WELCOME TO THE SERENGTI! Two years later, the first two rounds ran through College Park. Maryland received the fourth seed in the NCAA Tournament..
For the first time, Maryland and Norfolk State will face each other on Saturday afternoon, as Norfolk State is the first 13th seed.
The Winner will advance to the round of 32 on Monday. The winner will face either Green Bay or Alabama.
Nathan’s Keys to Victory!
- First Historical Matchup
For the first time in history, Maryland and Norfolk State will face each other. Maryland has made its 15th straight NCAA tournament appearance. Norfolk State is making its third consecutive appearance and holds the highest seed in their program history. Coming off an early exit from the Big Ten Tournament, Maryland is highly motivated, and they will be ready to play at home for potentially two games. The Spartans are fresh off winning the MEAC conference championship, finishing the season with 30 wins. Ironically, there are four opponents that Norfolk State has lost to this season who are also in the Tournament: Alabama, Green Bay, Washington State, and North Carolina.
2. Spartan Defense vs Terrapin Defense
The first thing that will jump out is how both teams match up defensively. The Spartans are considered one of the best defensive teams, allowing 56 points per game and forcing nearly 22 turnovers each game.. However, the Terrapins have the advantage of rebounding, as Norfolk State is not a strong defensive team on the glass, averaging 24 rebounds. Maryland can dominate the glass, but the most significant factor is creating turnovers. It will be interesting to see how Coach Frese plans to approach this.
3. A collective Maryland Terrapin effort!
Even though Norfolk State is a strong team, their only weakness is free throws, as they shoot at a rate of around 70%. Maryland has done a great job of getting to the line, ranking eighth and sixth in the nation as the best free-throw shooting team.
It will be close to two weeks since the Maryland Basketball Game. Shyanne Sellers and Saylor Poffenbarger should be ready to play as they have recovered from injuries. However, this is where others, such as leading scorer Kaylene Smikle, who is making her first NCAA tournament appearance, Christina Dalce, who is a paint beast and the energy bunny, and Sarah Te-Biasu, who picked up her game towards the end of the season, stand out. Lastly, even though the Spartans can go eight deep, the Terrapins have a bench that can do a little bit of everything, from Amari DeBerry providing size in the paint. Ava McKennie and Mir McLean give you defensive energy, Emily Fisher gives you valuable minutes, and lastly, our sixth woman, Allie Kubek, who had a game-winning shot in the first round last year, can not only post but also space the floor.
4. Although it is home, Maryland should take this game as Motivation.
Many observers predict that Norfolk State will win this game. Some recall last season’s disappointing exit for the Terrapins against Iowa State. However, given how Maryland has performed at times this season, particularly against Big Ten opponents, people often overlook this context. The Terrapins have dealt with multiple injuries, which have impacted their performance as the season has progressed. Ultimately, how Maryland performs on Saturday will depend entirely on their efforts, especially since they face an opponent they have never faced before. As has been demonstrated, being a higher seed does not guarantee victory; it’s win or go home.
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