Mack was more than prepared, scoring 15 points in No. 9 Maryland’s 84-68 win against Princeton on Sunday afternoon at Xfinity Center.

Coach Brenda Frese brought the freshman in for her scoring talent, which has been on full display in the Terps’ non-conference slate. Mack led Maryland in scoring in its previous two matchups with 23 and 15 points, respectively.

But Frese clearly trusted Bartelme to run the offense. She took on a heavy load as a starter, averaging 23 minutes in her first three games. Mack, a more traditional scorer, will have to adjust to playing in a more facilitating role.

“I know that everyone here has my back and they trust me to, you know, step into that role as well,” Mack said. “I’m just really excited to just keep building off of it with the team.”

Mack finished with three assists and just one turnover in her first start as point guard — a positive sign after Maryland turned it over 22 times against Towson on Thursday.

[Kaylene Smikle returns in Maryland women’s basketball’s 88-70 win over Towson]

The Terps had just 19 assists to 22 turnovers on Thursday against Towson. Frese said her team would have to take “much better care of the basketball” to match up with Princeton’s upperclassmen-heavy roster.

Instead, Maryland still turned it over 16 times against the Tigers. After turning it over just once in the first quarter, it committed eight turnovers in the second frame. The Terps’ offense stalled out in the second period, getting outscored 20-8 and not scoring in the final 3:43 of the half. The Terps shot just 36 percent from the field in the first half.

“I thought fatigue definitely played a part,” Frese said about the second quarter. “We looked like we had never broken a press.”

It was the third consecutive game it finished with a non-positive assist-to-turnover ratio. Turnovers remain a concern, but some of that can be attributed to starting shuffling lineups.

The Terps just can’t seem to avoid injury trouble, though. Just eight minutes after last season’s leading scorer Kaylene Smikle returned to the court for the first time Thursday, Bartelme was helped off the court after landing on her knee.

[Maryland women’s basketball mailbag: What can we expect from the Terps this season?]

Then Sunday, Terps fans went silent when Mack took a scary fall under the basket. The freshman quickly returned to finish the game.

She helped engineer a strong third quarter, as Maryland took control of the game in the frame. Smikle scored eight points off free throws, the offense shot 80 percent from the field and made all three of its triples. Oluchi Okananwa scored a team-high 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting.

While not ranked, Princeton is Maryland’s first opponent of the season that received votes for the AP Top 25 poll. And despite the injury scares, the Terps are likely to emerge from the non-conference slate with two quality wins over Georgetown and the Tigers.

“This is going to be impactful for us when you talk about the future and why we play games like this within our scheduling,” Frese said. “Princeton is a really really good team.”

The senior came off the bench after missing the first three games of the year with what coach Brenda Frese described as “nagging injuries.” Smikle scored 13 points to help the Terps beat Towson, 88-70, at Xfinity Center on Thursday.

“I’m someone who trusts the process,” Smikle said. “I’ve had good coaches and teammates who’ve been giving me confidence on the side when I’m working out … helping me just stay in the moment has been a great help.”

The 6-foot guard was the Terps’ leading scorer last season, averaging 17.9 points per game. Smikle started and played in all 33 games, scoring in double-digits in 30 of them — a crucial part of Maryland’s historical performance last season. Her offensive precision led the Terps to one of their 17 Sweet 16 appearances in program history.

Smikle’s impact stretched to the other end. Her aggressive athleticism helped her reach 50 steals and 149 rebounds. In last season’s matchup against Towson (2-2), Smikle notched 21 points in 18 minutes.

“You can see what she brings to the table in such a short amount of time with limited reps,” Frese said. “Only [Smikle] could come out and do what she did tonight.” 

Ahead of last season, Smikle transferred from Rutgers, where she made the All-Big Ten Freshman Team. She scored 573 points, the most for a freshman in Scarlet Knight history. This year, she earned Preseason All-Big Ten Honoree and was named to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Watch list.

