Maryland did win Thursday night against Northwestern; however, another piece of the Terps’ success went down. This was a game that should’ve been won easily. The Wildcats did not go down without a fight, as Maryland defeated Northwestern 85-79. Let’s break it down.
Nathan’s Takeaways!
Northwestern has a turnover problem.
Many would agree that Maryland’s main issue this season is turnovers. Interestingly, Northwestern also struggled, committing 22 turnovers on Thursday night, which allowed Maryland to score 27 points off those mistakes. Conversely, Maryland itself surrendered 17 turnovers. A key problem during Thursday’s match was Northwestern’s poor defensive performance, as they failed to keep Maryland out of the passing lanes, making it difficult for the Wildcats to defend effectively.
Maryland vs. Full Court Press Defense
The Fourth Quarter Cheat Switch… In all seriousness, Maryland needs to improve its late-game execution. One would expect them to secure a solid double-digit lead by the end of the game. However, when faced with a full-court press, Maryland struggles to break through for some reason. The absence of Bri McDaniel, a limited Saylor Poffenbarger, and shallow bench options make this challenging. Many of Maryland’s turnovers stemmed from careless passes, similar to those against Ohio State and Michigan. In Thursday’s game, the Terps committed six turnovers in their backcourt. Although they managed to win that night, these mistakes cannot continue into the postseason as they will prove detrimental.
Maryland’s Depth Moving Forward
Most would agree that Bri McDaniel’s injury during the victory over Minnesota significantly impacted the team. Still, we have seen some other injuries that have affected the depth as the season has progressed. Let’s analyze the team’s depth.
With only two regular season games remaining, Coach Frese must now figure out how to balance and utilize the remaining bench and starters heading into the tournaments if Saylor is to miss significant time.
PG: Sarah Te-Biasu
SG: Kaylene Smikle/Emily Fisher/Mir McLean
SF: Shyanne Sellers/Ava McKennie
PF: Christina Dalce/Allie Kubek
C: Amari DeBerry
Ultimately, the margin for error is extremely narrow, leaving Maryland with little room for mistakes.
Maryland will have a bye week until next Thursday, when they travel to play against the Indiana Hoosiers. This is an excellent opportunity for the team to rest.
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