Shyanne Sellers dribbled the ball up the court and slowed down to signal the play she wanted to run to her teammates. It called for an Allie Kubek screen, which Sellers darted around to lose her defender and move toward the basket with a clear opening halfway through the fourth quarter.
Sellers made the jumper to eclipse 1,000 career points 83 games into her Maryland career. She also reached 300 career assists earlier in Sunday’s contest, an 88-66 dismantling of Purdue.
Maryland women’s basketball began its three-game home stand with a resounding victory over the Boilermakers to bounce back after falling short against Michigan State earlier in the week. The Terps dominated Purdue thanks to offensive efforts from Sellers, Bri McDaniel and Jakia Brown-Turner.
Brown-Turner scored 18 points, her most with Maryland. McDaniel once again set a new personal best with 25 points.
[Maryland women’s basketball falls to Michigan State, 74-69, despite Sellers’ late outburst]
The matchup began with a trio of turnovers as both the Terps (11-5, 3-2 Big Ten) and the Boilermakers (9-7, 2-3 Big Ten) started with high-pressure defense. Purdue forced six miscues by disrupting Maryland’s passing lanes and forcing rushed plays, using those extra possessions to take an early lead.
The Terps recovered from those lost possessions through improved rebounding after struggling in that area against previous conference opponents. Brown-Turner led the team, collecting six missed shots in the first half.
Brown-Turner also provided the spark for Maryland’s offense. She shot 3-for-3 from the field for eight points in the opening quarter, nearly the total she averages per game this season.
The rest of the Terps fed off her energy, making nine straight baskets in the second quarter to outscore the Boilermakers 24-14.
Maryland picked up the pressure on defense as its lead grew, hounding opposing ball handlers to limit open looks at the basket. The combination of shooting and stifling defense gave the Terps a 13-point lead over the Boilermakers at halftime.
[Maryland women’s basketball’s Saturday game against Purdue postponed due to roof leak]
Despite the daunting deficit, Purdue battled back in the third quarter thanks to a pair of three-point baskets from Madison Layden that spelled a Brenda Frese timeout
It didn’t take long for Maryland to find its groove again. The Terps forced a turnover and a shot clock violation on defense out of the timeout and handed the ball to Bri McDaniel on offense. The sophomore made three straight baskets, including two three-pointers.
McDaniel’s third-quarter burst came after she set a new career-high of 20 points Tuesday against Michigan State. She surpassed her personal best for the fifth time this season with a three-pointer in the opening moments of Sunday’s fourth quarter.
McDaniel’s efforts in the third quarter and Brown-Turner’s hot start propelled the Terps to a comfortable double-digit lead in the final frame, a far different outcome from Sellers’ buzzer-beating three to cap the end of last year’s battle with the Boilermakers.