[Maryland women’s basketball mailbag: What can we expect from the Terps this season?]

Smikle hit a layup in the third minute of the second quarter for the first points of her senior year — inciting a cheer from the Maryland fans.

The Terps (4-0) scored 32 points in the paint in the first half — Towson recorded 23 points total. Addi Mack and Oluchi Okananwa led Maryland’s offensive effort with double-digits at halftime. Both rank top-three on the team in points per game this season.

Okananwa showed up defensively, too. Paired with Saylor Poffenbarger, the two tallied 11 rebounds out of the Terps’ 52.

Lea Bartelme went down at the start of the second quarter. The freshman guard was helped off the court and was unable to put any weight on her left ankle. She was not seen near the court after the first half.

The injury demonstrated the depth of Maryland’s roster. Seven players came off the bench, with three scoring double-digit points.

[In Maryland women basketball’s comeback win over Georgetown, Addi Mack was the key]

Maryland struggled to slow the Tigers in the third quarter. Towson put up 23 points, almost doubling their offensive production in the first two quarters. The Terps had double the personal fouls of the Tigers, though they hit only one free throw.

“I think we still have a lot of work to do when we look at that assist-to-turnover ratio,” Frese said.

Frese previously mentioned the team’s goal to keep opponents under 60 points. On Thursday, Towson exceeded that limit by 10. The Terps turned over the ball 22 times, their highest number in any game so far.

But Smikle scored 10 of her 13 points in the second half, including two 3-pointers, to help Maryland maintain its large lead.

“Our focus and our attention to detail could have been a lot better tonight,” Frese said. “You’re going to have these ebbs and flows when you have a lot of players and a lot of new players that you’re working back.”

After a 35-20 road loss to Rutgers on Saturday, Maryland football continues to unravel.

Despite a season-best rushing performance, the Terps allowed nearly 500 yards in their fifth straight defeat. Coach Michael Locksley said he is looking for “slow progress” and that Maryland is at the point of “playing for pride.”

Sports editor Sam Jane analyzed Locksley’s trajectory after dropping below .500 for the first time this season.

Our pick of the week

Maryland men’s soccer was ranked No. 1 in the nation last week for the first time since 2019. Sadam Masereka’s hat trick against Michigan State on Friday not only cemented a 4-3 Maryland win, but also capped its undefeated regular season and first Big Ten title in three years.

“To be undefeated in 2025 is a remarkable accomplishment,” Cirovski said. “While we did it in 2016, the college landscape has changed so much that this is incredibly rewarding.”

In under 35 minutes on Friday, Masereka became the first Maryland player to score a hat trick since October 2017, pushing his goal tally to nine.

Since taking over as coach in 1993, excellence has been the expectation for Cirovski and Maryland. But after trailing for just 78 seconds in this year’s regular season, it fell 2-0 to UCLA in Wednesday’s Big Ten Tournament semifinals at Ludwig Field.

Men’s soccer reporter Aidan Currie compiled four stats that encapsulate Maryland’s historic regular season, despite the Terps’ shocking loss to begin postseason play.

The highlight reel

• Maryland men’s basketball went 1-1 in its first homestand of 2025-26. The Terps beat Alcorn State on Tuesday after falling to Georgetown on Friday.
• Ever wondered why athletes have such odd superstitions? General assignment reporter Jillian Hartman spoke with coaches and players from Maryland baseball and gymnastics to find out why.
• Addi Mack engineered Maryland women’s basketball’s comeback win over Georgetown on Sunday, scoring 17 fourth-quarter points.
• Maryland field hockey dropped its Big Ten tournament opener against Ohio State and missed out on an NCAA tournament bid for the second time since 1994.
• Maryland baseball released its 2026 schedule on Friday.

Quote of the week

Redshirt freshman Andre Mills and freshman Darius Adams scored a combined 26 points in Maryland men’s basketball’s 84-64 win over Alcorn State on Tuesday.

