Early in the second quarter, No. 9 Maryland women’s basketball lost starter Lea Bartelme to injury. But a familiar face to Maryland fans stepped up in her absence — Kaylene Smikle. 

Despite struggling initially in her return to the court, when the Terps needed her, the senior stepped up in her season debut. She logged 13 points and five rebounds in her debut, as the Terps cruised to an 88-70 over Towson at Xfinity Center.

“When you talk about between practice and being able to come to the game, only [Smikle] could come out and do what she did tonight,” said Maryland head coach Brenda Frese. “That’s what separates her as such an elite player.” 

Freshman Addi Mack followed up her fourth-quarter excellence from Sunday with a team-high 15 points and six assists. It was an overall team effort, as five Terps scored in double digits, and every player scored. 

Like every game this season, the Terps played strong, physical defense right out of the gates, not letting Towson get an easy basket.

But early in the second quarter, Maryland’s plan to ease Smikle back into play was altered. Bartelme went down with a knee injury and had to be helped back to the locker room, not returning the rest of the night. 

Luckily for the Terps, the newly returned Smikle was ready and checked in, making an immediate impact. She drove to the basket for an and one right away and stopped the Towson attack on the other end with a strong block. 

Maryland outscored Towson by 18 in the second quarter thanks to its defense, extending its lead to 28. 

Mack picked up right where she left off at the end of the first as she hit a three right away and drove to the paint for another two. She had nine points and three assists without missing a shot. 

Entering the third quarter, Towson looked like a completely different team, quickly picking up momentum.

“Going into the third quarter, I just said, can we just play like it’s 0-0 and win the first five minutes,” said Towson head coach Laura Harper. “Let’s win the next five and just continue to build off of that momentum.”

Maryland was forced to call a timeout — then Smikle took over. No other Terp could get going, but Smikle kept hitting. She finished with ten third-quarter points and played aggressively on both ends of the floor. 

“I’ve had good coaches with teammates who’ve been giving me confidence on the side when I’m working out,” Smikle said. “Helping me just stay in the moment has been a great help.”

The Tigers outscored the Terps in the fourth, but with a 22-point cushion, it didn’t affect the outcome, as Maryland cruised to an 18-point win. 

The Terps will return to the Xfinity Center on Sunday against Princeton.