COLLEGE PARK, Md. — In a thrilling matchup, No. 18 Maryland claimed a narrow 85-80 victory against No. 11 Duke on Sunday, with Kaylene Smikle leading the charge by scoring 23 points. Shyanne Sellers contributed significantly as well, adding 17 points to the score. Maryland also benefited from Christina Dalce, who posted a double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds before fouling out, while Bri McDaniel provided 15 crucial points off the bench. Sellers not only scored but also collected seven rebounds and dished out five assists.

The Terrapins (3-0) got off to a strong start, scoring the first nine points of the game and maintaining the lead throughout. Despite Duke (2-1) closing the gap to within three or four points multiple times, Maryland consistently countered with scoring runs to extend their lead. The Blue Devils managed to cut the deficit to three points at two separate instances in the first half but found themselves trailing 40-33 by halftime.

Duke attempted to make a comeback at the start of the second half when Reigan Richardson hit a 3-pointer, narrowing the score to four points. However, the Terrapins quickly retaliated, and after Smikle sank another 3-pointer with just under seven minutes left in the quarter, Maryland’s lead grew to 10 points. By the end of the third quarter, the score stood at 65-52, and Sellers’ layup pushed the margin to 15 at the beginning of the final period.

As the game progressed, Duke began to gain momentum, demonstrating impressive shooting prowess with a 61% field goal success rate in the fourth quarter, outscoring Maryland by eight points. Amidst a determined effort, Jadyn Donovan from Duke hit two free throws that narrowed the score to 74-65 around the midpoint of the quarter. Shortly after, Sellers responded with a jumper to keep the Terrapins safely ahead, but Richardson’s subsequent 3-pointer brought Duke within 82-73 with only 1:43 left in the match.

In the final moments, Maryland managed to maintain an 85-76 lead with just 14 seconds remaining, although Duke added a couple of last-minute baskets. For the Blue Devils, contributing players included Toby Fournier, who scored 15 points, while Richardson, Donovan, and Ashlon Jackson chipped in with 13, 12, and 11 points respectively. Notably, Donovan also recorded a double-digit rebounding performance with 10 boards.