No. 14 Maryland women’s basketball struggled shooting the ball for much of Wednesday night, but its saving grace was offensive rebounds.
The Terps had 20 offensive rebounds to Northwestern’s nine, allowing them to keep plays alive and score 27 second-chance points.
Saylor Poffenbarger grabbed 13 rebounds — five of which were off of the offensive glass — and got her to 1,000 career rebounds. She also added three steals among the 21 Northwestern turnovers as Maryland led wire-to-wire in its 79-57 win at Xfinity Center.
“I think rebounding, in non-conference [play] was our identity, and we got a little bit away from it,” Poffenbarger said. “I think that’s been a huge emphasis for us this season, and specifically to get back on track and to have the success that we’re having right now.”
The Terps’ defense also kept them afloat. They forced 21 turnovers, leading to 24 points, while Northwestern scored just two points on six Maryland turnovers.
Okananwa once again led the team in points with 25. Her fast-paced style of play created opportunities on defense, as she recorded four steals. Her aggression driving to the basket opened the door for plays to stay alive and to get to the free-throw line.
The bench has played a pivotal role for the Terps recently and has been crucial to their winning streak. The Terps ran a shorter rotation, but reserves Kyndal Walker and Rainey Welson both played over 20 minutes while freshman Breanna Williams played 14. Walker continues to impress, finishing with 10 points on the night.
“Twenty-two points off the bench is really going to help us when you talk about [the] postseason and being able to have our depth,” head coach Brenda Frese said.
Maryland’s defense had trouble stopping the Wildcats’ leading scorer, Grace Sullivan. The 6-foot-4 senior came in averaging 21.6 points per game and exceeded that with 23 on Wednesday. Still, she had five turnovers, which gave Maryland extra possessions.
No other Wildcat reached double digits as they struggled from the field the entire game.
The biggest struggles came from 3-point range for both teams. Maryland shot 3-of-21 from deep while Northwestern was 2-of-10. Both teams went the whole second half without making a three-pointer.
Ultimately, a 9-point and two-steal third quarter from Okananwa created a large enough cushion for the Terps and allowed them to take home the victory.
Maryland’s win streak extends to six games and remains undefeated in February.
“You want to be in your last 10 games playing your best basketball,” Frese said. “We are playing our best basketball.”
With the loss, Northwestern was eliminated from the postseason, a development that is especially notable given that head coach Joe McKeown is retiring after this season.
McKeown has a storied history with the Terps, as he’s led the Wildcats in the Big Ten and previously coached in the DMV for George Washington.
“He’s always done it with great dignity [and] high character,” Frese said. “He’s a coach that everyone can rely on. We’re going to miss him.”
