Junior guard Brene Moseley came off the bench to score 15 points, including the go-ahead free throws with 2.8 seconds left to give No. 12 Maryland a 77-73 win over No. 23 Minnesota on Sunday.
After the host Golden Gophers' Carlie Wagner hit a 3-pointer with 32 seconds remaining to tie the game at 73, Moseley looked over the Minnesota defense and drove into the lane, drawing a foul.
Moseley made her free throws, and after the Gophers threw away the inbounds pass, she added two more with 0.9 of a second left to give Maryland (13-2, 4-0 Big Ten Conference) its seventh straight win and first place in the Big Ten.
"I just wanted to finish the game," Moseley said.
While Maryland's shooting mark was its worst of the season (39.7 percent), the Terps used their dominance under the basket to keep Minnesota from its second win over a ranked team this season. Maryland converted 19 offensive rebounds into 22 points.
"That was the difference in the game," said Minnesota coach Marlene Stollings, who lost for just the second time, and the first time at home, in her debut season leading the Gophers.
Sophomore guard Lexie Brown finished with 20 points, seven assists and no turnovers. Moseley and sophomore guard Shatori Walker-Kimbrough each added 15 to lead the Terps, who are 3-0 all time against the Gophers. Sophomore center Brionna Jones (Aberdeen) had 11 points, five rebounds and two blocks.
Amanda Zahui B. had 26 points and 15 rebounds to lead Minnesota (14-2, 3-1). Wagner scored 15 points and Shae Kelley chipped in 14 for the Gophers, who had their 10-game winning streak ended.
The Gophers rallied from an eight-point second-half deficit to take a 56-55 lead on a basket by Kelley, and the teams traded baskets from there. Maryland never trailed in the final 10 minutes. It was tied five times down the stretch before Moseley's game-winning free throws.
Minnesota's zone defense kept it close.
"This was one of the most challenging zones we've played against," said Maryland coach Brenda Frese, who was making her first appearance in Minneapolis since leading the Gophers to a 22-8 record in 2001-02. "They gave us fits. [It was a] game of runs. I was really proud [of our ability] to come into a building like this. Unbelievably tough to keep our poise and our composure, and I just think our team got better today."
Hofstra 58, Towson 42: Leading Tigers scorers Ciara Webb and LaTorri Hines-Allen combined for just 23 points on 9-for-30 shooting as the visiting Pride (11-4, 4-0) remained unbeaten in Colonial Athletic Association play.
After entering halftime up just 20-14, an 8-2 run to start the second half allowed Hofstra to break away from Towson (6-10, 2-2), which shot just 28.1 percent from the field.
Elo Ederferioka led the Pride with 17 points and nine rebounds, while Darius Faulk had six points, five rebounds and eight assists.
Men
New Hampshire 63, UMBC 60: UMBC senior guard Wayne Sparrow missed a 24-foot 3-pointer Sunday that would have tied the game as visiting New Hampshire held on for a win.
The Wildcats (8-8, 1-2) secured their first America East Conference victory this season, while the Retrievers (2-13, 0-2) remained winless in league play.
Leading UMBC were Sparrow, who led all scorers with 21 points; junior forward Cody Joyce, who posted his second consecutive double double, with 14 points and 10 rebounds; and freshman guard Jourdan Grant (Archbishop Spalding), who finished with a season-best 18 points, plus six assists and four rebounds.
UMBC led 23-22 at halftime, after both teams had shot below 40 percent from the field. But the Wildcats took control, scoring the first six points of the half. New Hampshire scored 20 points in the first 8:53 of the second half, building a 42-35 lead.
Sparrow, who scored 17 of his points in the second half, hit back-to-back 3-pointers to tie the game at 50 with 6:36 to play. After a steal by Sparrow, UMBC had a chance to take the lead, but Joyce could not convert inside and the Wildcats' Matt Miller countered with a 3-pointer to give New Hampshire the lead for good, 53-50, with 5:21 remaining.