huge gain for Maryland if she can pick up time in rotation.

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The Belarus native was a late pickup for Frese’s class. Boiko and fellow freshman Nicole Fritea joined the roster in late July after Frese’s team scouted the two internationally. Fritea, a 6’2 forward from Romania, only played three minutes of the scrimmage.

Lea Bartelme and Addi Mack also delivered strong performances, putting up seven points each. Bartelme’s ball handling and ability to take up space stood out, while Mack showed off her speed and ball movement, dishing out four assists.

Bartelme’s professional playing experience with the Slovenian national team gives the 5’8 guard more of a veteran edge than a typical freshman. It seems Bartelme could be a good candidate to fill McDaniel’s spot until she’s ready to return.

Frese doesn’t usually lean on freshmen, but given the combination of injuries and talent, this season could be different.