No. 7 Maryland’s women’s basketball’s two games in the Discover Puerto Rico Classic couldn’t have been more different.
ESPN projected the Terps to lose Wednesday against No. 16 Kentucky, but they pulled out an eight-point victory in a marquee matchup. Against Hofstra (1-4), a low-level Coastal Athletic Association team, there was never a doubt that Maryland would dominate.
The Terps blew past the Pride, 95-38, at the Coliseo Guillermo Angulo on Thursday to maintain their perfect record. Maryland (9-0) kicked off the match on a 10-0 run and never slowed down, leading by 23 at the end of the first period.
“It [was] really important for us to follow up that Kentucky game with another strong performance,” guard Addi Mack said. “That was a big goal for us just to come out of the gate strong, like we did yesterday.”
Unlike the Kentucky matchup, Maryland relied on its bench heavily in a game that was decided early. The Terps subbed out Mack, Saylor Poffenbarger and Oluchi Okananwa just four minutes in. That gave some reserves a chance to show off their skills.
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Freshman Marya Boiko posted a career-high 10 points. The freshman had seen her minutes cut recently after starting the season as a key bench piece. Boiko only played six combined minutes in Maryland’s last two matchups, but recorded 18 on Thursday.
All 13 available Terps subbed into the game. Freshman Nicole Fritea got her fourth collegiate appearance, playing seven minutes while recording four rebounds and a block.
Redshirt freshman Kyndal Walker played 21 minutes off the bench. The guard tallied six points and two assists with no turnovers.
Walker has competed with Mack for the starting point guard spot. Mack, a true freshman, outplayed Walker after returning from injury against George Mason on Sunday and appears to have secured the starting role. She scored 10 points in 14 minutes against Hofstra.
Maryland shut down Alarice Gooden, Hofstra’s second-leading scorer at 11.8 points per game entering Thursday. The senior guard was held to six points on 2-for-7 shooting and turned the ball over nine times.
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The Puerto Rico Classic brought Maryland’s only regular season back-to-back. Coach Brenda Frese felt, despite the short turnaround, her team didn’t waver.
“I thought our intensity never went down,” Frese said. “We just continue to keep playing hard and wanting to play the right way.”
The Terps came into the second half just as strong as the first. It took Hofstra four minutes to score in the third quarter.
Maryland’s Ava McKennie hurt her knee under the basket in the fourth quarter. The sophomore made her first two career 3-pointers and posted five rebounds. Frese said she will be evaluated once the team returns home.
The Terps didn’t let down on their defensive intensity against an easier team. Maryland forced 24 turnovers and held the Pride to just 14 made field goals. Hofstra only got eight shots at the free throw line. The Terps had 32.
“That’s the sign of a good team,” Frese said. “You want to consistently play the right way every single time you step out on the floor.”
