The Lady Terrapins are on their first road trip out west for two games on Thursday and Sunday. Some games have been tough losses for the Terps, and lessons have been learned. Maryland has lost four games in the last five games, three without Bri McDaniel and Shyanne Sellers. The schedule has been demanding, especially the Big Ten Conference Play (7-4), but Maryland has not gone down without swinging.
Nathan’s Keys to Victory!
A familiar face, but Welcome to the Big Ten!
Four teams are new to the Big Ten, and Maryland has played two of them so far. Maryland and Oregon face off. Oregon has won both teams’ previous meetings. Maryland was the third seed in the 2016-2017 NCAA tournament and lost to the tenth-seeded Oregon in the Sweet Sixteen. The Ducks have been adjusting well to the Big Ten, as they have sixteen wins in the season but have been a bit inconsistent. For example, defeating No.16 Michigan State, but then Michigan dominated Oregon in the next matchup. So, seeing how the Ducks respond now that they are back home will be interesting.
How will Maryland Respond against the Post?
Maryland has struggled against post players, and Oregon has two post players. But most of the point production comes from the guard play. Both players (Phillipina Kyei & Amina Muhammad) are not scoring in double figures, and Oregon, as a rebounding team, is in the bottom five. So, it will be interesting to see how Maryland works from a lineup perspective wins in two areas: 1.) Rebounding, 2.) Staying out of foul trouble.
What will the Rotations look like?
Yes, losing a player or two can be challenging. Anyone would go with their best players and also experiment with lineups. In the last few games, Emily Fisher, who was in concussion protocol, has been playing well in her given minutes. Will we see Mir Mclean get an opportunity to shake off the challenging couple of games where she has seen her minutes dip? It is also worth noting that Amari DeBarry and Ava McKennie could see some extended minutes during this road trip.
The Final Eight….
As of Thursday’s matchup, Maryland has Eight games left, and if the season ends today. Maryland is a No. 5 seed in Region 2 Birmingham, playing against No. 12 Fairfield in the NCAA Tournament. Maryland arguably can win all eight games, but not all the games are won on paper. So, this road trip will set the tone for February into the Big Ten Tournament and how they’ll be in the NCAA Tournament.
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