COLLEGE PARK, MD – No. 11 Maryland women's basketball was red hot from downtown in its 98-63 win over Towson on Sunday at XFINITY Center. The Terps advanced to 5-0. The last time they started the year with five or more consecutive wins was during the 2021-22 season when they earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. Maryland began that season 6-0.
As a team, Maryland shot 11-of-17 (64.7%) on 3-pointers - the best three-point percentage (with 10 made) since Feb. 23, 2021, vs. Iowa (15-of-22, 68.2%). The Terps led 33-18 at the end of the first quarter and 54-40 at halftime, leading by as many as 35. The 33 first-quarter points, 54 halftime points and 98 points in the game overall were season highs.
Kaylene Smikle led all scorers with 21 points. It was her fourth consecutive game scoring 20 or more points, becoming the first Terp to string together that many performances since Jakia Brown-Turner last season (five). The junior transfer from Rutgers is averaging 21.5 points per game over the four-game stretch.
Sarah Te-Biasu commanded the offense from the point guard position with 13 points, four assists and two rebounds. Christina Dalce recorded a double-double, her third of the season and 18th of her career. The senior forward scored 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
Saylor Poffenbarger drained four 3-pointers and netted 12 points for her first double-digit scoring outing as a Terp. The redshirt junior guard added nine rebounds, two blocks and two assists. Shyanne Sellers also recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 assists. It was the eighth of her career. It was the first time a Terp had 10 or more assists in a game since Sellers dished out 10 dimes vs. Northwestern on Dec. 10, 2023.
Against her former team, Allie Kubek scored 11 points and eclipsed 1,000 for her career between both institutions. The last time the Terps had six players in double-figures was against Mount St. Mary's on Nov. 16, 2021.
Towson faltered to 0-4 on the season. India Johnston led the Tigers with 22 points.
Frese's Take"I told the team before this game, we knew Towson was going to be hungry for a win," head coach Brenda Frese said. "I thought they competed like that, especially in that first 20 minutes, but I loved where we were. After that first quarter, we had 10 assists and only one turnover. That's been something we've been intentional about. Building that positive assist-to-turnover ratio. … And in the five games, we've played just different combinations, different ways for us to be able to win. So just want to continue to keep building on this."
Sellers On The Team's Offensive Performance "I think we played super unselfish. You see, most of everybody that took a shot was shooting over 50%. That's huge. Again, going back to the assist, 27 assists, it's phenomenal. And getting everybody in, it's just huge for us. I feel like the difference between this year and last year is just not so much wear and tear on our bodies. Just being able to go that deep is going to pay dividends in the long run."
Breaking Down The Action
Double-Figure Factors
Four Games, Four 20 Pieces
Sellers On The Charts
Home Sweet Home
Series History
Numbers To Know
Up Next
As a team, Maryland shot 11-of-17 (64.7%) on 3-pointers - the best three-point percentage (with 10 made) since Feb. 23, 2021, vs. Iowa (15-of-22, 68.2%). The Terps led 33-18 at the end of the first quarter and 54-40 at halftime, leading by as many as 35. The 33 first-quarter points, 54 halftime points and 98 points in the game overall were season highs.
Kaylene Smikle led all scorers with 21 points. It was her fourth consecutive game scoring 20 or more points, becoming the first Terp to string together that many performances since Jakia Brown-Turner last season (five). The junior transfer from Rutgers is averaging 21.5 points per game over the four-game stretch.
Sarah Te-Biasu commanded the offense from the point guard position with 13 points, four assists and two rebounds. Christina Dalce recorded a double-double, her third of the season and 18th of her career. The senior forward scored 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
Saylor Poffenbarger drained four 3-pointers and netted 12 points for her first double-digit scoring outing as a Terp. The redshirt junior guard added nine rebounds, two blocks and two assists. Shyanne Sellers also recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 assists. It was the eighth of her career. It was the first time a Terp had 10 or more assists in a game since Sellers dished out 10 dimes vs. Northwestern on Dec. 10, 2023.
Against her former team, Allie Kubek scored 11 points and eclipsed 1,000 for her career between both institutions. The last time the Terps had six players in double-figures was against Mount St. Mary's on Nov. 16, 2021.
Towson faltered to 0-4 on the season. India Johnston led the Tigers with 22 points.
Frese's Take"I told the team before this game, we knew Towson was going to be hungry for a win," head coach Brenda Frese said. "I thought they competed like that, especially in that first 20 minutes, but I loved where we were. After that first quarter, we had 10 assists and only one turnover. That's been something we've been intentional about. Building that positive assist-to-turnover ratio. … And in the five games, we've played just different combinations, different ways for us to be able to win. So just want to continue to keep building on this."
Sellers On The Team's Offensive Performance "I think we played super unselfish. You see, most of everybody that took a shot was shooting over 50%. That's huge. Again, going back to the assist, 27 assists, it's phenomenal. And getting everybody in, it's just huge for us. I feel like the difference between this year and last year is just not so much wear and tear on our bodies. Just being able to go that deep is going to pay dividends in the long run."
