January 9, 2025
Inside Shyanne Sellers’ sizzling start during memorable senior season at Maryland
By Rob Knox
Sellers: 'I think people forget that I'm a two-way player'
COLLEGE PARK, M.D. – If anyone had doubts about Shyanne Sellers‘ ability to flourish at the next level, those skeptics should look to Wednesday’s titanic Big Ten women’s game against the fourth-ranked USC Trojans for guidance.
Continue reading with a subscription to The Next
Get unlimited access to women’s basketball coverage and help support our hardworking staff of writers, editors, and photographers by subscribing today.
Already a member?
Login
In a showdown between top-10 programs, Sellers, Maryland’s affable 6’2 senior guard, provided a concise resume of her consistent brilliance, versatility, and leadership during a tough 79-74 setback to visiting USC in a game that exceeded the hype. The game was played in front of 14,735 frenzied fans, inside a charged-up XFINITY Center, on a frigid evening.
Sellers shined during a game swollen with suspense and tingling with excitement that featured nine ties and three lead changes.
It started as Sellers hugged Towson head women’s basketball coach and Maryland legend Laura Harper, a member of the Terrapins’ 2006 national championship who sat court side, as teams waited during an extended period of time on the floor before tip-off. It continued with a right-handed scoop shot between two USC defenders early in the first quarter that elicited a chorus of whoops from the appreciative crowd — many of whom wore white T-shirts.
The cherry on the top of the sundae for Sellers was when she concluded her spectacular evening with a highlight-worthy moment against USC star sophomore guard JuJu Watkins in the fourth quarter. With a deft pump fake of a baseline fadeaway, Sellers sent Watkins airborne and then ducked under her before calmly sinking a one-handed push shot that bounced off the rim and dropped in the basket. Following that hoop, an explosive crackle of cheers shook the facility to its core.
This was just one of many standout moments for Sellers, who was arguably the best player in the game, finishing with 26 entertaining points on 8-of-15 shooting and 10-of-11 accuracy from the free-throw line as Maryland fell from the ranks of the unbeaten. During a third-quarter surge, Sellers demonstrated another component of her complete game by threading a beautiful one-handed pass to a streaking Kaylene Smikle, who scored in transition.
Want even more women’s sports in your inbox?
Subscribe now to our sister publication The IX and receive our independent women’s sports newsletter six days a week. Learn more about your favorite athletes and teams around the world competing in soccer, tennis, basketball, golf, hockey and gymnastics from our incredible team of writers.
Readers of The Next now save 50% on their subscription to The IX.
Showcasing her skills as an elite defender, Sellers drew three crucial fouls on Watkins, including a pivotal fifth on the offensive end late in the fourth quarter. She began the game as Watkins’ primary defender for the opening three minutes, forcing a turnover and a pair of missed shots. While Maryland utilized a rotation of defenders against Watkins, Sellers eagerly embraced the challenge of guarding one of the nation’s top players.
“I think people forget that I’m a two-way player,” Sellers reminded reporters during the postgame press conference. “And I stepped up to the plate. I wanted to make everything difficult for [Watkins] and make her take tough shots. She had to be on one leg a lot and get her shots off. We just wanted to make her night tough. We did that. That shows the world how competitive this group is … I’ve seen Caitlin Clark. I’ve seen everybody. And I’ve had to guard [former Maryland teammate] Ashley Owusu in practice, so I’m not afraid of the challenge.”
Watkins, who finished with 21 points on 7-of-19 shooting and eight turnovers, wearily walked from the locker room after speaking with media and getting dressed back to the court with her burgundy hoodie tightly pulled over her head, concealing her signature bun. Facing five different defenders in 38 grueling minutes while battling foul trouble is enough to sap anybody’s energy.
Yet, Watkins still made time for those who mattered to her. Carrying a brown boxed postgame meal from Mission BBQ and a small Louis Vuitton bag while wearing a black backpack, she spoke to and took pictures with fans, family, and friends for close to 15 minutes before walking to the team bus with a Maryland security escort at her side as midnight approached.
