COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Brenda Frese was aiming for a significant milestone as she sought her 600th victory with Maryland.


However, the Illinois team had other plans, achieving a notable accomplishment of their own. The Illini clinched their first-ever win against the Terrapins, who had previously dominated the series with a 17-0 record. They secured a 66-65 triumph on Sunday, which was particularly disappointing for Maryland as they celebrated their seniors prior to the game. This win marked a turning point for Illinois.


Illinois coach Shauna Green expressed admiration for Frese and her program, stating, “I have so much respect for her and how she operates her program. She has built a culture of toughness, grit, and plays with great intensity. This victory is significant for us.”


Genesis Bryant played a crucial role in the win, scoring 20 points and sealing the game with two free throws with just 6.3 seconds left on the clock. Prior to that, Illinois had to strategically manage their final timeout while narrowly leading by one point. However, a turnover allowed Maryland to regain possession, leading to a quick score by Shyanne Sellers that shifted the advantage to 65-64 in favor of the Terrapins.


Undeterred, Bryant drew a foul and executed her free throws with precision. Coach Green reflected on the critical moment, admitting, “I hesitated to call that last timeout because I sensed a turnover was about to happen. Unfortunately, we did turn it over, and then they capitalized on it. But Genesis showed incredible composure, calmness, and presence of mind, knowing exactly how we wanted to execute our play.”


Interestingly, Green decided not to leverage the senior day celebration at Maryland as motivational fodder for her players. “Typically, I utilize situations like this to inspire our team, but I didn’t approach it that way today,” Green explained. “This is a seasoned team; they recognize the caliber of Maryland.”


The Illini are well aware of the challenges posed by winning at Maryland. Green remarked, “It’s astonishing to think a program could go so long without a victory against another team. It really puts things in perspective for us.”


With this victory, Illinois (17-5, 7-4 Big Ten) levels their record with Maryland (17-5, 7-4) in the conference standings. The Illini demonstrated strong shooting, hitting 10 of their 21 attempts from beyond the arc. Frese commented on the performance of the opposing team, stating, “Every single one of their players contributed with 3-pointers today. Typically, it’s just Genesis making those shots, but we saw a lot of role players step up.”