AP Photo/Chris Seward

AP Photo/Chris Seward

AP Photo/Chris Seward

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Redshirt freshman Kyndal Walker scored a career-high 20 points and she had plenty of help from Maryland teammates as the Terrapins defeated Murray State 99-67 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday.

Mir McLean provided 19 points and 14 rebounds and Addi Mack added 18 points, while Yarden Garzon had 12 points and Saylor Poffenbarger added 10 points for fifth-seeded Maryland, which hammered the Racers on the boards.

“Clearly we had a lot more size on them,” Maryland coach Brenda Frese said. “I think it begins there. It also just comes down to will and a want and a desire.”

The Terrapins (24-8), who matched their highest point total in a regulation game this season with the aid of 50% shooting from the field, will meet the North Carolina-Western Illinois winner in Sunday’s second round.

Halli Poock poured in 27 points and Haven Ford and Keslyn Secrist each scored 17 points for No. 12-seed Murray State (31-4), which finished with a school-record win total even though its 15-game winning streak ended.

“I’m disappointed it had to end like this, but we have a lot to be proud of,” Poock said.

Maryland’s 24 offensive rebounds were more than Murray State’s overall rebounding total in what finished as a 51-21 gap on the boards. The Terrapins compiled 33 second-chance points.

“That’s been us all season,” McLean said. “We shoot very well and also rebound very well, which makes our shooters more confident to shoot because we can always get the ball back.”

Murray State coach Rechelle Turner was expecting a challenge on the boards.

“They were relentless on the glass,” Turner said. “I thought our first stop defense was pretty good, but it’s hard to defend 33 second-chance points, 24 offensive rebounds.”

The Racers outscored Maryland 24-22 in the third quarter.

“Our energy started picking up and stuff like that and just trying to chip away,” Ford said. “We left the third quarter with confidence.”

Maryland put it away with a 14-2 run to start the fourth quarter. Murray State had given up a season-high points total with more than four minutes remaining.

Keyed by Walker, Maryland reserves outscored Murray State’s bench players by 33-0.

Maryland’s lead grew to 38-19 in the second quarter on the way to a 51-35 halftime edge. The Terrapins shot 50% in the first half with a 25-10 rebounding advantage.

Secrist scored six straight points for Murray State and the Racers used an 8-2 spurt at the end of the third quarter to close within 73-59.

Freshmen are factors

Walker, Mack and Rainey Welson (7 points) combined to give Maryland 45 points from freshmen.

“It’s just nice to finally be out here and be in this moment,” Walker said. “So I was super excited, and I think it kind of just showed today. Just having the opportunity to go out there and play and just playing free and having fun.”

The trio shot a combined 17 for 33 from the floor.

Board business

McLean’s rebound total marked the most for a Terrapin in an NCAA Tournament game in nine years since Brionna Jones had 15 in a 2017 matchup with Oregon.

Poffenbarger’s 11 rebounds gave her a double-figure total for the seventh time this season and the fourth time in the last seven games.

Up Next

Maryland will play at least two NCAA Tournament games for the 20th time in the last 22 tournaments.

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

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Spring at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore will bring a packed calendar of events from Easter through Memorial Day weekend, along with seasonal opportunities to see animals becoming more active as temperatures warm.

The zoo is encouraging visitors who plan to attend multiple events to consider a membership, which provides free access to some popular activities, including Bunny BonanZOO. Members also receive advance notice and discounted pricing for ticketed events. Membership also offers regular access to the zoo’s animals, including Big Mac, the newest addition to the giraffe herd, and a new red panda habitat scheduled to open this summer.

Event dates, details and registration information are available at MarylandZoo.org/events.

The zoo’s spring lineup begins with the Wedding Showcase on Saturday, March 21, from noon to 3 p.m. The open house is designed for couples planning their wedding who want to explore the zoo as a venue, including options for ceremonies surrounded by nature or receptions with a “wild twist.”

