Addi Mack's Career-High 35 Points Not Enough To Rally No. 20 Terps Past No. 1 South Carolina

In this story:
The No. 20 Maryland women's basketball team knew today's 2026 season opener against No. 1 South Carolina would be not only a challenge but also an opportunity to shock the world and set the tone in game one. Despite a valiant second-half comeback attempt, the Terps ultimately fell short to the Gamecocks, 101-93, in Paris, France.
It was a tale of two halves for Brenda Freses's group. In the first half, the Terps looked outclassed, outskilled, and like a team with no answers against one of the National Champion favorites.
Offensively, the Terps' backcourt, a strength of the team, couldn't hit shots, while South Carolina was flawless, starting the contest 6-for-6 from the floor and making all 11 of their first free-throw attempts. That momentum helped the Gamecocks build a 31-point advantage.
However, in the second half, second-year guard Addi Mack came alive for the Terrapins' offense. In the third quarter, Mack scored 17 points, shooting a perfect 7-for-7 from the floor and 3-for-3 from beyond the arc.
Even with Mack's outburst, the Terps still trailed 78-59 after the third quarter.
In the fourth, Maryland began to turn the tide. Around the six-minute mark, the Terps embarked on a quick 8-0 run to turn a 17-point deficit into just nine points with 4:53 left. Mack began the run with a 25-foot three-pointer off an inbound.
Followed by Mack turning around on the defensive end, stealing the ball, and, in transition, feeding Lea Bartelme a behind-the-back pass for a quick layup. Jordyn Jackson capped off the run with a top of the key straight away three-pointer.
Dawn Stanley immediately called a timeout, and the Gamecocks quickly ran a 7-0 run to push the lead back into double digits with three minutes remaining.
Maryland would do what they've done all second half: respond. They used a 10-0 run and trailed only 96-90 with under a minute left. However, there just wasn't enough time, with South Carolina using two separate trips to the free-throw line to fend off Maryland.
Key Team Stats
- Maryland made 13 three-pointers, with Mack responsible for six of them.
- South Carolina shot 84% from the free-throw line (21-of-25), compared with Maryland's 76% (16-of-21).
- The Gamecocks outrebounded the Terps (44-36).
- Both teams scored double digits off turnovers created: South Carolina- 25 | Maryland - 24
- South Carolina outscored Maryland 52-34, scoring in the paint.
- The Terps never led in the contest.
Individual Standouts
Maryland
- Addi Mack: 35 points (career-high), 14-of-20 fg, 6-of-10 3pt fg, six assists, and two steals.
BIG MACK 😤@addimackk x #faMily 🐢 pic.twitter.com/ItbKhKTIQy
— Maryland Women’s Basketball (@TerpsWBB) November 2, 2026
- Nunu Agara scored 12 points.
- Trinity Jones, Olucchi Okanawa, and Bri McDaniel all finished with 11 points.
Only up from here 💯#faMily 🐢 pic.twitter.com/mPCgfhe8Wt
— Maryland Women’s Basketball (@TerpsWBB) November 2, 2026
Up Next:
Maryland returns to action on Sunday, Nov. 8th, for its home opener against George Mason. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. and will air on Big Ten Plus.
Stay up to date with the Terrapins by bookmarking Maryland On SI and follow us on Twitter.

Jaden's sports journalism career began at the College of Southern Maryland from 2022-2023, where he was brought in to cover baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, and volleyball at CSM. In late 2023, he began interning at the University of Maryland Athletics Department as a contributing writer to help develop feature stories and game recaps. He also creates his own sports media content on professional Washington teams with LegacyMaker Sports Network.