The Maryland women’s basketball team returned to College Park filled with disappointment after Monday’s road loss to Ohio State. The 98-87 result marked the Terps’ first Big Ten defeat, and they no longer controlled their own destiny to win the conference outright.
Coach Brenda Frese’s team eased those frustrations Sunday, though, securing its third-consecutive Big Ten regular season title after a 93-60 Senior Day win over Minnesota. After the league trophy presentation, the No. 2 Terps honored their two seniors, guard Shatori Walker-Kimbrough and center Brionna Jones, by hanging their jerseys from the Xfinity Center rafters.
The duo dominated in its final regular season home game, combining to score 51 points in the rout. Walker-Kimbrough led all scorers with 27 points, including five 3-pointers, while Jones secured her 20th double-double of the year with 24 points and 14 rebounds. The Terps will enter next week’s Big Ten tournament as the No. 2 seed.
“Obviously I’m really, extremely proud of this team,” Frese said. “To be able to send our seniors out in just an incredible day.”
When Frese subbed Walker-Kimbrough and Jones out with four minutes left in the game, Walker-Kimbrough and Jones each stopped and hugged each teammate and member of the coaching staff on the bench. The announced crowd of 10,107 rose to its feet and gave a thunderous ovation, seemingly ignoring the on-court play.
The Terps had all but secured the win by that point, as Minnesota trailed by at least 30 points for most of the fourth quarter. The Golden Gophers hadn’t been closer than 20 since the first minute of the second half.
Walker-Kimbrough and Jones powered the Terps offense while the team’s defense held the Golden Gophers to less than 30 percent shooting.
“It was one of our best defensive games,” Frese said. “Defensively, we were dominant. We really made [Minnesota guard] Carlie Wagner have to work.”
Wagner entered Sunday averaging 19.9 points in Big Ten play and scored 20 in the Golden Gophers’ first matchup with the Terps on New Year’s Day. Sunday, she had a season-low five points.
“The [defensive] assignment started with Shatori,” Frese said. “It starts with her energy and her tone, and then collectively as a team we cover each other.”
Walker-Kimbrough also helped jumpstart the team’s offense, scoring 10 points in the first quarter as Maryland used a pair of quick scoring bursts to separate itself. The Golden Gophers stuck around early, but the Terps held a 26-12 lead after the first quarter.
Maryland closed the first quarter on an 8-0 run in less than 90 seconds, punctuated by yet another deep 3-pointer from guard Destiny Slocum as the final seconds ticked down. After making a steal, the freshman pulled up and converted the long ball with four seconds to play. She then turned and jogged towards the bench as the team mobbed her.
“The kid is great,” Walker-Kimbrough said. “At the end of the [quarter], stop-and-pop transition three? That was cold.”
Maryland scored the first seven points of the second period, making it a 15-0 run over about four minutes to take a 33-12 lead. Maryland led 50-31 at the break.
Halfway through the third quarter, a long 3-pointer from Walker-Kimbrough with the shot clock winding down put Maryland up 25. She held three fingers up on both hands as she ran down the court, and forward Kiah Gillespie strummed an air guitar with three fingers on the bench.
The celebrations continued after the game, as Walker-Kimbrough and Jones donned Big Ten championship apparel, accepted their fifth Big Ten trophy and watched their jerseys unfurl from the rafters.
“Playing in front of the best fans in this country has made this experience truly unforgettable,” Jones said as she addressed the Xfinity Center crowd. “I can’t imagine myself anywhere else but Maryland, and I’m truly glad I chose to go here.”