“She’s a good player and very versatile,” Watkins told reporters postgame when asked about playing against Sellers. “I think it was a team effort in guarding her. She had a great night tonight … It’s been a long road trip for us. We’ve been on the East Coast for four days. It’s freezing. It took a lot of mental, emotional, and physical durability. It’s been a long couple of days. We knew Maryland was such a great team, and they were not undefeated for no reason. We came in here and gave it our all. It was a tough win.”
Scouts from the Minnesota Lynx, Los Angeles Sparks, Atlanta Dream, Phoenix Mercury, and Washington Mystics were in the building, enjoying the abundance of talent of both programs. Little girls — a few with painted faces, some sporting Watkins’ iconic white No. 12 jerseys, and others wearing Maryland t-shirts — marveled at the high-definition hoops they witnessed throughout the back-and-forth battle in which teams traded clutch shots and sweet moves. A transcendent talent, Watkins received a thunderous applause when she was introduced during the starting lineups.
The Next, a 24/7/365 women’s basketball newsroom
The Next: A basketball newsroom brought to you by The IX. 24/7/365 women’s basketball coverage, written, edited and photographed by our young, diverse staff and dedicated to breaking news, analysis, historical deep dives and projections about the game we love.
USC 6’3 graduate forward Kiki Iriafen also scored 21 points and converted an and-one with 88 seconds remaining, which gave the Trojans the lead for good, 75-72. Five USC players scored in double figures, including 6’1 freshman guard Kennedy Smith, who scored seven of her 11 points in the fourth quarter to help USC overcome a 68-61 deficit.
Maryland got 15 points, 12 rebounds, and five blocked shots from 6’2 senior forward Christina Dalce. It was her sixth double-double this season. Smikle scored 14 of her 16 points in the second half for Maryland.
In addition to the typically impressive statistics she registers, Sellers has blossomed into the undisputed leader of the Terrapins because of her supply of energy, power, and determination. Throughout the game, Sellers attacked the basket with uninhibited fury, ripped loose balls from startled USC defenders, and inspired her teammates with encouraging words, clapping, and enthusiasm.
As her collegiate career winds down, people around the country are finally recognizing that Sellers is special. She ranks 19th all-time in Maryland history in scoring with 1,437 points and seventh in assists with 472. Perhaps one reason people outside of Maryland have taken Sellers for granted is that she makes the spectacular look routine. She’s made the difficult look easy.
This was Sellers’ 11th consecutive game in which she scored double, and the 14th time in her career she finished with at least 20 points.
“Shy always takes on whatever role we need her to be able to take on,” Maryland head coach Brenda Frese told reporters postgame. “I’d say the biggest area because she’s always taken it from an offensive and a defensive end to grow her game; it’s been her leadership. I thought she was that calming force for us and fearless tonight. She put her team on her back, and that’s what you should do as a senior and with the talent that she has. She’s played in many of these games and thrives in them.”
Beneath the sweat-soaked determination etched on her face and piercing eyes, there’s a sense of joy as Sellers embraces her role as Maryland’s ultimate Swiss Army knife.
Whether it’s facilitating the offense, locking down opponents on defense, or stepping up to score when needed, Sellers has provided plenty of exciting moments. With her versatility and leadership, Sellers is playing with remarkable poise this season. Slowing the game down, Sellers is the heartbeat of a team aiming for greatness, willing to do whatever is necessary to transform Maryland’s season from good to great to legendary.
“I have great people around me,” Sellers said during a Zoom call ahead of the USC game exclusively with The Next. “It’s taken a lot of the load off of me with us having a lot of scoring options. I feel like this team is just incredible. I can play a little bit free. In all my four years, I’ve been able to mold into a different role every year. I feel like that’s a blessing.”
As a freshman, Sellers focused on playing defense and making some spot-up 3-pointers. In her sophomore season, she played behind Diamond Miller and Abby Meyers, so defense and occasional scoring remained her role. Last season, as a junior, Sellers scored more and facilitated the offense.
This season, however, Sellers hasn’t needed to dominate the scoring column. She’s doing everything: rebounding, scoring, defending, and assisting her teammates. Surrounded by a wealth of talent, Sellers is focused on elevating her teammates and doing whatever it takes to win. It’s a selfless and dynamic approach that has made Sellers indispensable to Maryland’s success.
