Meant to do this yesterday, but got caught up with other stuff.
A couple of quick preview thoughts:
1) Maryland's 2 bigs offer a major match-up problem for many teams - but for RU is a particular problem without Ogbole. RU is very thin with big bodies. Grant and Dortch are tall (though Grant is really just 6'6" or 6'8", and Sommerville, though listed at 6'10" is closer to 6'8" iMO. Whether RU can game-plan how to defend that will obviously be a big determinant of the outcome.
2) That said, RU also presents match-up issues, assuming Bailey and Harper are fully healthy. I will be interested to see who defends those 2 players to start (my guess is Rice and Miguel, both 6'4", each cover 1 of Bailey and Harper (not the 6'1" Gillespie).
3) Maryland is a very, very good offensive team, averaging 82+ points per game ... and importantly, shooting 37% from 3 to go with their 2 excellent post scorers. 2 of their starters shoot better than 40% from 3, and a 3rd shoots 37% from 3. A problem. And they are a good FT shooting team also - 74%+. And get fouled a lot so they take a lot of FT's. They are also a very good rebounding team. And they only turn the ball over 10.4 times per game despite the pace at which they play.
4) Maryland also is a good defensive team, maybe very goo. They only average giving up 66 ppg, despite scoring 82+ ppg themselves. They hold opponents to 41.7% FG, and force almost 15 turnovers per game (very good).
5) Maryland gets little scoring from their bench, and only has 1 bench player average over 15 minutes per game (at 17 mpg). On the other hand, you cannot say RU is very deep either, eh? And all 5 Maryland starters average in double digits scoring.
Potential Keys:
1) Game plan successfully the balance between defending the 2 post players with defending the 3-point line. Few have been able to do so so far.
2) Hold Maryland BELOW 75 points ... or at worst at 79 points or fewer. Maryland has been held below 75 points on just FOUR (4) occasions this season, and are 0-4: Home (or neutral?) vs Marquette, @Washington, @Nebraska and @Ohio St (this past Thursday). Notice, 3 of those were on the road, not at home. FYI, at 79 points or fewer, Maryland is 7-6 on the year, 10-0 when scoring 80 points or more.
3) It would be helpful to get Reese )or Queen, but Reese is more foul-prone) in foul triuble ... and Gillespie. I would guess Gillespie starts matched agains Williams - can Williams drive and get Gillespie in foul trouble, like he did vs Jakucionis of Illinois?
4) Imperative Harper and Bailey score well. And at least 1 other player ... and make some threes.
A couple of quick preview thoughts:
1) Maryland's 2 bigs offer a major match-up problem for many teams - but for RU is a particular problem without Ogbole. RU is very thin with big bodies. Grant and Dortch are tall (though Grant is really just 6'6" or 6'8", and Sommerville, though listed at 6'10" is closer to 6'8" iMO. Whether RU can game-plan how to defend that will obviously be a big determinant of the outcome.
2) That said, RU also presents match-up issues, assuming Bailey and Harper are fully healthy. I will be interested to see who defends those 2 players to start (my guess is Rice and Miguel, both 6'4", each cover 1 of Bailey and Harper (not the 6'1" Gillespie).
3) Maryland is a very, very good offensive team, averaging 82+ points per game ... and importantly, shooting 37% from 3 to go with their 2 excellent post scorers. 2 of their starters shoot better than 40% from 3, and a 3rd shoots 37% from 3. A problem. And they are a good FT shooting team also - 74%+. And get fouled a lot so they take a lot of FT's. They are also a very good rebounding team. And they only turn the ball over 10.4 times per game despite the pace at which they play.
4) Maryland also is a good defensive team, maybe very goo. They only average giving up 66 ppg, despite scoring 82+ ppg themselves. They hold opponents to 41.7% FG, and force almost 15 turnovers per game (very good).
5) Maryland gets little scoring from their bench, and only has 1 bench player average over 15 minutes per game (at 17 mpg). On the other hand, you cannot say RU is very deep either, eh? And all 5 Maryland starters average in double digits scoring.
Potential Keys:
1) Game plan successfully the balance between defending the 2 post players with defending the 3-point line. Few have been able to do so so far.
2) Hold Maryland BELOW 75 points ... or at worst at 79 points or fewer. Maryland has been held below 75 points on just FOUR (4) occasions this season, and are 0-4: Home (or neutral?) vs Marquette, @Washington, @Nebraska and @Ohio St (this past Thursday). Notice, 3 of those were on the road, not at home. FYI, at 79 points or fewer, Maryland is 7-6 on the year, 10-0 when scoring 80 points or more.
3) It would be helpful to get Reese )or Queen, but Reese is more foul-prone) in foul triuble ... and Gillespie. I would guess Gillespie starts matched agains Williams - can Williams drive and get Gillespie in foul trouble, like he did vs Jakucionis of Illinois?
4) Imperative Harper and Bailey score well. And at least 1 other player ... and make some threes.
