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University of Maryland Athletics

Diamond Miller at MSU
66
Winner Maryland MD 22-5,13-3 Big Ten
61
Michigan St. MSU 13-13,5-10 Big Ten
Winner
Maryland MD
22-5,13-3 Big Ten
66
Final
61
Michigan St. MSU
13-13,5-10 Big Ten
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Maryland MD 9 18 27 12 66
Michigan St. MSU 14 12 15 20 61

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Miller's 29 Leads No. 8 Terps Past Michigan State, 66-61

EAST LANSING, MI – National Player of the Year candidate Diamond Miller scored 29 points as No. 8 Maryland held off a late charge by Michigan State in a 66-61 victory at the Breslin Center on Saturday afternoon. The Terps moved to 22-5 overall and 13-3 in the Big Ten. Maryland has now won four games in a row, 15 of its last 17 and secured the double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament. 

Miller shot 9-of-16 from the field and 11-of-19 from the line to lead the Terps. She also grabbed six rebounds. 

Abby Meyers scored 14 points for the Terps to go along with six rebounds. Faith Masonius led Maryland with seven boards and hit the game-sealing free throws in the final seconds to finish with nine points. 

Maryland's defense was stellar holding Michigan State to just 32.2 percent from the floor, including 8-of-31 (25.8 percent) from three-point range and forcing them into 19 turnovers. 

After the game was within six points for the entire first half, Maryland took control in the third quarter thanks to a pair of runs (11-2 and 13-3) to take a lead as large as 16 points. 

Michigan State's Julia Ayralt hit two three-pointers in the final 47 seconds to get Michigan State within three points at 63-60 with 34 seconds left in the game. The teams traded free throws in the ensuing seconds to make it 64-61. Michigan State had a chance, but missed DeeDee Hagemann missed a three-pointer. Masonius grabbed a rebounds and hit three free throws for the final margin. 

The Spartans were led by Ayrault (15 points) as they fell to 13-13 and 5-9 in the Big Ten. This was the first home game for Michigan State since the tragic shootings on campus earlier this week. 

What They Had To Say 
  • Head Coach Brenda Frese on the emotional day and the tragedy: "Definitely a day when you're reminded every single day how precious every moment of our life is. Our thoughts have been with the entire Michigan State community this week and, obviously what was what happened is unimaginable. Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone in the entire community. You know, I credit (Coach) Dean (Lockwood) and his staff. I think they've obviously done just a tremendous job with everything they've been through. So we knew today would be extremely emotional."
  • Frese on the game: "For us, I thought it started with the way (Michigan State) impacted the game. They were able to get us into really early foul trouble which kind of threw us out of rhythm. And then, you know, just down the stretch I thought they never quit. Michigan State was one possession away from being able to take this game from us, but I liked the fact that we were able to hang on and be able to get a tough road win anytime we can get a win.
  • Diamond Miller on the emotional day and the tragedy: "It is imaginable. I don't know how say how I feel because that is just tragedy like I never want anybody to not feel feel safe on their campus. So the fact that has happened to the school is really sad. But like like I said, I have to like flip a switch somehow and do my job which is playing basketball, but I never stopped thinking about those three students and what the students have gone through on this campus."


Breaking Down The Action
  • The teams played a defensive first quarter with the Spartans holding a 14-9 lead after 10 minutes. 
  • The Terps took a 27-26 lead at the half as Miller tallying 13 points in the first half. The game was within two possessions for the entire first half. 
  • Maryland took control of the game in the third quarter thanks to 11-2 and 13-3 runs to lead 54-41 after the third quarter. Miller added another 11 points in the quarter and Meyers contributed nine points as Maryland outscored the Spartans 27-15. 
  • Ayrault keyed a late surge by Michigan State as her two threes brought Spartans within one possession (63-60) after the Terps held a 63-54 lead with one minute left. Then DeeDee Hagemann hit one of two free throws with 22 seconds left to draw Michigan State to within 63-61. Brinae Alexander grabbed the rebounds off her miss on the second foul shot. Meyers knocked down one of two free throws with 17 seconds left to make it 64-61. Masonius' free throws sealed the game. 

1,000 Point Update 
  • Miller moved into 15th all-time in career scoring with 1,560 points, passing All-American Deanna Tate, who had 1,541 from 1985-89. Next at No. 14 is Tianna Hawkins, who had 1,595 from 2010-13 before her WNBA career. 
  • Meyers now has 1,330 points in her career, with 947 in her three seasons of action at Princeton before joining the Terps this season. 
  • Lavender Briggs, who surpassed the 1,000-point mark in Maryland's game against Notre Dame, now has 1,135. She netted 961 at Florida. 
Double-Figures Update 
  • With 29 points, Miller reached double-figures for the 25th time in 26 games played this season. It was the third time she scored at least 30. She's recorded 10 points or more 80 times in her career of 109 games.
  • Meyers hit double-digit scoring for the 22nd time this season and 74th in her career, notching 14 points.
B1G Time 
  • The Terps are now 196-53 (.791) all-time against their Big Ten opponents. 
  • Since joining the Big Ten in 2014-15, the Terrapins are 154-23 (.875) vs. their conference opponents, including their 19-3 record in the Big Ten Tournament. 
  • In the 21 years under Frese, the Terps are 166-27 (.860) against their Big Ten opponents. 
  • Frese is 179-32 (.849) all-time vs. Big Ten opponents, which includes her time at Minnesota and at Ball State. 
  • Since their first year in the Big Ten, the Terps are 120-4 (.969) when holding their league opponents to 70 points or fewer.

Series History
  • Saturday's matchup was the 20th all-time between Maryland and Michigan State.
  • The Terps own the series at 18-2. 
  • Maryland has now won the last seven straight meetings. The Terps took the first meeting this year, 94-85, in College Park on Jan. 7. 
  • Brenda Frese is 19-3 vs. Michigan State in her career.

Up Next
  • Maryland plays its home finale on Tuesday, Feb. 21, at 8 p.m. against No. 7 Iowa in a huge Top-10 matchup at XFINITY Center.
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