Adams contributed two 3-pointers, his first makes from beyond the arc this season after shooting 0-for-7 in the Terps’ first two games. Mills spoke on watching his growth firsthand.

“[It felt] like a Disney movie,” Mills said. “[Adams] being 18 years old and playing in this league is not easy at all.”

Stat of the week

Maryland men’s basketball’s 70-60 loss to Georgetown on Friday snapped its 48-game home-opener win streak, which dated back to 1977.

Up next

Women’s basketball hosts Towson on Thursday at 7 p.m., while men’s basketball travels to Marquette, coach Buzz Williams’ former school, on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Football hits the road against Illinois at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. The Terps are in danger of dropping their sixth straight.
Men’s soccer continues postseason play in the NCAA tournament, pending a bid in Monday’s Selection Show.

Maryland women’s basketball’s season is underway. The Terps are 3-0 with wins over Loyola Maryland, UMBC and Georgetown.

Coming off a Sweet 16 appearance last season, coach Brenda Frese is looking to guide her team back to that stage. Women’s basketball reporters Holliday Woodard and Faith Harris took questions from fans and answered them below.

Questions have been edited for clarity and length.

Do you think Frese wants to settle on a specific starting lineup, or will she play the matchups and tinker with her starters and sub minutes throughout the season?

Holliday: Roster consistency is important, according to Frese. But in the first three games, Frese has used anywhere from 11 to 13 players. These early-season games allow Frese to try out rotations and establish who will be starters or depth pieces.

Playing time has been more balanced than anticipated —Frese’s starters are not playing as many minutes as you might expect. Saylor Poffenbarger and Lea Bartelme were the first players to pass 30 minutes in Sunday’s game against Georgetown.

I think that over time, we will start to see a core five develop. Poffenbarger, Yarden Garzon and Oluchi Okananwa will definitely be a part of this group. Bartelme and Addi Mack have meshed nicely with the upperclassmen — you can tell they are working to earn an official spot.

“I will say this freshman class is, as you can tell, a lot different. They’re more prepared, they’re more experienced. They’ve just come in with a different mindset. So they’re playing older and beyond their years, which, you know, has really helped us,” Frese said Wednesday.

I believe by the Big Ten home opener against Wisconsin, the Terps will be relying on a strong seven to eight player rotation.

Which freshman will have the most impact on the team this year?

Faith: Bartelme was listed on 2025 WNBA draft boards before she opted for college. Frese hasn’t given a starting role to a freshman since Angel Reese in 2020. I think Bartelme is starting to show why she deserves to keep it.

[In Maryland women’s basketball’s comeback win over Georgetown, Addi Mack was the key]

Bartelme plays like a true point guard. Frese referenced the “poise” her point guards have displayed so far,and the Slovenia native has shown just that through only three NCAA games. She’s been great at facilitating the ball, which can be credited to her European basketball experience. I think she’s passing a bit too much, but for a freshman starting with four upperclassmen, that’s expected.

Her individual scoring has looked better with each game. Bartelme showed the ability to make pull-up threes and she’s been more effective as a driver. Maryland will need that level of continued aggressiveness from her.

To me, what sets Bartelme apart is her basketball IQ, which might be the best on the team. Playing professionally in the Women’s Adriatic Basketball Association for six years has definitely given her an edge in seeing the court.

Bartelme’s biggest weakness right now may be her confidence. But that’s not surprising for a freshman playing huge minutes this early in the season. I’m excited to see more of her talent as she gets comfortable here.

What is the team’s offensive identity?

Holliday: Frese has consistently called her team “unselfish.” Players want to find the right assist or pass to their teammate, and in the opening games, that’s what has made this team so interesting. They’re almost unselfish to a fault, according to Frese, but she would rather have it that way than the inverse.

[No. 1 Maryland men’s soccer stunned 2-0 by UCLA in Big Ten tourney loss]

Maryland’s leading scorer through three games is Okananwa, followed by Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu and Mack. Then, there are five players averaging between five and nine points.

