The Terps pulled within five after a 13-point halftime deficit.
Maryland women’s basketball entered Sunday’s game at No. 2 Ohio State without a signature win. While it also left without one, the Terps showed, despite being shorthanded, a strong level of compete.
Operating with a rotation of just seven players, the Terps seemed to grow stronger with each quarter. However, Ohio State’s superior skill and shooting prowess ultimately proved too much for Maryland in a 79-66 defeat.
“Late game, I thought Ohio State just wore us out, and their seniors took over,” said head coach Brenda Frese.
From the onset, both teams applied full-court pressure. However, Ohio State’s defense was much more effective, and it took advantage to the tune of a 21-13 first-quarter advantage.
Maryland also faced further depth issues when Shyanne Sellers picked up two early fouls. To compensate, head coach Brenda Frese fielded a lineup which featured Brinae Alexander, Allie Kubek, and Emily Fisher simultaneously, a trio which has rarely seen time together this season.
Ohio State shot the ball extremely well in the early stages, going 8-for-13 from the field and 4-for-8 from deep.
“We have to punch first. We can’t just come out relaxed,” said Bri McDaniel. “We have to come in like how [Ohio State is]…we already know they’re going to attack us all game.”
As the second frame began, the Terps’ performance deteriorated further. In the first five minutes, they were outscored, 12-7. They also endured a scoring drought of over four minutes, missing all six field goal attempts during that span.
Despite the shortcomings of Maryland’s size-heavy lineup, it excelled in certain aspects. Leveraging a 5-1 offensive rebounding advantage and scoring six second-chance points, the Terps managed to generate some easy baskets and mitigate their shooting struggles.
Yet, despite these efforts, Maryland still found itself trailing down at the half, 44-31.
As the third quarter unfolded, though, Maryland began to gain momentum. Exploiting Ohio State’s careless play, the Terps embarked on a 9-0 run in just one minute and 23 seconds, narrowing the Buckeyes’ lead to five points.
“[In the] third quarter, I thought we did a great job getting to the free throw line, on the glass,” Frese said.
Defensively, Maryland’s man-to-man switching was nearly flawless, thwarting Ohio State’s perimeter hand-offs and high screen-and-roll plays. In the frame, it limited the Buckeyes to a mere 1-for-9 from beyond the arc.
“We wanted to make Ohio State shoot the three…it’s an area [where] they only average seven a game,” Frese said.
With ten minutes remaining in the game, Maryland trailed by only five points, with the score resting at 55-60.
However, Ohio State surged ahead in the final quarter, scoring five unanswered points to extend its lead to ten. The Buckeyes’ speed on the court posed a challenge, which led to three quick Maryland fouls and two trips to the free-throw line for Ohio State, pushing its lead back up to ten points.
The defeat marked Maryland’s eighth loss in Big Ten play this season.
“We’re just staying resilient and knowing that it’s going to pay off for us,” Frese said.
Three things to know
1. Bri McDaniel carried the load. It was a tall task, and McDaniel did all she could. When Sellers exited the game with two early fouls, McDaniel took over the playmaking and scoring responsibilities. However, what was especially impressive was her defensive energy and acumen, often being the first player back and stopping multiple Ohio State fast break opportunities.
McDaniel ended the afternoon with 21 points on 8-of-17 shooting and four rebounds.
2. Turnovers hurt Maryland. In the first half alone, Ohio State forced 10 Maryland turnovers. In the same vein, Ohio State created 11 points off of said turnovers, while Maryland scored just two points off takeaways.
In total, the Terps turned the ball over 15 times.
3. The Terps were unable to complete the second-half comeback. As Frese mentioned, it seemed like Maryland just got worn out late, outmatched by Ohio State’s depth. Nonetheless, the Terps’ defensive fight and gritty style of play in the second half was commendable, holding Jacy Sheldon to just six points on 2-for-7 shooting.