No. 7 Maryland Women’s Basketball Suffers First Loss of Season in Thrilling Upset by Illinois
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Maryland’s undefeated start to the season came to an end on Thursday, as the no. 7 ranked Terrapins fell to Illinois 73-70. A last-second 3-point attempt by Saylor Poffenbarger missed its mark, sealing the Illini’s victory and highlighting a series of challenges for Maryland throughout the game. Here are three key takeaways from the New Year’s Day thriller.
Foul Trouble Plagues Maryland’s Rotations
early and persistent foul trouble significantly disrupted Maryland’s game plan, forcing head coach Brenda Frese to utilize unconventional lineups. “We were in uncharacteristic foul trouble that really led to some different lineups in that first half,” Frese stated. Addi Mack, a key contributor averaging 26.2 minutes per game, found herself limited to just 14 minutes on the court after picking up three fouls – two in the opening three minutes and another in the second quarter.According to Frese, Mack’s absence was particularly impactful, noting she appeared “hesitant to take a really strong, aggressive shot.”
Kyndal Walker, Maryland’s primary backup point guard, also faced early foul trouble, committing two fouls in the first quarter. This left Saylor Poffenbarger,Oluchi Okananwa,and Yarden Garzon as the only core players to avoid accumulating multiple fouls in the first half. As an inevitable result, marya Boiko saw increased playing time, logging 25 minutes after playing just 14 minutes combined in the terps’ first two Big Ten games. Boiko contributed seven points,three assists,and four rebounds. “We’ve got to be better when things don’t go our way with the foul trouble that we had,and the different rotations that were on the floor,” Frese emphasized.Mir McLean and Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu each committed two first-half fouls and did not play in the second half.
Late-Game Mistakes Prove Costly
Maryland struggled down the stretch, failing to score in the final 2:22 of regulation. This offensive drought was compounded by a series of crucial miscues.Yarden Garzon committed a costly turnover with 22 seconds remaining, attempting a behind-the-back pass while the Terps trailed by a single point. She was then called for an illegal screen shortly after,further hindering Maryland’s attempts to regain possession. These errors ultimately forced the Terps to rely on Poffenbarger’s desperation 3-point attempt.
The Terps’ shooting woes throughout the night further exacerbated the situation. Maryland connected on just one of 12 3-point attempts, and finished the game shooting 25-of-59 (42.4%) from the field, despite a strong 19-of-25 (76%) performance from the free-throw line. “It’s been a blended ball,” Frese said. “We’re a team that likes to get up and down the floor.”
Road Struggles and the Big Ten Challenge
Thursday’s loss to Illinois marked Maryland’s second road game of the season. While the Terps secured a double-overtime victory over Minnesota earlier in the season, they have historically faced challenges playing away from home in the Big Ten. Last season, Maryland posted an 8-1 record on the road, but that dipped to 3-6 the previous year. Illinois, currently 10-0 at home and 13-1 presented a formidable challenge.
“We were ready today. We had a great shoot around, great film session leading into this game,” Frese said. “This is why it’s so hard to go on the road. Great habitat, great crowd.” Despite the setback, Frese expressed hope that the team can learn from this experience. “This is what it’s going to look like every time we step out on the floor in Big Ten play,” she stated. “I’m hopeful that this is an early game in January that we’ll be able to learn from and get a lot better.”
