The No. 24 Minnesota Golden Gophers arrived at the Xfinity Center in College Park, MD to face the No. 8 Maryland Terrapins in what would be a test for the Gophers, who have had an incredible start to this season. Minnesota played 23 minutes of solid basketball – the first half and the final three minutes of the game.
Minnesota, who had lost sophomore Taylor Woodson to a season-ending knee injury, and who are still without junior Mara Braun who is out indefinitely, opened the contest going toe to toe with the Terps. Even though the first quarter ended with the Gophers up 19 – 17, it was clear that they had no intention of rolling over for Maryland. The second quarter was not much different, although Maryland began to play a more cohesive game and eventually took the lead, going into the half with a 42 – 37 lead.
The Gophers still looked good at halftime, and it appeared that they were going to have a legitimate chance of winning. The third quarter was a much different story. Somewhere during halftime, the Gophers lost their rhythm and toughness. Maryland capitalized on their weak play and widened their lead after three quarters.
Minnesota had been down as much as 14 in the third, but a late layup by Tori McKinney and a pair of free throws by Annika Stewart brought the deficit to 11. The fourth quarter saw Maryland pull away from Minnesota, who looked more like a team with almost no strength than the machine they’d been at the beginning of the game.
Minnesota Showed Life In The Fourth Quarter
The Terps appeared to have this game in the bag, having widened the lead to 20. Then came Sophie Hart‘s layup at 2:45, and the Gophers woke up. They proceeded to go on a 19 – 2 run, with a three-point jumper by Stewart at 0:20. It would bring the game to within three points, 95 – 92. However, four free throws from Kaylene Smikle snuffed out any chance of the Gophers pulling off what would have been a major upset. Maryland won the game 99 -92 and revealed some weaknesses in their play.
What happened to the Gophers is one of two intangibles of the game. The second was Maryland blowing such a significant lead in under 2 1/2 minutes. Neither Maryland coach Brenda Frese nor Minnesota coach Dawn Plitzuweit could have been happy at the end. Frese for watching her team give up a big lead, and Plitzuweit seeing her team come out so poorly in the second half.
Final pic.twitter.com/pTfrHK05AI
— Minnesota Women's Basketball (@GopherWBB) January 15, 2025
Statistically, the Gophers struggled with free throws, going 8 -25, while Maryland shot 10-22. Maryland turned the ball over 18 times, and the Gophers 12. Minnesota scored 20 off of turnovers, and the Terps 13. The Gophers committed 25 fouls to Maryland’s 16, and Maryland outrebounded Minnesota 37 – 31.
Four of Minnesota’s starters reached double figures. Amaya Battle scored 19, Grace Grocholski scored 16, Mallory Heyer 15 and Sophie Hart 14. Both Grocholski and Hart fouled out in the fourth quarter.
Maryland was led by Shyanne Sellers with 27, Kaylene Smikle with 19, and Allie Kubek with 17 off the bench. Maryland guard Bri McDaniel left the game in the first quarter with a knee injury and did not return.
What helped Minnesota come close in the fourth quarter were the seven Maryland turnovers. But the rather lackluster play of the second half is something that Coach Plitzuweit is going to need to shore up immediately. The turnovers will be a concern for Coach Frese.
What Is Next For The Golden Gophers?
Minnesota will have a chance to regroup in their next few games They face Northwestern on the road and then home to Michigan and Wisconsin. Then they get a double whammy on the road against USC and UCLA. Maryland has a little tougher series coming up. They are at home against Texas, then on the road to Ohio State, and then back home to face UCLA.
More than likely the Gophers will fall out of the Top 25, but with work, they have a chance to get back to being a ranked team. Maryland will face only four ranked teams in their final twelve games. So while they will still be ranked, it is hard to say where.
And that, my friends, as they say, is that.’ — Martin Ruben.
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