Dec 4, 2003 2 min read

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) – Kelly Mazzante scored 33 points, and No. 8 Penn State pulled away in the second half Wednesday night to hand Maryland its first loss, 82-65. The Nittany Lions (4-1) never trailed and finished with a 37-19 rebounding edge. But the game wasn’t decided until the second half, when Penn State finally asserted itself against the smaller, younger Terrapins (4-1).

Up by two points at the break, the Nittany Lions got eight points from Tanisha Wright in a 16-2 run that made it 51-35. Maryland finally made its first field goal of the half with 13:57 remaining, a 3-pointer by Alli Spence.

Spence added two more shots from beyond the arc in an 11-2 run that cut the gap to seven, but a 3-pointer by Mazzante and a driving layup by Jess Strom gave Penn State a 12-point cushion with seven minutes left.

Mazzante went 5-for-10 from 3-point range and 13-for-22 from the field. Wright scored 13 points and Jessica Brungo had 12 to help the Nittany Lions win their sixth straight against Maryland.

Spence had 22 points, including five 3-pointers, and Shay Doron scored 19 for the Terrapins.

Mazzante had 17 points in the first half and the Nittany Lions outrebounded Maryland 27-9, but Penn State committed 13 turnovers and led by only 35-33.

Twice the Terrapins fought back when it appeared the Lions would pull away. Maryland trailed 11-4, then got within a point before Mazzante hit a 3-pointer, scored on a drive and sank a baseline jumper to start an 11-2 run that made it 27-17.

It was 35-25 before Maryland ended the half with an 8-0 run.