PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers women's basketball (2-1, 1-1) battled to the end in a 91-87 loss to No. 14 Maryland (4-1, 1-0) on Monday afternoon in Big Ten action at the RAC.
 
The Scarlet Knights traded punches throughout with the high-octane Terrapin offense, which came into the game leading the nation with 98.3 points per game. In a game with 11 tie scores and nine lead changes, Arella Guirantes fought tooth-and-nail with the Scarlet Knights' first 30-point double-double since 2015, but a 13-0 Maryland run during the crucial fourth quarter proved to be the difference despite a late comeback from the Scarlet Knights.
 
RU outshot Maryland 49% to 43% with advantages in rebounding (41-37) and points in the paint (38-34), but it was Maryland's ability to shift the turnover game in its favor that made up for those shortcomings. The Terps turned 21 Rutgers miscues into 22 points while turning the ball over just 14 times themselves.
 
"When we needed to take control and guarantee ourselves a shot, it came down to execution and experience," said head coach C. Vivian Stringer. "We asked two true freshmen to step in and do the job, and they have done a fantastic job. We just didn't finish the plan and the problem was inexperience in this situation. There were just a few times we got disoriented, and that was enough for them to hit shots, and we didn't."
 

Guirantes led all scorers and four Scarlet Knights in double-figures with 33 points on 12-of-23 shooting to go with 10 boards, six assists, a block and a steal while playing all 40 minutes on Monday. Diamond Johnson continues to impress early in her career as the freshman put up a career-high 18 with four rebounds and three assists. The rookie is averaging 16.7 points per game through three contests.
 
Mael Gilles added 14 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for her first double-double of the year, while Zipporah Broughton netted 10.
 
The violent see-saw tilted in Rutgers' favor in the third quarter when four different Scarlet Knights scored during an 11-0 run to turn an eight-point deficit into a three-point lead, finished off by a gorgeous three-point play kissed high off the glad by Guirantes and another bucket by Tyia Singleton.
 
Maryland didn't let RU pull away and following a 68-68 deadline after three quarters of play, the Terrapins opened the fourth quarter with 11 consecutive points, a 13-0 run dating back to the final play of the third to lead 79-68. Rutgers didn't fold and chipped away with Guirantes and Liz Martino hitting three-pointers down the stretch, the latter of which made it a two-point game with five seconds left. Maryland took their foul, made their free throws and left town with the slim Big Ten win.
 
The Scarlet Knights pick up non-conference play on Friday, Dec. 18 against Hampton at 10 a.m. from the RAC.
 
NOTES

• Arella Guirantes reached 30 points for the third time in her career.
• With 33 points and 10 rebounds, it marked Rutgers' first 30-plus-point double-double since Kahleah Copper's 30 points and 10 rebounds against St. Joseph's on Nov. 13, 2015.
• Mael Gilles recorded a double-double for the fourth time in her career. It was her 11^th career game scoring in double-figures.
• Diamond Johnson has now upped her scoring in each game, scoring 15, 17 and 18 in her first three collegiate games.
• Freshman Erica Lafayette scored her first collegiate points, a three-pointer in the first half.
• Rutgers has held all three opponents this season under their scoring average (Maryland 98.3), adding up to 90 of its last 98.
• For the third straight game to start the season, C. Vivian Stringer rolled out a starting lineup consisting of Arella Guirantes, Tekia Mack, Mael Gilles, Zipporah Broughton and Tyia Singleton.
• Tekia Mack exited the game in the first quarter with an injury and did not return.
• Maryland improves to 27-12 all-time in the series and 9-1 as Big Ten regular season opponents, including three straight.

 
 
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