COLLEGE PARK — No. 14 Maryland
@Coppin State
Dec. 21, 2 p.m.
Maryland long has been the gold standard of women's basketball in the Baltimore-Washington corridor, and as the team's nonconference schedule winds down, the 14th-ranked Terps continued to feast on neighboring opponents with a 94-50 win against overmatched and undersized American on Friday night at Xfinity Center.
The Terps claimed a 10th straight win in the series and their second victory in a row this season. It was their fourth victory over a team from Baltimore or the District of Columbia. Maryland will play another school a short drive from campus, Coppin State, on Sunday in its final tuneup before beginning its inaugural Big Ten schedule Dec. 29 against Ohio State.
A 15-0 run to open the game was the first blow Maryland dealt to last season's second-place finisher in the Patriot League and an at-large selection to the WNIT. The Eagles pulled within nine after consecutive 3-pointers by junior guard Ari Booth, but Laurin Mincy made a pair of foul shots to trigger 13 straight points for Maryland.
Freshman guard Kristen Confroy made a 3-pointer during the Terps' surge, sophomore center Brionna Jones (Aberdeen) followed with two free throws, and sophomore forward Shatori Walker-Kimbrough made a jumper. By the time freshman guard Kiara Leslie scored on a driving layup to end the flurry, Maryland was in front 30-6 and on the way to a season high in points.
The Terps' previous high in points came in an 85-67 victory over South Florida in the season opener.
"I thought it was one of our best games from start to finish," Maryland coach Brenda Frese said. "Our starters set the tone from the tip, coming out on a 15-0 run, really being aggressive. I thought defense led to rebounding and transition. We had a lot of fun tonight."
Walker-Kimbrough proved a matchup nightmare for the Eagles in collecting her first double double. One of Maryland's most athletic players got to the rim virtually at will on the way to a game-high 23 points, making eight of 12 shots that included her only 3-pointer. She added 10 rebounds before exiting the game for good with 7 minutes, 23 seconds to play and the Terps ahead 76-38.
Mincy finished with 16 points, and her eight rebounds contributed to Maryland's 49-28 advantage on the boards. It was the largest rebounding margin this season for the Terps. Maryland had four players with at least a half-dozen rebounds each, allowing it to control the interior to the tune of a 36-10 disparity in points in the paint.
Jones scored 11 points in 12 minutes, spending most of the second half on the bench resting with four personal fouls. Confroy had 11 points, making three of five 3-pointers, and was one of 11 players who logged at least 11 minutes in the Terps' final game before exams.
"I think it started with our defense collectively," said Walker-Kimbrough, who was part of an attacking effort that yielded an 18-0 advantage in fast-break points. "I like getting out in transition, and I thought we did that early, so I think that's what sparked not just me but our whole team."
American had just two field goals over the first 11 minutes and five baskets overall in the first half, when Maryland scored 14 points off eight forced turnovers. The Eagles shot just below 18 percent over the first 20 minutes after entering the game making 43.5 percent from the field.
Jen Dumiak had 18 points for the Eagles one game after a career-high 23 in a 71-61 loss to Massachusetts. The senior guard made all three of her 3-point attempts and added five rebounds and three assists.