Welcome to the toughest test of out-of-conference season.
First of all, it speaks volumes about Maryland's cupcake non-league schedule when the toughest test is barely ranked in only one of the polls but that's an issue for another day. The focus is on tomorrow's game and it's a big one. If Old Dominion was a step up in weight class, then the Lady Bulldogs are a couple of steps up. Plus, it's the first road game of the season.
College basketball is notorious for being a sport where home court advantage means a considerable amount. Maryland hasn't lost at the Comcast Center in years but last season alone they lost on the road to TCU, Pittsburgh, Duke, and Virginia. Home court is especially important when it comes to young teams. Dara Taylor, Diandra Tchatchouang, and Tianna Hawkins have never faced a road atmosphere like they will tomorrow in Starkville. It's not like thousands and thousands of people are going to be there but it's still a long plane ride down to the middle of nowhere. Very awkward to be sure, especially if you're not used to it. And a good chunk of Maryland's roster isn't used to it.
It's not just the road trip itself that could give the Terps trouble, however. The team they're facing is pretty good as well. Mississippi State went 23-10 last year, upsetting # 6 seed Texas in the first round of the NCAA tournament before giving # 3 seed Ohio State a real battle in Columbus, falling 64-58. They return four starters from that team and were picked to finish 3rd in the SEC behind Tennessee (perhaps you've heard of them) and LSU (them too, to a much lesser extent) by the coaches in the league.
The leader of the gang for the Lady Bulldogs is Alexis Rack, a preseason First Team All-SEC selection and was First Team All-SEC last year, leading the team in eleven different categories including points per game (14.9) and assists (142.) She dropped 27 points on the Terps in the Terrapin Classic last year, a close 80-73 Maryland escape last December so they know what she can do firsthand. I have to imagine that it'll be Lori Bjork's job to stop Rack tomorrow, as it's Bjork who is the guard who has the senior experience and who is arguably the hardest worker on the team. Bjork also has four inches of height on her, which could throw her off her game as well and Rack hit seven threes in that game and Bjork, being a three expert herself, could have a few tricks to throw her off her game from beyond the arc.
Rack is joined by a couple of returnees who have names that will give poor Kenny Gartner headaches tomorrow afternoon. Both Armelie Lumanu and Chanel Mokango were All SEC Defensive Team selections last year. Lumanu led the Lady Bulldogs in steals last year with 70 and Mokango set a single season school record for blocks with 97, which ranked 9th nationally. Lumanu and Mokango, who are both from Kinshasa, Congo and both went to Southeastern Illinois College, are also threats on the offensive end, both averaging over 10 points per game last season.
Furthermore, Mokango, at 6'5, neutralizes Lynetta Kizer and the Terps' height advantage in this one. Kizer will have her hands full with the African tomorrow; it's matchups like this one that will prove if she's ready to take the next step and become one of the best post players in the country like we know she can become. The rebounding battle between Kizer and the Terps and Mokango and the Lady Bulldogs could go a long way to determining tomorrow's victor.
This should be a defensive battle. Away from their home court, I think the Terps get dragged down in to a low-scoring fistfight. Their pace will prevent this game from being in the 40's or 50's but I wouldn't be shocked to see a game in the 60's. Expect a close scoring war where the Kizer/Mokango battle as well as the battle of the trio of Maryland guards (Barrett, Taylor, Bjork) against Rack could cancel out, leaving the Terps with a perceived advantage if Tchatchouang and Hawkins can continue their hot play. Before the season, I would've given this game to the Bulldogs. Now? I'm switching my prediction. I really like what I've seen from this Maryland team and while there will be rough patches for sure tomorrow, I think they have just, just enough in the bag to pull it out.
Might not get to a recap until Monday. I've got a national championship game to broadcast tomorrow (go Terps field hockey!) and then a 6 hour trip home from Winston Salem so I might be too beat to do one tomorrow night. If nothing else though, I'll squeeze one in on Monday during a study break (two tests Tuesday.) The game will be on tape delay on www.wmucsports.com so keep an eye out for that.
PREDICTION - Maryland 67, Mississippi State 63
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