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Brinae Alexander knocking down a school-record 11 consecutive field goals to start a game and her career-high 29 points, Maryland shot 67.2% from the field to cruise to a 114-44 victory over Niagara. The 70-point win signifies the Terps' largest margin of victory in four years and extends Maryland's winning streak to three games.
Alexander caught fire early in the contest, as she drained all five of her field-goal attempts for 12 first-quarter points. The senior had a small reprieve in the second quarter, contributing five points while making a pair of shots, before she re-emerged in the third stanza to score nine points on a trio of three-pointers.
She played a complete contest for the Terps, additionally leading Maryland with seven rebounds and five steals.
Four other Terps —
Bri McDaniel (18),
Riley Nelson (15)
Faith Masonius (14),
Allie Kubek (12) — also scored in double figures to aid Alexander.
Maryland's core of scorers powered the team to its 80th 100-point contest in program history and the first time this season. The 70-point win is Maryland's largest margin of victory since defeating Georgia State in 2019. It is also the most points scored by the Terps since dropping 115 against Arkansas on Nov. 29, 2020.
Defensively, the Terps locked down the Purple Eagles, limiting them 27.1% from the field and snatching 16 steals.
Coach Brenda Frese's Take
"We need (Brinae's) three point shooting," said Frese on
Brinae Alexander. "She's our best three point shooter. She opens things up and it makes us hard to guard our inside-outside presence and help players that can get down the middle. She's a phenomenal player.
"Hopefully we can continue with consistency," said Frese on building the team's three-game winning streak. "We obviously have a great George Mason team coming in that's undefeated on Sunday. We have our first Big Ten game coming up after that, so this is where you want to start building some momentum."
From The Girls
'I was feeling really good at shootaround and in warm ups, like I was just feeling on,"
Brinae Alexander said. "ut also I didn't realize I was perfect from the floor until halftime. So I was like, 'Oh, yeah. I haven't missed a shot yet.'"
"When I found out that she was hot, I was like, 'Girl, you better keep shooting that ball,'"
Bri McDaniel said of Alexander's performance. "Don't stop shooting that ball, I'm gonna hit you every time. Just seeing her hit all the threes that she made and just being herself made me happy to see that she's being herself again."
Breaking Down The Action
- Maryland jumped out to a 9-0 lead in just over two minutes, converting all four field goal attempts.
- The Terps didn't slow down, grabbing a 33-11 lead at the end of the first quarter on the strength of a 16-0 scoring stretch to end the quarter.
- Once the second quarter began, the hot streak continued with a 10-0 run to open the frame and create a 45-11 advantage. Between the two periods, Maryland went on a 26-0 scoring streak.
- Niagara could only muster six points in the second frame as the Terps closed out the first half on a 10-3 run to enter the break up 57-17.
- After the Purple Eagles opened the scoring in the third quarter, Maryland's offense went right back to business with another 16-0 scoring run to secure a 73-19 advantage.
- The Terps held a 51-point advantage after three quarters with an 86-35 gap.
- Maryland hit 100 points by going on a 13-0 run midway through the fourth quarter, extending its lead to 106-41.
Numbers To Know
- 1: With 114 points, it is the first time in the history of Maryland men's and women's basketball scored 100 points on back-to-back nights.
- 1: Bri McDaniel cracked the starting five for the first time in her collegiate career. The sophomore finished with 18 points, four rebounds, four assists and a career-high five steals.
- 3: With 33 first-quarter points, the Terps recorded their third 30-point quarter of 2023.
- 5: Bri McDaniel contributed a career-high five steals.
- 11: Shyanne Sellers dished out a career-high 11 assists. It is her first double-digit assist outing of her career.
- 14: Maryland has won 14 straight home games, dating back to a Dec. 11, 2022 win over UConn.
- 16: Maryland compiled two separate 16-point runs in the first and third quarters.
- 26: Between the first and second quarters, Maryland scored 26 unanswered points.
- 29: Brinae Alexander scored a career-best 29 points on 11-of-13 shooting.
- 33: Maryland's 33 first-quarter points mark the team's most in a quarter this season
- 57: Maryland's 57 first-half points constituted the most by the team since the Terps dropped 68 against Iowa on Feb. 23, 2021.
- 70: The 70-point margin of victory signifies the team largest margin of victory since beating Georgia State by 73 (114-41) on Dec. 18, 2019.
- 80: The scoring outburst marked the 80th time in program history Maryland has dropped 100 points in a game.
- 81.3: The Terps shot a blistering 81.3% from the field in the first quarter, marking the first time Maryland has exceeded 80% since shooting 81.8% from the floor against Northwestern in the 2021 Big Ten semifinal on March 12, 2023.
- 114: Maryland's 114 points marked the most the team has scored since recording 115 against Arkansas on Nov. 29, 2020.
Up Next
- The Terps continue their five-game homestand Sunday afternoon against George Mason. First tip from the XFINITY Center is scheduled for 1 p.m., and the contest will air on B1G+.
