Maryland women’s basketball guard Bri McDaniel was seemingly out of the play. She ventured up the court after Duke missed a 3 pointer, but the Blue Devils grabbed an offensive rebound.
Duke’s Oluchi Okananwa attempted a pass to Ashlon Jackson. McDaniel got back to take it away, ripping the ball out of Jackson’s grasp and taking it all the way to the hoop in the final seconds of the third quarter.
The Terps’ lead ballooned to 14, their largest of the game to that point. The layup accounted for two of McDaniel’s vital 15 points off the bench. The guard’s scoring ability — and her energy on defense — spurred No. 11 Maryland to an early season ranked win over No. 18 Duke, 85-80.
“Had to come ready to play, be ready when my number was called,” McDaniel said. “Still bringing that defensive intensity, that’s one thing I know I can bring to the team.”
McDaniel is used to making an impact off the bench. She didn’t start in any of her 34 appearances during her freshman campaign, playing less than 10 minutes an outing. That average soared to more than 25 minutes last year, when McDaniel started in 25 of the Terps’ 33 games.
[No. 18 Maryland women’s basketball earns marquee win over No. 11 Duke, 85-80]
But with a retooled roster this season, McDaniel appears not to be a part of coach Brenda Frese’s starting lineup. Instead, when the Terps are in foul trouble or in need of a spark, McDaniel is one of the first names to check in.
Maryland will lean on its production from non-starters all season. McDaniel’s contributions have Frese excited for what the junior and the rest of the roster will bring this year.
“When we went to our bench, I thought we actually got even more elevated,” Frese said. “When you can send waves like that, this is going to help us as a team to be able to separate from other teams with our depth.”
The Blue Devils, although trailing for all but 20 seconds, kept pace with the Terps midway through the fourth quarter. Duke cut a 15-point margin to eight with five minutes to play.
But seconds later, McDaniel caught a pass in the corner from senior guard Shyanne Sellers and cut sharply to the baseline. She blew past Jackson who attempted to close her out and put up a layup through contact from Blue Devils’ forward Delaney Thomas. The shot fell through the net, and the junior walked away with flexed arms after earning a free throw attempt.
[Julian Reese, Selton Miguel lead Maryland to third straight blowout win, 84-53]
She hit the free throw to complete the three-point play, putting Maryland back up 11.
McDaniel scored 11 of her 15 points in the second half. Her determination to get good looks close to the basket created five successful layup attempts. She also hit a mid range jumper and added three free throws to complement her scoring output.
The Terps will be led by Sellers, junior guard Kaylene Smikle and senior forward Christina Dalce, who all notched double digit point totals in the victory. But bench players will also be given routine looks throughout the season, and McDaniel is ready to make the most of her chances.
“If they offer me, then just take it,” McDaniel said. “Just being aggressive. I know my team needed me to be aggressive, so I had to keep attacking and getting open looks for everybody else. But if I had it, I’ll take it.”
