Go Iowa Awesome – Preview: No. 6 Iowa WBB at No. 7 Maryland

WHO: #7 Maryland Terrapins (22-5, 13-3 Large Ten)
WHEN: 7:00 PM CT
WHERE: XFINITY Heart (School Park, MD)
TV: BTN (Mike Corridor and Stephanie White)
RADIO: Hawkeye Radio Community (Rob Brooks and Jaime Cavey Lang) | XM TBD or SXM TBD
MOBILE: www.foxsports.com/cellular
ONLINE: www.foxsports.com/dwell
FOLLOW: @IowaAwesome | @IowaWBB | @IowaonBTN

#6 Iowa vs. #7 Maryland. Iowa should win this recreation to take care of hope of profitable a share of the Large Ten common season title. The sport will even be vital for NCAA Match functions. Each groups are projected as 2 seeds within the NCAA Match by ESPN. Each will need to keep away from being in the identical bracket as undefeated #1 total South Carolina. For Iowa, a 1 seed may nonetheless be attainable with an enormous finish of season run.

Given the ramifications, it’s honest to say that it is without doubt one of the greatest video games in Iowa girls’s basketball historical past — and likewise not Iowa’s greatest recreation of the week. That comes on Sunday when #2 Indiana and School GameDay go to Iowa Metropolis.

Frankly, I feel it is a 50/50 recreation at finest for Iowa. Undecided I’ve ever stated that about an opponent Iowa led by 20 and beat by 14 in a primary matchup. However a number of issues went proper for Iowa and fallacious for Maryland in that first recreation that will not occur once more. Iowa will even have to win in a location — School Park, MD — they’ve by no means received earlier than; the Hawkeyes are 0-5 of their earlier journeys to the XFINITY Heart.

Caitlin Clark, Monika Czinano, and Hannah Stuelke all had a number of the finest video games of their respective careers in opposition to Maryland just a few weeks in the past. Clark shot 13/19 (68%) from the ground and had 42 factors and eight assists. Czinano was 14/18 (77.7%) from the ground and had 28 factors and 6 rebounds. Stuelke chipped in 13 factors and was an ideal 5/5 from the ground.

Maryland’s protection didn’t look able to stopping any of that trio within the first recreation, so it’s actually attainable for any of them have one other huge recreation offensively this time. That stated, Iowa can be fortunate if any match their first recreation totals; they have been all spectacular and performed effectively above expectations that day.

Iowa was additionally aided considerably by a heavy dose of whistles in opposition to the Terrapins. Maryland star Diamond Miller was in foul bother a lot of the recreation (ending with 32 minutes performed, simply fourth-best for Maryland that day) and was one in every of six Terrapins who ended the sport with 4 fouls. Iowa ought to attempt to replicate that strain by drawing extra calls; Maryland is simply 5-4 in video games the place Miller commits at the very least 4 private fouls.

Lastly, Maryland shot simply 2/18 (11%) as a workforce from three within the recreation. A few of that was a results of Iowa giving jumpers to Maryland’s worst shooters, however not all of it; even the worst shooters in faculty basketball shoot a lot better than 11% from three. Iowa shouldn’t count on one other taking pictures efficiency that poor from Maryland, particularly at dwelling.

If Maryland shoots higher, Iowa shoots a little bit worse, and Maryland’s finest gamers keep out of foul bother, this recreation might be much more aggressive.

Diamond Miller — 20.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.0 spg, 54.5% from 2, 22.2% from 3.

Within the first recreation, Miller led Maryland with 27 factors. She shot 8/17 from the sector and 11/15 from the road. Miller is a particularly athletic wing that may possible be drafted within the prime 5 of this yr’s WNBA draft. Iowa had no actual reply for her drives to the rim within the first recreation, and I doubt the Hawks will have the ability to cease her this time. Final recreation, Iowa benefited from Miller entering into foul bother all through the sport, so her fouls might be one thing to observe on this one. Miller can be struggling to shoot from distance this yr, so Iowa will possible give her room on protection and attempt to encourage her to shoot jumpers. Will probably be fascinating to see if she settles for these or if she continues attacking the basket.

Shyanne Sellers — 14.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.9 spg, 54.1% from 2, 37.3% from 3.

Within the first recreation, Sellers was practically as unstoppable as Miller, scoring 26 factors on 10-17 taking pictures. Like Miller, Sellers likes to assault the basket off the dribble, and like Miller Iowa had no actual reply for her within the first recreation. Sellers contributes effectively for Maryland on each ends of the court docket, however in opposition to Iowa she regarded like a star offensively. Will probably be fascinating to see if she has one other huge recreation on offense, or if she reverts extra in direction of her season common.

Abby Meyers — 14.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.7 spg, 46.9% from 2, 37.7% from 3.

Meyers is perhaps the X-factor for Maryland’s offense. Within the first recreation, Iowa largely performed off of Meyers and let her shoot open jumpers. Meyers has been shooter all season, however struggled in opposition to Iowa, taking pictures 2/8 from 3 and three/9 from 2. If Meyers shoots poorly for a second-straight recreation, Iowa can commit extra defensive assets to Sellers and Miller. If she shoots effectively, Iowa should guard her shut and will not have the ability to clog driving lanes as simply.

Extra balanced scoring. Within the first Maryland matchup, Clark, Czinano, and Stuelke outscored the Terps by themselves, scoring 83 of Iowa’s 96 factors. Maryland will definitely have a recreation plan for the best way to higher sluggish every of them down. I don’t assume Maryland can cease any of them, however simply slowing them down a bit is perhaps sufficient.

That’s the place Iowa’s different choices want to come back in. If Maryland devotes extra assets to stopping Clark, Czinano, and Stuelke that ought to go away loads of open pictures for Gabbie Marshall, McKenna Warnock, Kate Martin, and Molly Davis. They should be able to hit these pictures. If they’ll, Iowa might be in fine condition even when Clark and Czinano aren’t as dominant.