Maryland’s slow start did not stop the team from outplaying No. 13 Michigan for most of the game. A 13-2 run following a media timeout put the Terps in complete control.

The Terps came out on top against the Wolverines, winning 72-64, on Thursday at the XFINITY Center.

“I thought our defense won this game tonight and shared the basketball. I thought that was huge,” Coach Brenda Frese said. “The X Factor was Lav here, with just big moments, big shots, having the confidence to step up, and just a really tremendous team win.”

Diamond Miller’s tenacity shined in Maryland’s back-and-forth battle with the Wolverines. Despite Miller fouling out, she excelled with 23 points, seven made from the free-throw line.

“She’s [Diamond Miller] a scorer. She gets so many great opportunities on the offensive end whether that’s her attacking and taking the whole team’s attention and leaving Lav open on three for a knockdown shot,” Abby Meyers said. “I think when Diamond went out, it was really just let’s defend as best we can because coach kept saying the defense is going to win, and we got it. It’s going to be on the defensive end. Whatever happens on offense will happen, but we got to limit their fouls, we got to limit their easy, easy attempts.”

With Miller on the bench in the fourth quarter, Lavender Briggs stepped up, scoring seven points for her team while Meyers had three rebounds. 

“You know, I love the fact that Diamond gets there so often, the 100% that she shot from there was massive, but I thought late game everyone wanted the ball and wanted to step up and make plays for us.” Frese said.

Both teams suffered scoring droughts for the last 2 minutes with 2:17 left on the clock within the fourth quarter. But Briggs held the gap, with five field goals, keeping the Wolverines to 11 points and ended the game with 14 field goals.

“Just staying true to herself [Briggs] stay in knowing that it was gonna happen. I’m glad she found it tonight for us, and you know, this is who she is,” Frese said. “This is what she’s capable of doing every single night for us.”

Maryland’s fast pace plays, and ball handling left Michigan fumbling with 20 personal fouls. 

With ten minutes left in the Terp Wolverine match-up, Leigha Brown made a field goal, closing the gap. Despite the increased pressure, the Wolverines did not back down, racking up 16 points in the fourth quarter. The Terps held onto a sixteen-point lead (50-34), but it slowly dwindled.

“Well, no lead is safe, especially in conference play and especially against a great team like Michigan and they were kind of inching their way in.” Frese said. “Obviously, after we lost Diamond, those possessions were really critical and that three allowed you to take a breath but you know, that’s a byproduct of all the work that Lav’s put in.”

Faith Masonius ended the game with four assists, and Meyers provided 11 rebounds, aiding the Terps on the defensive and offensive ends. Maryland held the lead for 33:40 minutes, with Michigan’s last lead being 12-13.

“We are undersized, and obviously, rebounding has been taking a hit. So we’ve got to be able to do it in other ways,” Frese said. “When you look at who we are and the length and the athleticism that we have, this really obviously has made a big difference and just love seeing kind of that trust collectively, defensively, come together.”

Brown led her team with 16 points and five assists. Wolverine 6-foot-3 Emily Kiser showed her indispensability with nine rebounds. Three Wolverines broke double digits, Laila Phelia with 15, Brown and Kiser who had 11 field goals.

The physicality and calm mentality that the Terps go into each game has grown and shows each time they play.

“It’s in us and we showed today we can do that every time we step out on the court and super proud of this group because it was going to take a 40-minute effort and to see that growth,” Frese said. “It does take time within a team and that trust level has to get there but they’re definitely buying in on both ends of the floor, which allows you to have a chance to be really successful.”

The Terps host Penn State on Monday at 6 p.m.