Box Score

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Despite a close opening half and erasing a 20-point deficit to pull within single-digits in the game's final minute, the Rutgers women's basketball team was unable to overcome No. 3 Maryland with an 80-71 setback against the Terps on Sunday afternoon at the Xfinity Center.

Rutgers (6-15, 3-5 Big Ten) and Maryland (19-1, 7-0 Big Ten) went neck-in-neck to open the contest, as the score would be tied on four occasions with six lead changes in the first frame. Although Maryland went on to register multiple surges in the second to pull away by as many as six on three occasions, RU kept the score in reach by connecting on five three-pointers across the remainder of the quarter to hold the Terp edge at 34-30 entering halftime.

Returning from the break, the Terrapins used a 26-13 third quarter to distance itself on the scoreboard going on to lead by as many as 21. The Scarlet Knights found a surge at the end of the fourth to cut the deficit within eight with less than a minute to go in the game. Despite RU outscoring the Terps, 28-20, in the final stanza Maryland was able to outlast RU.

Junior guard Shrita Parker was shy of matching her career best for the third-consecutive contest, posting 17 points in the contest. Classmate Jazlynd Rollins followed with a career-high 15 points, including a 6-for-7 performance from the field, while sophomore guard Aliyah Jeune contributed 13 points in the loss.

Two Terps finished with double-doubles in the game by Brionna Jones with 11 points and 13 rebounds and Destiny Slocum with 11 points and 11 assists. Shatori Walker-Kimbrough led Maryland with a team best 19 points, followed by Kaila Charles with 16 points to round out the double-digit scorers.

Rutgers and Maryland started the contest trading points and the lead, as a three-point play for Parker put RU up 7-4 by the 7:21 mark. Maryland responded with six-straight points across the next two minutes of play to edge in front, 10-7. Back-to-back baskets for Rollins kept the rally rolling, giving the Scarlet Knights the advantage at 11-10 with 4:20 to go in the first quarter. The teams continued to go back-and-fourth as the Terps closed the first with a slim 14-13 lead.

RU found a 5-2 burst capped by a 3-pointer for Jeune to put the Scarlet Knights up 18-16 midway through the second quarter. From there, the Terps tried to pull away, but a Rollins 3-pointer brought the Scarlet Knights back within one at 22-21 with 2:27.

As Maryland pulled ahead yet again for a 28-21 edge, the largest lead in the first half, Rollins remained hot beyond the arc with back-to-back baskets from the 3-point range to fuel a 9-3 run for RU. Jeune capped the spurt with another from downtown to make it a one-point game, 31-30, with six seconds until the break. Maryland's Slocum responded with a three of her own to beat the buzzer to give Maryland a 34-30 lead heading into halftime.

The Terps returned from the break with a 16-2 surge, generating a 50-32 lead by the 4:15 minute mark of the third quarter. A jumper for Desiree Keeling broke up the run, however, a 3-pointer for Confroy guided the Terps to their largest lead of the night at 55-34. The teams went point-for-point to end the frame, but UMD kept its distance for a 60-43 margin at the end of three.

After UMD held as much as a 20-point edge in the fourth, Rutgers found a 10-1 run in the game's final minutes to cut the deficit to single digits at 76-67 with 38 second to go.

Rutgers returns home to host Northwestern on Sunday, Jan. 29 for a 2 p.m. contest at the RAC. The Scarlet Knights will be hosting a bone marrow registry drive in the lobby before and during the contest and the 1982 AIAW and 1987 Atlantic 10 championship teams will be honored at halftime.

KNIGHT NOTES:
- Jazlynd Rollins set a new career-high of 15 points. In the first half of play, the junior Scarlet Knight was 6-of-6 from the floor, including a 3-of-3 performance from 3-point range. She resets her previous high of seven at St. John's (Dec. 7).
- Shrita Parker led Rutgers in scoring for the 10th time this season with 19 points. She was one-point shy of tying her career-high for the third consecutive game. In the last three games, she has averaged 19.7 ppg, while in Big Ten play she is averaging 16.1 ppg.
- Parker set a new assists benchmark with seven helpers. Her previous high was six against Bryant (Nov. 27).
- Aliyah Jeune posted double figures for the third time in the last four contests. Over those four contests she has averaged 12.5 ppg. She has also knocked down three shots from downtown in each of those double figure games.
- Desiree Keeling led the Scarlet Knights on the boards for the ninth time this year with seven boards. In the last two games she has averaged 8.5 rpg.
- Rutgers finished the game 7-of-14 from 3-point range and has sunk five or more shots from downtown in the last four contests.
- Rutgers used the starting lineup of Alex Alfano, Jordan Wallace, Shirta Parker, KK Sanders and Victoria Harris for the fourth-straight game.
- DaChe Williams made her first appearance as a Scarlet Knight. She was cleared earlier in the week for game play after suffering a concussion before the beginning of the season.

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