Kristi Toliver scored 21 to lead five Terrapins in double figures as Maryland overcame a five-point halftime deficit to defeat Richmond, 83-65. Junior
Demauria Liles and freshman
Lynetta Kizer each contributed double-doubles to help the Terps control the boards and shut down a hot-handed Spiders team in the second half.
"We made some adjustments in the locker room [at halftime] to our defense," head coach Brenda Frese said after the game. "I think the execution by our team was tremendous in the second half. We did a much better job on the boards in terms of giving them one shot and one shot only."
Maryland jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the game's opening minutes, but Richmond quickly found its range from beyond the arc. The Spiders' first three buckets were good for three, and Richmond would eventually build up a 29-22 lead midway through the period.
"They're a great team," Frese said of the Spiders. "I think they're going to have great play in their conference. They have tremendous heart and hustle and a variety of athletes."
From there, Maryland reeled the Spiders back in, thanks in large part to 13 first-half points from Toliver (Harrisonburg, Va.). However, Richmond hit on 43% of their shots in the first half, including 58% (7-of-12) from long range. Maryland tied the score numerous times, but could not regain the lead. At halftime, Richmond held a 43-38 advantage.
As they have done all season, though, Maryland took things over in the second half. Sophomore Marah Strickland (Mount Airy, Md.) set the tone with an early trey, three of her 12 points on the day.
Kizer (Woodbridge, Va.) pulled the Terps even with two free throws with just over 11 minutes to play. The 6-5 freshman teamed with Liles (Suitland, Md.) to dominate the interior in the second half, wearing down the outsized Spiders as Richmond went nearly four minutes between scores midway through the half.
When Toliver hit her second three-pointer of the contest to make the score 61-58 Terps, Maryland had the lead for good.
With Maryland beginning to pull away, senior Marissa Coleman (Cheltenham, Md.) dropped in all seven of her second half points in quick succession, extending Maryland's lead to 77-62. With just 4:28 to play, the game was safely in hand.
"I think we're used to it by now," Coleman said of the Spiders' early hot shooting. "Kristi and I especially. It seems like whenever we play somebody, they hardly seem to miss. But we know that they're not going to stay that hot the whole game, so we just have to maintain our composure and keep our teammates in the game and let them know that we just have to keep fighting through it."
For Frese, the final non-conference test before Atlantic Coast Conference play opens on Thursday will prove to be a tremendous benefit to the Terps in the long run.
"I like being in games like this," Frese commented. "They're battles. They made us better today, and that's what it's all about as we get ready to go into conference play."
Maryland is next on the court on Thursday, when they return to Comcast Center to take on Wake Forest in their ACC opener. Maryland went 13-1 last year in the conference, finishing second during the regular season.
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