The offense is currently a work in progress, according to Frese. The Terps have struggled with turnovers, tallying double digits in every game so far, but they’ve also capitalized on their opponents’ mistakes.

Maryland had 18 turnovers in its home opener against Loyola, but earned 35 points off the Greyhounds’ giveaways. The Terps scored 23 points off turnovers against UMBC and 28 against Georgetown.

“With every game we get under our belt, and more practices, I think you’re going to see a lot more continuity on the offensive end,” Frese said.

What player that didn’t get a ton of minutes last year is expected to see more time on the court?

Faith: Most of Maryland’s returning class averaged more than 20 minutes a game last season. But Ozzy-Momodu should find an increased role in her redshirt junior season. Maryland was looking for center support and Ozzy-Momodu has provided that in the paint.

Ozzy-Momodu averaged a double-double in 2023-24 at Gulf Coast State. Most of that production came inside the paint. Spending a year studying and practicing in Frese’s system has benefited her — the forward has started in every game. She’s got 13 rebounds on the season, but Ozzy-Momodu still does her best work when she’s scoring under the basket.

The redshirt junior’s biggest threat to playing time is a lack of experience. Ozzy-Momodu has only played in JUCO and didn’t play any games for Maryland last year. The intensity of Division I basketball has shown, as she leads the team in turnovers.

Addi Mack’s bubble braid whipped behind her as she waved her hands in the air and danced with teammates — her smile explained the moment. After the Terps trailed for 30 minutes against Georgetown on Sunday, Mack engineered an explosive fourth-quarter comeback to lead Maryland to a 19-point win against the Hoyas.

Despite playing in only three games and fewer than 55 minutes in College Park, Mack has already established herself as a premier scorer. The Minnesota native scored 17 of her 23 points against Georgetown in the fourth quarter.

“Addi, with her own 17 points to single-handedly put the team on her back, was just huge,” coach Brenda Frese said.

Sunday’s game did not start as planned. Maryland recorded 15 turnovers across the first three quarters, showing shaky ball handling. Georgetown’s defense was aggressive out of the gate.

Despite the team’s slow start, Mack played well to open the game. Curiously, Frese turned away from the freshman in the game’s middle portions, as Mack played only four minutes in the next two quarters.

“We saw how close of a game they’re calling it in terms of fouls. And you know, if we’re gonna get a lot of fouls called on us, then we should try to draw fouls on the other team as well,” Mack said. “Everyone just did a good job of trying to keep that attack-first mentality.”

[Addi Mack leads Maryland women’s basketball to comeback win over Georgetown, 85-66]

But after scoring just 31 first half points, Maryland turned to Mack to run its offense. She was all over the court throughout the frame, converting Maryland rebounds into points.

“I just wanted to come in, you know, bring some energy. I think we’re such a close-knit group, we all really feed off of each other well … so just kind of feeding off everyone really helped me,” Mack said.

Mack has always been able to push the ball and play really fast, she told The Diamondback in an interview before the season.She was a multi-sport athlete as a kid and believes that competitive swimming has helped her endurance and athleticism, allowing her to play at a high level.

This type of scoring was somewhat expected out of Mack. The highly touted recruit was the No. 2 scorer in Minnesota women’s high school basketball history, and during her senior season, was the No. 1 active career leader in scoring across the country.

Without Bri McDaniel, who remains out with an injury, there’s a void in the Terps’ rotation for perimeter scoring. While Frese does not typically play freshmen guards, Mack’s scoring talent is a natural fit for Maryland’s needs.

After the freshman helped the Terps capture their lead, the energy shifted in the Terps’ direction. Maryland played a full-court press, as Saylor Poffenbarger, Yarden Garzonand Lea Bartelme initiated transition plays, feeding the ball to Mack and Oluchi Okananwa.

[Maryland women’s basketball’s energetic youth could provide extra depth this season]

Bartelme and Garzon each earned two assists. Poffenbarger recorded five assists, three steals and 12 rebounds – a major contributor to the defensive prowess that pushed the Terps to win. 

