ANNAPOLIS — Graduate student guard Sarah Te-Biasu probed the perimeter before making her move. The VCU transfer faked left before pivoting around right and firing a corner pass to Saylor Poffenbarger.

Poffenbarger, a redshirt junior guard, caught the pass and pump-faked a Toledo defender before accelerating across the baseline. She absorbed contact, rising up to complete the sequence with a layup that capped an emphatic 18-9 second-quarter scoring run.

The Terps outscored the Rockets by 18 in the final three quarters after a narrow first. Maryland coasted to a 92-70 victory as a result, and moved to 8-0 for the first time since 2018-19.

The Terps’ run came after a tightly contested first quarter. A trio of buckets from Kaylene Smikle and Shyanne Sellers vaulted Maryland to an eight-point lead to open. But Toledo (4-2) matched it, going on a 17-9 scoring run just minutes later.

Graduate guard Sammi Milkonowicz started and ended it with back-to-back 3-pointers — providing the Rockets with their first points of the day, then tying the game at 17 apiece near the conclusion of the first quarter.

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Maryland’s offense and defense both exploded throughout the second quarter as the Terps extended their lead to double-digits for the first time. They poured in 18 paint points in the 10-minute frame alone, while limiting the Rockets to just six.

“Today, we got the post advantage,” Poffenbarger said. “Coming in, getting those paint touches just opens up the floor for everything else … all bigs were really dominant today.”

The plethora of efficient two-point scores contributed to 72 percent shooting from the field within the opening 20 minutes for Maryland, making way for an 18-point Terps lead before the break.

“We’re a very good offensive team, especially when we’re unselfish, making easy plays for one another” coach Brenda Frese said. “[I’m] more concerned with the defensive side.”

Toledo turnovers generated many transition looks for Maryland, which held the Rockets a field goal for the final three and a half minutes of the first half.Maryland pressured Toledo early in the third, leading to an inbounds sequence with a pair of quick deflections on back-to-back possessions from Bri McDaniel and Te-Biasu. A Poffenbarger steal less than a minute later resulted in an easy transition layup for Christina Dalce.

“We’re competitors … we’re all very hungry,” Sellers said. “We have a sense of pride in that [defensive] aspect of just wanting to play hard for each other.”

[Transfer Kaylene Smikle has excelled early for Maryland women’s basketball]

A straightaway Kaylene Smikle jumper off an inbounds curl pass from Te-Biasu came en route to a 10-2 Terps run in the third. Smikle finished with 17 points for her sixth consecutive double-digit outing. The Rutgers transfer helped propel Maryland’s lead to 22 points to conclude the third quarter. That advantage grew to as much as 31 in the fourth.

An emphatic Poffenbarger block — her second, a joint game-high — ignited the Terps’ bench with just 10 seconds remaining, capping a 22-point Maryland win before the final buzzer. Despite working off the bench, Poffenbarger notched a game-high 19 points and 10 rebounds, her third double-double of the season.

A pair of fourth-quarter assists from Sellers contributed to eight total for the senior guard. She’s notched eight or more assists in three of Maryland’s last four games.

All 10 active Terps registered at least a bucket in the Navy Classic victory, once more showcasing the Terps’ prized depth. Late scores from Amari DeBerry and McDaniel added to an eventual 41 Maryland bench points.

“Having depth just shows how dangerous we can be,” Poffenbarger said.”[The bench is] just bringing that energy and staying consistent throughout.”