The scoreboard at Pauley Pavilion didn't look great. Honestly, if you just saw the final Maryland Terrapins women's basketball score of 97-67 against UCLA this past Sunday, you'd think Brenda Frese’s squad just didn't show up. But that’s the thing about box scores—they’re kinda like looking at a Polaroid of a car crash; you see the wreckage, but you miss the hundred miles of high-speed racing that happened before the tires blew out.
Maryland is currently 17-3. That’s a rock-solid record for mid-January, especially in a Big Ten that now stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific. This wasn't just some random blowout. It was the end of a brutal West Coast road swing where the Terps had to grind out a win against USC just days earlier.
The Reality Behind the Maryland Terrapins Women's Basketball Score
People see a 30-point loss and panic. It's human nature. But look at the third quarter of that UCLA game. Maryland was only down by 12 at the half. Then, the Bruins—specifically Gabriela Jaquez and Charlisse Leger-Walker—just caught fire. They outscored Maryland 26-12 in that frame.
Basically, the Terps ran out of gas at the exact moment a top-3 team in the country decided to stop missing. It happens. What really matters is how they respond when they get back to College Park.
Junior guard Oluchi Okananwa is the real deal, by the way. She dropped 25 points on the Bruins. Even when the game was slipping away, she was playing like her hair was on fire. That’s the kind of grit Frese has built this program on for decades. You’ve also got Saylor Poffenbarger chipping in 15 points. The talent is there; the consistency just hit a West Coast speed bump.
Why Recent Scores Are Deceptive
If you’ve been following the season, you know the Jan. 11 loss to Ohio State (89-76) felt a lot different than the UCLA game. Against the Buckeyes, Maryland actually led 24-12 after the first quarter. They were dominating. Then the depth of the Big Ten reared its head.
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The Terps are currently sitting at 5-3 in conference play. Is that where they wanted to be? Probably not. They were picked to finish second in the Big Ten preseason polls, just behind UCLA. But the schedule hasn't been doing them any favors.
- Jan. 11: 89-76 loss vs. Ohio State (home)
- Jan. 15: 62-55 win @ USC (away)
- Jan. 18: 97-67 loss @ UCLA (away)
That’s a lot of flight miles and a lot of high-pressure minutes for a rotation that relies heavily on its starters. Yarden Garzon has been a sharpshooter, but even she’s had games where the legs look a bit heavy. When your primary scorers are playing 35+ minutes a night, these late-game fades become a legitimate concern.
Breaking Down the Stat Sheet
The Maryland Terrapins women's basketball score usually leans high because they play fast. Like, really fast. They’re 12th in the country in scoring, averaging over 85 points per game. They want to turn you over and run.
But there's a trade-off.
When you play that pace, if your shots aren't falling, the opponent gets more possessions to punish you. Against UCLA, the Terps shot okay, but they allowed the Bruins to hit 56% from three-point land. You aren't winning many games when the other team treats the arc like a layup line.
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One bright spot? Rebounding. Maryland is still a force on the glass. Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu and Poffenbarger are monsters down low. They’re top-10 in the country in rebounding margin. If they can fix the perimeter defense, the final scores are going to start looking a lot more lopsided in their favor again.
The Freshman Factor
We have to talk about Addi Mack. She’s a freshman, but she’s playing with the poise of a fifth-year senior. She had 12 points against UCLA and led the team with 12 against USC. In those moments where the veterans are getting hounded by double teams, she’s been the release valve.
It’s rare to see Brenda Frese trust a freshman this much this early. It sort of reminds you of the Diamond Miller or Shatori Walker-Kimbrough days. The ceiling for this team is still incredibly high because the young talent is actually contributing, not just sitting on the pine.
What’s Next for the Terrapins?
The "West Coast hangover" is a real thing in 2026. Maryland has to fly back across the country and immediately prep for a massive home game against No. 11 Iowa this coming Thursday.
This is the make-or-break stretch.
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If they beat Iowa, the UCLA loss is forgotten. It becomes a footnote. If they drop that one at the XFINITY Center, the conversation changes from "tough road trip" to "mid-season slump."
Honestly, keep an eye on the defensive rotations. The offense is going to get its 80 points—that’s just what Maryland does. But can they stop a high-level point guard from getting into the paint? That’s been the recurring theme in their three losses.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans:
- Watch the Iowa Game: It’s the opener of a three-game homestand. The atmosphere in College Park will tell you a lot about the team’s psyche.
- Track the Bench Minutes: If Frese starts digging deeper into the roster (looking at you, Lea Bartelme and Marya Boiko), it’s a sign she’s trying to preserve the starters for a deep March run.
- Ignore the Blowout Margin: Focus on the first-half execution. Maryland has proven they can play with anyone for 20 minutes; the goal now is 40.
The season is far from over. A 17-3 record with a top-15 ranking is exactly where most programs dream of being. The Terps just need to find their legs again.