INDIANAPOLIS — The Terrapins women’s basketball team’s offense, scoring 84.8 points per game as the fourth-best offense in the country, put together an uncharacteristic performance against Michigan State in arguably the most important game of its season.
The Terps scored 60 points in the Big Ten title game Sunday, their lowest output of the season. They made just 22 of their 63 shots, and guard Kristen Confroy, the squad’s three-point specialist, missed her first eight triples. They also gave the ball away 19 times.
Yet as the final buzzer sounded at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, the Terps bench sprinted onto the court to celebrate with their teammates. They still hoisted the trophy, marking their second straight conference tournament title, and they still received red shirts and gray hats signifying the accomplishment.
The Terps weren’t themselves in the 60-44 win, but they did enough to take home the Big Ten title.
“That one, like they should be, was really, really tough,” coach Brenda Frese said. “We really had to work for that one.”
While the offense sputtered throughout the game, the Terps’ defensive effort remained constant. They held the Spartans to 32.1 percent shooting while limiting Michigan State forward Aerial Powers, who averaged 28.5 points per game in two tournament contests before this one, to eight points on 3-for-12 shooting.
Much of the Terps’ scoring production came from junior guard Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, who finished with 19 points and was named the tournament’s most outstanding player. Senior guard Brene Moseley and junior center Brionna Jones chipped in with 10 points apiece.
“Our seniors, our vets stepped up and played in that second half with what we were able to do,” Frese said.
Early on, however, the Terps were in an offensive rut. Frese’s team went 8-for-30 from the field, four of which came from three-point range. Jones, the Terps’ main scoring presence inside, had two points and did not attempt a field goal.
And for much of the second quarter, two of Michigan State’s frontcourt players sat on the bench. Center Jasmine Hines, who stands 6-foot-3, picked up her second personal foul late in the first quarter and did not play the remainder of the half. Powers, meanwhile, went to the bench after her second foul with 9:20 to go in the second quarter and did not return until the second half.
Still, Michigan State stayed in the game. It forced Frese to call a timeout after guard Tori Jankoska drilled a 3-pointer to put her team up 26-21 with just more than a minute to go in the first half. While the Terps on the court slowly walked to the sidelines to huddle, the Spartan faithful celebrated with screams of “Green” and “White.”
Behind 10 first-half points from Jankoska and a suffocating defensive effort, the Terps entered the break in a two-point hole. Nevertheless, Frese ensured her team wouldn’t carry a negative attitude out of intermission.
“Coach said to just continue to execute on offense and let the game come to us,” Walker-Kimbrough said. “If it’s an open shot, shoot the open shot and continue to crash on offense.”
Their attempts began falling at a higher clip after the break — the Terps shot 42.4 percent in the second half — while Michigan State converted on six field goals during that span. Even when the Terps’ shots didn’t fall, a player was often in position to grab the rebound. They secured 11 offensive rebounds over the final 20 minutes and outrebounded the Spartans 47-35 on the game.
With the Terps holding a 15-point lead with less than 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Confroy lined up for her ninth 3-pointer of the night.
And after seeing so many of her shots clank off the rim, Confroy looked on as the ball fell through the net, and the crowd erupted.
Her teammates went into a frenzy on the sideline, and Confroy couldn’t help but smile. It was a tough afternoon for the sophomore, but she ended the game with a bucket.
The Terps, too, were able to overcome a mediocre offensive performance and reach yet another milestone.
They were Big Ten champions once again.
“It’s an incredible feeling,” Confroy said. “It’s super exciting to be able to live out your dreams and your goals knowing all the hard work that we put into it.”
