Box Score COLLEGE PARK, MD – The Terps scored the first 14 points of the second quarter as women's basketball raced past Rutgers, 81-62, on Wednesday at XFINITY Center. It was the Terps' fourth straight victory as they continued their late-season run. All four wins have come by double-digit margins of victory.
Maryland (16-10, 8-7 B1G) led for almost the entirety of the game as Rutgers held an advantage for just eight seconds after scoring the game's first points. The Terps quickly gained control and put the game away after outscoring Rutgers 22-4 in the second quarter. They also held the Scarlet Knights scoreless for the first 7:38 of the quarter.
Shyanne Sellers stuffed the stat sheet and recorded her third double-double of the season. She finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds eight assists and two steals. She has averaged 18 points, 8.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists over Maryland's four-game win streak.
Five players scored in double figures as Allie Kubek scored 16 points and grabbed four rebounds.
Bri McDaniel added 13 points and dished out four assists.
Brinae Alexander notched 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting from beyond the arch.
Jakia Brown-Turner rounded out the scorers with 11 points and eight rebounds.
Rutgers (8-21, 2-14 B1G) was led by Destiny Adams' 15 points and eight rebounds. Kassondra Brown trailed with 11 points and eight rebounds. However, both players fouled out.
Maryland has won 15 of 16 meetings against Rutgers since joining the Big Ten in the 2014-15 season and has also won nine straight meetings since 2019.
The game was Maryland's annual Play4Kay Pink Game to support the Kay Yow Cancer Fund and breast cancer awareness. The Terps sported their pink alternate jerseys for the cause.
Breaking Down The Action
- Brinae Alexander knocked down two quick three-pointers and Maryland made four straight shots from the floor to take a 16-9 lead at the first media timeout.
- Maryland led 21-16 at the end of the first quarter despite missing nine of its last 10 shots from the floor.
- The Terrapins claimed their first double-digit lead after Shyanne Sellers knocked down two free throws at 8:37. Bri McDaniel later drilled a deep three-pointer to lead 31-16 as Maryland got off to a 10-0 run to begin the second quarter.
- Maryland outscored Rutgers 22-4 in the second quarter to boast a 43-20 halftime lead. The Terps also held the Scarlet Knights scoreless for the first 7:38 of the quarter. McDaniel and Sellers each had 11 points to key the effort. Rutgers' four points scored equaled the second-fewest Maryland allowed in a Big Ten game ever.
- The Scarlet Knights mounted a 13-2 run heading into the final quarter to cut the Terps's lead to 13. Rutgers outscored Maryland 27-17 in the quarter but trailed 60-47.
- Maryland never allowed Rutgers to bring the game within single digits. Its two leading scorers in the game fouled out and the Terps came away with a comfortable win.
Frese's Take
"It's a player-led team versus a coach-led team," said head coach Brenda Frese on the team's recent success. "The accountability, the responsibility, it's been fun. They're coming in, putting their head down, wanting to compete and work whether that's practices or games and they're starting to see the results. I think you're seeing the trust level That's improved amongst them."
From The Girls
"I feel we're just staying connected and playing Maryland defense," said
Bri McDaniel regarding the team's dominant first half. "We've been working on our defense for a long time and we finally got it together and came together. It was just us coming together and playing as a team on defense. It helped us during the stretch."
Double-Figure Factors
- Shyanne Sellers (21 points) has scored double-figures in 20 of 25 games she has played this season. It was also the 61st in her career.
- Allie Kubek scored in double-figures for the 11th time this season with 16 points. She scored 10-plus points in 44 career games with 33 coming at Towson before transferring to Maryland.
- Bri McDaniel tallied 13 points for her 15th game this season and 17th of her career in double-figures.
- Brinae Alexander netted 12 points for her 10th game this season in double-digits. She scored in double-figures for the 64th time in her career.
