No. 17 Maryland women’s basketball dominates George Mason in season opener, 88-51

Diamond Miller spun to her left shoulder as her hook shot kissed the net for Maryland’s first bucket of the new season. 

Showing a type of scoring aggression that she had not shown before, Miller notched 11 first quarter points. Yet, the senior could only do so much before her night was shut down with an injury.

Early in the second quarter, Miller walked away from a play limping and immediately headed to the bench with a look of grave concern on her face. The guard almost immediately went to the locker room, but eventually returned to the bench with a sleeve on her right knee.

Miller was held out of the rest of the game due to precautionary reasons and will be re-evaluated later in the week, according to a team spokesperson.

Despite losing Miller early, No. 17 Maryland women’s basketball had no issues with George Mason. The Terps got off to a 16-6 lead in the first quarter and never looked back, coasting to an 88-51 victory.

Coach Brenda Frese provided an update after the game.

“We just did not think it was worth pressing it, but it is nothing too serious,” Frese said.

Early on, Frese was not afraid to do some lineup experimenting. Maryland rolled out ten different players in the first quarter, but Miller and Princeton transfer Abby Meyers still did the majority of the scoring.

Spacing and shooting is paramount in Maryland’s offense, and Meyers started firing early on. Meyers connected on all three looks from deep in the first half.

“I was telling my teammates in the fourth quarter on the bench, I am impressed with us,” Meyers said with a laugh.

George Mason came out of the gates struggling from deep, as Maryland clamped down on the Patriots leading returning scorer Tamia Lawhorne. Lavender Briggs drew the Lawhorne assignment, and shut her down to the tune of 2-10 shooting in the first half.

“Even when Lavender’s shot is not falling, she still has the highest +/- on the floor, we need her defense and rebounding,” Frese said.

The Maryland defense was stout all game, as the pressure Maryland’s guards put on George Mason seemed to throw the Patriots out of rhythm. Jameson Taylor averaged just under ten points last year, but Elisa Pinzan and Gia Cooke held her to just 31% shooting.

Maryland led 39-17 at the end of the half, even with the scary Miller injury.

Briggs came out of the break aggressive, promptly scoring her first Maryland basket. That seemed to calm her nerves, as she started to elevate over defenders in the mid-range, pouring in nine third quarter points.

Freshman Bri McDaniel contributed as a key bench piece, as the guard chipped in 13 points on 2-3 three point shooting.

McDaniel is one of Maryland’s best perimeter defenders, and if she can fill that three and D role that every coach covets off the bench, Frese will be extremely pleased.

“Bri is going to be special … she did not look like a freshman, she looks like a veteran out there,” Frese said.

The Terps used their torrid three point shooting to finish the third quarter ahead, 63-34.

The fourth quarter was more of the same, as Maryland finished with a convincing 37-point victory.

Maryland shot 14% in their final exhibition game against Millersville, but completely flipped the switch in the season opener. The Terps shot 54% from beyond the arc against George Mason, an important development to the season’s long term prospects.

“Maryland’s a very good shooting team whether our defense was there covering them or not,” George Mason coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis.

The Terps will need that shooting to carry over to Friday, when they take on No.1 South Carolina at the Xfinity Center.