When the referees called the game’s final media timeout with just more than two minutes remaining, Brenda Frese began the joyous task of removing her starters from the court. A stellar second half had given the Terrapins women’s basketball team a 25-point lead at that point, putting the game well out of reach for visiting Wake Forest.
But while the longtime coach emptying her bench, she she also put starting forward Tianna Hawkins back onto the floor with a chance to make program history.
Former Terps Angie Scott and Debbie Jones held the single-game program record with 23 rebounds. But with just 33 seconds remaining in tonight’s game against the Demon Deacons, Hawkins brought down her record-setting 24th board of the night, reaking a record that had stood for 34 years.
Hawkins finished the game with 18 points and 24 rebounds, leading the No. 8 Terps to an 86-58 rout of Wake Forest.
“I asked the team if we should let her come back in and they unanimously said yes,” Frese said. “That record has been in the record book for a very long time. It is special for us to be able to break records.”
Hampered by foul trouble for much of the second half, Hawkins almost never got the chance to record the all-time mark. Hawkins was removed from the game after committing her fourth foul with more than 10 minutes remaining in the game, not seeing the floor again until the seven-minute mark.
With the Terps holding an 18-point lead, Hawkins was subbed out again at the four-minute mark with the game all but over. But, perhaps with a recognition for history, Frese inserted Hawkins back into the lineup with just enough time to set the program-record.
As the clock ticked below 35 seconds, guard Brene Moseley hoisted a 3-point attempt from the top of the key, with Hawkins waiting eagerly underneath the basket.. The ball clanged harmlessly off the rim, and as she had all night, Hawkins corralled the miss for the 24th time, placing herself in the record books.
“I’m just happy that I was able to do something in the game to help the team out. It means a lot to me to go into the record books at the same time,” Hawkins said. “My teammates were pushing me to get that last rebound and the crowd was also pushing me to get it, so it felt good to have everyone commend me on that.”
Hawkins did most of her damage on the glass in the first half, totaling 15 rebounds before the break. But like the rest of the Terps, she struggled to put the ball in the basket, scoring just six points as the teams entered halftime tied at 37.
The Terps exploded in the second half, however, keyed by Hawkins’ early efforts on the scoring end. The sophomore scored 10 of the team’s first 13 points as it exited the break on a 13-6 run, building a lead the Demon Deacons would never overcome. The team would go onto outscore Wake Forest 49-21 in the second half, cruising to a 28-point victory.
“We did a better job on locking down, communicating and getting outside to the three point line,” Frese said. “We got stops and allowed our defense to go to our offense.”
Forward Alyssa Thomas also finished the game with a double-double for the Terps, rebounding from two-consecutive poor performances to total 16 points and 11 boards. Moseley, guard Laurin Mincy and center Lynetta Kizer also finished the night in double-figures, each scoring 11.
“For this game I had to relax and not pressure myself,” Thomas said. “Just play basketball and enjoy myself.”
The Terps will continue their ACC schedule on Sunday when they face arguable their toughest test of the season; a road contest with No. 5 Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Josh Vitale is The Diamondback’s Terrapins women’s basketball beat reporter. He can be reached at vitale@umdbk.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshVitale.