Maryland women’s basketball vs. James Madison preview

After more than a week off, Maryland women’s basketball will be back in action Wednesday when it takes on James Madison.

The Terps, riding a six-game winning streak, are coming off a 99-51 trouncing against Towson, led by a career-high 19 points from Bri McDaniel.

Wednesday’s game, Maryland’s final nonconference matchup of the regular-season, will begin at 2 p.m. and stream on Big Ten Plus.

James Madison Dukes (8-3, 0-0 Sun Belt)

2022-23 record: 26-8, 13-5 Sun Belt

Sean O’Regan is in his eighth season as head coach of the Dukes and is fresh off a conference championship. O’Regan has been with the program for 15 seasons, ascending the Dukes’ coaching ranks. In his first season as head coach, he guided the team to a 26-9 record, as well as a fourth consecutive appearance in the CAA title game.

The Dukes are on a three-game winning streak, most recently edging out Maine, 78-71. Their most impressive victory, however, may be a 55-53 win over Wake Forest, one of the their two wins over a team from a high-major conference (Xavier).

It also participated in the Cancun Challenge, where it went 1-1.

Players to know

Kseniia Kozlova, redshirt junior center, 6-foot-4, No. 35 — Kozlova leads the Dukes with 12 points per game and is third on the team with close to six rebounds per game. Last year, she was once named Sun Belt Player of the Week and the Hawk Classic Tournament MVP.

Peyton McDaniel, redshirt sophomore guard, 6-foot, No. 00 — Despite her shorter stature, McDaniel leads the Dukes at over eight rebounds per game, while starting in every contest. Her 11.5 points per game rank only behind Kozlova.

Jamia Hazell, redshirt junior guard, 5-foot-8, No. 25 — Hazell leads the Dukes in steals (10) and is third on the squad with 11.2 points per game. In 2021, she was named to the CAA All-Rookie team.

Strength

Rebounding. The Dukes have a number of players who can get up on the glass, including their smaller guards. This season, they have grabbed an average of 48.9 boards per game, compared to their opponents average of just 33.2.

Weakness

Turnovers. The Dukes have racked up 166 turnovers while forcing just 123. The Terps, who force over 17 turnovers a game, could look to take advantage in the fast-break Wednesday.

Three things to watch

1. Can the Terps out-rebound the Dukes? James Madison’s tenacity on the glass could pose a challenge for the Terps, despite their recent advantage in that category. The Dukes thrive on second-chance opportunities, which will need to be a point of emphasis for the Terps.

2. Will Frese continue to experiment with lineups? Maryland head coach Brenda Frese has emphasized that lineups and substitutions are often made based on the matchup and scouting report. Against Towson, she opted for a bigger lineup at times, employing Allie Kubek, Faith Masonius and Emily Fisher simultaneously. Might James Madison’s rebounding prowess mean another big lineup for the Terps?

3. Last game before conference play. It will be interesting to see how the Terps come out after a week off, especially with a chance to extend their win streak to seven games before Big Ten play in two weeks.