Bunny BonanZOO, presented by Mary Sue Candies, is scheduled for Friday through Sunday, April 3-5, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The family event includes an egg hunt, entertainment, games, crafts and a bubble show. It is free with zoo admission.

Two ticketed events tied to Easter weekend are also planned. Breakfast with Bunny will be held Friday and Saturday, April 3 and 4, from 8 to 10 a.m., featuring breakfast, a photo opportunity with the Easter Bunny, spring crafts and animal ambassadors. Zoo admission is included in the ticket price. Pizza with Bunny follows a similar format and runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Maryland Zoo’s 150th Birthday Party is set for Tuesday, April 7, when the zoo officially turns 150 years old. The first 150 guests through the gate will receive a cupcake, and guests who share the zoo’s birthday will receive free admission. At noon, the zoo will add the ceremonial final layer to its LEGO birthday cake in Penguin Coast. The celebration is free with zoo admission.

An Evening of Zoo Stories is scheduled for Saturday, April 25, at 6:30 p.m. The event, hosted in the zoo’s historic Mansion House with Stoop Storytelling, invites people to share zoo-related memories before a live audience. A live band and animal ambassadors are also planned. Story submissions must be made in advance.

The spring schedule wraps into Memorial Day weekend with Brew at the Zoo, presented by M&T Bank, on Saturday and Sunday, May 23 and 24, from 1 to 7 p.m. The event includes bands, food and craft vendors, party games, and what the zoo describes as the region’s largest tasting event for beer, cider and seltzers.

The zoo said each event supports animal care and conservation. It also noted spring is a prime time for animal viewing, with grizzly bears waking up from hibernation and turtles, snakes and other cold-blooded animals becoming more visible as the weather warms. Visitors will also have a chance to see Big Mac, the zoo’s newest giraffe.

Howard County leaders are figuring out how to make Elkridge, Maryland, safer for everyone on the road, particularly for those walking or riding their bicycles.

The county recently released the results of two studies: the Elkridge Bicycle & Pedestrian Priority Area (BPPA) Plan and the Montgomery Road Multimodal Improvements Feasibility Study.

This work has been a priority for county leaders for years, with some projects already finished or in the works.

What the studies recommend

William Webb walks up and down Old Washington Road a lot, which includes a stretch without sidewalks. He said he hasn’t had any close calls, but there are a lot of drivers who press his luck.

“There are a lot of people out here racing and stuff like that, speeding, it’s too much of that,” Webb said.

He’s among several neighbors who said Elkridge could be more walker-friendly.

It’s why the results of the BPPA Plan are so important. 

The county conducted the study in partnership with the State Highway Administration, focusing on major roads, including Route 1, Old Washington Road, and Montgomery Road.

The study suggests short-term fixes like adding raised crosswalks and a stop bar, while also looking at long-term solutions like high-visibility crosswalk markings.

The study also took into account future impacts, such as the expected extra traffic that will come when the new community center opens, which is set for the fall of 2027.

The study focusing on a stretch of Montgomery Road has four recommendations that include buffered bike lanes and a shared-use path, which is where walkers and bicyclists can use it simultaneously.

Howard County staff will come up with plans based on the recommendations and will bring them to the public for review when developed.

You can see the studies in full here and here. 

What’s been done

Improving pedestrian and bicyclist safety has been a longtime priority for county leaders.

The fruit of that labor can be seen at Doctor Patel Drive and Route 1, where a traffic light and crosswalk system was installed.

County leaders broke ground on the project last summer. 

Multiple people were hit and killed trying to cross this intersection in the past few years.

The intersection of Route 1 and Rowanberry Drive is another intersection getting upgrades, an inactive crosswalk system could be seen there Thursday.

Part of the upgrades there include building out a new sidewalk.

“Projects like these help us realize our shared vision of transforming Route 1 from a high-speed corridor with a history of pedestrian injuries, into a safer, more accessible and more pedestrian-friendly connection for all,” Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said during the Doctor Patel Drive project’s groundbreaking in June 2025.