The Guru NCAAW Report: Maryland Ruins Minnesota Poll Return Likewise Houston to Oklahoma State; Villanova and Saint Joseph’s Seek End to Slides

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

The locals were nil as were most conferences on Tuesday with midweek and weekend the loaded days at this stage of the season, but still out of what games there were, things were upset heavy.

Two events that were expected wins had noteworthy items besides making good on the forecasts.

In a Big Ten game with two ranked teams, No. 8 Maryland at home in College Park may have made No. 24 Minnesota’s Monday’s arrival for the first time since 2019 in the latest Associated Press women’s poll short-lived in handing the Golden Gophers a high-scoring 99-92 defeat but in the process the Terrapins (16-1, 6-1) lost guard Bri McDaniel to a knee injury in the first quarter at the XFINITY Center.

They later nearly lost the game to Minnesota (16–2, 4-2) on a 16-0 late run until Rutgers transfer Kaylene Smikle hit two foul shots with 29.7 seconds left.

That wasn’t enough at the moment, Annika Stewart’s make from deep made it 95-92 with 20 seconds left. But Smikle answered with two more from the line to end the threat.

Shyanne Sellers had 27 points for the Terps while Amaya Battle scored 19 for the visitors, who are at Northwestern Sunday while Maryland steps out of conference Monday to play No. 7 Texas in the Coretta Scott King Classic doubleheader at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.  The other game features No. 1 UCLA against against Baylor, both games on FOX.

The top-ranked Bruins are heavily favored Wednesday night over Penn State, so barring an upset, the ranking is likely to hold when the next AP poll is released earlier in the day.

The rest of Tuesday night, in terms of highlights, belonged to the Big 12, with one exception.

American Athletic Conference favorite South Florida at home in Tampa was stunned a second straight time in league play since upsetting nationally ranked Duke of the ACC.

This time it was UAB (12-6, 3-3) winning 62-61 as Jade Weatherly hit a layup with five seconds remaining. The Bulls (11-8, 4-2) were unable to rescue the win when a three-point attempt missed on the final possession.

South Florida’s hot scorer Sammie Pusis was 1-17 from the field, though some compensation came from Spaniard Carlo Brito with 21 points and 12 boards, while Italian Vittoria Blasigh scored 18.

Back in the Big 12 though Iowa State won as expected at home in Ames 71-58 over Texas Tech, the Cyclones’ 0-7 from deep ended an NCAA-record 945-game streak over almost 30 years making at least one three pointer.

ESPN noted when the streak began on Feb. 19, 1995, the WNBA was still two seasons from coming into existence, UConn’s first of a record 11 NCAA titles came at the end of that season, and the USA record of eight straight Olympic gold medals didn’t begin until the summer of 1996.

That was also the final season Iowa State was in the former Big Eight which merged with the former Southwest Conference to form the Big 12.

“If we were really worried about the record, we probably would have run about 15 more plays to get one,” said Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly, noting the limited number of attempts. The three has always been part of his repertoire as it was with retired Villanova coach Harry Perretta.

In two of three other Big 12 games, ranked teams were upset. Houston ruined No. 24 Oklahoma State’s return to the AP Poll for the first time since 2018 as the team it was tied with earlier in the night was done in by Maryland.

The  Cougars (5-12, 1-5) prevailed 79-76 when Stailee Heard, one of this week’s USBWA national honorees, stole the ball but missed an uncontested three-pointer as time expired for the Cowgirls (14-3, 4-2).

Heard scored 17, while Anna Gret Asi and Micah Gray each scored 16 and Macy Huard had 11 for the visitors.

Houston got 20 points from Kierra Merchant and 16 from Gigi Cooke.

Meanwhile Baylor at home in Waco, Texas, topped No. 23 Utah 70-61 as Aaronette Vonleh went 9-12 from the field getting 19 points, Bella Fontleroy had 17 points, 10 boards, and a career-high five steals, and Jada Walker had 12 points and a career high 12 assists, while Yaya Felder scored 12 for the Bears (15-3, 5-1).

Gianna Kneepkens and Mary Wilke each scored 17 for Utah (13-4, 4-2), and Reese Ross scored 12.

No. 10 TCU (18-1, 6-0) fared better than when it last reached the top ten last month and got blitzed by then-No. 3 South Carolina.

This time the host Horned Frogs had the upper hand in a 90-81 win over UCF (7-9, 0-6) at home in Fort Worth, Texas, as Oregon transfer Sedona Prince scored 27 and Louisville/LSU transfers Hailey Van Lith shot six from deep, scoring 21, with seven assists, Madison Conner had 14 points and seven helpers, and Donovyn Hunter scored 12.

UCF got 33 points from Kaitlin Petersen.

TCU hosts Utah Friday night while UCF welcomes Utah Saturday.

Looking Ahead

Locally, on Wednesday three teams are involved in Education Day field trips, two at home, as Villanova tries to snap out of a three-game losing streak in the Big East, hosting DePaul at 11:30 a.m., (FloSports) at Finneran Pavilion, and Lafayette hosts Army in the Patriot League at Kirby Sports Arena, in Easton, Pa., at 11 a.m. (ESPN+).

La Salle in the Atlantic Ten at 11 a.m. (ESPN+) visits Massachusetts.

Meanwhile, in the Big Ten both teams still winless in conference play, Rutgers hosts No. 22 Michigan State at 7 p.m. (B1G+) at Jersey Mike’s Arena in Piscataway, N.J., while Penn State in Southern California plays No. 1 UCLA at 9:30 p.m. on Peacock, the game moved from Pauley Pavilion in Westwood, Los Angeles to Long Beach because of the ongoing Wildfires.

Lehigh hosts Boston U. at Stabler Arena at 6 p.m. (ESPN+) in Bethlehem, Pa., in the Patriot League while at 7 p.m. on Hawk Hill at Hagan Arena, Saint Joseph’s will try to end a two-game losing streak in the A-10 hosting Fordham (ESPN+).

On Thursday, Rider has a MAAC game at Mount St. Mary’s at 7 p.m. (ESPN+).

And that’s the report.