The Terps started hot, but fell off a cliff.
No. 17 Maryland women’s basketball dominated the early going at home against Nebraska, but the tables completely turned over the course of 40 minutes. The Terps scored 29 points in the first quarter but just 34 for the rest of the game.
After a sweeping their West Coast road trip last week, the Terps fell to Nebraska, 91-71, at Xfinity Center Thursday night.
“I thought the better tougher team won tonight,” head coach Brenda Frese said. “Disappointed not to build upon our great games on the West Coast, where we had a lot of production from a lot of people. [I] didn’t think we carried that after the first quarter.”
Nebraska started sloppy and fed Alexis Markowski in the paint; she was its only option and scored its first six points.
The Terps pushed the pace, as Shyanne Sellers scored 12 points in the first four minutes. Maryland’s ball movement flowed quickly and showed no signs of slowing down.
Despite Maryland looking far superior, Nebraska stayed on par offensively with efficient shots. However, Maryland made some strong defensive plays. Kaylene Smikle rejected Callin Hake with one of the Terps’ most impressive blocks all season.
Nebraska fought back in the second quarter to erase Maryland’s once 14-point lead, taking a lead of its own with three minutes remaining in the first half.
“Our team was really, really hungry coming into this game with a three-game losing streak,” Nebraska head coach Amy Williams said. “I thought when we got down 14, it took just great toughness for us to dig deep and lean into each other. Our response after getting down was impressive to kind of fight back and claw back.”
Thursday’s second quarter was the exact opposite of Sunday’s in Washington — it was all Cornhuskers. Maryland looked like a different team in each quarter of the first half.
Sellers scored five consecutive points and Emily Fisher made a 3-pointer — the first of her collegiate career — to tie the game heading into the break.
The Cornhuskers started the second half right where they left the first off, making its first four shots. Nebraska completely dominated the boards with 19 more rebounds midway through the third quarter.
Nebraska went an impressive 4-of-5 from behind the arc in the third frame. Meanwhile, Maryland could not have been playing worse. It shot just 3-of-14 (21.4%) in the third quarter.
“I thought they were the more aggressive team, and they took us off the bounce. They exposed us,” Frese said.
Aside from Sellers, Maryland had an atrocious shooting night. While Sellers shot 9-of-15 (60%), while the rest of the team went 5-of-43 (34.9%).
The fourth quarter got increasingly worse. The Terps could not score, as Nebraska held a decisive 14-point advantage. Any hope of a comeback seemed dashed.
Ultimately, Nebraska outscored Maryland, 73-42, in the final three quarters Thursday, tying its second-highest scoring performance in Big Ten play.
“We got four more league games and then one guaranteed Big Ten Tournament game, and then dancing in March, hopefully,” Sellers said. “We got to make a choice. I think the locker room is full of competitors, I know we’ll respond, but we got to make a choice.”
Three things to know
1. A historic fall. Since Bri McDaniel tore her ACL on Jan. 14, the Terps have completely tumbled. There is a real possibility Maryland will fall out of the top 25 after being ranked as high as No. 7 earlier in the season.
2. Worst loss of the season. While Maryland dominated the first quarter, it could not have played worse in the latter three. Six Cornhuskers scored in double figures on Thursday, while only one Terp did.
3. Sellers was the lone bright spot. Maryland saw one player perform well Thursday. Sellers tallied 23 points, four assists and three rebounds.