Soon after Maryland's 2010-11 season ended with a lopsided loss to Georgetown, the Terrapins began making the improvements necessary to beat a team like the Hoyas.
The results were on full display Sunday.
Alyssa Thomas had 19 points and 15 rebounds, and No. 11 Maryland rolled past 10th-ranked Georgetown 72-53 to gain a slice of revenge following last season's exit in the NCAA tournament.
Tianna Hawkins contributed 17 points and 14 rebounds for the Terrapins (2-0), who never trailed. Maryland turned a 34-26 halftime lead into a 16-point cushion with 12 minutes left and coasted to the finish.
The Terrapins fell to Georgetown twice last year, including 79-57 at home in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
''I know that loss last season motivated us to want to work harder and not let that happen again,'' Thomas said.
Maryland coach Brenda Frese said: ''I'm excited for them because this work started in our offseason. That's why these girls are so much fun to coach. When you talk about how hungry they stayed during the offseason to prepare themselves for this, it was a terrific team win.''
Hoyas guard Sugar Rodgers scored 34 points in Georgetown's tournament win, but she had only four Sunday on 1-for-12 shooting before fouling out with 20.4 seconds left.
''Obviously, Sugar showed she was human tonight,'' Frese said.
Rodgers, a junior guard, missed her first seven shots and was held scoreless until making her only basket, a layup with 8:08 remaining.
''I just had a bad shooting night,'' Rodgers said.
Thomas and Hawkins were the obvious stars for Maryland, but Laurin Mincy did her part with an outstanding defensive effort on Rodgers. Mincy spent most of the game hounding Rodgers, getting relief only briefly from Kim Rodgers.
''I thought the defense of Laurin and Kim, and the rotations we had defensively, they were tremendous,'' Frese said. ''They made her have to work for every shot she took.''
Georgetown coach Terri-Williams Flournoy saw it differently.
''I think they did an OK job on Sugar,'' she said. ''I think Sugar just had an off night. Sugar missed free throws. Sugar Rodgers never misses free throws.''
Tia Magee led Georgetown (1-1) with 17 points and Rubylee Wright had 13.
The Hoyas did a whole lot of gloating after their NCAA win last season, but Maryland refused to return the favor Sunday.
''Of course they were talking, but we let our actions speak on the court for us today,'' Thomas said. ''They can do what they do, but we do what we do.''
Maryland led 46-36 before Hawkins made a free throw, Thomas hit a jumper and Kim Rodgers buried a 3-pointer to make it 52-36. Minutes later, Hawkins hit a jumper and Mincy connected from long range to put the Terps up by 20.
Afterward, the Terrapins looked forward instead of glancing back at last year's losses against Georgetown.
''The big thing for us is this is a new season and a new team, and they're creating their identity,'' Frese said. ''We want to build on this.''
Hawkins scored nine points, Thomas and Alicia DeVaughn each had eight, and the Terrapins forced 12 turnovers in taking a 34-26 halftime lead.
Maryland opened with a tight man-to-man defense in which Mincy tirelessly shadowed Rodgers from baseline to baseline and helped the Terrapins go up 12-6 early in the game.
Rodgers picked up her second foul with 12:18 left in the half and took a seat. The Hoyas did just fine without her, getting five points from Wright in a 10-3 run that cut the deficit to 20-19.
Minutes later, Maryland scored four straight baskets for a 30-21 lead. Upon her return, Rodgers missed two free throws and a layup in the final three minutes.
