Catch up on some takeaways from the Terps’ first conference loss.
Maryland women’s basketball was stifled in its second Big Ten game of the season, falling to Nebraska on the road, 87-81.
Here are some takeaways from the game.
Lavender Briggs provided a spark in her return
While Bri McDaniel got the start, Briggs was very impactful off the bench in her return from a multi-week absence.
She scored a team-high 25 points, shooting 11-of-17 from the field and 3-of-6 from three. She added four rebounds and two assists.
“They were finding me, getting me open looks,” Briggs said of her teammates. “And I was just being aggressive and hunting my shot.”
Briggs was one of three Terps to score double-digit points, showcasing that a return to her usual place in the starting lineup may be due sooner rather than later.
“For us, it’s just waiting to see who’s going to emerge from a consistent end,” Maryland head coach Brenda Frese said. “That will, you know, obviously dictate who’s going to be on the floor.”
Alexis Markowski overwhelmed Maryland
Markowski, one of the Big Ten’s best centers, had her way inside against the Terps.
At 6-foot-3, she often leaked out in transition for easy layups, and even though she missed nine shots, she still managed 20 points, which were almost all scored within 10 feet of the basket.
Markowski was also impressive on the glass, finishing with 10 rebounds — including three of the team’s 20 offensive boards.
“I thought they obviously took it to us on the glass all night,” Frese said.
Maryland got in foul trouble
Having to deal with the size and quickness of Nebraska, many of Maryland’s players found themselves in foul trouble.
Four Terps reached two fouls before halftime, including Shyanne Sellers, Jakia Brown-Turner and Bri McDaniel — the team’s starting frontcourt. Fouls limited each of their playing time throughout the second quarter.
“I thought [Sellers] lost some of her poise and composure when she got into the early foul trouble,” Frese said.
In the second half, the already dire situation got worse. Sellers, Brown-Turner and McDaniel all fouled out in the fourth quarter, and Sellers did so with more than four minutes left in the game.
Nebraska got to the free-throw line 26 times and made 23 of its attempts, helping bury Maryland late.
“We took a lot of silly [fouls],” Frese said.