The Nebraska Cornhuskers welcomed Maryland women’s basketball to the Big 10 shrinking to the Terps size 90-71. Surprisingly, the Terps didn’t dominate on the boards out rebounding the Huskers by only one. Fortunately for Maryland, Alyssa Thomas showed why she was the POTY in the ACC last season exploding for 25 points on 9 of 19 shooting while adding 8 assists, 5 rebounds and 6 steals. She also controlled the floor for the Terps breaking down the Nebraska pressure and was called out by the Nebraska broadcast crew as the best player they’d seen on the floor since Britney Griner and Sophia Young. Tianna Hawkins was, well, T-Hawk. She poured in 21 points on 9 of 14 shooting and added 12 boards for yet another double-double - her third in five games this season. Laurin Mincy added 16 going 4-4 from behind the arc Maryland also got solid contributions from all three freshmen. Point guard Chloe Pavlech had 8 points and 3 assists, Malina Howard added 5 boards and 3 assists and Tierney Pfirman had 4 steals to go along with 4 points.

After a nip and tuck first half, with the home team pulling out to its largest lead at 31-27, the Terps got serious closing the half on a 19 to 6 run. Mincy started things off with a three pointer to bring Maryland within one. Chloe Pavlech quickly followed with back to back threes and suddenly the Terps had a 5 point lead. Mincy, Thomas and Malina Howard shared the remaining 10 points and the Terps took a nine point lead into the locker room.

Unlike the game at St. Joe’s Maryland came out of the locker room determined to put the game away. They accomplished this with some very physical play and were able to extend the lead to 55-41 going into the first media time out. The Terps maintained defensive pressure and offensive efficiency stretching the lead out to twenty on several occasions. Maryland was on cruise control for much of the second half. For the game, the Terrapins shot a solid 51% from the floor while holding Nebraska to forty-one percent. Maryland forced 20 Nebraska turnovers while committing only 15 of their own and had a 27-13 edge on points off turnovers. Of some concern to Terp fans, however, Laurin Mincy left the game with an apparent knee injury and Chloe Pavlech missed some time because of crams in her lower leg. Pavlech was able to return to the floor late in the game while Mincy did not. Maryland travels to Hartford to take on the number 2 ranked UCONN Huskies on Monday night before returning home for their early ACC opener against Virginia on December sixth.