Simply round 10 seconds following the opening tip, sophomore guard Ashley Owusu had the ball on the left facet of the arc. On the prime towards the correct of the basket, sophomore guard Diamond Miller was open.
As quickly because the ball hit her fingers, she faked it and went up for the three. Lower than 10 seconds later, Miller hit her second shot of the day from behind the arc to spark a 24-9 run, which included the Terps making all seven of their first three-point makes an attempt.
On this matchup between the highest two scoring offenses within the nation Tuesday, Maryland ladies’s basketball confirmed why it deserves the highest spot, defeating Iowa, 111-93, with a completely electrical offensive show.
“Our employees was simply truthfully surprised at halftime,” Frese stated. “We didn’t inform the ladies that, however I’ve by no means been part of a sport like that, to have the ability to simply see. I can’t wait to return and watch the sport.”
The Terps made 15 of its 22 makes an attempt from past the arc within the matchup, good for 68.3% and setting a brand new program report for the very best three-point share on greater than 4 makes an attempt. The 2 groups mixed for 32 three-pointers, which is simply shy of the NCAA ladies’s basketball report of 36.
Maryland completed this matchup with 4 gamers in double-digit scoring. Senior guard Katie Benzan hit a career-high 29 factors, Miller a career-high 27 factors, Owusu had 24 factors and senior ahead Chloe Bibby completed the sport with 14 factors. Owusu additionally set a career-high with 12 assists.
“I simply learn the protection, and immediately they performed a zone which opened up the three-point line for all of us,” Benzan stated. “The photographs simply went down and we play with such an incredible level guard in Ash, who finds the open particular person each single time.”
The Terps began off robust from the tip with Miller’s back-to-back threes, however, freshman guard Caitlin Clark didn’t hold her Iowa staff scoreless for lengthy as she hit back-to-back threes for her staff.
Clark is the main scorer within the Massive Ten and second within the nation, averaging 26 factors per sport. With six minutes to go within the first quarter, Iowa had 9 factors, all from Clark, who was 3-for-3 from behind the arc.
“I really like going towards her so long as we get the win,” head coach Brenda Frese stated. “I imply, I really like watching her play. However yeah, she’s only a phenomenal participant, she’s actually proficient to have the ability to watch.”
Maryland’s offense was amid a 16-3 run lasting over two and a half minutes, by which the protection held Iowa scoreless for 2 minutes.
Out of the timeout, the Terps introduced the strain to increase Iowa’s scoring drought, forcing three turnovers in simply two and a half minutes. The Terps 19-3 run was snapped by a 3 from Iowa, however Maryland’s offense didn’t let up as Benzan hit one other three.
As Benzan’s shot went within the bench exploded as freshman ahead Angel Reese and assistant director of basketball efficiency Keith Pough jumped round, swung a towel and exchanged excessive fives.
With about three and a half minutes to go within the first quarter, Reese transitioned roles from motivator to participant as she made a surprising entrance into the sport after having foot surgical procedure earlier this season that was anticipated to maintain her out till the postseason. Her first factors since December got here within the type of a pair of free throws.
The Terps dominated the primary quarter outscoring the Hawkeyes, 41-21, whereas capturing 68.2% from the ground. Maryland was 8-for-9 from behind the arc and the Terps’ eight three-pointers tie a program report for many scored in a single body. The Terps scored 41 factors with eight assists and nil turnovers.
Maryland began the second quarter robust defensively. After giving up two factors, they held the Hawkeyes scoreless for over two minutes till Clark snapped the scoring drought with a 3.
Iowa continued to push as Clark went for 17 factors within the second quarter, she completed the primary half with 29 factors. Though Maryland maintained their robust lead, they had been outscored by the Hawkeyes 30-27 within the second body.
Finally, Maryland went into the locker room with the commanding 68-51 lead after the robust offensive efficiency. The Terps completed the primary half capturing 66% from the sector, 75% from behind the arc and 75% from the charity stripe.
Maryland’s 68 factors within the first half had been only one shy of essentially the most factors scored in a single half by a Massive Ten staff, however they set the report of most factors scored in a single half of a convention sport in Massive Ten historical past.
To start out the second half, Maryland saved its offensive momentum going. With 4 minutes to go within the third quarter, the Terps had been outscoring Iowa 17-9 as they held Clark scoreless.
Nevertheless, with a minute to go within the third quarter Iowa was on a 5-0 run. Because the Maryland bench began chanting “DEFENSE,” Iowa sank its seventh consecutive level prompting a Maryland timeout.
Out of the break, Maryland discovered its offensive groove quick as Reese received the ball to senior ahead Alaysia Kinds for the layup because the Terps maintained their lead within the third outscoring the Hawkeyes 22-19. The Terps held Clark, Iowa’s main scorer, to only three factors within the interval.
Within the first three quarters, Benzan and Owusu led the cost combining for 48 of Maryland’s 90 factors, incomes 26 and 22, respectively.
“I’m simply discovering my teammates after they’re open and in addition noticing who has the recent hand,” Owusu stated. “…Katie, she was on immediately so simply recognizing the protection on her when she’s open and in addition different teammates.”
Within the fourth quarter, Iowa didn’t let up occurring an 8-0 run that lasted over a minute forcing the Terps to name a timeout.
However out of the timeout, three and a half minutes into the fourth quarter, Benzan hit her ninth three-point shot of the sport to interrupt this system report she tied earlier this season.
Benzan’s three introduced Maryland’s level whole on the day to 99 bringing the staff effectively above its common of 92.4 factors per sport that’s earned it the title of the No. 1 scoring offense within the nation. And the scoring solely continued from there en path to the dominant victory.
“All of us are threats on the court docket, so it’s gonna be exhausting to defend us,” Benzan stated. “However then once more, we share the ball so effectively…and that’s only a testomony to how we love one another and we simply need to win regardless of who scores the factors.”
Three Issues To Know
1. Angel Reese is again. After fracturing her proper foot within the house opener towards Towson, the No. 2 recruit within the nation was not anticipated to return till the postseason. However, Tuesday afternoon she made her first look on the court docket because the damage and he or she picked up proper the place she left off. Within the first half, Reese had six factors and two rebounds within the eight minutes she was on the ground.
“I believed she was big, I believed her vitality was nice,” Frese stated. “It’s simply to have the ability to proceed to have that vitality and depth and with the ability to ship these waves.”
2. Katie Benzan was dominant from behind the arc. Within the first half, Benzan tied this system report for many threes made in a single sport for the second time this season. Within the first half, she earned 24 factors going 8-for-9 from behind the arc. To complete the sport, Benzan had 26 factors, went 9-for-10 from behind the arc.
With about six and a half minutes to go within the sport, Benzan took a shot from the left facet of the arc to sink her ninth three of the day to interrupt this system report for many threes in a single sport in program historical past. The basket introduced her level whole to a career-high 29 factors.
3. Maryland capitalized on Iowa’s errors. Maryland’s offense was sizzling however their protection didn’t let up both. Within the first half, Maryland pressured Iowa to show the ball over 10 occasions and scored 16 factors off the takeaways. To complete the sport, the Hawkeyes had 16 turnovers and Maryland scored 22 factors off them.
