Opposing star power continued to get the best of No. 14 Maryland women’s basketball in its game against No. 8 Michigan on Saturday. Olivia Olson tallied 28 points after making her first eight shots. She finished 11-of-18 from the field and added eight boards.

Michigan’s offensive dominance combined with their ability to force turnovers led the Wolverines to a 87-69 win at home. 

The Wolverines’ offense was on fire all game. They shot over 56 percent from the field and over 62 percent from behind the arc. Olsen led the charge, followed by Syla Swords, who added 17 points of her own. 

Michigan’s ability to get out in transition off opposing turnovers has allowed it to run some teams out of the gym – the Terps fell victim to it. Against one of the Big Ten’s best teams at forcing turnovers, Maryland couldn’t limit its giveaways. 

“Two teams that played really hard. Super physical game. We know that every time we played Michigan it’s a team that is relentless,” head coach Brenda Frese said. “I thought their intensity really got to us, and we haven’t really allowed teams to do that to us until this point.”

Maryland had 21 turnovers in the game, leading to a whopping 32 Michigan points. 

The Terps also struggled with foul trouble throughout the game. Oluchi Okananwa – who scored 19 points and was flawless from the free-throw line – had three fouls in the first half. 

“Coach never wants me to take my intensity down… It’s playing smart and really playing disciplined, because I have to be out there on the court for my team,” Okananwa said. 

This forced Maryland to lean on their youth like they’ve had to do all season. The Terps have four freshmen all playing over 12 minutes a game. But Michigan took advantage and leaned on their experience even with Maryland’s offensive efficiency. 

The Terps shot 44 percent from the field and 46 percent from three-point range. Yarden Garzon entered the contest as the Big Ten’s leader in three-point makes. That trend continued. Garzon chucked up 10 of Maryland’s 14 looks from deep, and nailed four of them.

Maryland has typically dominated the glass this season, ranking second in the conference with nearly 42 boards per game. But Michigan held strong on Saturday. While the Terps grabbed nine offensive boards, the Wolverines ultimately won the rebounding battle, 29-27 

Michigan went in looking to control the pace of the game and speed up a Maryland team that typically plays on the slower end. Even with more offensive opportunities, Maryland only produced .908 points per possession. 

While on the other end, Michigan tallied 1.176 points per possession. The Wolverines were as efficient as they’ve been all season.

Both teams will look to learn from their matchup heading into the Big Ten tournament – and eventually March Madness. 

“I really thought it took place in the first half where we didn’t play to our [standards]. We talked at halftime about getting back to how we want to play and who we are, which I thought we did a better job of in the second half,” Frese said. 

Maryland’s loss eliminates it from securing a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament. The Terps will either earn the sixth or seventh seed depending on the result of Michigan State’s game tomorrow.