Piscataway, N.J. — Maryland wasted little time asserting control on Thursday night, overwhelming Rutgers from the opening tip in an 88–41 blowout at Jersey Mike’s Arena.
No. 8 Maryland rode a scorching performance from beyond the arc, led by Yarden Garzon, who connected on all six of her three-point attempts and finished with 18 points. Addi Mack chipped in 15 points as the Terrapins (16–1, 4–1 Big Ten) delivered one of their most dominant performances of the season.
Maryland set the tone immediately on the hardwood, drilling three straight three-pointers to open the game and racing out to a 9–0 lead. The Terrapins continued to stretch the margin throughout the first quarter, shooting 5-for-5 from long range and taking a 22–11 advantage after ten minutes.
The second quarter followed a similar script. Maryland opened the period with an 11–0 run, ballooning the lead and putting the game firmly out of reach. Rutgers struggled to generate offense, managing just two points in the first half of the quarter on a pair of free throws from Nene Ndiaye, who later finished as the Scarlet Knights’ leading scorer with 11 points.
Rutgers’ lone field goal of the second quarter came on a putback by Janae Walker in the final minute. The Scarlet Knights closed the half shooting 1-of-12 from the floor in the period, committing seven turnovers, and headed into the locker room trailing 44–16.
Any hope of a turnaround vanished after halftime as Maryland continued to pile on. The Terrapins pushed the lead to as many as 47 points while showcasing their depth and shooting touch. Maryland finished the night with a season-high 16 three-pointers, repeatedly breaking down Rutgers’ defense.
One memorable sequence underscored the lopsided nature of the contest: Garzon lost a shoe while delivering an assist, calmly picked it up, hustled back on defense, and later tossed it to the scorer’s table when she couldn’t get it back on quickly. Rutgers was unable to capitalize during the brief moment of chaos, and play resumed without interruption.
The game provided a short breather for Maryland during a demanding stretch of Big Ten play. The Terrapins are in the midst of a seven-game span that includes six matchups against ranked opponents, with four of those coming next but Maryland will be ready.
Up Next:
Maryland returns home to host No. 19 Ohio State on Sunday. Rutgers will look to regroup on the road against Northwestern.
