Game 17: Michigan State

For the first time since 2005 a ranked non-conference opponent will take to the Comcast Center floor to play our Terps. It's our first game on National Television (i.e. the Big Four networks) in a long time and there are expected to be over 12,000 on hand to see us against Michigan State. The game will prove if playing all the cupcakes hurt us or helped us.

Michigan State enters the game with a record of 12-2 and winners of five straight. Their two losses have come to Hofstra and LSU, both at home. They are coming off an overtime win over Indiana on Thursday, their seventh straight OT victory (looks like we need to trademark that phrase quickly). Our only common opponent was UC Santa Barbara, which they beat by 24.

It's been over a year since we have played Michigan State in the Paradise Jam (if you want to read about that game you can click here) and their main personnel has changed. Gone are Bowen and Shimek and they are replaced by Victoria Lucas-Perry (a backup last year) and freshman 6'9 center Allyssa DeHaan (yes she is 6'9).

Unless they have changed from a year ago, MSU is a team centered around defense and they play one of the best 2-3 zones in the country. Last year it confused us and we resorted to running a weave to confuse them and get off a good shot. They are averaging 54.6 points allowed per game with the most they have given up all year is 71. They score 66.4 ppg and outrebound opponents by over 8 a game. They force opponents into 17.9 turnovers a game, while committing 19.6 per game. Opponents are shooting .324 from the floor and .271 from behind the arc.

The two key players on the team are the afore mentioned Lucas-Perry and DeHaan. Perry is 5'9 and leads the team with 13.7 ppg. She shoots 37 percent from three-point range(best on the team) and is first in steals and second in assists. DeHaan is averagaing 12.8 and 9.2 and leads the team with 67 blocks. She also shoots 56.1 percent from the floor(seems a bit low for someone who towers over ever other player). She also doesn't seem to get in foul trouble, which could be a result of the zone). Rene Haynes and Aisha Jefferson also can't be overlooked as they are also averaging double figures in points. Haynes is second on the team in three-point shooting, while Jefferson is second in rebounding.

Keys to the Game

Utilize our speed. State wants to settle you down and force you to play against their zone. The less time we give them to set up the zone, the better chance we have of building a lead.

Rebound. We haven't done it well in a few games and now we head into the game where we don't have the tallest person the court.

Attack their posts, especially DeHaan. She likes to block shots and is the key to the middle of their zone. Langhorne, Harper and the rest need to get into the paint and draw contact on her to get her out of the game. Their next tallest is 6'3, which is more manageable.

Don't be afraid to shoot the 3. We know we can make it and if they want to sit in a zone all day it's open season.

Smart passes. They are averaging nearly 10 steals per game.

Build off the crowd. Largest crowd since last year's Duke game and we shrunk in that game, can't do the same today.

Play a complete game. Do that and we win by double-figures. Don't do that and it will be a struggle to win.

Articles

Examiner

Detroit Free Press

Friday's Opponents' Results
Temple beat Brown, 71-37
Clemson beat Wake Forest, 73-57
Marshall beat Central Florida, 62-58

Opponents in Action
Marist plays Fairfield
Gardner-Webb plays North Florida
UNC-Greensboro plays Furman
Siena and Loyola square off
TCU plays Colorado St
Northern Iowa plays Drake
Arizona plays Washington State
UC Santa Barbara plays UC Irvine
Middle Tennessee plays Troy St.