COLLEGE PARK, MD -- The strength and balance of the University of Maryland was too much for short-handed University of Delaware to handle Tuesday night as the Blue Hens suffered their worst loss in a decade with a 91-43 setback in the second round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament at the Comcast Center.

The Terrapins (3-0), the 2006 NCAA national champion and the nation’s third-ranked team in this week’s Associated Press top 25 poll, placed four scorers in double figures and never trailed as the Blue Hens (1-1) suffered their biggest losing margin since a 102-54 setback to Maine Feb. 13, 1997 during head coach Tina Martin’s rookie campaign.

“Maryland is a Final Four team,” said Martin. “I’m a realist. We have a bunch of young players running around and we are just trying to improve. We knew coming in that Maryland was one of the best teams in the nation. But we definitely had some positives out there tonight. Our kids did some good things and we can be proud of some of those things. We took some good shots and Jamie (Mundy) had another solid performance.”

Maryland advances to the WNIT semifinals where it will take on Notre Dame this Friday. Delaware will close out WNIT play this Friday as the Hens travel to Texas Christian for a 7:30 p.m. (EST) consolation round game in Fort Worth, TX.

Freshman guard Vanessa Kabongo (at right), playing in her second collegiate game, led the Blue Hens with 11 points. Delaware played without senior point guard and top player Kyle DeHaven, who will miss the next 2-4 weeks with a broken hand suffered in a season-opening win over Delaware State Friday night. Despite the absence of DeHaven, the Hens committed just 14 turnovers, four less than the Terrapins.

Kristi Toliver led the Terps with 19 points and 10 assists, Jade Perry had 11 points and 15 rebounds, Ashleigh Newman registered 18 points, and Marissa Coleman added 16 points. Maryland held a commanding 57-27 rebounding advantage, pulling 40 rebounds on the defensive end,a nd also converted 25 of 27 free throws. Maryland’s 91 points were the most allowed by the Hens since a 91-85 overtime loss to Hofstra Feb. 12, 2006.

Courtney Irving had nine points and a team-high six rebounds and Mundy contributed nine points to pace Delaware, which shot just 24.2 percent (16 of 66) from the field.

Delaware stayed close early, tying the game at 8-8 six minutes into the contest on two free throws by Irving. After Maryland’s Toliver hit a three-pointer, the Hens pulled to within 14-12 on a jumper by Kabongo.

But that would be as close as the Blue Hens would get the rest of the night as Maryland reeled off seven straight points to take control at 21-12 and used a 34-11 run that resulted in a 46-21 halftime advantage. Delaware never got closer than 23 the entire second half with Maryland pushing the lead to as much as 49 points at 91-42 in the closing minutes.

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