Maryland Women's Basketball: Game #38 vs. Duke (National Championship)

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Game #38 vs. Duke (National Championship)

The last game of the season, no matter what no one is playing again after tomorrow. Who would have thought this five months ago? Lucky for us it's a familiar opponent, yes one that has beaten us 14 of the last 15 tries, but we did take the last one. At this point (4 games this year and 7 in the last two years), we should know everything about Duke including how they smell and the illegal screens they set. No reason for me to preview them. There's a box full of hats and shirts at the arena that read Maryland National Champions, let's hope Duke never gets a chance to see theirs.

Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3

Keys to the Game

Rebound. It was a key in the Carolina game and it's the same in this game. Duke has a knack for getting offensive rebounds and those equal extra chances to score. Keep them off the glass and you can frustrate them.

Crystal needs to establish herself. Duke has done a great job of shutting her down this year and I don't see them changing that at this point. Crystal needs to get the ball and go strong and draw those fouls.

Other post players must step up. Harper was a great compliment to Lang on Sunday and she needs to do that again as well as Perry.

Outside shooting must improve. We haven't been shooting well from behind the arc since the SHU game and I think most of that is because we have been so post-orientated. Duke may double the post so that means Newman, Coleman, Toliver and Doron have to hit outside shots consistently. For some reason I see Newman making a bunch of 3s today.

Handle the pressure. Duke knows we turn the ball over when pressed so it's up to Toliver and Doron to handle the pressure accordingly and find the open passer.

Defend Harding. She killed us the first game with her driving, but since then she has stayed out on the perimeter. We need to keep her out there.

Defend Waner, Foley and Smith from 3. Role players usually step up in Championship games and we can't let them get going.

Force their posts away from the bucket. Black, Bass and Bales likes to sit in the paint and shoot lay up after lay up, we need to force them out and make them shoot jumpers and then of course grab the misses.

Make our free throws. Crystal's struggled the last two games as has Shay. Making free throws puts the game away.

Relax and have fun. It's just another game. I could tell we were relaxed yesterday during the press conferences as our players were all smiling and having fun, while Duke's players looked at it as a business trip.

Rebound.

Articles