Maryland a tall order in opener

Nobody said it was going to be easy. The women's basketball team (0-1 overall) opened its season with a 76-52 loss to national powerhouse Maryland (1-0) in College Park, Md., on Friday, hanging tough with the No. 4 Terrapins on both ends of the floor but ultimately falling in first-year head coach Courtney Banghart's Tiger debut.

"The final score didn't represent how well our kids played," Banghart said. "Maryland's starters played all of the game, and we finished the game with more offensive rebounds and less turnovers than the fourth-ranked team in the country."

Princeton gave Maryland fits throughout the first half, forcing difficult shots and keeping the Terrapin offense off-balance. Ten minutes into the first half, Maryland only held an 18-16 lead, before a nine-point run boosted the Terrapins' advantage to 11. The Tigers remained tough, as a three-point play from senior forward Meagan Cowher and some nifty passing from freshman guard Krystal Hill cut the Princeton deficit to 31-26 with just under three minutes left to play in the half.

The score stayed within single digits until Maryland guard Kristi Toliver hit a backbreaking 25-foot three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Terrapins a 39-29 halftime lead. Toliver was the game's high-scorer, pacing Maryland with 16 points.

The Tigers never fully recovered from Toliver's buzzer-beater, as Maryland held a double-digit lead throughout the second half. The Terrapins opened the half with a five-point run for a 15-point lead. Princeton's deficit continued to increase during the second half, reaching a high of 24 when Maryland guard Ashleigh Newman hit a three-pointer for the final basket of the game.

Despite the outcome, the Tigers showed many positive signs against Maryland. Princeton was able to slow down the tempo of play against its heavily favored opponent for much of the first half.

"I am really proud of the way our team came out and executed our game plan," junior forward Whitney Downs said. "We didn't play intimidated and actually forced more turnovers than we committed while getting shots from all over the floor. On defense, our posts did a great job doubling their big girls, and our guards forced them to make tough shots. Overall, we did a lot of the things we knew were necessary to win, and we never gave up."

Ultimately, Maryland's superior size and athleticism proved too much for the Tigers to handle. Princeton's ability to force its style of play on such a high-ranked opponent, however, should still be commended.

The Tiger freshmen all earned debuts in their first game on a collegiate roster, a positive sign for the future. Hill was an especially bright spot for Princeton, as her exciting play in the first half energized Princeton's offense. Hill finished the game with three points and a team-high three assists.

"[Forward] Addie Micir was the first player off the bench, while [guards] Shelbie Pool and Krystal Hill each had an impact, scoring their first points in a college uniform," Banghart said of the Princeton freshmen. "All three rookies showed maturity, which I'm very pleased with. They push themselves hard in practice, and they continue to get better."

The returning Tigers also put forth a strong showing, as all 13 players on the roster logged playing time. Downs led Princeton with 14 points, while returning first-team All-Ivy selection Cowher added 13 points and four rebounds.

Princeton's ability to handle the pressure of playing in such a difficult environment should serve the team well later in the season.

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"It is a great opportunity to get to open a season against a team like Maryland," Downs said. "Not only did we get to play in a brand-new arena in front of a large crowd, but we also got to play more relaxed knowing that we had nothing to lose. Playing an out-of-conference schedule as strong as ours can really build confidence because we know that if we can execute against teams like Maryland or Rutgers then we should be able to execute against anyone on our schedule."

The Tigers certainly took an important first step toward a strong season in their loss to Maryland. While not obtaining the desired result in Banghart's debut as head coach, Princeton proved it could compete with one of the best teams in the country.

Nobody said the easy way out would be the right way.