Hard not to notice

As forward Alyssa Thomas and center Lynetta Kizer dominated the statsheet all season, the player most instrumental to their success went largely unnoticed.

In a conference saturated with talented point guards, Anjale Barrett entered her junior year with little notoriety. Even as her performance skyrocketed this season, she continued to fly under the radar.

Barrett finished the season ranked among the ACC's elite, leading all players in conference play in both assists per game (5.4) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.3). But unlike her All-ACC beneficiaries down low, Barrett was not only snubbed from the conference's list of honorees but also vting for the teams altogether.

That hasn't diminished the impact she's had on the No. 16 Terps this season, though.

"She's a big reason why we've had so much success this year," coach Brenda Frese said. "I think Anjale has proven this year that she's a force to be reckoned with."

For the redshirt junior, that transition into a leadership role didn't come easily. After starting just 11 games for the Terps last season, Barrett said she often "felt like I was a step behind."

But when Frese and the Terps chose to devote the offseason to conditioning, Barrett took the goal to heart. After committing to elevating her fitness level, Barrett arrived at the team's preseason in the best shape of her life. Finally caught up both mentally and physically, Barrett soon established herself as the director of the Terps' newly incorporated run-and-gun attack.

"Now I feel like I'm right there or maybe a step ahead," Barrett said. "I've been able to push the ball up the floor and play a lot more minutes."

Barrett has had highs and lows in her career with the Terps, having gone to the Elite Eight in 2009 before missing the NCAA Tournament last season. Hardened by those memories and bolstered by an unassuming leadership style, Barrett has emerged as one of the team's top on-court supervisors.

"By far one of the most improved players," Frese said. "She's playing with confidence, leading this team ... the ultimate floor general."

Barrett's leadership does not always stem from her words. Instead, she described herself as a "timely vocal leader," carefully choosing when to impart the basketball wisdom she grew up with.

Growing up in Bronx, N.Y., Barrett was in the gym at an early age. Her father is a referee, and her brother, Andre, played at Seton Hall and has been an NBA journeyman since. A supreme understanding of the game, then, came naturally.

"I know after games, my dad, my mom, my brother are going to critique me," Barrett said. "They're not going to baby me. They're going to give it to me straight, probably worse than the coaches are going to give me."

"She doesn't speak a lot, but when she does," forward Diandra Tchatchouang said, "it means something to us."

As the Terps examine just what needs fixing following an early exit from the ACC Tournament on Friday, Barrett becomes all the more important.

One of just three Terps with NCAA Tournament experience, Barrett will not only be leaned on for leadership but also depended on as one of the team's oft-needed secondary scorers.

Kizer and Thomas have established themselves as the team's go-to offensive options, but when they're stifled, the scoring load often falls on Barrett and others on the team.

And in an odd twist for a natural leader, Barrett's consistency comes down to an issue of confidence.

"She has a great-looking shot," Frese said. "[Anjale's] biggest opponent is her — it's just her stepping up and believing in herself and shooting the ball with confidence."

When Barrett and fellow junior guard Kim Rodgers can hit perimeter shots, the Terps have proven difficult to beat.

Without secondary scoring, though, the team has struggled. As they begin the NCAA Tournament on March 20, the Terps' success may ride on the play of their steady, quiet leader at the point.

"It's do or die now. We get to see another day; a lot of teams don't get to see another day," Barrett said. "We've just got to play with a sense of urgency. We've got a chance to make a big run in the tournament, and I feel like a lot of people are overlooking us."

cwalsh at umdbk dot com