COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Tianna Hawkins had 25 points and nine rebounds, Malina Howard added 17 points, and Alicia DeVaughn had 14 to help No. 10 Maryland beat American 94-54 on Wednesday.

Maryland started freshman Chloe Pavlech at point guard for the first time and she responded with eight assists and just two turnovers. As a team, the Terps (3-1) dished 29 assists to 14 turnovers. Laurin Mincy added seven assists.

“This was a really nice game for us to be able to get back and do the little things that have allowed us to be successful,” head coach Brenda Frese said. “I definitely think we got better defensively today and, specifically, really shared the basketball. You can see our assist to turnover ratio, I thought we were unselfish. I thought Chloe [Pavlech] did a tremendous job being ready to play and getting our team into an offense that dominated inside with our post play. I thought we were really good in terms of how we played with each other today.”

Gelesia George had a career-high 13 points for American. Jen Dumiak, who averaged 20.5 points in the Eagles’ first two games, had nine. The Eagles had 21 turnovers, eight in the first 9 minutes.

Maryland had a 10-0 run to take a 20-6 lead. The Terrapins led 47-21 at the half, with Hawkins scoring 15 points, and had a 43-point edge at 92-49 with 3:24 to play.

As a team, the Terps shot 40-69 (.580) from the field. One of the nation’s top rebounding teams, the Terps pulled in 45 boards to the Eagles’ 19. They beat American inside, 65-24.

Next, the Terps will hit the road to take on No. 23 Nebraska (4-1) Wednesday, Nov. 28 at 8 p.m. ET in Lincoln, Neb. as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The game will be shown live on the Big Ten Network. Please check your local listings. The game will also be featured online at BTN2go.com.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

ATLANTA – Three members of the fifth-ranked Maryland women’s basketball team were named to the Naismith women’s early season watch list, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Thursday. Tianna Hawkins, Laurin Mincy and Alyssa Thomas were all recognized.

The 50 player watch list was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors, which based its criteria on player performances from the previous year and expectations for the 2012-2013 college basketball season. The Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year presented by AT&T will be awarded on April 8, 2013, in New Orleans, La.

In late February, the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors will compile a mid-season team of the top 30 players in the nation. In March, the Naismith Trophy voting academy will vote to narrow the list to the four finalists.

Notable Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year winners include Chamique Holdsclaw, Lisa Leslie, Rebecca Lobo, and Tina Charles. The Naismith women’s Trophy one of the most prestigious national award presented annually to the women’s college basketball player of the year.

Thomas was named to the Naismith early season list last year as well. She and Mincy were named to the Wooden Award Watch List last week. The Terps’ trio is joined on this year’s list by four other ACC student-athletes in Duke’s Chelsea Gray and Elizabeth Williams, Georgia Tech’s Ty Marshall, and Florida State’s Natasha Howard.

No. 5 Maryland will head north this weekend to take on Saint Joseph’s in Philadelphia Saturday. The Terps (2-0) and the Hawks (1-1) will play at 2 p.m. in Michael J. Hagan ’85 Arena.

GameTracker live stats will be available and the game will be streamed live online for a fee on SJUHawks.com.

Maryland and Saint Joseph’s last met on Nov. 22, 2011 in College Park. The Terrapins won 94-71 behind 21 points from Alyssa Thomas, 17 from Tianna Hawkins and 14 from Laurin Mincy.

Hawkins was named ACC Player of the Week Monday. The senior posted back-to-back double-doubles in the Terps’ two wins, while becoming the 28th player in Maryland women’s basketball history to break the 1,000-point mark on Nov. 9 versus the Mount. In the first weekend of play, she averaged 25.5 points, 11.5 rebounds and shot over 77 percent from the field.

In their first two games, the Terrapins have outscored their opponents in the paint, 110-28, and have won the battle on the boards 109-43.

After Saturday’s matchup, the Terps will return home to take on American Wednesday, Nov. 21 at 4 p.m. in Comcast Center. For tickets, log on to UMTerps.com.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Three members of the ACC Champion Maryland women’s basketball team were selected to the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Preseason All-ACC Team, released Tuesday. 2012 ACC Player of the Year Alyssa Thomas, senior Tianna Hawkins and junior Laurin Mincy were all voted to the 10-member team.

After garnering the lead’s top individual honor as just a sophomore, Thomas was also voted as the league’s Preseason Player of the Year heading into the upcoming season.

Maryland was the only school to land three players on the Preseason All-ACC Team.

The early season honors are voted on by the league’s “Blue Ribbon Panel,” which consists of national and local media members, as well as school representatives.

Thomas, Hawkins and Mincy made last year’s All-ACC squad. Thomas was named to the First Team, while Hawkins made the Second Team. Mincy earned an Honorable Mention honor.

In the Blue Ribbon Panel’s Preseason Poll, head coach Brenda Frese’s Terrapins were picked to finish second in the league and garnered 18 first-place votes. Duke was picked to win the league with 29 first-place votes.

Freshman center Malina Howard was named to the five-member Preseason Newcomer Watch List. Howard was the No. 6 overall recruit according to national recruiting analysts and was the No. 1 overall post player in the 2012 class.

In a first this season, the 12 ACC coaches voted on a separate Preseason Poll, Player of the Year and All-ACC Team. In the coaches’ poll, the Terrapins were picked to finish second behind Duke with three votes to the Blue Devils’ nine. The coaches had a three-way tie for Preseason Player of the Year between Thomas and Duke’s Elizabeth Williams and Chelsea Gray. The All-ACC Team and the Newcomer Watch List were the same in both votes.

The Terrapins are ranked No. 4 in at least one preseason poll this year, after ending last season with a 31-5 overall record, an NCAA Elite Eight appearance and the 2012 ACC title. They return four of five starters.

Maryland will open the 2012-13 season vs. Mount St. Mary’s on Friday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. in the Comcast Center. For tickets, log on to UMTerps.com.

Blue Ribbon Preseason Poll
1. Duke (29)
2. MARYLAND (18)
3. Georgia Tech
4. Virginia
5. North Carolina
6. Miami
7. Florida State
8. NC State
9. Wake Forest
10. Clemson
11. Virginia Tech
12. Boston College

Blue Ribbon Preseason All-ACC Team
Alyssa Thomas, Maryland**
Elizabeth Williams, Duke
Chelsea Gray, Duke
Tyaunna Marshall, Georgia Tech
Natasha Howard, Florida State
Tianna Hawkins, Maryland
Laurin Mincy, Maryland
Ataira Franklin, Virginia
Marissa Kastanek, NC State
Stefanie Yderstrom, Miami
**-Preseason Player of the Year

Blue Ribbon Panel Newcomer Watch List
Alexis Jones, Duke
Malina Howard, Maryland
Jonquel Jones, Clemson
Xylina McDaniel, North Carolina
Uju Ugoka, Virginia Tech