No. 7 Maryland dominates Iowa to repeat as tourney champ
Indianapolis (AP) — Seventh-ranked Maryland’s scoring depth and impressive skill were once again on display in a 104-84 rout of Iowa to claim a second consecutive Big Ten Tournament championship on Saturday.
There’s a reason coach Brenda Frese’s Terrapins (24-2) have reached this title game in each of the seven seasons since Maryland joined the conference, and won six of seven regular-season titles. The nation’s No. 1 offense comes at an opponent fast and is relentless.
The Terps have won 13 in a row, all by double digits, to earn consideration for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Chloe Bibby led the Terps with 21 points, including 11 with three 3-pointers in the opening quarter. Seven of eight players who scored early had more than one basket. Each half started with top-seeded Maryland hitting a 3-pointer on the opening possession.
Then there were moments when the talent was undeniably unique. Late in the first half, Angel Reese threw a no-look, wrap-around pass inside to Faith Masonius, who finished with a reverse layup. And both of those players come off the bench.
About that balance, in addition to Bibby, Mimi Collins had 17 points and six rebounds, Diamond Miller 15 points and six assists, Katie Benzan 14 points and six assists, and Ashley Owusu 12 points and seven assists.
Maryland’s unselfish ballhandlers had a 29-19 advantage in assists. Maryland’s bench outscored Iowa’s 23-9. And the Terrapins produced more in the paint, 46-30.
Iowa (18-9) has two special players in All-Big Ten standouts Monika Czinano and Freshman of the Year Caitlin Clark, who had 22 and 21 points, respectively. The Hawkeyes shot 53% from the field, but couldn’t stop Maryland’s offense, whether it was trying to defend strong drives to the rim, getting back in transition, or not extending enough on the perimeter to prevent 3-pointers. The Terps seemingly did whatever they wanted.
Maryland led 29-18 after the first quarter and 55-37 at halftime. Iowa never narrowed the gap to single digits. Maryland led 79-57 after three quarters.
BIG PICTURE
Iowa: Reaching the title game as an unranked fifth seed should translate to a higher seeding in the NCAA Tournament. … As much as Maryland dominates the conference, the Hawkeyes defeated the Terrapins in the 2019 Big Ten tourney title game.
Maryland: This is the fifth tourney title for the Terps, who also won in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2020.
UP NEXT
Iowa: NCAA Tournament, TBA.
Maryland, NCAA Tournament, TBA.
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