After watching the Maryland women’s basketball team from the sidelines for nearly a year, guard/forward Eleanna Christinaki finally got her chance on Wednesday against Coppin State.
She didn’t disappoint.
The junior transfer from Florida scored a career-high and team-best 32 points in her Maryland debut, giving the Terps a new weapon off the bench in their 113-49 rout of the Eagles.
The No. 15 Terps (11-2) have made a habit of crushing opponents recently, and Wednesday’s victory in Baltimore was no different. The Eagles (1-11) were the second straight opponent to allow Maryland to score more than 100 points, and the third this season.
Maryland was able to continue that trend, thanks to lights-out shooting to open the contest. Guard Kristen Confroy kicked off the game with a 3-pointer, and the Terps proceeded to make their first six field goal attempts.
Guard Blair Watson chipped in three consecutive triples during the stretch as the Terps jumped out to a 17-4 advantage. Watson finished with 23 points, thanks in part to a team-high seven 3-pointers.
Then Christinaki stepped in, scoring a team-high 17 first-half points as the Terps continued to run away from the Eagles. After missing her first two attempts from long range, the Athens, Greece, native rattled in a triple to kick off her prolific performance.
Meanwhile, on defense, Maryland’s full-court press limited the Eagles, who turned the ball over 25 times. The Terps capitalized with 36 points off those turnovers.
The Eagles scored just four points in the third quarter.
Maryland had 95 points after three quarters and has now scored a combined 227 points in its past two games. The Terps have racked up nine straight wins as their non-conference slate comes to a close. They host Illinois in their Big Ten opener on Dec. 28.
