No. 7 Maryland women use backup plan to beat UMBC, 92-61

After a pair of relatively demanding games against opponents from Power 5 conferences, the seventh-ranked Maryland women’s basketball team blunted any need for drama down the stretch Sunday by pulling away in the first half of a 92-61 win against visiting UMBC in College Park.

The Terps remained undefeated thanks to another typically robust interior performance. With an overwhelming advantage in height, length and depth along the front line, Maryland held a 50-18 margin in points in the paint, a 20-1 advantage on second-chance points and a 44-28 rebounding disparity at Xfinity Center.

Every member of the roster scored for Maryland, which received 45 points from reserves and played for the first time since dispatching visiting Georgia Tech, 67-54, Thursday night in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. One game before that, the Terps beat Georgia, 58-51, to win the Puerto Rico Classic over Thanksgiving break.

Maryland (8-0) has an average margin of victory of 28 points this season.

“I thought we got a lot of valuable minutes today from the bench, being able to have every player come in and score and really be able to extend the lead,” coach Brenda Frese said.

The decisive stretch unfolded early in the second quarter when the Terps embarked on a 17-0 run, getting six points in that push from Stephanie Jones (Aberdeen), all coming off baskets after her own offensive rebounds. The junior forward contributed a team-high 17 points on 8-for-11 shooting.

Freshman center Shakira Austin had 15 points off the bench and a game-high 11 rebounds.

NAVY 66, RIDER 60: Jennifer Coleman had 23 points and 14 rebounds to lead the visiting Mids (3-3) over the Broncos (3-5).

VIRGINIA 55, COPPIN STATE 41: Dominique Toussaint scored 14 points to lift the host Cavaliers (3-5) over the Eagles (0-6).

Chance Graham scored a season-best 21 points for Coppin.

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL 59, MORGAN STATE 50: TaMiracle Taylor scored 17 points to help the Panthers (2-6) win.

Adre’onia Coleman had 11 points for visiting Morgan State (1-9).

NO. 12 SYRACUSE 98, TOWSON 55: Digna Strautmane scored 19 points as the Orange (7-2) rolled to a win over the Tigers.

Kionna Jeter had 19 points for Towson (3-4), who last played Syracuse in 1977.

Men

EAST CAROLINA 70, UMES 47: Jayden Gardner scored 22 points to lift to host Pirates (6-4) over the Hawks (1-8).

AJ Cheeseman and Montraz Oliver each scored 14 points for UMES.

Baltimore Sun staff and news services contributed to this article.