No. 13 Maryland squeaks by Nebraska, ending downward skid

College Park, MD — The Xfinity Center erupted in wild cheers, and sighs of relief, when the final buzzer sounded this afternoon in the tight matchup between the no. 13 Maryland Terrapins and Nebraska Cornhuskers.

The Terps (23-6, 12-4 B1G) allowed for a close game in the fourth quarter, giving Nebraska (20-9, 11-5 B1G) a brief taste of the lead in the final minute. However, Maryland sophomore Stephanie Jones stepped up with two clutch plays in those final few seconds to give her team the 77-75 lead and the win.

“I was just focusing on doing everything I could to get my team in the best situation to be successful,” Jones said after the game.

Both teams came into this matchup with identical conference records of 11-4. Maryland was looking to end their three-game losing streak, while Nebraska was riding on the momentum of a big win against Penn State earlier this week.

Maryland held a steady lead for the majority of this game due to their consistency around the arc and composure on and off the ball. Fouls never became an issue for the Terps, but turnovers were another story. Maryland mishandled the ball 13 times, and Nebraska capitalized on those opportunities, scoring 18 points off of turnovers.

While Nebraska trailed throughout most of the game, they battled back to get a short-lived, one point lead with less than a minute remaining. Four Huskers shot in double figures this game, with Hannah Whitish leading the team with 14 points.

On the Maryland side, Kaila Charles notched a double-double, scoring 19 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.

The Terps celebrated the incredible contributions of their two seniors, Kristen Confroy and Ieshia Small as a part of today’s Senior Day festivities. Today’s game marked Confroy’s 112th consecutive game played for Maryland. She also sits at the top of the Big Ten in three-point shooting percentage, hitting 45% from the arc. After graduating from Maryland, Confroy will attend medical school at Wake Forest next fall.

“Coach set the tone for our Senior Day in the locker room,” Confroy noted about the pre-game chat. “She reminded us to soak it all in and to not be sad that it is over, but instead, be happy it happened.”

Ieshia Small has also made an incredible impact as a part of this Terp squad. Coach Frese spoke in the pre-game about the remarkable growth and dedication she has seen in Small over the years, and how she wishes she had more years with her as her coach.

“The family atmosphere of Maryland basketball is what I’ve loved most about this program,” Small said following their exciting win. “I don’t look at these girls like my teammates, I look at them as my sisters, we are all family.”