After Thursday’s lackluster loss at No. 6 Iowa, eighth-ranked Maryland didn’t get again to School Park till 4 a.m. Friday. Even at that time, a number of Terrapins gamers couldn’t sleep, in order that they stayed as much as watch the sport once more. Nobody was happy with the end result, however the Terps have been much more upset about the way in which they misplaced.
Maryland
No. 8 Maryland blasts No. 10 Ohio State for a statement win
That feeling was contemporary within the Terps’ minds Sunday afternoon once they hosted No. 10 Ohio State. They made certain one other sleepless evening was not within the playing cards: The Terps by no means trailed as they rolled to a 90-54 victory.
“I used to be extraordinarily annoyed after the Iowa sport,” guard Diamond Miller mentioned, “simply because I felt like we didn’t carry out the way in which we would have liked to carry out for that sport, and we knew we have been able to competing and beating groups like Iowa. So popping out at this time was extraordinarily essential for us simply to indicate that we will play 40 minutes and we’re one of many high contenders within the Massive Ten.”
The Terps (19-5, 10-3) have now defeated 5 ranked groups, together with three top-10 opponents. Their 36-point edge Sunday was the biggest margin of victory in program historical past towards a top-10 staff, surpassing a 27-point win over No. 7 Penn State in 1991. After beginning 19-0 and rising to a No. 2 rating, the Buckeyes (20-4, 9-4) have misplaced 4 of 5.
“I completely imagine that we made an announcement,” mentioned Maryland guard Shyanne Sellers, who had 19 factors and 9 assists. “If individuals don’t imagine it, they’re going to have to seek out out once they play us.”
Abby Meyers (22 factors, six rebounds) did the heavy lifting for the Terps within the first half, and Miller (29 factors, 10 rebounds) closed the sport with authority, pushing a 42-30 halftime result in 69-44 after three quarters. Miller poured in 16 factors within the third quarter alone, displaying off her energy and flexing to the group’s approval on a number of events.
“Just a few phrases have been exchanged,” Miller mentioned of the third quarter. “I wished to play onerous for my teammates on the market and by any means crucial. We have been simply attempting to get momentum. I used to be positively [ticked] off. … They have been very aggressive in the direction of me, and I assume I simply confirmed a bit of of what actual aggression is.”
Maryland has gained six of seven, and its protection has been probably the most spectacular a part of that surge. Earlier than Thursday’s 96-82 loss at Iowa, no opponent scored even 30 first-half factors throughout the Terps’ five-game successful streak. (The Hawkeyes erupted for 56.)
Ohio State managed simply seven factors within the first quarter Sunday; Maryland closed on a 12-0 run to take a 12-point lead. Meyers had 11 factors on 4-for-5 taking pictures within the quarter. The Buckeyes shot 37.5 % within the first half and simply 30 % after halftime. Their 54 factors have been a season low by 11.
“It’s power and energy,” Maryland Coach Brenda Frese mentioned of the protection. “We charge ourselves at halftime on a scale of 1 to 10. And after we went into halftime towards Iowa, we rated ourselves a 5, which infuriated me. However at this time it was 9.”
Taylor Thierry led Ohio State with 21 factors. Former Maryland guard Taylor Mikesell added 12.
The Terps are in third place within the Massive Ten, trailing No. 4 Indiana (12-1) and Iowa (11-1). Maryland visits Northwestern on Thursday and nonetheless should host Iowa and journey to Ohio State.
“They performed an awesome sport, and we have been actually unhealthy,” Ohio State Coach Kevin McGuff mentioned. “That was to their credit score. They coached higher, performed higher — simply the whole lot was higher about them at this time. … I believed within the first quarter we acquired sufficient good photographs, however we didn’t capitalize. After that, we acquired a bit of bit anxious and sort of took some fast, unhealthy photographs attempting to get again within the sport.”
Right here’s what else to learn about Maryland’s win:
The Terps acquired a welcome contribution off the bench from senior guard Lavender Briggs: She had eight factors and 5 rebounds. She has been streaky however could possibly be an X-factor for a deep NCAA event run if she will be able to rating persistently.
Briggs averaged 19.7 factors as a sophomore at Florida in 2020-21 however got here into Sunday’s sport averaging 6.4. She had reached double figures simply as soon as within the earlier seven video games.
Ohio State had senior guard Jacy Sheldon (leg) on the court docket for the primary time since late November. Final season, she was an Related Press all-American honorable point out, an all-Massive Ten first-team choice and an all-Massive Ten defensive-team decide.
Sheldon averaged 19.7 factors, 4.2 assists and 1.9 steals as a junior. She managed 5 factors on 2-for-8 taking pictures in 25 minutes Sunday.
“With Jacy coming again, that’s going to assist,” McGuff mentioned. “We play sooner together with her within the sport. I feel we will doubtlessly get extra transition baskets. … So I feel as soon as she will get in her stream, I feel that’s going to be an enormous increase for us.”