Maryland women’s basketball’s depth was the difference in 85-77 win over Michigan

Photo courtesy of University of Maryland Athletics

No. 21 Maryland women’s basketball (20-6, 10-5 Big Ten) trailed by two at halftime but put together a strong second half to defeat Michigan (18-8, 9-6) 85-77, and end its three-game home losing streak. 

After a humiliating loss to Nebraska in their previous home game, the Terps bounced back with a significant win against a Michigan team on a four-game win streak. 

Here are the takeaways from the win. 

Going to the bench

Since Bri McDaniel suffered a season-ending ACL injury, Maryland has been looking for any production off the bench. 

Maryland has struggled to find players to step up from the bench, and with postseason play less than a month away, depth is necessary to succeed. 

After head coach Brenda Frese mentioned needing more players to step up, she emptied the bench early, playing ten players in the first half.

“I watch film. I’m not going to watch kids go three-quarter speed anymore,” said Frese. “It was intentional.”

The bench became increasingly critical, with leading scorer Kaylene Smikle in foul trouble in the first half. 

Mir McLean and freshman Ava McKennie have seen limited playing time recently but played over ten minutes in the first half, as the Terps bench scored 13 first-half points and 16 total. 

As the Terps continued to lean on McLean in the second half, her defensive pressure on the perimeter, combined with nine points on perfect 4-for-4 shooting, was crucial in helping Maryland close out the win. 

“We really felt a strong advantage in this game with her, with the matchups defensively,” said Frese. “Credit to her just continuing to stay ready. That’s what a vet does.”

Balanced attack

After having only Sellers (23) score in double figures against Nebraska, the Terps showcased a balanced attack against Michigan, instilling confidence in their versatility. 

Despite leading scorer Kaylene Smikle scoring in single digits for the second straight game, the Terps made up for that with seven players scoring seven-plus points, including three in double figures. 

Sarah Te-Biasu led the way with 21, followed by Sellers with 18, and Saylor Poffenbarger with 12. 

Te-Biasu caught fire in the second half, scoring sixteen of her 21 points and knocking down huge jumpers to keep the Terps ahead. 

Christina Dalce was another huge contributor to the Terps. She scored nine points and led the team in plus-minus with plus 20. Her huge fourth-quarter block helped the Terps to victory. 

“I thought she gave us a lot of great things on both sides of the floor, ” Frese said. “We needed all nine points, and defensively, she had a really hard matchup.” 

Home sweet home once again

After a challenging period of losing three straight home games and four out of its last five, Maryland ended its skid at Xfinity Center with a crucial win against Michigan. This victory was about more than the game; it was about reclaiming its home turf. 

The crowd was aware of the streak, and with Te-Biasu’s game-clinching steal, the home fans erupted into a loud standing ovation.

After starting 8-0 at home, the Terps have played better on the road this season. 

“If you look at our stats, we’re better on the road than at home this year,” said Frese. “This team, for whatever reason, is able to take those distractions away when they go on the road.” 

With the regular season ending and postseason play offering neutral sites, Maryland has just one home game left, which could be a good thing moving forward.