Walker-Kimbrough Leads No. 8 Maryland To Win Over Iowa

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) -- Maryland coach Brenda Frese knew her return to Iowa would be special. Her team ensured it.

Shatori Walker-Kimbrough scored 19 points, Brionna Jones had 15 points and 11 rebounds and No. 8 Maryland rolled past Iowa in a 76-56 win on Sunday in Frese's first game in her home state in 10 years.

Frese -- who grew up a Hawkeyes fans and attended the school's basketball camps -- could sense the energy her team played with for her homecoming.

"You could feel that the whole game," Frese said. "It was neat to be able to see how hard they played. I think that's what separates this team -- they play for each other."

Kristen Confroy added 11 points and the Terrapins forced 16 turnovers to snap Iowa's 25-game home winning streak.

Maryland (14-2, 3-1 Big Ten) has won two straight since falling to No. 5 Ohio State on Jan. 2.

Ally Disterhoft and Megan Gustafson each scored 14 points for the Hawkeyes (12-4, 2-2).

Frese brought her team to her parents' house in Cedar Rapids -- less than 30 miles from Carver-Hawkeye Arena -- for dinner Saturday night. They viewed childhood photos, listened to stories from her family and friends, and watched highlights from Frese's high school career.

Frese hadn't coached a game in Iowa since 2006 when the Terrapins visited Northern Iowa.

"I thought we played for her and just put on a show for her," Walker-Kimbrough said.

Maryland led by double figures much of the second quarter, but Iowa cut the deficit to 42-35 less than a minute into the third quarter after Alexa Kastanek hit a 3-pointer and pair of free throws.

The Terrapins answered back in a big way.

Maryland tightened up its defense, forcing three turnovers and holding Iowa to two field goals over the next 5 1/2 minutes.

Jones scored seven of her 15 points during this key stretch. She started the scoring with a three-point play and finished it with a steal at midcourt and breakaway layup to make it 56-39 to complete a 14-4 run.

The Hawkeyes never got closer than 13 points the rest of the way.

Iowa -- the best free throw shooting team in the Big Ten -- made only 12 of 21 from the foul line.

QUOTE OF THE NIGHT

The Hawkeyes are in the middle of a brutal six-game stretch to open conference play. All six games are on the road or against teams that made the NCAA Tournament last season.

Coach Lisa Bluder has never seen anything like this in her 16 seasons at Iowa.

"I've never been in a stretch where we have five games in 12 days," Bluder said. "Unbelievable. We never can give our players a day off -- mentally or physically. They're having to learn a new scouting report every three days."

TIP-INS:

Maryland: Walker-Kimbrough played for Bluder for USA Basketball in the Pan American Games last summer. ... Sunday was Maryland's first ever game in Iowa City.

Iowa: The Hawkeyes actually out-rebounded Maryland, 38-37. The Terrapins lead the nation with a plus-19 1/2 rebounding margin per game. . Iowa had only eight assists against its 16 turnovers.

UP NEXT

Maryland travels to Michigan on Thursday.

Iowa plays at Wisconsin on Wednesday.

(Copyright 2016 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)