COLLEGE PARK, MD – No. 8 Maryland women's basketball lost its first game of the season after starting 14-0, as it was defeated by No. 4 USC, 79-74, on Wednesday at XFINITY Center before 14,735 fans.
Knotted at 72 with 1:28 to play, Kiki Iriafen converted an and-one to put USC up 75-72. The Trojans closed the game in the final minute from the free throw time to snap Maryland's (14-1, 4-1 Big Ten) fourth-best win streak to start a season in program history. Overall, the game featured nine ties and three lead changes.
Shyanne Sellers led the Terps in scoring for the second time in three games, totaling 26 points. She has scored double figures in 11 straight games and reached 20+ for the 14th time in her career and the second time this season. She also added two assists to her stat line.
Christina Dalce had one of her best games as a Terp, filling up the stat sheet with 15 rebounds, 12 rebounds, a season-high five blocks and three steals. She earned her 21st career double-double and her sixth of the season.
Maryland's leading scorer, Kaylene Smikle, added 16 points to extend her streak of 14 consecutive games scoring double-digits.
Bri McDaniel (eight points) and
Saylor Poffenbarger (five points, 17 rebounds and two blocks) were other standout performers. Poffenbarger's 17 rebounds were a season-high.
Despite leading the Trojans (15-1, 5-0 Big Ten) with 21 points while collecting nine rebounds, sophomore guard Juju Watkins shot 7-of-19 (37%) from the floor, turned the ball over eight times and fouled out. Iriafen also totaled 21 points, along with seven rebounds for USC.
The Terps limited the Trojans to three points on the break. Entering the contest, the Trojans averaged 17 points per game on fastbreaks, ranking in the top 10 in the NCAA.
This was Maryland's first meeting with USC since Dec. 29, 1995, and its first win in the seven-game series since Dec. 30, 1988.
Frese's Take
"Obviously disappointed to not close this one out, but just didn't make enough plays down the stretch," head coach Brenda Frese said. "I definitely think we learned a lot about ourselves tonight. And this group, once the moment, they want to play the best. As a coach, you really love seeing them welcome this big stage tonight. I thought Shy showed what a tremendous senior leader she is and a big-time player. I thought we fed off of her confidence [and] her aggressiveness. Loved seeing Chris get her swag back. We really needed to be able to have her tonight."
From The Girls
"I think they started doing a good job of punching in into Kiki," Sellers said. "We kind of got sealed too deep and got buried. And I think we had a few empty possessions towards the end. In a top-10 matchup, you can't have back-to-back empty possessions. I think that kind of hurt us down the stretch."
Breaking Down The Action
- At the first-quarter media timeout, the Terps led 13-7. Saylor Poffenbarger scored the first five points, drilling a 3-pointer. Shyanne Sellers then scored a floater through contact to send each team into the break.
- Maryland maintained a lead for the entire first quarter, leading 20-18 at the end. Four different Terps scored at least four points. USC committed six turnovers, more than twice as many as Maryland's two. Juju Watkins contributed three of the Trojans' turnovers.
- USC earned its first lead of the game (27-26) at 4:35 in the second quarter, as Watkins drilled her first 3-pointer in four attempts.
- The Trojans entered halftime with a 35-34 advantage. Despite hitting a brief dry spell, the Terps sparked a timely 6-0 run entering the locker room. Sarah Te-Biasu's 3-pointer was the big shot to key the run.
- Maryland regained its lead at 46-45 at 4:42 in the third after Kaylene Smikle stripped Watkins and scored on a fastbreak layup. The bucket made her the third Terp to reach double-digit points as the Terps made four of their last five shots.
- Each team was knotted at 58 apiece entering the final frame. The last sequence of the third began with a nifty up-and-under move by Sellers that caught Watkins off her feet and ended with Sellers scoring at the rim. On the under end, Kayleigh Heckel converted an and-one.
- Maryland scored the first six points of the fourth, and Watkins subbed out with four fouls. The Terps remained in front until Kennedy Smith hit a 3-pointer at 3:39 to tie the game at 68. It was the game's seventh instance where it was tied.
- Knotted at 72 with 1:28 to play, Kiki Iriafen converted an and-one to put USC up 75-72. The Trojans closed the game in the final minute from the free throw time to snap Maryland's win streak.
Double-Figure Factors
- Shyanne Sellers scored 26 points, recording her 80th career game in double figures. She has scored double-figures in 13 games this season and 11 games in a row.
- Kaylene Smikle scored 16 points, her 52nd career double-figure game. This was her 14th consecutive game netting double-digit points as a Terp. It was also her 29th game scoring 20 or more and her eighth as a Terp.
- Christina Dalce provided 15 points for her 32nd career game in double figures. She has scored in double-figures in eight games this season.
Sellers On The Charts
- Shyanne Sellers moved to 19th on the program's all-time scoring list with 1437. She passed Kris Kirchner (1,425 from 1978-80) and Myra Waters (1,423 points from 1979-82). Next on the list at No. 18 is Marché Strickland, with 1,450 from 1999-02.
- The point guard is seventh on the all-time assists list, having 472 in her career. Next on the list is Anjalé Barrett (486 from 2008-12).
In The House
- Several former Terps, including Laura Harper, returned to the XFINITY Center for today's game. Harper is the current head women's basketball coach at Towson but was a part of the Terps' 2006 national championship team.
- Brinae Alexander and Faith Masonius, two of last year's team members, made the trip back to College Park. Alexander played for the Terps from 2022-24, finishing her career as No. 11 in Maryland's record book with 149 3-pointers made. Masonius was a Terp from 2019-24 and integral to several recent successful Terp teams.
- Christy Winters-Scott, a member of the University of Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame, was also in attendance. She was the color analyst for the broadcast on FS1. Winters-Scott played for the Terps from 1987-90, on two ACC Championship teams and the 1989 Final Four team.
Numbers And Nuggets To Know
- 8: Maryland is ranked No. 8 in the Associated Press poll.
- 11: Shyanne Sellers has scored in double figures in 11 straight games.
- 14: Sellers scored 20 or more points for the 14th time in her career and the second time this season.
- 14: Kaylene Smikle has scored in double figures in 14 straight games.
- 15: The Terps have forced their opponent to commit double-digit turnovers in all 15 games this season.
- 21: Christina Dalce earned her 21st career double-double and her sixth of the season.
- 583: The Terps have been ranked in 583 AP polls, which puts them at the fifth-most poll appearances of all time.
Up Next
- Maryland will travel to Madison, WI, to face Wisconsin on Saturday, Jan. 11. The game will tip off at 2:30 p.m. EST and air on Big Ten Network.
