Women's basketball beats the blues

For the first seven games of the Terrapins women's basketball team's season, the latter part of the second half served as little more than an opportunity for coach Brenda Frese to empty her bench and showcase her reserves after yet another blowout victory had been secured.

That wasn't the case last night. After having never trailed or even been tied after halftime at any point this season, the No. 6 Terps found themselves deadlocked with Michigan with less than nine minutes to play.

Wolverines guard Jenny Ryan's layup tied the game at 56 at the 8:57 mark, but that would be as close as Michigan got inside Comcast Center. Led by forward Alyssa Thomas' 24 points, the Terps fought off the upset-minded and previously unbeaten Wolverines, capturing their closest victory of the year, 74-65, in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

"We've been waiting for somebody to challenge us," Thomas said. "To get the opportunity on our home court, we were really excited about that."

As halftime neared, it seemed as if the Terps' (8-0) game against the Wolverines (7-1) would end the same way it had every other time this season. Thomas, who scored 19 points in the first half, hit her first career 3-pointer with less than four minutes to play before the break to extend the Terps' lead to six.

But Michigan fought back. A 6-0 Wolverines run in the final 3:18 brought the teams into halftime tied at 36, the first time this season the Terps haven't held a lead entering the break.

"We kind of settled and got comfortable the last eight minutes of the first half," Frese said. "We didn't fight, we got tired and we wore down. Credit to them, they hit a lot of shots, but I thought we could be tougher."

A basket from Michigan center Rachel Sheffer offered more of the same after halftime, giving the Wolverines an early two-point lead and capping an 8-0 run.

The two teams traded baskets for the next quarter of the contest, tying six times in 11 minutes and keeping the game within reach for both squads for much of the second half.

Then, just moments after Michigan tied the game for the last time with Ryan's basket, the Terps took over. Jumpers from guards Anjale Barrett and Laurin Mincy sparked an 18-9 run for the team to close out an eighth victory.

"When we got down to the five-minute mark, we were right there," Michigan coach Kevin Borseth said. "Maryland is the No. 6 team in the country and I can see why."

"This is a really good Michigan team," Frese said. "A great, quality win."

After seven straight victories by an average margin of more than 27 points to start the season, having to finally battle in a back-and-forth contest was a refreshing feeling for Frese.

Of course, the result helped, too.

"From start to finish, we had to work," Frese said. "It was a game we had to compete and go after it for 40 minutes, and I thought even at times when we were struggling with our shot or with our defense, we gave tremendous effort and intensity. I loved the fact that we were able to finish the game."

vitale@umdbk.com