Maryland Women Continue Their B1G Ten Dominance; Defeat Rutgers, 72-54
PISCATAWAY, NJ – Brenda Frese conti
nues to weave her magic as the head coach of the Maryland Women’s basketball team.
In what was supposed to be an off-year for the Lady Terps, they are on their way to making it four B1G Ten regular season conference titles in the four years they’ve been a member since leaving the ACC in 2014.
Sunday afternoon, Maryland Junior F Eleanna Christianki led all scorers with 18 points and Senior G Kristen Confroy added 12 points, including her 200th career three-pointer and the Terps (22-3 overall; 11-1 B1G Ten) recorded their seventh consecutive victory as they defeated the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers (18-9 overall; 6-7 B1G Ten) 72-54.
Junior C Victoria Harris scored a double-double (13 points/11 rebounds) for Rutgers.
Maryland’s stingy defense held Rutgers to 20 for 54 shooting from the field and caused 22 turnovers. But for a second straight game, Maryland was out-rebounded by their opponent (36-30 today).
Rutgers was able to stay with the Terps for the first quarter, closing it out with a three-pointer at the buzzer by Senior G Kathleen Fitzpatrick to only trail 22-19.
With Christianki’s help, Maryland dominated the second quarter by holding the Scarlet Knights to only eight points, while putting in 21 to take a 43-27 lead into halftime.
As strong as Rutgers played in the third quarter (they outscored Maryland 17-12), they could not bring Maryland’s lead down into single digits. The closest to came was 11 points near the end of the quarter, when Senior G Jazlynd Rollins hit both of her free throws, cutting the Terps lead down to 55-44.
Sloppy ball play plague Rutgers in the beginning of the fourth and Maryland scored the final eight points of the game to secure the 18-point victory.
Coming into this season, Maryland lost Shatori Walker-Kimbrough and Brionna Jones to the WNBA as they graduated and freshman sensation Destiny Slocum transferred to Oregon State. This squad was one of Frese’s youngest.
As the Terps were just starting their B1G Ten conference schedule, they lost sophomore standout Blair Watson to a right torn ACL during a practice. Frese has spent most of the games since that only suiting up eight players. She knows she asking a lot with a limited number of eligible players, but she is getting results this year as she has in almost every year since taking this program over as head coach in 2002 (winning Maryland’s only national title in 2006).
With only five games left in the B1G Ten regular season, Maryland holds a two-game advantage over second place Ohio State. The Lady Terps return back to College Park on Thursday to take on Purdue (16-9 overall; 7-4 B1G Ten). Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 pm.
