COLLEGE PARK, MD – The No. 8 Maryland women's basketball team used a second-half surge to down the Purdue Boilermakers, 86-71, in the team's home conference opener Wednesday night at the XFINITY Center. The Terps (9-2, 2-0 B1G) trailed 40-36 at halftime, but were able to regain the lead early in the third quarter and use suffocating defense in the fourth quarter to build their lead for the win.

It was the Terps' 15th consecutive Big Ten victory against conference opponents. Maryland has also won 30 consecutive home games, the longest active streak in the nation.  

Ashley Owusu led the team in scoring with 20 points to go along with nine rebounds and five assists. 

Angel Reese (15 points), Katie Benzan (15 points), Mimi Collins (12 points), and Chloe Bibby (12 points) also scored in double figures for Maryland as the Terps outscored Purdue, has 50-31 in the second half. 

The Terps forced 23 turnovers and scored 34 points off of them, while dominating on the boards with a 42-31 advantage.  

Purdue (6-4, 0-2) was led by Brooke Moore's 22 points. 

Coach Frese's Take

"Just credit Purdue. I thought they came in here and punched us in the first half. We had a lot of respect for them. They beat Florida State. They've beaten Georgia Tech and I thought they came in really confident. [Brooke] Moore we had no answer for. She was in the zone and really stepped up and played well. Obviously, I was disappointed in our first half. I thought when we got the lead, we relaxed and got too casual and that made it a very difficult game. We've got to be able to clean that up and put our foot on the gas. But I thought we did a much better job in the second half focusing on taking care of the basketball, being able to run them off the three point line, and I though getting to the free throw line was huge. I mean, we're leading the country in free throws made. I thought we looked like Maryland basketball in the fourth quarter."


Breaking Down The Action

• The Terps started the game on a 6-0 run, sparked by Owusu's four points in the first minutes of the game. The Boilermakers would respond with a 12-2 run of their own to take a 19-15 lead with 1:46 remaining. Despite Reese's game-high eight points, Maryland found themselves trailing 22-21 after the first quarter. 
• After trailing 25-21 early in the second quarter, a Benzan triple and an Owusu driving layup gave the Terps a 26-25 lead with 8:01 remaining. Purdue would close the half out strong, leading 40-36 after Moore scored 17 points in the half.
• Maryland came out of the break with a quick 4-0 run to tie the game at 40 with 8:22 left in the quarter. A Benzan three-pointer a minute later gave the Terps the lead, but the teams kept battling back-and-forth with neither able to extend a lead. Five different players for the Terps scored at least four points in the quarter and late Benzan free throws gave Maryland a 59-53 lead heading into the final quarter. 
• The Terps would grow their lead, stifling Purdue on the defensive end. Multiple runs, including a 13-2 run, ballooned the lead up to as much as 20, before the team settled for the 15-point win.  

Double Figure Update

• Owusu (20 points) scored in double-figures for the 59th time in her career, including all 11 games this season. She has scored in double figures in 44 straight games. 
• Reese (15 points) has scored in double-figures in 10 of 11 games this season and now has 18 career games in double-figures.
• Benzan (15 points) hit double-figures for the 88th time in her career and sixth this year.
• Bibby (12 points) hit double-figures for the seventh time this season and 58th time in her career. 
• Collins (12 points) scored in double-figures for the 28th time in her career and sixth this season. 

Series History

• Maryland owns the series with the Boilermakers, going 15-2, and has won 13 of the last 14 matchups.
• The Terrapins took both meetings last year - 83-46 in College Park on Jan. 10 and 88-59 in Purdue on Feb. 25.
• Brenda Frese is 14-2 vs. Purdue in her career and 13-1 vs. the Boilermakers at Maryland.

Up Next 

• The Maryland women's basketball team will hit the road for one of its biggest tests yet as it'll take on the No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks on Sunday, Dec 12., at 3 p.m.
• The game will be broadcast on ESPN.