Maryland Terrapins Edge Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Close Women's Basketball Contest at Purcell Pavilion
The Maryland Terrapins, ranked 20th, secured a narrow victory over the 7th-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish with a final score of 74-72. The Terrapins now hold an impressive record while the Fighting Irish adjust to their standing after this hard-fought game.
In an intense matchup at Purcell Pavilion, the Maryland Terrapins showcased their resilience and determination against a formidable opponent. The game was marked by numerous lead changes, totaling 15 throughout the contest, and was tied 10 times, indicating just how evenly matched these two teams were.
The Terrapins' offense was fueled by their accuracy from the free-throw line where they shot an impressive 82 percent. Their tenacity on defense was evident as they racked up nine steals and three blocks. On the rebounding front, Maryland dominated with a total of 41 rebounds—20 defensive and an additional 14 offensive rebounds which contributed to their second-chance points tally of 21.
Maryland's scoring efforts were distributed across all four quarters with consistent performances that saw them put up 16 points in the first quarter followed by steady increases culminating in a strong finish with 23 points in the fourth quarter. Their field goal percentage for the game stood at a solid 40 percent despite facing stiff resistance from Notre Dame's defense which managed five blocks.
On offense, Maryland capitalized on turnovers scoring 15 points off them while only giving away one team turnover themselves. They also demonstrated decent ball movement ending up with eleven assists for the game.
The home team put up quite a fight as well; Notre Dame's performance inside painted areas yielded them an impressive total of thirty-eight points in paint compared to Maryland’s thirty-two. The Fighting Irish also had better success on fast breaks scoring nine fast break points but struggled slightly from behind the arc shooting at thirty-five percent for three-pointers compared to twenty-five percent by Maryland.
Notre Dame outperformed Maryland when it came to assists providing eighteen assists over eleven by Maryland but fell short due to higher turnovers amounting to eighteen against thirteen by their opponents.
As fans look ahead, they can anticipate another exciting match as University of Nebraska Cornhuskers will face off against University of Maryland Terrapins at Xfinity Center located in College Park. This upcoming encounter is scheduled for December fourth at six PM Eastern Time and will be available for viewing on B1G+ internet network.