With 15 seconds left on the clock, Notre Dame tied the game at 72. When Maryland women’s basketball returned to the court following a timeout, the plan was clear: get the ball to Diamond Miller.
Shyanne Sellers tossed the ball over her head to Miller, who dribbled the ball around defenders and into position for a pull-up shot. The basketball flew through the net as the buzzer sounded.
The Terps charged onto the floor to celebrate while Miller held her finger up to her lips to silence the Notre Dame crowd.
Led by Miller with 31 points and 12 rebounds, N0. 20 Maryland beat No.7 Notre Dame 74-72 in its first meeting after losing by 20 points in the 2014 challenge.
Notre Dame started the game on a 7-0 run, but Maryland eventually found its footing and got on the board with a driving layup from Miller.
The Terps closed the Fighting Irish’s lead to two points, but a lack of rebounding kept them from gaining meaningful possessions in the first quarter. They were out-rebounded 11-7 in the opening 10 minutes.
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Maryland secured its first lead of the game at 12-10 with a layup from Shyanne Sellers, who scored ten of her team’s first 12 points.
Seven turnovers from the Fighting Irish in the first quarter gave the Terps the openings they needed to finish the quarter on top, 16-13.
Abby Meyers made her first basket of the game at the beginning of the second quarter to build Maryland’s lead back up after a Notre Dame jumper. Briggs followed it with a three-pointer before a second-chance driving layup from Miller closed out the Terps’ scoring run.
Maryland built its lead up to eight points in the second quarter, but a 6-0 run from Notre Dame late in the quarter put them behind again 32-29.
But the Terps hardened on defense, preventing their opponents from scoring in the final 2:09 of the half. Another driving layup from Miller gave them a 33-32 lead when the buzzer sounded.
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Maryland improved its rebounding in the second quarter, out-rebounding Notre Dame 13-8.
The Terps and the Fighting Irish traded the lead back and forth in the third quarter. There were seven lead changes and three ties in the quarter. Notre Dame pulled ahead with a three-pointer from Olivia Miles and two free throws to finish the quarter up 55-51.
The Fighting Irish shot 50% from the field and 60% from behind the arc to find their groove in a 23-point third quarter. The Terps in comparison shot 40% on field goals and 33% on three-pointers.
Notre Dame struggled with turnovers early, but it was Maryland with six turnovers in the third quarter, allowing 14 points off turnovers.
But it didn’t matter in the end. Miller’s midrange hoist gave Notre Dame its first loss of the season in a game where the Terps out-rebounded the Fighting Irish 41-36, helping them gain the upset in the final rendition of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.