Welcome to The Diamondback Sports Digest. Every week, we send you a rundown of the latest Maryland athletics news.
Maryland football emerged with a tight victory over Nebraska Saturday in one of the ugliest football games I’ve ever seen — and I’m a Commanders fan. The Terps’ long-awaited sixth victory makes them bowl eligible and broke a four-game losing streak.
In this week’s newsletter, we’ll examine what went down in Nebraska, Maryland women’s basketball’s embarrassing loss to South Carolina, men’s basketball’s uneven start to the season and more.
Maryland gets all-important sixth win in a mucky affair
Maryland had 10 penalties, three turnovers and scored on just three of its 11 drives on Saturday. But somehow, it still didn’t have the sloppiest performance in the game.
The Cornhuskers had five turnovers, including four interceptions. Maybe with both teams wearing white and red, Nebraska’s three quarterbacks just got mixed up. Football reporter Taylor Lyons analyzed how Maryland’s defense forced those turnovers.
Jack Howes’ field goal in the final moments of the fourth quarter secured a seismic win for the Terps, who avoided turning a disappointing season into a disastrous one. Football reporter Brandon Schwartzberg has your recap of the game that made Maryland bowl eligible.
“Nothing has been easy for us, everything we do we have to fight through,” coach Michael Locksley said. “That’s why I’m proud of this team.”
Maryland women’s basketball embarrassed by South Carolina
Maryland had a chance to get revenge on South Carolina on Sunday for last year’s Elite Eight loss. Instead, the Terps were blown out by the Gamecocks, 114-76, and reminded everyone of the gap between the programs. Women’s basketball reporter Olivia Janik has your recap.
Maryland has lost five straight against South Carolina and once again struggled to rebound against the Gamecocks, who had seven different double-digit scorers. Women’s basketball reporter Sam Jane dove into the Terps’ defensive struggles.
“I can’t remember a team from South Carolina having 50 points at halftime and 100 plus for a game,” coach Brenda Frese said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a box score with seven players in double figures.”
The Terps tipped off their season with a blowout of Harvard, where Shyanne Sellers passed an early test of her ability to become Maryland’s next star with 25 points.
Sellers is the Terps’ best candidate to be selected in next year’s WNBA Draft, per writer Mark Schindler. Schindler examined the Terps’ other draft prospects with Sam last week.
Maryland men’s basketball’s shows its flaws early
Optimism reigns in the preseason before anyone has missed a shot that counts.
But once the real games begin, those missed shots start to matter — especially when you have as many as Maryland men’s basketball.
Kevin Willard’s squad suffered its first loss of the year Friday to Davidson. The Terps shot just 5-of-23 from three-point range, rekindling questions about the roster’s shooting talent. They lost again to UAB Sunday and have a losing record for the first time under Willard.
Maryland comfortably won its season-opener against Mount St. Mary’s, a game where freshman DeShawn Harris-Smith proved himself capable of playing with and against older competition.
Best Bits
- Maryland field hockey’s season ended with a 4-0 loss to Virginia in the NCAA tournament quarterfinals.
- Maryland volleyball avenged a loss from earlier this season Sunday with a 3-0 sweep of Ohio State.
- Brenda Frese signed three players in the class of 2024, including two of top-50 ESPN prospects.
- Maryland wrestling finished fourth at the Tiger Style Invite and had 14 wrestlers place in the top eight of their respective weight classes.
- Before that, wrestling reporter Michael Stamatos dove into King Sandoval’s rare decision victory in the Terps’ season-opener.
Quote of the week
“We’re very much in high spirits right now,” said Howes, who kicked Maryland football’s last minute, game-winning field goal in Saturday’s ugly 13-10 win. “We’re going bowling.”
Stat of the week
Maryland football is bowl eligible for the third straight season. The last time the Terps qualified for three consecutive bowls was between the 2006-08 seasons.
