No. 6 Maryland Comes Up Short Against No. 1 UConn

NEW YORK (AP) -- Maryland coach Brenda Frese learned a lot about her team in its first loss of the season.

The sixth-ranked Terrapins had breezed through their first 11 games winning by an average margin of 41 points. They hadn't faced a team like UConn.

"I love the confidence and swagger we played with," Frese said after the 83-73 loss to the top-ranked Huskies on Monday night in the Maggie Dixon Classic. "There was no fear. We competed really, really hard for 40 minutes. If we work this hard, big things are in store for this team come March."

For 40 minutes, Maryland went toe-to-toe with the Huskies, unlike any had during UConn's current 47-game winning streak. But in the end, the Huskies proved to be too much.

"Nobody wants to lose, we're one of the most competitive teams out there," Frese said. "Proud of how we responded punch for punch. If you look at UConn and the games they've played in, that knockout punch comes and you don't recover."

Maryland (11-1) faced the Huskies in the Final Four last year and lost by 23 points, never really getting into that game. The Terrapins left this one feeling much better.

"We were right there," said Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, who added 14 points for Maryland. "I never like taking the `L.' Now we know what we're capable of doing. Definitely a learning experience."

UConn, which tied the third-longest streak in school history, learned a lot about itself too. The Huskies hadn't been in a close game for 40 minutes during their previous 46 consecutive wins. No one had come within single digits. But there was Maryland, down by four with 1:10 left.

It took a 3-pointer by Saniya Chong and some free throws and stops down the stretch for the Huskies to extend their streak.

"We can't manufacture these kind of games they just have to happen," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. "We're a really good team obviously but there's a lot of other good teams. Sometimes we make it look like we're the only good team on the floor. Tonight there were two really good teams on the floor. We had to make some shots and stops and had to make free throws had to get a rebound. All those things are good. All those things will help us going forward."

Breanna Stewart scored 23 points and Moriah Jefferson added 17 to lead UConn (10-0).

Brionna Jones scored 24 points to lead the Terrapins, hitting 12 of 14 shots.

TIP-INS:

Maryland: Freshman Brianna Fraser got another chance to play at MSG. The Brooklyn native played her high school championship games at the arena in her sophomore and senior years. She finished with three points. ... UConn had beaten the Terrapins by an average of more than 20 points with the closest game before this a 15-point loss in the inaugural meeting in 2012.

UConn: The only two longer winning streaks for UConn were the NCAA record 90-game run from 2008-10 and the 70 consecutive wins from 2001-03. UConn also won 47 straight starting with their run to the NCAA title in 2013. That streak ended against Stanford in 2014. The Huskies have won 94 of their past 95 games. ... Stewart passed Diana Taurasi, moving into sixth place on the school's all-time scoring list.

REMEMBERING MAGGIE: Dixon died of a heart arrhythmia in 2006 at age 28. Her death came three weeks after her first season as a head coach, when she led Army to its first NCAA berth. The inaugural Maggie Dixon Classic was held at Army in 2006 -- a men's and women's doubleheader. The Pittsburgh men, coached by Maggie's brother Jamie, beat Western Michigan, and Ohio State routed Army. The past nine games have been played at Madison Square Garden.

The Garden presented a check to Dixon's mother and sister at halftime.

UP NEXT:

Maryland visits Illinois on Thursday.

UConn visits Cincinnati on Wednesday.

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