“[Poffenbarger] is just a glue, a connector for us. And I love the fact that if her shot isn’t falling, she can still keep herself on the court because of how many valuable things she does for us,” Frese said. “You’re always going to have a spot if you can keep your poise and composure.”

Mack capped the game with five points in the final two minutes. A triple from beyond the arc and a fadeaway in the paint closed out a successful quarter for the Terps, as they made their final eight shots. Maryland finished with 85 points, the first time the Terps have scored 80 or more in their first three games since 2021-22.

“I’m so incredibly proud of this team,” Okananwa said. “This being the third game, this was obviously our first take of adversity. So, I mean, the way we handled, the way we responded, I’m just so happy to be a part of it.”

Throughout the preseason, Frese knew Mack would play a key role in shaping the team’s identity. With the Terps down as much as 10 points on Sunday, she stepped up.

Mack scored a game-high 23 points, 17 of which came in a pivotal fourth quarter. She provided Maryland its third and final lead of the game and cemented the Terps’ 85-66 win over Georgetown at the Xfinity Center on Sunday.

“That’s why she came [to Maryland],” Frese said. “She’s going to have a lot more moments like this. She’s never afraid.”

[Maryland women’s basketball’s energetic youth could provide extra depth this season]

Prior to her late offensive blitz, Mack hadn’t scored since the first quarter. The Terps shot under 50 percent from the field in each of the first three quarters — part of a disastrous start.

For the majority of Sunday, Maryland’s offense production faltered across its 11-player rotation. The Terps struggled to generate high-quality offensive looks and no Terps’ player reached double-digit points until the fourth quarter.

Frese said that understanding the depth of her roster comes with the challenge of finding the right blend of players and lineups against certain opponents.

On Sunday, Mack, Oluchi Okananwa, Lea Bartelme, Saylor Poffenbarger and Yarden Garzon filled the void. The group shot 14-for-19 from the field and added six assists.

The five-player pairing responded just as strongly on defense down the stretch. Maryland was effective in generating stops and turning defense to offense — 14 defensive rebounds from the Terps held the Hoyas to just nine points in the final quarter.

“This was obviously our first take of adversity,” Okananwa said. “The way we handled, the way we responded, I’m just so happy to be a part of it.”

[Maryland women’s basketball’s explosive third quarter sparks 87-54 win over UMBC]

Maryland’s starters headed its early turnover crisis, an area of focus Frese stressed entering Sunday. Redshirt junior Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu committed two turnovers in the first minute of play alone — a number that ballooned to 13 for the Terps by halftime.

Foul issues were also a constant for Maryland. Frese’s strategy of immediately subbing out players after fouls hurt the Terps. Maryland’s starting unit combined for nine fouls and forced their inexperienced bench to face Georgetown’s staunch full-court press.

Georgetown capitalized off early Maryland mistakes. The Hoyas shot 16-for-18 on first-half free throws in the first half — six of which came from junior guard Khia Miller. Dominant road offense, mixed with a myriad of 3-point struggles by the Terps, allowed Georgetown to control a defensive-heavy pace.

The Hoyas limited Maryland to just 1-for-12 shooting from beyond the arc in the first half Sunday, forcing the Terps to make adjustments.

Frese looked to Marya Boiko off the bench amid stagnant Maryland possessions.

Boiko’s 6-foot-4 frame added a commanding interior presence to a struggling Terps’ frontcourt. The freshman forward logged nine points and two steals in 24 minutes — part of Maryland’s eventual 46 paint points, which nearly doubled Georgetown’s 18.

“I think we just had to settle in, seeing a different style of play,” Frese said. “I thought for … our third game of the season, just a lot of great things, lessons to be able to learn from a win.”

The Terps shot 2-for-15 in the first half against UMBC. Yarden Garzon and Oluchi Okananwa, arguably Maryland’s best shooters, made zero of their nine 3-point attempts.

