COLLEGE PARK, Md. — In a tense matchup on Tuesday night, Maryland’s guard Bri McDaniel suffered a right knee injury during the first quarter of the game against Minnesota, which the Terrapins won 99-92. Unfortunately, she was unable to continue playing.
The eighth-ranked Terrapins managed to secure the victory against the 24th-ranked Golden Gophers, but losing McDaniel could significantly affect the team, particularly as Maryland faces a daunting schedule with four consecutive games against ranked foes ahead.
Coach Brenda Frese shared her concern regarding McDaniel’s condition, stating, “I actually don’t know a lot. I know it’s her right knee. I know that in the next few days they’ll be doing some testing. That’s really all I have. She’s in pain in the locker room, but it’s hard to say. It’s too early at this point.”
During the first quarter, McDaniel took a hard fall. Although she briefly returned to the game, she was visibly affected after missing a transition layup on the final play of the period. Before her exit, McDaniel contributed six points to the team and had been averaging 10.9 points per game prior to this contest.
Despite her absence, Maryland’s bench stepped up, delivering a strong performance. Allie Kubek led the way with 17 points, while Mir McLean contributed nine and Sarah Te-Biasu added eight points. Coach Frese acknowledged their efforts, saying, “By committee, I think you saw that. Mir and Allie off the bench were just massive X-factors. Fortunately for us, they came in and were ready when their number was called.”
Maryland’s roster was somewhat limited, as they only utilized eight players during the game. Although Saylor Poffenbarger returned from an illness, she was restricted to just seven points and two rebounds.
Looking ahead, the Terrapins will have a brief respite before taking on No. 7 Texas in New Jersey on Monday. Following that, they will face No. 9 Ohio State and then welcome No. 1 UCLA to their home court. Coach Frese is hopeful about the time off, stating, “We’ve got a break here. Then we can finally kind of get rested up and get well. And then hopefully come back even stronger.”
