UConn-Maryland Game Preview
by doggydaddy
UConn vs Maryland
Uconn – 31-4 overall, 14-2 Big East
Maryland – 26-7 overall, 14-4 ACC
UCONN
Probable Starters
G – Doty 5’10” SR (3.5 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 2.4 apg)
G – Faris 5’11” SR (10.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 4.0 apg)
F – KML 6’ SO (17.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 2.4 apg)
F – Stewart 6’4″ FR ( 12.7 ppg, 6.3 rpg, .9 apg)
C – Dolson 6’5” (14.2 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 3.1 apg)
Bench
G – Hartley 5’9” JR (9.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.8 apg)
F – Tuck FR 6’2” (6.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.4 apg)
G – Jefferson FR 5’7″ (4.5 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 1.8 apg)
F/C – Stokes SO 6’3″ (3.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg, .8 apg)
Coach – Geno Auriemma
MARYLAND
Probable Starters
G – Rutan 5’8” JR (9.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.3 apg)
G – Pavlech 5’8” FR (5.4 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 4.1 apg)
F – Hawkins 6’3” SR (18.2 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 1.2 apg)
F – Thomas 6’2” JR (19.0 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 5.4 apg)
C – DeVaughn 6’4” JR (8.4 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.2 apg)
Bench
Howard 6’4” FR (6.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.3 apg)
Austin 5’5” JR ( 2.4 ppg, .9 rpg, .8 apg)
Coach – Brenda Frese
Team Stats Uconn / Maryland
Points PG – 82.6 / 75.7
Rebounds PG – 42.9 / 44.5
Assists PG – 21.0 / 18.1
TO/G – 13.8 / 17.5
Opponents PPG – 46.9 / 56.2
FG % – 49.6 / 47.6
Opponents FG% – 30.7 / 34.9
3pt % – 37.7 / 34.2
Steals PG – 10.8 / 7.1
Block PG – 5.8 / 3.8
Prior meeting – UConn 63, Maryland 48
Maryland and UConn played a competitive game in their first matchup. UConn was able to turn Maryland over several times while building a 13 point halftime lead. KML injured her leg in the first half and rode the stationary bike in the second half. Banks had one of her best games going 3-4 on 3 pointers to help make up for KML’s offense. It was a very physical games and there were times that UConn did not respond well, a theme for other games this season. Maryland was only able to cut the lead to 7 but UConn responded with an 8 point run to win fairly easily.
Notable lines –
Thomas – 2-12 from the field, 8 TO’s
Faris – 8 points, 8 steals, 7 rebounds, 7 assists
Maryland – 26 TO’s
NCAA results
UConn 103, Idaho 37
UConn 77, Vanderbilt 44
Maryland 72, Quinnipiac 52
Maryland 74, Michigan State 49
Maryland
Maryland came into the tournament on a downturn, losing 3 of their last 5 – to Duke 75-59, Florida State 72-71 and UNC 72-65. But they bounced back, playing well enough to beat Quinnipiac and Michigan State fairly handily.
Maryland has one of the best front courts in the country. The duo of Thomas and Hawkins are possibly the best 1-2 punch in scoring and rebounding anywhere. Thomas has been playing like a 1st team AA so far in the tourney averaging 28.5 ppg. She is the do-all for Maryland, leading the team in scoring, rebounding, assists, steal, free throws and she drives the team bus as well. Thomas really struggled in the first matchup, but don’t expect a duplication of that performance. She is just too good for that.
They only play 6 players with Howard, the 6’4” freshman off the bench. The Maryland guards will have to play extended minutes as Austin, the only guard off the bench, doesn’t see a lot of game time. In the last game, Pavlich and Rutan played well, scoring 10 and 8 points, respectively. They will have to duplicate that for Maryland to stay in this game.
Connecticut
UConn has been dominant so far in the tourney. They have played as deep a rotation as they have all season. Contributions have come from almost every player and it looks like the younger players are ready to make big contributions. Stewart played great in the BE tourney and after missing the first NCAA game, played just as well against Vanderbilt. KML has been her usual AA performer. What has been a big positive so far in the tourney has been the performance by Tuck. She has played some of her best ball and against a tough front line like Maryland, her posterior positioning will have a positive payoff. Phew. UConn has been getting the usual contributions from Dolson and Faris, and Hartley has been showing signs of her former AA form.
Final Analysis
Throw out the first game. UConn was missing KML for much of the game and Tuck only played 8 minutes. And for Maryland, Thomas had her worst game of the season.
In this match up UConn’s depth should wear out Maryland, who will only go 6 deep. When the guards need a rest, Thomas moves to the back court and Howard to the front court. Any foul trouble will devastate Maryland. UConn will also show that they can play with the physicality of Maryland, specifically Stewart. We will see how much she learned from the 1st game. And with the addition of Tuck playing extended minutes and Stokes as well, UConn won’t back down.
It will be too much UConn defense, too much KML and too deep a bench. UConn should pull this one out by double digits.
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