Opponent Preview: What to know ahead of No. 20 Maryland
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For the second consecutive season, Syracuse has started 3-0. After outscoring Lafayette and Central Connecticut State 176-94 across its first two games, Syracuse continued its dominance against Coppin State Wednesday, defeating it 80-47.
Following their three-game homestand, the Orange face their biggest test of the season thus far, traveling to College Park, MD, to face No. 20 Maryland. The Terrapins return home for the first time since defeating Harvard 98-75 on Nov. 6. Since then, they lost on the road to No. 6 South Carolina and No. 8 Connecticut by a combined 70 points.
Here’s everything you need to know about No. 20 Maryland (1-2, 0-0 Big Ten) ahead of its matchup against Syracuse (3-0, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference):
All-time series
Maryland leads 5-0.
Last time they played
On Dec. 2, 2015, then-No. 20 Syracuse lost 82-64 to then-No. 5 Maryland at the XFINITY Center. The Orange were 4-1 — with their only loss a 57-55 nailbiter to No. 4 Tennessee — heading into their matchup with No. 5 Maryland, but the Terrapins dominated SU.
In a wire-to-wire effort, Maryland never relinquished its lead. The Terrapins shot 51% from the field and outrebounded SU 55-31. Syracuse’s loss to Maryland was one of its eight losses in the 2015-16 season, a season in which the Orange were NCAA Tournament runner-ups.
The Terrapins report
After reaching the Elite Eight in 2022-23, Maryland is off to a slow start in 2023-24. Izabel Varejão noted postgame Wednesday that the Terrapins have had a lot of turnover this year.
Maryland’s top scorers from a season ago, Diamond Miller (19.7 points per game) and Abby Meyers (14.3) have since graduated. The Terrapins faced a similar situation last season after their leading scorers from 2021-22, Angel Reese (LSU) and Ashley Owusu (Virginia Tech, Penn State), transferred to different programs.
With its major roster turnover over the last two seasons, Maryland is fielding one of its weakest teams in recent memory. Junior Shyanne Sellers has led the way for Maryland with 20.7 points per game while graduate students Jakia Brown-Turner (12 points per game) and Brinae Alexander (10.3) have been formidable secondary options, but the Terrapins have struggled to find consistency behind them.
How Syracuse beats Maryland
One thing that Maryland has done well at the start of the season is play fast. Per HerHoopStats, the Terrapins generate 79.7 possessions every 40 minutes, the 30th-highest rate in Division I.
By playing fast on the offensive end, Maryland also forces its opponents to play at a higher pace. Through their first three games, the Terrapins have allowed their opponents to attempt 77 field goals per game. Across its first three games, SU has attempted 67.7 per game.
To keep up with Maryland, the Orange need to be aggressive on the offensive end. If SU keeps the margin tight, its efficiency should lead it to a win. According to HerHoopStats, the Orange’s 1.13 points per scoring attempt ranks 45th in the country while the Terrapins’ 1.01 ranks 130th.
Stat to know: 89.7
Through its first three games of the season, Maryland has allowed its opponents to score an average of 89.7 points per game — a mark that ranks 347th among 358 D-I teams, according to HerHoopStats.
The Orange’s 85.3 points per game is the 29th-best in D-I. If Maryland’s defensive woes persist, Syracuse’s high-powered offense will take advantage. Dyaisha Fair, Alaina Rice, Sophie Burrows, Kyra Wood and Alyssa Latham are all averaging at least 10 points per game. Additionally, guard Georgia Woolley, who averaged 12.9 points per game last season, could make her season debut.
Player to watch: Shyanne Sellers, guard, No. 0
With the departures of Miller and Meyers, Sellers has emerged as the Terrapins’ leading scorer. After being named the Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year as a freshman in 2021-22, Sellers established herself as a starter across the 2022-23 campaign.
Sellers started in 30 of Maryland’s 35 games last season, averaging 13.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game en route to being named to the All-Big Ten Second Team. This season, Sellers has seen an uptick in her volume, attempting 14.0 field goals and 7.3 free throws compared to 10.3 field goals and 3.9 free throws per game in 2022-23.
With her increased usage, Sellers has remained efficient, shooting 45.2% from the field, 46.2% from 3 and 81.8% from the free-throw line. She also averaged a career-high 20.7 points per game.
