Maryland women’s basketball handled Arizona’s size to pull away in second half

Throughout this season, Maryland women’s basketball has seemed to have its most trouble up against star bigs, most notably versus South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston, Indiana’s Mackenzie Holmes and Iowa’s Monika Czinano, who all dominated in wins over the Terps. 

Boston finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds with only one missed shot in South Carolina’s 81-56 rout of Maryland. Holmes had 15 points and ten rebounds on 70% shooting in Indiana’s 68-61 win. Czinano had the biggest game of them all, dominating with 28 points and six rebounds on 14-18 shooting in Iowa’s big home win over the Terps, 96-82.

Arizona hoped to add to this trend behind its two star bigs in fifth year Cate Reese and senior Esmery Martinez. 

The Terps had none of that.

“Setting the tone defensively is huge for us,” guard Shyanne Sellers said. “Bringing that energy, making teams feel uncomfortable from the jump, really can set the tone and lay the path for the rest of the game.” 

It was a gritty, physical affair between the Terps and Wildcats as the two vied for a trip to the Sweet Sixteen. Both sides battled for footholds throughout a game where it seemed a member from each was getting on the floor every other possession as they fought for every inch.

The Terps made it a point to make life difficult for Reese, who was fronted by Maryland defenders at all times. The pushing and shoving matches between Reese and the Terps’ defense was often the determining factor in whether the Wildcats would secure points on an offensive possession. 

The Wildcats dominated in the point for much of the first half as it seemed they could handle the looks thrown by the Terps. Reese dominated the paint early despite the Terps’ physical game plan that left her knocked onto the floor at multiple points throughout the game. Arizona scored 26 of its 33 first half points in the paint as a result of her presence.

Arizona’s size was giving the Terps all sorts of problems on the other end as well, keeping them out of the paint where they only scored six of their 32 first half points. Arizona outscored Maryland 22-0 in the paint during the second quarter alone. 

But the story wrote itself differently in the second half. 

The game seemed to fluctuate based on the presence of Sellers on the floor, slipping away from the Terps the second she sat with two fouls early in the second quarter before Maryland gained back the advantage as she entered back into play during the second half.

“I was really itching to get back on the floor,” Sellers said. “Every time [coach Brenda Frese] walked past me I was talking about ‘I won’t foul, I won’t foul, I won’t foul’.” 

Sellers provided much needed defensive help upon her return, fronting Reese and creating instant offense for her teammates as a floor general. When she was on the floor the entire pace of the game changed with her at the helm of the Maryland press and transition offense. 

“[Sellers] is another tough matchup,” Arizona coach Adia Barnes said. “She’s long, she’s athletic, she goes to the rim really hard, she pushes the ball in transition. I wasn’t mad about her getting another foul. I would’ve liked a couple more.”

Maryland had a plus-27 with the sophomore on the floor through three quarters, a big reason why it led 61-42 entering the fourth Sellers’ presence lifted the Terps’ defense tremendously with her help on the interior; the two teams’ points in the paint had made a full-180 during this stretch, where the Terps dominated 20-6 in points scored. 

Sellers play helped lead to a full Diamond Miller takeover in the second half, who exploded to score 20 of her 24 points.

By the time Sellers had to sit with four fouls midway through the fourth, the work had been done. Miller held it down offensively while senior guard/forward Faith Masonius answered the call in the paint, keeping the Wildcats from gaining too much momentum offensively. 

“[Faith] was our MVP,” Frese said. “Faith just emptied the tank, and you saw that with the defensive effort she had to put on Reese, the toughness it displayed … that’s what it looks like when you empty the tank and leave it all out there and why she is the winner that she is.”

Behind the defense of Masonius in the paint, Arizona’s star big finished with 19 points and four rebounds despite her hot start, while her co-star Martinez was held to eight points and 12 boards. 

Behind this gritty win, the Terps earned themselves some much needed rest as they move ahead towards the second weekend of March Madness.