No. 12 Maryland women’s basketball bounced again on Thursday within the first sport of its West Coast street journey. In most circumstances, the Terps would look to construct momentum by sweeping the street journey in a monumental a part of the season.
But what Sunday brings is a tall process; a juggernaut. No. 3 UCLA.
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Maryland’s hardest opponent on its schedule comes at an inopportune time, having suffered its first two losses in back-to-back weeks.
The Terps will look to upset the Bruins at 4 p.m. from Pauley Pavilion on NBC within the slot previous to Sunday’s NFC Divisional between the Bears and Rams.
No. 3 UCLA Bruins (16-1, 6-0 Big Ten)(*12*)
2024-25 report: (*12*)34-3, 16-2 Big Ten
Head coach Cori Close (*12*)is in her fifteenth season with the Bruins, boasting an general report of 337-144. She most lately led the Bruins to the Big Ten championship and the Final Four final season. Most of that roster from final season returned this yr.
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Since becoming a member of the Big Ten, the Bruins have misplaced one dwelling sport — to then-No. 4 USC within the common season finale final season.
This season, the Bruins have misplaced one sport, a impartial website 11-point loss to No. 4 Texas within the Players Era Festival.
Simply put, will probably be a tall order for the Terps to drag off a street upset over the group that beat them by 15 at dwelling final season.
“It’s going to take a team, UCLA is ranked where they’re at for a good reason,” head coach Brenda Frese mentioned. “They’ve got all five starters averaging in double figures. It’s going to take another collective team effort on both ends of the floor.”
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Players to look at(*12*)
Lauren Betts, senior heart, 6-foot-7, No. 51 (*12*)— Lauren Betts is one among, if not the very best participant within the nation, and a shoe-in for a top-three choice within the upcoming WNBA Draft. Last season, she was National Defensive Player of the Year, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Associated Press First Team All-America, John R. Wooden Award All-American, 2025 Lisa Leslie Center of the Year and took dwelling many different honors. Against Maryland, she scored a career-high 33 factors. This season, she’s averaging 16.4 factors, 8.6 rebounds and a pair of.8 assists.
(*3*) Frese joked.
Kiki Rice, senior guard, 5-foot-11, No. 1 (*12*)— Rice is in her fourth season with the Bruins and continues to be their major guard. The Bethesda native averages 15.6 factors, 6.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per sport. Last season, she was an AP All-America Honorable Mention, WBCA All-America Honorable Mention and Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Finalist. Rice stays among the best guards within the nation on among the best groups within the nation.
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Gianna Kneepkens, graduate guard, 6-foot-0, No. 8 (*12*)— Kneepkens is in her first season with the Bruins after spending 4 seasons with Utah. Last season, she led Utah with 19.3 factors, 5 rebounds and three assists per sport. This season, she’s averaging 13.8 factors, 3.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists per sport. She’s an essential further piece to an already very proficient group, and has carved out a productive function for a nationwide championship contender.
Strength(*12*)
Depth.(*12*) UCLA has 4 gamers that common 13 or extra factors per sport, and two others that common 9.6 and eight.7 factors per sport, respectively. Every participant that UCLA will placed on the courtroom on Sunday is a risk. Lauren Betts has just a little sister, Sienna, who has change into a stable bench possibility because the begin of Big Ten play. Gabriela Jaquez can also be a proficient guard and among the best gamers within the nation, and continues to be arguably not one of many Bruins’ prime three gamers. Last season, it was principally Betts that dominated the Terps in College Park. That will seemingly not be the case once more, because the Bruins are much more proficient than they had been a yr in the past.
Weakness
Beating prime competitors. (*12*)UCLA’s lone lack of the season was to No. 4 Texas, and its finest win is over No. 13 Oklahoma. It additionally has wins over No. 14 Ohio State — who beat Maryland by 13 final Sunday — and No. 20 Tennessee. However, the purpose nonetheless stays that the Terps are ranked greater than any group the Bruins have beat this season. In a street sport the place it looks like all odds are stacked towards them, that’s one thing the Terps can maintain their hat on.
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Three issues to know(*12*)
1. Who will guard Betts? (*12*)As Frese talked about, the Terps don’t have anybody 6-foot-7 to protect Lauren Betts. The finest the Terps have is Marya Boiko, who’s 6-foot-4 and was delivered to Maryland for her measurement. Last season, Amari DeBerry, who’s 6-foot-6, guarded her, and it didn’t work — she scored 33 factors. But count on Frese to make the most of Boiko as somebody to considerably contest Betts.
2. Are the Terps much more injured? (*12*)The Terps have had 11 obtainable gamers in Big Ten play after present process three season-ending accidents and Bri McDaniel opting to redshirt this season. On Thursday, Rainey Welson went down after a collision with Jazzy Davidson and didn’t return. If Welson can’t play, the Terps should go deeper of their bench to search out manufacturing towards UCLA.
3. What are Maryland’s possibilities? (*12*)It’s apparent that UCLA is the clear favourite at dwelling on Sunday. That being mentioned, the Terps do have an opportunity to outlive UCLA and sweep its West Coast street journey. A win may have big implications on the rest of the common season.