Forward Tierney Pfirman pulls up for a jumper during Maryland’s 82-64 win against Syracuse on Wednesday at Xfinity Center.
Brenda Frese frequently talks to her Terrapins women’s basketball team about “being ready when your number is called.” The coach expects each player to be ready to produce at any given moment.
So when starting guard Kiara Leslie was hampered by foul trouble Wednesday night against No. 20 Syracuse — she committed four and played 12 minutes — Frese turned to forward Tierney Pfirman. She played in just half of the team’s first six games entering the contest because of an injury.
Nevertheless, Pfirman delivered in 16 minutes off the bench, scoring 13 points and grabbing eight rebounds to help the No. 5 Terps roll past the Orange, 82-64, at Xfinity Center. The Terps hope she can carry that momentum into Saturday’s game with Central Connecticut State and continue to uphold her coach’s mantra going forward.
“Tierney is a perfect example of that,” Frese said. “We have to continue to be able to have that as a team.”
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Pfirman appeared in 35 of the Terps’ 37 games last season and averaged just fewer than five points per game in 13.8 minutes. At the end of the summer, though, the Williamsport, Pennsylvania, native suffered a stress fracture in her shin that caused her to miss significant time.
She was cleared during the preseason but tweaked her hamstring in a scrimmage. So for the first three games of the 2015–16 campaign, Pfirman watched from the sidelines as the Terps cruised to dominating victories.
Pfirman made a season debut at the Paradise Jam against Old Dominion, where she scored eight points in seven minutes. She saw more playing time in the next two games — playing 16 and 21 minutes against South Dakota State and Pittsburgh, respectively — a sign she was in the process of returning to full health.
“I was out for two months,” Pfirman said after Wednesday’s game. “And then just coming back and getting my legs back under me, getting my cardio back.”
Pfirman didn’t appear a step behind against the Orange. After connecting on a layup and jumper in the first half, Pfirman, along with guard Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, led the Terps with nine points apiece after the break.
“It shows our versatility,” Walker-Kimbrough said of having Pfirman on the floor. “Like [Frese] said before, Kiah [Gillespie] brought rebounding today, and Tierney was able to pick up the slack and score for us.”
Frese, who said Pfirman provided the Terps with a “huge offensive spark,” also commended her ability to play different positions. Pfirman is an asset on the perimeter, Frese said, because of her quick release. Plus, her 6-foot-2 frame gives her an advantage against most opponents down low.
It was her ability to extend the defense that made her so valuable Wednesday, as Pfirman knocked down three mid-range jumpers in the opening five minutes of the fourth quarter. With 42 seconds remaining, she moved behind the arc to hoist her final shot of the game. And again, the ball swished through the net.
Before that, the Xfinity crowd showed its appreciation for Pfirman, giving her a loud ovation when guard Kristen Confroy replaced her about halfway into the final frame. And in the closing seconds, center Malina Howard made sure to walk over to Pfirman on the right side of the court and high-five her for the off-the-bench performance.
Pfirman said she isn’t fully healthy yet but insists she’s “getting there.” She’ll have another opportunity to get back into game shape Saturday against Central Connecticut State (1-6) when the Terps (7-0) attempt keep their record unblemished.
“We got into some foul trouble in the second and third quarters,” Frese said. “But I thought just to have the balance that we have and obviously Pfirman off the bench. The Pfirminator coming off and making a big statement.”
