Story By: Sol Tucker
Photos By: Sol Tucker
Columbia, SC–
After a few tough weeks for Brenda Frese and her squad the trip down to Columbia face the #1 Gamecock team meant they needed to be on top of their game to go up a very strong team coached by Dawn Staley. They certainly didn’t waiver any energy and took them right to the final seconds before a few final missed shots gave the Gamecocks a way to escape with a 66-59 victory.
The Terps (9-3), who entered Sunday averaging 83.6 points per game, were held to just 59 behind a forceful defensive effort from the Gamecocks. South Carolina (10-0) blocked 15 Maryland shots, including five of its first 10 of the game, and continued to show dominance on the glass, out-rebounding a proficient Maryland 61-34, including 24 offensive rebounds. Maryland leaders Angel Reese (20 points, 10 rebounds) and Ashley Owusu (11 points, six rebounds) kept the game competitive through the fourth, though the Terps narrowly fell short from the field, making 31.3% of their shots compared to the Gamecocks’ 36.4%.
Maryland leaders Angel Reese (20 points, 10 rebounds) and Ashley Owusu (11 points, six rebounds) kept the game competitive through the fourth, though the Terps narrowly fell short from the field, making 31.3% of their shots compared to the Gamecocks’ 36.4%.
“Dawn is an extremely good coach,” said Terps Head Coach Brenda Frese after the game. They got the stops they needed in those final 25 seconds. We came up empty on several attempts after they made their shots at the free throw line and we couldn’t get that one three we needed to fall.”
“Just a great game between two really, really good teams,” Frese said. “Really, really proud of our team’s fight to come into this building and compete the way we have for 40 minutes. This is what I built the schedule for, to prepare us for March.”
Both teams were missing star players on Sunday, as Maryland junior guard Diamond Miller (knee) and South Carolina’s second-leading scorer in senior guard Destanni Henderson did not play.
