No. 7 Terrapins win 6th straight, down No. 16 Buckeyes 76-74

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Abby Meyers matched herseason high by scoring 24 points and No. 7 Maryland finished theregular season on a six-game winning streak with a 76-74 victoryover No. 16 Ohio State on Friday night.

Lavender Briggs’ 3-pointer was part of an 8-0 run midway throughthe fourth quarter that gave the Terrapins (24-5, 15-3 Big Ten) a73-69 lead.

Maryland then held off a late push from Ohio State (23-6, 12-6),which tied it at 73 with over three minutes left.

Meyers made a layup with 2:45 remaining to help Maryland regainthe lead — an advantage the Terrapins wouldn’t relinquish as bothteams went scoreless for the next two-plus minutes. Meyers missed afree throw, but made her second to make it a 76-74 lead with 11seconds left.

Rikki Harris missed a pair of free throws with 10 seconds to goand the Buckeyes’ final shot went in after the buzzer had alreadysignaled the finish.

“We practice all the time, 5 seconds left, this is where we getback to our fundamentals,” said Meyers, who tied a season high with11 field goals and added six rebounds and three steals. “Switchingdefense, high hands, don’t foul, make them make the really greatplay. We were able to win by a little bit and that’s all thatmatters.”

Meyers felt she was playing in the most fun game of herbasketball career when she headed to Maryland’s sideline with herlegs aching.

“Five seconds left and they had it out of bounds, and I comerunning and both my calves are just cramping,” Meyers said.

Cramps subdued, Meyers and the Terrapins had other plans as theybeat Ohio State for the second time this season.

Brinae Alexander and Diamond Miller added 16 points apiece forthe Terrapins, who had already earned a double bye in next week’sBig Ten Tournament.

“That felt like a game that you would see in (the) postseasonhere in March,” Maryland coach Brenda Frese said. “The mentality ofbeing able to make one more play and just so many elements there oflike Ohio State wanting redemption in our game and the emotions ofthat and being senior night.

“But I just thought just getting one more stop, and just you’veseen how much we’ve grown as a team.”

Cotie McMahon led the Buckeyes with 20 points, while TaylorMikesell added 18, Taylor Thierry 16 and Rebeka Mikulasikova13.

The Terrapins, who led 38-33 at the break, shot 52% in the firsthalf to Ohio State’s 48%.

“I thought both teams played really hard and competed at a highlevel,” Ohio State coach Kevin McGuff said. “I’m disappointed forour team that when you put that much into it and our competitivespirit was terrific, our togetherness, all the intangibles weregreat. They just made one more play than we did.”

THE FINAL SEQUENCE

Thierry missed the final jump shot that counted and McMahontipped it in after the buzzer and review, and the Terrapins’defense hung on just long enough to secure their seventh winagainst ranked teams this season.

“I think it’s obviously hard anytime you’re on the road, andthey really started driving us and drawing a lot of fouls,” Fresesaid. “They’ve gained so much confidence defensively because whenwe needed to get some of those late game stops, we were able to getit.”

BIG PICTURE

Maryland: After holding the country’s top scoring offense to 68points in their win Tuesday over Iowa, the Terrapins defense hadfew answers for Ohio State. They allowed the Buckeyes to shoot 46%from the field, but kept them scoreless long enough to claim thewin.

Ohio State: The Buckeyes will enter the conference tournamenthaving lost one of their final three. They closed the regularseason 4-6 in their final 10 games after starting the season 19-0,a program record.

UP NEXT

Maryland: Meyers and the Terrapins will have either the No. 2 or3 seed in the Big Ten Tournament.

Ohio State: The Buckeyes will have the No. 4 seed and a doublebye in the conference tournament, which begins Wednesday.