The Maryland women?s basketball team has a lot on its side as it prepares to defend its national championship this season, starting with Friday?s season opener at Middle Tennessee State.
Maryland coach Brenda Frese came away feeling good about the performance of a number of players following the Terps? 80-64 exhibition game victory over the Lake Truck All-Stars Thursday at the Comcast Center. Point guard Christie Marrone, in her first game since transferring from Virginia Tech a year ago, had seven points, six rebounds and four assists. And guard/forward Marissa Coleman validated Frese?s claim of her improved play, with 10 points, seven rebounds and two assists while spending time playing some backup point guard. She was one of nine players who scored, including four in double-figures.
However, the Terps did just enough things wrong to give Frese plenty to talk about in the way of improvement, especially on defense.
“There are a lot of areas we need to improve on,” said Frese, whose team was outscored, 20-5, in the final 8:30 Thursday. “We were disappointed in terms of our defense. We felt like we could get out and be a lot more aggressive than what we were able to do. That?s why it?s the first game. You?re able to get your jitters out and move forward.”
Maryland can?t expect an easy game at Middle Tennessee State, a team which won the Sun Belt Conference for the third year in a row last season. Senior Chrissy Givens and Krystle Horton lead the Blue Raiders. Givens averaged 21.5 points and 3.16 steals a game last year, while Horton averaged 11.9 points and 5.7 rebounds.
“We?re excited because only one team gets to open their season against the defending national champions,” Middle Tennessee coach Rick Insell said. “We?re just looking forward to a great night for our program and a great night for women?s basketball.”
Guard Kristi Toliver added that she expects Maryland to play much better in the regular season.
“We didn?t play our best, and our team has a lot to work on,” Toliver said. “There were a lot of things that went wrong that we, as a team, are capable of changing. It will be interesting to see our improvement from [Thursday?s] game in the season opener.”
TERPS NOTES
» Friday night?s opener at Middle Tennessee State represents a homecoming for Maryland guard Ashleigh Newman, who is a Shelbyville, Tenn. native. At Shelbyville High, she played for coach Rick Insell, who is now the head coach at Middle Tennessee.
» For the first time in the history of the Wade Trophy, four players from the same team were named to its preseason watch list. Maryland?s Crystal Langhorne, Shay Doron, Marissa Coleman and Kristi Toliver are all contenders for the award, given annually by the Women?s Basketball Coaches Association to the top women?s basketball player in the country.
» Doron, Coleman and Langhorne are also among 30 preseason candidates for the John R. Wooden Award, while Langhorne and Coleman were also selected to the preseason All-ACC team.