“I think we were at like 13 percent in the first half from the three-point line, and it kind of felt like we would shoot it when we shouldn’t, and then we would pass it up when we should,” coach Brenda Frese said.

In the first minute of the second half, Garzon broke the slump. She drained a three off a Lea Bartelme offensive rebound, and after a shaky first half, Maryland pulled away to earn an 87-54 win over the Retrievers at Xfinity Center.

The Terps allowed their season-low against UMBC last season in a 74-32 win. Thursday’s performance wasn’t as dominant, as Maryland recorded 18 turnovers and shot just 30.8 percent on 3-pointers. But it never allowed more than 16 points in a quarter — another strong defensive performance to open the season after allowing just 26 points to Loyola Maryland on Monday.

Off the tip, the Terps’ were sporadic. Saylor Poffenbarger notched two turnovers in the first five minutes. The rhythm came once the reserves entered.

Frese followed a similar substitution pattern to Monday. Marya Boiko and Addi Mack were again the first two out of the gate, controlling the ball.

[Maryland women’s basketball’s energetic youth could provide extra depth this season]

Building up a dominant defense was a focus of Frese’s entering the season. Boiko and Okananwa led the team in rebounds and grabbed 13 of the team’s 40 boards. The Terps forced the Retrievers into lengthy offensive possessions in the first quarter.

“We’re playing really hard every possession,” Frese said. “Obviously defense is something they’re really prideful of, and I love the ownership that they’re taking on both ends of the floor.”

UMBC rivaled Maryland, keeping a 10-point margin for most of the first half. Kennedy Austin, a freshman guard, sank two 3-point buzzer beaters, contributing 14 points.

The Terps, on the other hand, struggled in that area. Maryland’s roster is full of 3-point shooters, but many fell short in the first half.

Halftime proved to be a reset for Maryland. The Terps added 11 points to the board within three minutes. The third quarter marked an obvious change in intensity from the opening frames.

[Ever wondered why athletes have such odd superstitions? Maryland athletes, coaches explain]

The Terps looked to score in different ways in the second half. Their offense spent much more time down low, scoring 18 of their 47 points in the paint and shooting 16 free throws.

“I told them at shootaround — to have a team collectively buy in to really study the plays and understand, this group is really far ahead,” Frese said.

“There’s a lot of areas that we can continue to challenge and grow with this group, because they have a really high IQ.”

After only one starter logged more than 20 minutes on Monday, three eclipsed that total against UMBC. True freshman Rainey Welson mixed in with the starters, notching 24 minutes — the most of any freshman on the team. She scored the first six points of her collegiate career.

“It’s great to see my shot go in,” Welson said. “I was just relieved to get the first collegiate points out of the way.”

After Frese lost two of her key players to injury last season, she stressed the importance of the team’s health going forward. Mir Mclean was escorted off the court in the third quarter, holding her left shoulder. Frese said she will know more in the next couple of days once she is examined.

Maryland will continue to rely on its depth when players go down. The Terps will return to Xfinity Center on Sunday to take on Georgetown.

Coach Brenda Frese trotted out 11 players across the entire 2024-25 Maryland women’s basketball season. Her team lacked depth as two freshmen redshirted and two others spent the season recovering from injury.

In the Terps’ season opener against Loyola on Monday, 13 players took the court. When senior guard Kaylene Smikle returns from a leg injury, Frese will have 14 players at her disposal — an apparent increase in depth from a season ago.

The stark contrast highlights the skilled youth throughout a retooled Maryland roster, with the Terps’ freshman and transfer classes at the helm.

Four of Maryland’s five true freshmen — Addi Mack, Marya Boiko, Lea Bartelme and Rainey Welson — saw minutes in the first quarter against Loyola. They tallied 21 points, which was over 25 percent of the Terps’ production.

While it’s unlikely all five true freshmen play significant minutes in conference play, Frese said Monday offered those players “valuable game experience.”

