Though ACC play is still a month away, the Terrapins women’s basketball team’s matchup against Ohio State in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge was an early reminder of the Terps’ final season in the conference.

But as the team’s offense struggled to break the game open against an aggressive Buckeyes zone defense, the No. 8 Terps also got a taste of their future conference opponents in the Big Ten.

Still, the team earned a 67-55 win against the Buckeyes at Comcast Center last night, featuring physical play and capping the Terps’ ACC stint in the competition.

“Really loved — late game, down the stretch — the confidence that we played with against a really physical, tough, strong team,” coach Brenda Frese said. “Proud of how we kept our poise down the stretch.”

Ohio State held the Terps to their second-lowest point total of the season. Forward Alyssa Thomas, who scored 25 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, was the only player on the team who reached double figures in scoring.

The Buckeyes’ tough defense kept the game close down the stretch. But as the Terps held a 56-53 lead with 2:42 left, guard Lexie Brown, who dealt with foul trouble during the game, hit a pivotal 3-pointer from the wing. The shot sparked an 11-2 Terps run, which sealed the result before the announced crowd of 3,737.

“I do think it says a lot, when you’re hampered with foul trouble, to stay within a game,” Frese said. “It was a clutch play. Much-needed play.”

With 22 total fouls in the first half, the Terps and Buckeyes were locked in a physical battle from the outset. The Terps (8-1) had a 5-4 lead over the Buckeyes (6-4) in the opening minutes before going on a quick 7-2 run, sparked by the team’s transition offense.

But after an Ohio State timeout, the pace of the game changed drastically. Both teams started accumulating fouls, and the increased stoppages slowed down the Terps offense. The team shot 9-of-31 from the field in the first half, as the physical play forced the Terps into a number of tough shots.

“I think the physicality played a role in it,” Thomas said. “When we weren’t getting stops, getting to push the ball in transition. Once we were able to get stops, we were able to get our game going.”

All but one player on the Buckeyes’ rotation had a foul by the end of the first half, but the Terps would still have more team fouls entering the half with 12. Brown had three fouls in the first half, along with three turnovers, during her seven minutes on the court.

The Terps started the second half on a 4-0 run, as the team shot an improved 14-of-33 from the field in the final 20 minutes. The Terps decreased their fouls, and Brown played 13 minutes without picking up another, dishing three assists and hitting her critical field goal from beyond the arc.

Last night’s win brought the Terps to a 7-0 record in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, as they remain the only team with an undefeated record. The team will still be able to add to that winning tally next season, albeit for the opposing conference. But considering the difficult contest against the Buckeyes, the Terps can appreciate how they’ve been able to maintain that perfect record for this long.

“We love the ACC/Big Ten Challenge,” Thomas said. “Just to be able to be 4-0 since I’ve been here, we take great pride in it.”