SEATTLE, WA — Shyanne Sellers was bound to have a rebound performance against Washington. After going scoreless against Oregon on Thursday, the senior hoped to make a statement — and she did. 

Sellers’ looping pass to Allie Kubek beneath the net got the graduate forward her first points in the paint of the game. More crucially, though, it marked assist number 489 for Sellers, who passed Alyssa Thomas for the fifth-most dimes in Maryland women’s basketball history. 

Off the backs of stellar performances from Sellers and Kaylene Smikle, the No. 16 Terps overcame an early slump, blowing past Washington 81-73 on Sunday.

“We just keep stacking days,” head coach Brenda Frese said. “And I feel like we’re starting to get our rhythm without Bri [McDaniel] and with Shy working her way back.”

The two teams had polar opposite starts to the game. Maryland (19-5, 9-4 Big Ten) could not buy a basket, making just one of their first eight shots. On the other hand, Washington (14-10, 5-7 Big Ten) started 5-for-7, including three of four makes behind the arc. 

Kaylene Smikle scored nine points in the opening frame, but the rest of the Terps seemingly sleepwalked through those first ten minutes. 

Washington led by as much as 15 early on, with ex-Maryland assistant — and current Huskies head coach — Tina Langley scheming open offensive looks both down low and beyond the arc. The Terps didn’t have an answer. 

Washington — the Big Ten’s top three-point shooting team — shot 55% from the floor and didn’t turn the ball over in the first quarter, punishing the Terps’ offensive struggles.

A 6-0 run in the final minute of the first quarter kept the Terps within striking distance; they trailed 27-19. 

“Obviously, it was not the start we wanted,” Sellers mused. “[Frese] was on us really bad about our defensive effort, intensity… and then, in the second quarter, we kind of turned it around and put our foot on the pedal.”

After the first-quarter break, Maryland dominated. 

Washington continued getting good looks, but its makes dried up; the Huskies drained just three baskets the entire quarter. Aided by several key offensive rebounds, the Terps steadily worked their way back into the game. 

A 12-4 run over the first four minutes of the second frame brought Maryland level; a 13-5 run from there until the half put Maryland in firm command of the contest. 

Coming out of the break, the game quickly turned into the “Kaylene Smikle Show.” The Rutgers transfer left the locker room with an agenda, scoring 11 of Maryland’s first 13 points of the second half; she was versatile in doing so too. 

The junior was equally effective driving into the paint and pulling up behind the arc. Smikle ended the quarter a perfect 5-for-5 from the field and added an additional two free throws. She finished with 36 points, a new career-high, despite playing through illness according to Frese. 

Maryland’s second-quarter comeback seemed to take the wind out of Washington’s sails. The Huskies scored 27 in the first quarter but couldn’t replicate that number between the second and third quarters combined. 

Entering the fourth quarter, though, Washington’s offense found a second wind. 

A quick six-point salvo from each of graduate forward Dalayah Daniels and sophomore guard Sayvia Sellers – no relation to Shyanne – brought the Huskies back to within four points with five minutes remaining in the game. 

On the defensive side, Washington dialed up the pressure, and Maryland struggled to handle it. The Terps suffered back-to-back turnovers heading into the final media timeout.

But with the game seemingly slipping away, Maryland had Smikle to lean on. After the Terps finally conquered Washington’s full-court press, the junior blazed through the zone defense and made a reverse layup through contact to stem the bleeding. 

“Once I noticed in transition that they weren’t able to stop me from going downhill, my coaches kept telling me, ‘go downhill,’” Smikle admitted admitted. “I just kept going, and I wasn’t stopped. So the rest is history.”

The Huskies’ rally faltered at the final steps. A wide-open corner three for Sayvia Sellers that would have brought the difference to two points fell short. An outlet pass from Daniels on the ensuing possession bounced just out of reach of a Washington player on a fast break. 

On the very next play, Shyanne Sellers capped her recovery performance by breaking Washington’s trap with a dish to Saylor Poffenbarger. Sellers finished with 15 points, four rebounds and five assists.

Poffenbarger made the easy layup, virtually icing the game as Maryland took a 78-71 lead with just under 40 seconds to play. Two more misses from beyond the arc from the Huskies, who shot 25% from deep in the second half, sealed it.

“I knew this was going to be a 40 minute game,” Frese said. “I never felt comfortable when we were up 17… I knew that they were going to play until the bitter end.”

The Terps worked through the end and ended their West Coast swing undefeated and will play next on Thursday against Nebraska.