FanPost

WBB: Maryland!

Kaila Awaiting Jump Ball

Be Nice If Kaila Is Close to 100%. Photo Sbas. Flickr.com

Brenda Frese might be unhappy because this is Maryland's third straight trip to Raleigh, and Maryland has lost the two prior trips. Maryland lost to State in 2014 when Kody Burke's State team beat Alyssa Thomas's Maryland team 72-63. This was Maryland's last trip to Reynolds while still an ACC member. Two seasons ago, Kiara Leslie's State team defeated Kaila Charles's Maryland team 74-60 in the round of 32 in the ACC tournament.

Kaila Charles, now a senior, returns with her Maryland team for a December 5th matchup with State. Maryland has some skill and has some size. The starting line-up features six-one Kaila Charles, six-foot Ashley Owusu, five-eleven Taylor Mikesell, six-five Shakira Austin and six-foot Blair Watson. Note that only one of Maryland's players who started in Maryland's game against Clemson is under six-feet.

Further, here is the bio on Shakira:

Before Maryland: Named the No. 3 overall player and No. 2 forward by ESPN ...named a McDonalds All-American, a WBCA High School All-American and to the Jordan Brand Classic Game, where she was MVP of the away team with 18 points and 14 rebounds...played junior and sophomore years at Colonial Forge High School... averaged 18.0 points and 12.3 rebounds per game as a junior and blocked 88 shots...led Colonial Forge team to Class 6A state title as a junior...named The Fredericksburg Free-Lance Star Player of the Year in her junior season...played freshman year at James Monroe High School...invited to USA Basketball U18 Team Trials in May 2018.

Elissa Cunane again gets to face a six-five center who was in her 2018 recruiting class and who was a McDonald's All-American.

From warrennolan.com:

State is 8-0 while Maryland is 7-1 with Maryland's only loss being to South Carolina whose current Live RPI is 18. Maryland's Live RPI is 39 while State's is 52. State's best win RPI wise was over N.C. A&T (RPI 124), while Maryland's was over James Madison (RPI 61). Maryland's ELO is 8 while State's is 11. RI likes Maryland 75-68 with a 73% win probability; ELO likes State 72-70 with a 55% probability; and warrennolan likes Maryland 75-68.

With Maryland's size State better light up the three board like they did against Texas-or hopefully be faster enabling quick scoring strikes.