No. 7 Maryland women’s basketball demolished Delaware State, 91-21, Wednesday night at Xfinity Center.
The Terps set the program record for fewest points allowed in a game, one that had been in place since 1974.
Here are three takeaways from Wednesday’s 70-point win.
Maryland played another non-competitive game
On Sunday, Maryland came away with a grueling double-overtime victory against Minnesota. The Terps came back on three different occasions and miraculously won the game.
Wednesday’s game was a stark contrast.
“The kids are usually going into finals and usually you’re really spent,” head coach Brenda Frese said. “You are trying to find not a back-to-back, heavyweight type of game. Thank goodness coming out of [what] no one could have predicted was going to be a 50 minute game.”
Delaware State came to College Park having won one game against a Division I opponent over the last two seasons. Against the No. 7-ranked team in the country, the Hornets simply had no chance, regardless of who the Terps had on the court. Any player on Maryland’s roster would likely be the best on Delaware State’s.
This isn’t anything new for the Terps’ 2025-26 slate. They defeated Loyola Maryland, Bethune-Cookman, Hofstra, Mount St. Mary’s and Delaware State by margins greater than 40 points. Those five opponents have a record of 13-34.
“Our blend of our schedule has been really good because we’ve had Princeton and Georgetown, and so many teams that have prepared us in this nonconference,” Frese said.
Maryland’s next opponent is Central Connecticut State, which is 0-8 on the season.
Terps were even more shorthanded
Maryland played shorthanded against Minnesota on Sunday after it was announced that Kaylene Smikle would miss the rest of the season and get knee surgery.
On Wednesday, the Terps were even thinner. Addi Mack and Saylor Poffenbarger — who were key contributors in the win on Sunday — were sidelined against Delaware State.
It doesn’t seem as though either will be long-term injuries, rather more for rest, as they were banged up from Sunday. Mack played 49 minutes and Poffenbarger played 48 minutes against Minnesota.
“Saylor has been continuing to play through her ankle injury that she had,” Frese said. “This was planned rest for her in the stretch that we could get before conference play.”
Mack previously sat out a non-competitive game against Bethune-Cookman.
Considering Maryland’s next game isn’t for another nine days — and comes against another low-major side — it wouldn’t be shocking for Poffenbarger and Mack to also miss that game.
“Addi had the ankle sprain that had been bothering her,” Frese said. “Finding those pockets of windows where now we don’t have another game for eight days, so we can try to get some players the rest that they need.”
That said, with Smikle, Lea Bartelme and Ava McKennie out for the season and Bri McDaniel still inactive from her torn ACL last season, the Terps had six inactive players.
Maryland’s rotation is only nine deep. That didn’t matter — the Terps won by 70.
“We are banged up right now. The opportunity that’s there to have really positive, productive minutes in every moment and every opportunity that you’re able to get,” Frese said. “The depth is starting to present a little bit more taking advantage of those opportunities.”
Garzon has grown into a leadership position
Yarden Garzon came to Maryland as a highly-touted transfer from Indiana, averaging 14.4 points per game last season. Garzon scored 18 or more points 12 times last season with the Hoosiers.
Despite having struggled a bit to start the season, Garzon has inched her way back towards the Indiana version of herself.
On Sunday, she kept Maryland alive in the first overtime. Down by five late, Garzon hit a shot that nobody thought would go in. Then, she tied the game with a layup.
However, her season-high at Maryland remained at just 17 points. That was until Wednesday, when she scored 18 against Delaware State.
With the Terps hampered by injuries, Garzon should be a significant piece moving forward. On Wednesday, she seemed like a clear leader. As one of the team’s three captains, that will be a role she will be required to hold in a greater capacity come March.
“It means a lot from the first day that they told me I was a captain, I knew it was going to be a big role for me and I needed to grow into it,” Garzon said.
In a way, her season thus far is a bit reminiscent of Sarah Te-Biasu’s last season. They both had strong resumes coming to Maryland as top options in their prior stops, but they each faced struggles to start the season.
Te-Biasu became someone the Terps relied on to close out games in clutch moments down the stretch last season. She was a clear X-factor in Maryland’s run to the Sweet 16.
Time will tell if Garzon can have a similar impact this season.
“I can put out there for my teammates, for my coaches, for this program, and give everything I can to the table,” Garzon said. “Every day I get the input from them and try to be better.”