- Jakia Brown-Turner hit the double-figures mark for the 18th time this season, her first with the Terps, scoring 11 points. Overall, she has 85 double-figure scoring games in her career with 67 coming at NC State. Brown-Turner has scored in double-figures in each of her last 11 games.
Shutdown Defense
- In allowing just four points in the second quarter, the Terps equaled their second-fewest points allowed in a quarter in a Big Ten game in school history.
- Last season, Maryland held Northwestern to just two points in the second quarter of last year's 79-54 win on Feb. 9, 2023, to set a school record in a conference game.
- The four points scored by Rutgers equals the second-fewest by a Maryland opponent in the Terps' conference history. It tied the four also scored by Rutgers in the fourth quarter of a 62-48 win on Feb. 10, 2019 and by Penn State on Dec. 28, 2018 in a 77-61 Terps' win.
- Overall, the four points allowed equaled the sixth-fewest allowed in any quarter of any game since quarters started being used in 2015-16. The Terps' best defensive quarter overall came on Dec. 20, 2015, in holding Maryland-Eastern Shore to one point.
Records & Milestones
- With four three-pointers in the game, Brinae Alexander has made 129 in her two years as a Terrapin which is No. 12 in program history. She passed Katie Rutan (2013-14) who made 127 in her career. Next on the list is Laurin Mincy (2011-15) who made 143 in her career.
- Maryland has four 1,000-point scorers on its roster. (Brown-Turner - 1,616; Briggs - 1,396, Alexander - 1,383; Sellers - 1,127).
Dominating The Series
- Wednesday's matchup was the 46th all-time between Maryland and Rutgers. Maryland owns the series, 34-12, and has won 15 of 16 meetings since joining the Big Ten in the 2014-15 season.
- The Terps have won nine straight matchups, dating back to 2019.
- The Terrapins took their first meeting this year, 67-59, at Rutgers on Feb. 6.
- Brenda Frese is 16-2 against Rutgers in her career.
Home Sweet Home
- Maryland has been a dominant home team, especially over the last decade. The Terps are 606-142 all-time in College Park, dating back to the inaugural 1971-72 season.
- Maryland is also 312-47 at home under Brenda Frese. whose first season in College Park was the inaugural season of XFINITY Center.
Terps In The Big Ten
- The Terps are 207-61 all-time against their Big Ten opponents.
- Since joining the Big Ten in 2014-15, the Terrapins are 165-31 against their conference opponents, including their 20-4 record in the Big Ten Tournament.
- In the 22 years under Frese, the Terps are 176-35 against their Big Ten opponents.
- Frese is 190-40 all-time vs. Big Ten opponents, which includes her time at Minnesota and Ball State.
Numbers To Know
- 2: Rutgers' four points scored in the second quarter equaled the second-fewest Maryland allowed in a Big Ten game ever.
- 3: Shyanne Sellers recorded her third double-double of the season.
- 3: Maryland has a strength of schedule of No. 3 in the country according to WarrenNolan.com.
- 4: The Terrapins are riding a four-game win streak and have won each game by double-digits.
- 7:38: Maryland held Rutgers scoreless for the first 7:38 of the second quarter.
- 9: Maryland has won nine straight meetings against Rutgers.
- 10: Entering the matchup, the Terps were No. 10 in the country and led the Big Ten in free throws made per game.
- 15: Maryland has won 15 of 16 meetings against Rutgers since joining the Big Ten.
- 16: The Terps scored the first 16 points of the second quarter.
- 24: The Terrapins outscored the Scarlet Knights 24-4 in the second quarter.
- 31: Maryland is currently ranked No. 31 in the latest NCAA NET rankings.
- 37-2: Brenda Frese and the Terps are 37-2 at home in February over the last six seasons.
- 92: Maryland is 92-7 over the last six seasons when scoring 80 or more points.
Up Next
- Maryland plays at No. 2 Ohio State on Feb. 25. The game will tip-off at 2 p.m. from The Schottenstein Center and will be streamed on Big Ten Network.
