Women’s Basketball Falls to Maryland in NCAA Second Round

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Princeton women’s basketball faced an unenviable challenge in its second-round NCAA Tournament game: a matchup against No. 4 Maryland on its home floor, where the Terrapins have not lost in nearly 14 months. For the first 20 minutes, the Tigers were up to the task, keeping pace with a stellar offensive performance, particularly in the paint. Maryland led by just four at halftime, 42-38. But after the break, Princeton’s fortunes turned. In one stretch, the Tigers missed six shots in a row while the Terrapins made all five of their attempts — plus two free-throws — and jumped ahead by 17. Point guard Blake Dietrick ’15 did her best to will the Tigers back into contention, scoring 17 of her team-high 26 points after her team fell behind by double digits. But Maryland’s hot shooting never cooled. Princeton lost for the first time this season, 85-70. Vanessa Smith ’17 scored 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting, and Alex Wheatley ’16 added 10 points for Princeton. Annie Tarakchian ’16 finished with seven points, six rebounds, and six assists. The Tigers, the nation’s only undefeated Division I team in the regular season, finish the year with a 31-1 record and nearly every school record imaginable, including the most wins, longest winning streak, and highest scoring average. Their win over Wisconsin-Green Bay in the NCAA first-round March 21 was the first NCAA Tournament win in school history.