COLLEGE PARK, Md. (Interstat) — In a high-octane offensive display, the Maryland Terrapins used a dominant first quarter to set the tone and held off a persistent Princeton Tigers squad for an 84-68 victory in a non-conference women’s basketball game Sunday at a boisterous Xfinity Center.

A crowd of 6,748 watched the Terrapins improve to a perfect 5-0 on the young season, while the Tigers moved to 2-1.

The game was decided in its opening ten minutes. Maryland came out scorching, unleashing a 26-point first quarter that put Princeton on its heels immediately. The Terrapins’ offense was a blur of transition baskets and crisp ball movement, building a 16-point lead before the first period had concluded. Oluchi Okananwa and Saylor Poffenbarger were instrumental in the early surge, combining with Addi Mack to overwhelm the Princeton defense.

Faced with the large deficit, Princeton showed its resilience in the second quarter. The Tigers tightened their defense dramatically, holding the potent Maryland offense to just eight points in the period. Led by the scoring of Madison St. Rose and a key three-pointer from Skye Belker, Princeton methodically chipped away at the lead. A 20-point quarter from the Tigers cut the Maryland advantage to 34-30 at halftime, completely shifting the momentum and setting the stage for a dramatic second half.

Any hopes of a Princeton comeback, however, were swiftly extinguished in the third quarter. Maryland rediscovered its offensive rhythm, exploding for 27 points to re-establish a commanding lead. The Terrapins’ balance was on full display as Okananwa, Poffenbarger, and Kaylene Smikle all made significant scoring contributions, pushing the lead back to 61-48 heading into the final frame.

The Terrapins maintained their double-digit lead throughout the fourth quarter, consistently answering any Princeton push with a score of their own. A late three-pointer from Yarden Garzon with just seven seconds remaining provided the final margin of victory.

Maryland’s offensive success was built on efficiency inside, where they outscored Princeton 38-22 in the paint. They also capitalized on Tiger mistakes, scoring 18 points off turnovers.

Okananwa, a guard from Boston, led all scorers with 20 points, adding four rebounds and four assists in 31 minutes. Poffenbarger, from Middletown, Maryland, matched her backcourt partner’s scoring output with 19 points and six rebounds. Mack, the floor general from Minneapolis, filled the stat sheet with 15 points, six rebounds, and four assists. Smikle provided a crucial spark off the bench, scoring 13 of her points in the second half.

Princeton was led by the standout performances of Olivia Hutcherson and Madison St. Rose. Hutcherson, a guard from Johns Creek, Georgia, scored 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds. St. Rose, from Old Bridge, New Jersey, shouldered a heavy load, playing 38 minutes and scoring 20 points while dishing out four assists. Fadima Tall, a Silver Spring, Maryland native, contributed 13 points and seven rebounds in her return to her home area.

The game began with a flurry of action. Princeton’ St. Rose opened the scoring with a three-pointer, but Maryland responded with a devastating 23-4 run over the next six minutes. The run was fueled by defensive pressure, leading to easy transition baskets. A Poffenbarger three-pointer followed by an Okananwa layup forced an early Princeton timeout, but the Terrapins’ onslaught continued.

Princeton’s second-quarter stand, keyed by defensive stops and a pair of Toby Nweke three-pointers, brought them back into the game, but they could never quite draw even. Maryland’s third-quarter explosion proved too much to overcome.

The Terrapins will look to continue their unbeaten start when they host Bethune-Cookman on Thursday. Princeton, meanwhile, returns home to face Rice on Wednesday before heading to the Bahamas for a multi-team event.