Dec. 3, 2009
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COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) -
In a rugged game that featured 31 fouls and six dozen missed field-goal tries, Maryland out-muscled cold-shooting Minnesota.
Kim Rodgers scored 14 points, and the Terrapins won their 43rd consecutive home game Thursday night, 66-45 over the Golden Gophers in the Big Ten/ACC Women's Basketball Challenge.
Diandra Tchatchouang scored 13 for the Terrapins (7-1), who never trailed after using an 11-0 run to go up 26-16. Maryland is 7-0 at home this season and unbeaten at Comcast Center since falling to Duke on Feb. 18, 2007.
Jackie Voight led Minnesota (5-3) with 10 points. The Golden Gophers were 16-for-59 from the field (27 percent) with 12 turnovers.
"We had a lot of fun tonight," said Terps coach Brenda Frese, who coached at Minnesota for one season before coming to Maryland in 2002. "What I'm most pleased about is the level of toughness I thought we showed against a very good Minnesota team. Punch for punch, blow for blow, it was just a very physical game."
Minnesota coach Pam Borton agreed.
"We got to the rim and we weren't tough and didn't finish. That's what it boiled down to," Borton said. "I can't go out there and take the lid off the basket."
The Terrapins thought they deserved most of the credit for Minnesota's awful shooting performance.
"I think it was our defense. We were more physical with them than any team has been so far, and I don't think they were ready for it," Rodgers said. "We brought a lot of toughness, energy and focus."
The Terrapins overcame a slow start and held the Golden Gophers to 23 percent shooting in taking a 31-22 halftime lead.
Maryland's first six possessions resulted in three missed shots and three turnovers. After Minnesota scored the game's first seven points, the Terps answered with a 9-0 run.
"You got to give credit to Maryland. They played well and handled the adversity at the beginning of the game," Borton said.
Later in the half, Maryland scored 11 straight points over a 6-minute span. The Golden Gophers were 5-for-25 from the floor with four turnovers during the opening 15 minutes.
The second half was more of the same. Minnesota made only two baskets in the opening 8 minutes, and during that time Lynetta Kizer contributed two field goals and a pair of free throws to a 10-4 spurt that gave the Terrapins a 43-29 lead with 12:03 to go.
Minnesota senior Brittany McCoy had two assists in the first half to become the fourth female player in school history to reach 400 for her career. She has 402.
The Terrapins return to action Sunday, Dec. 6 against Loyola (Md.) at 2 p.m. ET in Comcast Center. Sunday is also Kids Day. Young Terp fans can enjoy fun pre-game activities, to include face painting, poster making, and a picture with Testudo, and have the opportunity to be a part of the game day production on this special day!
