In its final game before the start of Big Ten play, No. 7 Maryland women’s basketball dominated Mount St. Mary’s, winning 92-44.
The first five minutes of action was evenly matched, looking like it could be a close matchup between the two. But that quickly changed
“I thought we got back to Maryland basketball in the second half,” said head coach Brenda Frese. “I thought we were able to pick up our intensity defensively and get a lot of good things out of that.”
Oluchi Okananwa once again proved to be the Terps offensive engine, leading the team in scoring with 17 points. Behind Okananwa’s stellar performance, they scored 80 points for the ninth time this season.
Maryland’s bench continued to play a big role, as Breanna Williams scored 12 and collected seven rebounds in her 26 minutes. Izzy Ozzy-Momodu contributed 10 points and five rebounds, while Marya Boiko and Rainey Welson each had eight.
Ball movement was the defining difference of the game though, with the Terps totalling 25 assists to only four for Mount St. Mary’s — mostly credited to Maryland’s defense.
Kyndal Walker was the leader behind the Terps’ balanced attack, as she had eight assists. While the primary ball handler off the bench only chipped in four points, Maryland’s offense ran through Walker’s hands.
Maryland was caught off guard early on. The Terps’ typical tenacious defense was not there, allowing five points in three minutes. Despite Mount St. Marys’ early one-point lead, things quickly changed.
Maryland capped off the first quarter with a 19-4 run, growing its lead to 14 points with the first quarter winding down.
The Mountaineers’ offense stymied after their fast start, scoring just four points in the final seven minutes. While Mount St. Mary’s only had three turnovers, it struggled to make shots. A 4-of-17 first-quarter performance resulted in the game quickly getting away from the Mountaineers.
In the second quarter, the Terps’ level raised significantly. Their offense flowed more seamlessly and their defense was far more cohesive. Okananwa led the way, scoring nine points to give Maryland a 46-21 lead entering halftime.
“I think the biggest thing I’m learning, we’re learning, is how to push and fight through adversity,” Okananwa said. “And I mean, I’m really excited to take what we’ve learned, especially from today, and bring it over with us to conference.”
Despite a quick three by the Mountaineers to start the second half, their comeback effort quickly dissipated. Maryland utilized their lethal fullcourt press to continue its dominant defensive display. Even when Mount St. Mary’s broke through the press, the Terps quickly recovered possession.
Maryland’s lead remained intact throughout the fourth quarter, making it impossible for the Mountaineers to mount a comeback. The Terps picked up a 48-point win — their tenth on the season.
The question now becomes can Maryland keep up this momentum as they enter Big Ten play. The Terps kickstart their 20-game conference slate on Sunday at Minnesota.
“It’s going to be a really tough game going on the road, playing at the Barn,” Frese said. “We’re going to have to play a lot better than we did tonight.”
