The Terps improve to 11-0.
Xfinity Center might not have a louder crowd all year than it did Thursday morning for Maryland women’s basketball’s contest against William & Mary.
The Terps welcomed 15,000 kids from local schools for “Field Trip Day,” creating an electric environment in what otherwise would have been a seemingly insignificant matchup.
“I came to a Maryland game when I was little, I sat in the stands and people playing were like idols to me,” Allie Kubek said. “Its a full-circle moment for me.”
Maryland delivered what the young fans wanted, blowing out the Tribe, 107-57, and putting together its highest offensive output this season.
Kaylene Smikle led the way with 21 points, and five other Terps followed her up with double-digit scoring performances. Maryland improved to 11-0 with just one more game remaining before Big Ten play.
Despite the palpable energy from the thousands of children in the stands, Maryland looked sluggish out of the gate.
The first quarter was marked by the same issues that have plagued the Terps in their worst stretches this season: careless turnovers and settling for bad shots. They turned it over four times in the first quarter, but the nature of the giveaways were a greater concern than the number.
At the end of the quarter, Maryland went through a stretch where it gave the ball away three times in succession, simply throwing the ball to William & Mary when trying to force a long-distance pass.
Maryland also couldn’t get its shots to drop early, ending the first quarter 6-of-19 from the field. Despite those issues, the Terps brought a nine-point lead into the second frame.
Kubek, who came off the bench for the first time all season, started to force the issue down low and attack her size mismatch. That gave Maryland the spark it needed.
“I’m more than happy to come off the bench, to give the team a punch,” Kubek said.
The other story of the first half was Poffenbarger’s effort on the glass. She grabbed 13 rebounds in the opening 20 minutes, accounting for over 40% of Maryland’s boards.
Smikle, Maryland’s leading scorer this season, also found her stride in the second quarter. She knocked down a handful 3-pointers, the second of which pushed her past the 1,000 career points.
Maryland headed to its locker room with a 19-point lead and thousands of kids screaming their satisfaction with its performance.
William & Mary didn’t go quietly, though, as it made a run early in the third quarter. It capitalized off some more Maryland turnovers, as guard Bella Nascimento knocked down back-to-back threes, cutting Maryland’s lead down to 11 points.
That was as close as the Tribe would get, though, as Maryland was too overpowering offensively for them to keep pace with.
The Terps used their depth, as six players got into double figures, continuing to get what they wanted around the rim.
Maryland’s lead hit 29 points heading into the final quarter. It coasted from there, and the kids began to trickle out of the stands, satisfied with the dominant performance the Terps put on.
Maryland will have 10 days off over the holidays before taking on No. 15 Michigan State at home.
Three things to know
1. Free-throw struggles. Maryland got to the line often, attempting a season high 50 free throws. It went just 70% from the line, and its struggles were highlighted by a tough stretch from Dalce. She kept getting to the line, though, and made five of her last six free throws, finishing the game 8-of-16.
“They’re already in their own head mentally,” Frese said. “Our staff is always just trying to instill confidence, you got to get in the gym and rep free throws.”
2. Last low-major opponent. Maryland will have nothing but Big Ten play left on its schedule aside from a matchup against No. 6 Texas. It soon faces a gauntlet month of January, where the Terps will face six ranked teams.
“It’s exciting because we know what lies ahead, and feel like we’re in a really good place,” Frese said. “But every team can play in this league so we need to keep growing.”
3. Rebounding continues to be a strength. Maryland outrebounded William & Mary, 62-28, more than doubling the Tribe’s rebound total. All of its frontcourt players grabbed double-digit boards — Poffenbarger finished with 15, while Kubek and Dalce grabbed 11 each. If Maryland can continue to have that kind of advantage over conference opponents, it will be difficult to beat.