Add Locked On Women’s Basketball to your daily routine
Here at The Next, in addition to the 24/7/365 written content our staff provides, we also host the daily Locked On Women’s Basketball podcast. Join us Monday through Saturday each week as we discuss all things WNBA, collegiate basketball, basketball history and much more. Listen wherever you find podcasts or watch on YouTube.
“It’s been great to play along with someone who is going to be a pro next year,” Smikle said. “That’s where I want to be someday, so I’ve learned a lot from her being here. She helps me see things that maybe I don’t. It’s just been good to have a teammate you know is going to the next level, and she knows what it takes. It’s also helping me grow as a player.”
Sellers’ skillset has been re-evaluated to see how her game potentially and positively translates to the next level. Her combination of size, pull-up shooting and passing ability stands out a lot more on the wing than at the point. Prior to the USC game, Sellers was one of three Power Four players over 6’0 with a 30% assist rate and less than a 20% turnover rate, according to Her Hoop Stats.
An area for growth is increasing her 3-point shooting volume, though her mechanics are promising. If Sellers develops into a confident off-ball shooter in the WNBA and combines that with her mid-range shot creation, driving ability, and athleticism to defend multiple positions, her ceiling is remarkably high. She has the potential to become an incredibly valuable role player.
According to CBB Analytics, Sellers is shooting 43.2% in the mid-range, good for the 78th percentile in Division I. Even though it’s been a limited volume, Sellers is 9-for-22 on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers, per Synergy.
Being a pro prospect isn’t surprising, considering Sellers’ dad, Brad, enjoyed a solid NBA career. Two of her three sisters, Syarra and Shayla, played basketball at Thomas Moore University in Kentucky and Purdue Fort Wayne, respectively. Her mom played in high school.
“Everybody in my family influenced me,” Sellers recalled. “I feel like it was just super competitive growing up. We always played one-on-one on the front hoop. I used to follow my siblings everywhere. They hated it … My whole family inspired me to play. It was never like I had to play, but it came to me, so I just stuck with it.”
The effort against USC proves the Terrapins should be in the conversation as a program that potentially could advance to the Final Four this season. USC is one of four top-10 programs on Maryland’s January gauntlet. In the span of six days, they have consecutive games against No. 5 Texas (Jan. 20), No. 9 Ohio State on the road (Jan. 23), and No. 1 UCLA (Jan. 26).
“Obviously disappointed to not close this one out, but just didn’t make enough plays down the stretch,” Frese said. “I think we learned a lot about ourselves tonight. And this group, wants the moment, they want to play the best. As a coach, you love seeing them welcome this big stage tonight. I thought Shy showed what a tremendous senior leader she is and a big-time player. I thought we fed off of her confidence (and) her aggressiveness.”
Order ‘Becoming Caitlin Clark’ and save 30%
Howard Megdal, founder and editor of The Next and The IX, just announced his latest book. It captures both the historic nature of Caitlin Clark’s rise along with the critical context, over the previous century, that helped make it possible — interviews with Clark, Lisa Bluder, C. Vivian Stringer, Jan Jensen, Molly Kazmer and so many others were vital to the process.
If you enjoy his coverage of women’s basketball every Wednesday at The IX, you will love “Becoming Caitlin Clark: The Unknown Origin Story of a Modern Basketball Superstar.” Click the link below to pre-order and enter MEGDAL30 at checkout.
Hunter Cruse contributed reporting to this story.
Written by Rob Knox
Rob Knox is an award-winning professional and a member of the Lincoln (Pa.) Athletics Hall of Fame. In addition to having work published in SLAM magazine, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Washington Post, and Diverse Issues In Higher Education, Knox enjoyed a distinguished career as an athletics communicator for Lincoln, Kutztown, Coppin State, Towson, and UNC Greensboro. He also worked at ESPN and for the Delaware County Daily Times. Recently, Knox was honored by CSC with the Mary Jo Haverbeck Trailblazer Award and the NCAA with its Champion of Diversity award. Named a HBCU Legend by SI.com, Knox is a graduate of Lincoln University and a past president of the College Sports Communicators, formerly CoSIDA.