Maryland Women's Basketball: Game #23: North Carolina (ESPN2)

Well here it is, our biggest home game of the year. For the first time in program history, 17,950 people will fill the Comcast Center. A win proves the Duke loss was a fluke, gives us the tiebreaker over UNC and keeps us alive for a No. 1 seed come tournament time. It's also our second home game on national television, which I think is tied with the men this year.

For those that need a history lesson, Carolina has lost 3 of 4 to us including the Final Four last year. They own the nation's longest winning streak at 22 games and the last time they won 22 in a row, they lost (to Maryland in OT).

The ACC wants people to wear pink today to support the fight against breast cancer.

North Carolina
Ranking:2/2
Record: 22-0, 4-0 (ACC), 3-0 (Road)
Common Opponents: Virginia (W, 96-62), Clemson (W, 100-65), NC State (W, 86-65)
Most Points Allowed: 76
Fewest points scored: 69

Team Stats - Team Stats

Averaging nearly 89.9 ppg, while allowing only 51.0

Shooting 48.3% from the floor and 35.1% from three; opponents are shooting 32.1% and 24.9%, respectively.

Outrebounding teams 48.5-33.5

Averaging 16.3 steals per game, but committing 20.0 turnovers per game.

Shooting 69.8% from the free throw line

Tend to stay out of foul trouble, while getting other team's in foul trouble. (65 more fouls have been called on their opponents).

Like to grab rebounds and go. Game is dependent on their transition offense.

Players to Watch - Roster

Ivory Latta. The "PG" that makes this team go. Leads team in points, assists and three-point FG%. Must be guarded at all times and slowed down.

Camille Little. Rangy player that can do it all. Second on the team in scoring, third in rebounding and first in steals. Not afraid to shoot the 3 or just people to the bucket. Will use her length to trap and get the steal.

Erlana Larkins. The team's beef in the middle. She sets up in the paint and looks to bang with the bodies down there. Third on the team in scoring, first in rebounding, second in assists (meaning she passes out of the double team well) and third in steals. She is a key to their regular offense. When she is not on the floor, their offense seems to struggle. Will take a 3 if left open.

LaToya Pringle. Long forward who will disrupt shots and passes. Fourth on the team in scoring, first in blocks, second in rebounding. Has fouled out twice.

Rashana McCants. Younger version of Little. Helps out on the traps. Can shoot the ball, but won't attack as much as Little.

Jessica Breland. Pringle's replacement and clone. Will take a three-point shot.

Alex Miller. Latta's replacement who will also push the tempo. Does play more in control than Latta.

Heather Claytor. Three-point shooter off the bench. Doesn't attack the glass as she hasn't taken a FT all year.

Keys to the Game

Attack the paint. I don't care if the guards take 5 shots in the first 20 minutes, but Sylvia will be stubborn and let Larkins and Pringle play defense straight up on Harper and Langhorne. We need to get the ball down there and attack the, every chance we get.

Control the pace of the game. This didn't happen in the Duke game and we saw what happened there. If you slow Carolina down enough they will make mistakes and get frustrated.

Relax and have fun. The team has gotten excited the last few years playing in front of large crowds. They need to get over that and feed off the emotion.

Defend. Carolina can score from essentially every spot on the floor and we must be ready for that. Our post defense, which has struggled since the Duke game, has to be better. I can see NC attacking us downlow to get Langhorne and Harper out of the game.

Take care of the ball. Don't allow Carolina to set up the trap and attack their press so that they aren't in position.

Harper must step up and play big. We need her to not worry about getting her shot blocked and continue to take it to the basket.

The second wave needs to show up. Jade, SWG and Newman have to be ready to go as we will need them (as Ashleigh found out last year).

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