The 2024 season for the No. 8 Lady Terps has been something to watch. The team is currently 11-0 and has had many outsiders downplay their success.
Until now, the Terps have been in their non-conference schedule, and they do have one more as they face an old NCAA tournament opponent, Texas, in the Coretta Scott King Tournament on January 20th.
This Sunday afternoon, Maryland will face their schedule-ranked opponent and Big Ten opponent, No.19 Michigan State. This game will mark a slooth of ranked and unranked Big Ten opponent matchups in January.
Nathan’s Keys to Victory
Maryland was not the only undefeated team in the Big Ten.
At one point, Michigan State was 11-0 before their first season loss against No. 20 Alabama. Within that eleven-game winning streak, the Spartans played some respectable ranked opponents such as No.21 California and No.24 Iowa Respectfully. Michigan State is looking to build on last season’s tournament run.
Maryland’s defense against the Spartan three-point shooting
During the season, Michigan State has been shooting around 35% from three; it will be interesting to see how Maryland guards the perimeter with many lineups. It would be interesting to see how Maryland comes defensively in the first quarter to set the tone for the game. I would expect zone defense and less full-court press.
Purdue was a baptism of fire for Big Ten Play; how does Maryland respond the second time around?
Many pundits emphasize Maryland’s need to beat ranked teams; however, if you look at these schools nationwide, what teams have they played? Duke has been our ranked opponent, but Big Ten Play Matchup number two is the biggest test. Purdue had a chance to upset Maryland, but a resilient second half by the Terps shut that noise down. The Terps have had their moments, but they are ready for this moment, and the Big Ten is better prepared for this Terp Team. As Christina Dalce said postgame after the William & Mary victory, the team chemistry is getting stronger daily.
Michigan State has exposed areas in its armor.
Maryland has an elephant in the room…free throw shooting. It will get better as the season progresses, but they have a chance Sunday as Michigan State defensively does a lousy job of giving up fouls. The Spartans average 18 fouls a game, which will hurt or make a break game, especially in crunch time, no matter the situation. Maryland should play a bigger lineup with Dalce, Kubek, and Poffenbarger, which can also be an advantage in rebounding. No opponent has outplayed the Terps in that category so far.
Catch the game on the Big Ten Plus App at 1:00 PM.
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