Syracuse, N.Y. — Kaylene Smikle led the way with 22 points, while Allie Kubek contributed 16 as the No. 11 Maryland Terrapins secured an 84-73 victory over Syracuse on Wednesday night.

The pivotal moment in the game occurred during the second quarter, when Maryland showcased their offensive strength by hitting 12 of 17 shots, including four successful three-pointers. This impressive shooting allowed them to outscore the Orange 28-11 in that quarter. In contrast, Syracuse struggled, making only five of 12 shots, hitting one three-pointer, and committing five turnovers.

After Syracuse initially closed the gap to 24-14 by making two consecutive baskets at the start of the second quarter, Kubek ignited a significant 15-0 run for Maryland, scoring layups at both the start and end of the streak. Shyanne Sellers contributed with a three-pointer, while Bri McDaniel and Christina Dalce added several key layups to expand the Terrapins’ lead to 29-24 in under four minutes. During this stretch, Syracuse was held scoreless with five missed shots and two turnovers.

Coming off the bench, McDaniel delivered a strong performance, scoring 13 points on an efficient 6-of-9 shooting, while Dalce also made a notable contribution with 10 points. Saylor Poffenbarger added nine points and nine rebounds, helping Maryland to gain a 40-32 advantage in rebounding. Notably, Smikle went a perfect 10 of 10 from the free-throw line, contributing to the team’s overall performance, where they finished 20 of 24 for the game. Syracuse managed to shoot 9 of 10 from the line.

For Syracuse, Georgia Woolley was the standout performer, leading her team with 17 points. Kyra Wood closely followed with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Sophie Burrows and Dominique Camp chipped in with 13 and 10 points, respectively.

As the game progressed, Smikle hit a three-pointer that extended Maryland’s lead to 42-31 heading into halftime. Although Syracuse managed to reduce the margin to six points during the third quarter, they ended the period trailing 61-52. A layup from Woolley cut the Terrapins’ lead to 70-66 with less than four minutes remaining, but Syracuse could not close the gap any further.