Game 14: UNC Greensboro (Terrapin Classic)

Holiday break is over and now it's time to finish off 2006 in style and then get ready for ACC season. Tonight at 6 (Not the time change), the Terps take on the Spartans of UNC Greensboro in the annual Terrapin Classic. For the first time in several years the tournament actually features some decent teams as Marist and Liberty were NCAA Tournament teams last year and face off at 3:30.

UNC Greensboro enters the game with a record of 6-4 with one of the losses being a 54 drubbing at the hands of North Carolina. Last year the Spartans went 18-12 and lost in the Southern Conference Tournament. They are averaging 3.7 ppg, but allowing 65.4 ppg. The don't tend to shoot well from the floor as they are under 40 percent on the year and are shooting slightly worse from behind the arc (.319) They are getting outrebounded 39.0 to 36.3 and committing 18.5 turnovers per game. Interesting enough they are averaging 13.5 steals per game.

They are led by 5'7 guard Jasmine Byrd who is averaging 16.7 ppg. She has taken at least 60 more shots than the next person on the team and is the main three-point shooter. She has only missed five of 28 free throws. Their leading rebounder is 5'10 KaLeah Latham with 5.6 per game. She is also second on the team in scoring with 8.7 ppg. The only have two players over 6' tall and those players have seen time in every game, but haven't made a significant impact. Basically the key is to just shut down Byrd and the rest will take care of itself.

For those not in the area, the game is on ACC Select and WMUC (both links available through www.umterps.com)

Keys to the Game

Put the game away early. The football game starts at 8 and I don't want to have to worry about two games at the same time.

Shut down Byrd. She runs the team.

Establish inside presence as we have in the previous games. I want to limit UNC to under 25 rebounds if possible.

Continue to get Sa'de familiar with the offense as we head into ACC season.

Get Newman out of her shooting slump.