COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Oluchi Okananwa scored a career-high 28 points, and seventh-ranked Maryland scored the first 14 points Monday in a 97-59 rout of Wisconsin in its Big Ten home opener.
The Terrapins (14-0, 2-0) overwhelmed the Badgers (9-4, 1-1) with their size advantage and secured a 51-28 rebounding advantage.
Yarden Garzon and Addi Mack both had 15 points for Maryland, which has won each of its 11 home games by at least 16 points. The Terps forced 23 turnovers --- 11 in the first quarter.
Okananwa scored seven of the Terps’ first 10 points to prompt a Wisconsin timeout with 8:08 left in the first quarter. It did little good, as the Badgers had six turnovers before Destiny Howell’s basket with 4:44 to go in the period ended Wisconsin’s opening drought.
Maryland led 29-8 after a quarter. The Terps had a 12-0 edge in fastbreak points in the first 10 minutes and a 14-5 advantage in points off turnovers while dominating the glass 16-3.
The Terps never led by less than 20 after that, stretching the margin to 43-18 by halftime and 73-40 after three periods.
Maryland is 14-0 for the fourth time in coach Brenda Frese’s 24-year tenure. The Terps won their first 18 games in 2006-07, their first 16 in 2011-12 and their first 14 last season.
Howell scored 14 points to lead Wisconsin, which shot 19.2% in the first half and 30.3% for the game.
Maryland improved to 15-0 all-time against the Badgers, with all but one of the meetings coming since the Terps joined the Big Ten in 2014-15.
Up next
Wisconsin continues its East Coast trip Thursday at Rutgers.
Maryland visits Illinois on Thursday.
