For the second time this season, No. 19 Maryland women’s basketball had five players finish in double figures. The Terps shot 48% from the field and 59% on 3-pointers, their best marks of the season.
Maryland’s efficient day led to a dominant 85-58 win over Columbia Sunday.
Maryland’s leading scorer, sophomore Addi Mack, got the scoring started for the Terps. Mack came off a Big Ten Player of the Week Honor Roll appearance after a 35-point showing in the Terps season opener against No. 1 South Carolina
and scored in every frame against the Lions.
Maryland’s defense took over the first quarter. The Terps once again came out in their aggressive press and were all over the Lions from the tip. Columbia missed its first 13 shots and took over six minutes to score.
But Maryland was rusty on offense after a week between games, finishing the first quarter just 36.8% from the field. Still, it led 20-5 after forcing seven steals in the quarter.
Maryland’s offense got warmed up and had an efficient second quarter. The Terps shot 50% from the field and 75% from behind the arc while extending the lead to 41-14.
“I thought we were ready to go from the tip. I loved the statement we made in the first 20 minutes,” head coach Brenda Frese said. “They had 15 turnovers, no assists in that first half; you know, we were able to [turn defense to offense].”
Perfection was the name of the game early. Redshirt freshman guard Lea Bartelme led the way with seven points on 3-for-3 shooting from the field in the second quarter. Meanwhile, freshman Jordyn Jackson led the way in the first half with eight points on a perfect 4-for-4 mark from the field.
“I felt like it came naturally for me. I think it just took me a couple games to settle in and just be myself,” Jackson said.
Maryland’s first hiccup came at the start of the second half after Columbia’s Riley Weiss went on a self-made 7-0 run, earning a four-point play and draining a 3-pointer on back-to-back possessions.
Weiss entered Sunday off a 23-point game against No. 2 Michigan. The Terps held her to 13 points on 5-for-18 shooting in Sunday’s win.
However, Columbia took momentum from Weiss and put together its best quarter. The Lions more than doubled their first-half production with 21 third-quarter points on 8-for-15 shooting.
The Lions outscored Maryland in the fourth quarter, 23-22, after shooting 50% from the field and winning the turnover margin 6-1. The Terps also struggled to maintain possessions, finishing with 17 turnovers and just 16 assists. They had 15 turnovers and 17 assists against George Mason.
“We’ve got to really improve in that area. Sixteen assists, 17 turnovers isn’t going to get it done in conference play or against an elite team,” Frese said.
Sophomore guard Rainey Welson led Maryland in scoring in the second half. She finished 4-for-4 from behind the arc in the second half and finished with a career-high 17 points.
Senior Oluchi Okanawa finished with a season-low seven points in only 19 minutes after facing foul trouble in the third quarter.
Maryland avoided being outrebounded for the first time this season. The Lions and the Terps were even with 36 rebounds apiece. 5-foot-9 Mack and 5-foot-10 Bri McDaniel led the way with six rebounds each for the Terps.
Senior forward Nunu Agara struggled on the defensive glass again, finishing with just three defensive rebounds in 25 minutes. She’s averaging just three defensive rebounds a game as the only forward in Maryland’s starting lineup.
“Again, an area that we’re just trying to focus on every single day,” Frese said.
Maryland now looks to its third straight home game against Coppin State on Wednesday, Nov. 18.
Three things to know
- Maryland’s struggles in the defensive paint continue. Columbia outscored Maryland 34-30 in the paint, with that number accounting for more than half the Lions’ points. The Lions finished with 12 offensive rebounds and added 10 second-chance points.
- Maryland continues to be hot from deep. Maryland entered its third regular-season game shooting 37.8% from 3-point range and just had its best game yet. Maryland had six players make a 3-pointer and finished 10-for-17 from deep. Welson alone finished 5-for-8 from distance.
- Maryland’s press continues to dominate. Maryland debuted its press against No. 1 South Carolina to open the season, and it was key to outscoring the Gamecocks by 20 points in the second half. Maryland used it again against George Mason and forced 28 turnovers and once again brought it out against the Lions to finish with a season-high 17 steals. The press has helped the Terps keep offenses out of the paint, where they’ve struggled this season.
