After losing a tough game to No. 2 North Carolina Sunday, a game against GeorgiaTech would appear to be the perfect way for the Maryland women?s basketball team to get back on the winning track.
But that might not be the case. This year?s Yellow Jackets (13-8, 4-3 Atlantic Coast Conference), who host the Terps tonight, are a much-improved team from the one that won just two conference games last year. Georgia Tech enters the game having won two straight ACC contests, including a 58-45 win Sunday at Wake Forest.
Maryland coach Brenda Frese expects to see a lot of presses and traps coming from Georgia Tech?s defense, much like against North Carolina. The Yellow Jackets allow just 58.4 points per game and are third in the ACC in steals at nearly 12.7 per game.
Frese said those statistics concerns her, especially after No. 4 Maryland committed 21 turnovers in its 84-71 loss to North Carolina.
“We?re expecting Georgia Tech to press us even more than North Carolina did,” Frese said.
“We have to do a much better job taking care of the basketball. But a lot of our turnovers weren?t due to the pressure. We may have been too anxious out there wanting to play well in front of a sellout crowd at home.”
For the first time this season, Maryland (21-2, 5-2) is in a position of having to prove itself. The defending national champion began the week in fourth place in the conference. Georgia Tech and N.C. State are both one game behind the Terps in the standings.
Junior guard Stephanie Higgs leads the Yellow Jackets in scoring at 14.8 points per game. Sophomore forward Janie Mitchell averages 13.4 points and 6.4 rebounds, while junior guard Chioma Nnamaka contributes 13.1 points a game.
“We know Maryland is a very deep and talented team, but we are not going to be shell-shocked when they come in to play us,” Georgia Tech coach MaChelle Joseph said. “We are just going to go out there and press and show a lot of different looks because we don?t havethe depth or the athleticism that teams like Maryland, Duke and North Carolina have.”
MARYLAND-GEORGIA TECH NOTES
» Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight at the Alexander Memorial Coliseum in Atlanta.
» Maryland leads the overall series, 39-15, including wins in the last four games. But Georgia Tech has given Maryland a tough time in its last two games, including a 71-66 loss in the quarterfinals of last year?s ACC tournament.
» By playing tonight, Maryland senior guard Shay Doron will surpass Christy Winters on the school?s all-time list for career games played. Tonight will mark Doron?s 124th career game in a Terps uniform.