Breaking Down The Action
- Allie Kubek converted an and-1 for the game's first points. Bri McDaniel then entered the game off the bench and provided an immediate steal and score, followed by a three-pointer. The Terps led 13-6 entering the game's first media timeout.
- The Terps recorded an 11-0 run and later made four consecutive shots from the floor to lead 33-18 at the end of the first quarter. As a team, Maryland was shooting 68.4%.
- Maryland stretched its lead to 41-27 at 5:42 after a layup by Kaylene Smikle. She then added a 3-pointer to lead all scorers with 12 points.
- The Terrapins entered halftime with a 54-40 lead. They were shooting an incredible 8-of-13 from beyond the arch. They also had nine different players score at least two points.
- Maryland outscored Towson 20-11 in the third period and grew its lead to 74-51.
- Six Terps reached double-figures in the fourth quarter, and Maryland cruised to 5-0.
Double-Figure Factors
- Maryland had six players in double-figures for the first time since having six vs. Mount St. Mary's on Nov. 16, 2021.
- Kaylene Smikle netted 21 points for her 42nd career game in double figures. It was her fourth game netting double-digit points as a Terp.
- Christina Dalce provided 13 points for her 28th career game in double figures. She has scored in double-figures in four games this season.
- Sarah Te-Biasu scored 13 points. It was her 82nd game scoring in double digits. It was her second game scoring in double-figures as a Terp after transferring from VCU.
- Saylor Poffenbarger tallied 12 points for her 28th career game in double figures. After transferring from Arkansas, it was her first game scoring double-figures as a Terp.
- Allie Kubek scored 11 points and earned her 51st career game in double figures. She has scored in double-figures three times this season.
- Shyanne Sellers scored 10 points, recording her 70th career game in double figures. She has scored in double-figures in each of Maryland's first four games.
Four Games, Four 20 Pieces
- Kaylene Smikle led all Terps with 21 points. It was her fourth consecutive game scoring 20 or more points. She's averaging 21.5 points per game over that stretch.
- Her other 20-point outings include 20 vs. Coppin State on Nov. 7, 23 vs. No. 11 Duke on Nov. 10 and 22 at Syracuse on Nov. 13. Today's outing was Smikle's 25th game scoring 20 or more points in her career.
- The last Terp to string together four consecutive games scoring 20 or more points was Jakia Brown-Turner last season, who recorded five straight 20+ point outings through games from Jan. 20 through Feb. 3 (Illinois - 20, Michigan 21, Penn State - 21, Indiana - 22 and Iowa - 25)
Sellers On The Charts
- Shyanne Sellers moved to a tie for 30th on the program's all-time scoring list with 1284 with Belinda 'Boe' Pearman (1981-84). Next on the list at 29th is Ashley Owusu (2020-22) with 1,286.
- The point guard also moved to 11th on the all-time assists list with 10 in the game for 424 in her career. She passed Anesia Smith (416 from 2002-05) and is closing in on Carla Holmes (439 from 1988-91), who sits in 10th place.
Home Sweet Home
- Maryland has been a dominant home team, especially over the last decade. The Terps are 610-142 all-time in College Park, dating back to the inaugural 1971-72 season.
- Maryland is 316-47 at home under Brenda Frese, whose first season in College Park was the inaugural season of XFINITY Center.
- The Terrapins are 175-12 all-time in non-conference games in XFINITY Center.
Series History
- Sunday's matchup was the 25th all-time between Maryland and Towson, with the Terps owning the series at 20-5.
- The Terps took last year's meeting, 99-51, on Dec. 12, 2023 in College Park.
- Maryland has won 10 straight meetings with Towson, dating back to 2010.
- Towson head coach Laura Harper played at Maryland under Brenda Frese from 2005-08. She was the 2006 Final Four Most Outstanding Player and helped the Terps to the 2006 NCAA Championship.
Numbers To Know
- 3: This is the third in-state opponent Maryland played this season.
- 4: Kaylene Smikle scored 20 or more points for the fourth game in a row.
- 5: Maryland is 5-0 on the season.
- 5: The Terps have won the rebound battle in all five games this season.
- 8: Shyanne Sellers has eight double-doubles in her career.
- 10: The Terps have won 10 straight meetings with the Tigers since 2010.
- 11: Maryland is ranked No. 11 in the Associated Press poll.
- 18: Christina Dalce has 18 double-doubles, including three this season.
- 33: The Terps' 33 first-quarter points were a season high.
- 46: Maryland boasted a 46-18 advantage on the glass.
- 54: Maryland's 54 halftime points were a season-high.
- 63: The Terrapins are 63-5 over the last four seasons when leading at halftime.
- 96: The Terps are 96-7 when they score 80 points or more over the last six seasons.
- 234: Since quarters started in women's basketball in 2015-16, Maryland is now 234-3 when leading after three quarters.
- 574: The Terps have been ranked in 574 AP polls, which puts them at the fifth-most poll appearances of all time.
- 1,000: Allie Kubek eclipsed 1,000 career points.
Up Next
- Maryland will host Saint Francis (PA) at XFINITY Center on Sunday, Nov. 24. The game will tip-off at 1 p.m. and air on Big Ten Plus.