“A lot of good things to be able to go back on, and then some areas to improve,” Frese said.

Bartelme and Boiko are not only new to the Maryland court but also to the country. For both players, the season-opener marked their first games in the United States. Bartelme said she’s settling in nicely.

[Maryland women’s basketball allows the fewest points under Brenda Frese, beats Loyola 80-26]

“It’s been great, because I’m surrounded by people [who] trust you. They’re always positive and they’re so welcoming. So just being around those people helped me make those transitions faster and easier,” Bartelme said.

Bartelme is the first freshman to start a season opener for Maryland since Angel Reese against Davidson in 2020. The Slovenia native slotted in at point guard and played 19 minutes — tied for Maryland’s second-highest total. Frese highlighted Bartelme’s skills at preseason media day, calling the point guard “wise beyond her years.”

Four of the Terps’ five freshmen played double-digit minutes. Having young depth is a benefit that could help keep veterans rested, Frese previously said. Boiko came off the bench to replace Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu, who is still rehabilitating an ACL injury from 2024, in each quarter.

Boiko snagged five rebounds, matching the totals of veterans Saylor Poffenbarger and Mir McLean. The 6-foot-4 forward helped fill the void at center on Monday that Maryland lacked last year.

[The Diamondback Sports Digest: Maryland basketball is back]

Boiko was one of three freshmen, including Mack and Welson, that helped Maryland keep Loyola scoreless in the final five minutes of the first half. Bartelme and Welson combined for three steals while the freshman class only produced three of Maryland’s 18 turnovers.

“They’re really trying to play the right way,” Frese said about her new players. “We have a lot of options.”

The biggest strength of Maryland’s freshman group is perhaps the versatility they offer. Frese will continue to mess with the freshman rotation throughout the nonconference schedule to find where they help best. 

With Smikle and Bri McDaniel still sidelined from injuries, Maryland will rely heavily on its first-year players to pull out wins before Big Ten play in December.

“It’s early, first game, but it is nice to be able to have some of these games where we are able to provide that depth right now,” Frese said. “First game of the season, I just like that we never took our foot off the gas.”

Maryland’s diverse athleticism and length was apparent in its 80-26 win over Loyola at Xfinity Center on Monday. Loyola’s 26 points were the fewest allowed under coach Brenda Frese and the program’s lowest since 1974. It’s the third-fewest in program history.

All offseason, Frese talked about her players’ ability to play all corners of the court. Her words proved prudent in the first game.

 Senior Saylor Poffenbarger was the lone returner in Monday’s starting lineup. Lea Bartelme, Oluchi Okananwa, Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu, and Yarden Garzon started the game, displaying the Terps’ newfound depth.

“I loved seeing how we came out. I thought we weren’t afraid of the moment and we came out really strong and aggressive. We were able to see the depth that we have,” Frese said.

[For Maryland women’s basketball’s Oluchi Okananwa, fashion is more than a hobby]

True freshman Mayra Boiko and Addi Mack were the game’s first substitutions. The two freshmen were a part of an impressive 2025 class that Frese has said will play a significant role in the rotation.

The longtime coach was impressed with her team’s defensive intensity during their exhibition game against Point Park on Oct. 30. That carried over into the season-opener, as the Terps grabbed 18 steals and 39 rebounds.

Poffenbarger looked much more comfortable in her second year in Frese’s defensive system. Using her height to intercept Loyola passes, she was able to consistently take control of the back court and force turnovers.

The seven new players on the roster played a significant amount of minutes, most notably the freshman. Lea Bartelme started at point guard — a vacancy left by graduate Shyanne Sellers. The freshman from Slovenia worked the ball around the floor, displaying a unique level of maturity for a freshman.

“I mean through practices we are [getting to know] each other every day. We are making progress each day. So I think just like having those reps it’s like helping us,” Bartelme said.

