Takeaways from No. 8 Maryland women’s basketball’s loss to No. 1 UCLA

Photo courtesy of Maryland Athletics

No. 8 Maryland women’s basketball knew it would have trouble pulling off the upset against the last unbeaten team in the country: No. 1 UCLA. But the Terps hung tough, trailing by five points at halftime and falling 82-67 in the end.

Sunday’s contest back at the Xfinity Center was a positive sign for a very shorthanded Maryland squad and the end of its gauntlet.

Here are some takeaways from the game. 

Maryland had no answers for Lauren Betts

Head coach Brenda Frese tried everything at her disposal to slow Betts down, but the Terps were unsuccessful in their efforts. Despite giving Amari DeBerry her first career start, Betts had her way. The 6-foot-7 center showcased why she is in the running for the Wooden Award — the best player in the nation.

“We were trying to match length with [Amari],” Frese said. “Watching film, teams that had the size to go against [Betts] impacted her a little bit.”

Right from the jump, the task proved too much for Maryland to handle. Betts got deep position in the paint on almost every possession, allowing her turn for easy layups. She scored 24 points in the first half on 11-12 shooting en route to a career-high 33 points. 

“We were trying to double off the dribble because she’s a great passer,” Frese said. “But then the second half, we just had to sell out and park somebody in there to try to get a second defender. Just getting way too many layups.”

However, for the most part, the Terps did a good job containing her on the glass. Betts entered the contest collecting 10.1 boards a game, but Maryland held her to just seven rebounds, including four on the offensive glass.

Her size and length were a big factor on the defensive end too, as the Terps shied away from attacking inside. They scored 26 points in the paint, 10 of which came in the fourth quarter. When they did attack Betts, she swatted away four blocks and forced Maryland into highly-contested jumpers. 

Spreading out the minutes

In the Terps’ last game against No. 12 Ohio State, they relied heavily on their starters, particularly down the stretch. But against the Bruins, the players off the bench saw extended minutes.

Outside of the trio — Sarah Te-Biasu, Kaylene Smikle and Saylor Poffenbarger — which played all but 10 combined minutes, Frese rotated around her frontcourt. However, the bench production struggles continued, as they scored just 14 points.

After returning to the bench, Allie Kubek attempted just one shot for two points. Mir McLean was the only player who gave productive bench minutes, scoring 12 points on seven shot attempts.

Without Bri McDaniel and Shyanne Sellers, Maryland’s rotation has shrunk down to seven players. This has led to fatigue and sloppy decision-making, with the Terps turning the ball over 62 times in the last three games.

Saylor Poffenbarger breaks out of the slump

After failing to reach double-figures in five consecutive games, Poffenbarger has gotten her offense going in the last two games. While Maryland was held below its season average once again, Poffenbarger’s performance was a bright spot despite the loss.

She scored a near season-high 18 points on 8-16 shooting from the field, a much more efficient outing. But the trouble from deep continued, as she went just 2-8 from downtown.

“I definitely had to get in the gym, had to work on some shots that I hadn’t worked on before,” Poffenbarger said. “My mid-range is coming along, something I have to utilize. … Being able to put the ball on the floor and trust myself has been important.”

With Smikle struggling, Poffenbarger filled the void and more. She was given a heavy dosage of shots, finishing with the most looks on the team. And she took full advantage, giving the Terps a much-needed showing without two of their top three scorers.

A return from Shyanne Sellers soon will give Maryland more offensive firepower heading into an easier stretch of games.