Maryland women suffer befuddling second-half collapse in loss at Michigan
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Jakia Brown-Turner caught the lob with 0.6 seconds remaining in overtime, hung in the air to the left of the basket and put the ball up before landing on the court. The ball rolled around the rim, hanging on the iron for what seemed an eternity, then rolled off. The final buzzer sounded, signaling a 79-77 loss to Michigan on Wednesday night — as painful of a defeat as the Maryland women’s basketball team has endured this season.
The Terrapins blew a 15-point halftime lead, collapsing amid offensive fouls, disappearing defense, a lack of rebounding and an ejection. Two players also fouled out. The last time Maryland strung together consecutive wins was Dec. 20, when it beat James Madison to cap a seven-game winning streak. Since, it has been a hunt for consistency for the Terps (12-7, 4-4 Big Ten).
This loss comes amid a daunting stretch for Maryland, which visits Penn State (13-5, 4-3) on Sunday before home games against No. 14 Indiana and No. 5 Iowa next week. The Terps fell into a three-way tie for seventh in the Big Ten.
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“Definitely frustrating,” Maryland forward Lavender Briggs said. “Honestly, just looking forward to next game. We just let this slip through our fingers. Right now, it’s kind of make it or break it, and we’re right on the breaking point. We’re just trying to stay together as a team so we can get over that hump.”
Maryland led 46-31 at halftime and appeared in command. Then everything fell apart.
The zone defense that flummoxed Michigan (14-6, 5-3) in the first 20 minutes turned porous and allowed the Wolverines to get to the rim and kick out for open three-pointers. And when the ball wasn’t going in the basket, Michigan crashed the boards as it outrebounded Maryland 22-11 in the second half, including 10 offensive rebounds that led to 11 second-chance points.
“Honestly, I don’t think I did anything spectacular,” Briggs said. “I think we just had miscommunication on our defensive end. We let them get into the middle too much.”
Michigan closed the fourth quarter with an 11-0 run to force overtime. Maryland scored just 21 points over the final 20 minutes of regulation.
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By the time the extra period started, Maryland was down two starters after Brinae Alexander fouled out in the fourth quarter and Bri McDaniel was ejected in the third quarter after scrapping with Michigan guard Lauren Hansen, who was also tossed. Then Shyanne Sellers (11 points) fouled out in overtime.
Still, Maryland had a chance to win with 3.1 seconds left. Coach Brenda Frese drew up a sideline inbounds lob to Allie Kubek, who had sealed off her defender. Faith Masonius, however, overshot her teammate with the pass, and the ball went out of bounds without the clock moving. Michigan guard Laila Phelia then went three-quarters of the court in those 3.1 seconds and was fouled at the rim. She made both free throws with 0.6 seconds left before Brown-Turner’s final attempt rolled out.
“We punched first,” Frese said. “We were the more aggressive team on the glass. ... Michigan was the more aggressive team in the second half. This one really hurts with a lot of adversity on the road. The foul trouble, the ejection by both players definitely changed the game. Michigan just played much more poised and [with] a lot more composure throughout the second half and into overtime. It’s disappointing to give up a 15-point lead when you’re on the road.”
Brown-Turner scored 16 of her 21 points in the first half. At one point in the first quarter, she had 11 points while Michigan had 11 as a team. The Wolverines struggled with the Terps’ zone defense in the first half; they were kept out of the paint and forced into turnovers.
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Briggs and Kubek each finished with 14 points.
“We were just playing together as one [in the first half],” Brown-Turner said. “When we play together, we’re a great team. If we keep doing that, we’ll be good.”
All five starters scored in double figures for Michigan, led by Chyra Evans with 17. Jordan Hobbs scored 15, and Phelia added 14.
Here’s what else to know about the Terps’ loss:
A costly ejection
Hansen and McDaniel were kicked out with 3:15 left in the third quarter. They were trying to secure a loose ball when Hansen yanked it away, stood up and flailed her arm in a jab-like motion toward McDaniel, who reacted and had to be held back. The ejection proved especially costly for Maryland; the sophomore had averaged 20.8 points in her previous four games.
“It’s disappointing. I thought it was going to motivate us,” Frese said. “I thought it was going to turn when we had a sluggish start to the third quarter, but it didn’t really rally us in any way. Michigan was just a lot more inspired.”
Pros in the house
Wednesday’s matchup also featured two of the WNBA’s best players sitting on opposite benches. Connecticut Sun center Brionna Jones is an assistant on the Maryland staff, and Washington Mystics guard Ariel Atkins is an assistant for Michigan.
Jones is a two-time all-star who was named most improved player in 2021 and sixth woman of the year in 2022. Atkins is a two-time all-star and an Olympic gold medalist.
They shared a pregame chat and a hug before the player introductions.
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