[Brenda Frese highlights health, newcomers at Maryland women’s basketball media day]

Another freshman, Addi Mack, led the second team, controlling the flow of possession for Maryland. The Minnesota native is significantly smaller than the rest on the hardwood, but her speed gives her a significant advantage.

No play exemplified that more than the final play of the first half. With 17 seconds left, Mack quickly drove through the paint, pushing towards the basket before getting fouled. Her quickness adds a different element to Maryland’s offense — similar to former point guard Sarah Te-Biasu.

“We have a lot of options, you know,” Frese said. “There’s going to be a lot of games coming up, so we’re really kind of still working through what those rotations are going to look like.”

In a game that Maryland led by only seven points in the first quarter, the Terps quickly pulled away. The Greyhounds totaled ten points over the next two quarters.

The Terps’ woman-to-woman coverage kept Loyola antsy. Maryland forced 29 turnovers with deflections and pressure.

“We played to get better in every possession, every quarter, and we were really locked in. We were able to change things up,” Frese said. “I thought when we were able to shift some things between full court to half court, a little bit of zone, they were really locked in together.”

Basketball is back in College Park.

The women’s team seems primed to be one of the top teams in the country. Coach Brenda Frese added a pair of strong transfers and returned leading scorer Kaylene Smikle. The Terps are loaded, as their No. 10 preseason ranking suggests.

Meanwhile, the men’s team is filled with new faces. The entire roster departed after coach Kevin Willard left for Villanova in the offseason. Several players missed the exhibition game against UMBC due to injuries, too.

Keep reading for a deeper look into the basketball programs.

Men’s basketball’s Diggy Coit, offensive rebounding

Pharrel Payne led the way to an 82-21 win against UMBC on Monday, but with a few players out with injury, we couldn’t see the full extent of Williams’ rotation.

Our men’s basketball reporters anticipate this team will have a myriad of scoring options, despite currently not having a go-to scorer. That’s a key stat to follow this season, along with the Terps’ offensive rebounding, Rice’s finishing and Williams’ coaching decisions.

One of the players who did play Monday was Diggy Coit. Read more of deputy sports editor Ben Geffner’s story about Coit and his road to College Park.

Women’s basketball’s early rotation tells, Oluchi Okananwa’s fashion brand

The Terps lost against the NC State in their exhibition game, but the early signs are encouraging.

Oluchi Okananwa, who transferred from Duke this offseason, led the team in preseason scoring. Women’s basketball reporter dove into Okananwa’s fashion channel, a larger part of her brand and a Name, Image and Likeness opportunity.

Maryland depends on her, particularly early in the season, because injuries persist. Multiple players missed exhibition games, including Smikle, and guard Bri McDaniel is not expected to return for the season-opener.

The Terps will officially start their season on Nov. 3 against Loyola at Xfinity Center.

The Highlight Reel

• Remember Steve Blake? Well, the former men’s basketball star point guard has a son who is a freshman for the Terps. Recruiting reporter Trevor Gomes profiled Nick and his decision to play at Maryland.
• The men’s soccer team earned its most impressive win of the season, defeating Indiana 3-2, to set up a massive home contest against Washington, likely for a Big Ten championship.
• The women’s soccer season ended with just two Big Ten wins, but goalkeeper Faith Luckey’s season — and story — was encouraging amid a disappointing year.
• Wrestling is almost back. Former NC State standout Chase Horne is expected to make a large impact with Maryland.
• Football fans are growing restless with coach Michael Locksley amid a three-game losing skid.

• 

Quote of the week: 

“Nothing in my life was given to me,” Coit said. “I was just trying to master every single day.”

Up next: 

Football will host the Hoosiers on Nov. 1 for homecoming weekend.

The men’s soccer team has a massive matchup against No. 14 Washington that will likely decide the Big Ten.

After a loss to No. 4 Virginia, Maryland field hockey will cap its season with a game against Northeastern.

The men’s team will tip off against Coppin State in Baltimore on Nov. 3, while the women’s team will take on Loyola at home the same day.