New-and-improved Hurricanes await women's basketball in Fla.

The BankUnited Center in Coral Gables, Fla., hasn't traditionally ranked very high on the list of difficult places to play within the realm of ACC women's basketball.

The arena, Miami's home court, normally has played host to a mediocre Hurricane team, one that has not earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament since 2004.

But change has been on the horizon of late, with Miami coach Katie Meier having seemingly turned things around for the Hurricanes, who host the Terrapin women's basketball team tonight.

"What Katie Meier has done there has been remarkable," coach Brenda Frese said. "Traditionally, Miami has not been … a difficult place to play. But, obviously, it's a difficult place to play this year. They've made it into that."

The No. 20 Hurricanes are undefeated at BankUnited Center this season and sport a 21-game home winning streak dating back to last season. Their success is due in large part to the contributions of junior guards Riquna Williams (21.6 points per game) and Shenise Johnson (19.0), the ACC's two leading scorers.

"They're a difficult challenge," Frese said. "Their ability to score at any time … it reminds me of the backcourt tandem that we had in [Marissa] Coleman and [Kristi] Toliver."

The Hurricanes present an interesting matchup for the No. 12 Terps. Miami's attack primarily depends on the contributions of its explosive guards, while the Terps thrive off the play of their post players.

"There are definitely contrasting styles, when you talk about our inside game to their outside game, their ability to pile up steals and our ability to pound the glass," Frese said.

Miami's tenacious defense, which ranks No. 2 in the country with 15.2 steals per game, could give the Terps trouble. The Terps average 19.3 turnovers per game, and their constant pursuit of fast-break points makes them more susceptible to turnovers in transition.

"They make it extremely difficult for you to run offense," Frese said. "We're going to have to take really good care of the basketball."

So while the Terps don't expect to completely shut down Williams and Johnson — "They're going to get their shots; we've just got to try and make them work for things," guard Anjale Barrett said — the Hurricanes may be facing a similar challenge in disrupting the Terps' post players.

Even if forward Alyssa Thomas (back injury) is unable to play tonight, Miami will still have to contend with the bulk of the nation's No. 2 rebounding squad.

"Nobody can stop our bigs when we're down there. We'll just work them inside-out," said center Lynetta Kizer.

Tonight's battle will take on special meaning for many of the Terps. The last time the two teams met, Miami ended the Terps' 48-game home winning streak with an 80-77 win, the first of several disappointing losses at Comcast Center for the Terps last season.

With Miami in the midst of its own extended winning streak at BankUnited Center, a second consecutive road win for the Terps would be that much sweeter.

"Definitely keeping that in the back of my head when we go into their building," Kizer said. "This is another game that we feel like we can go out and we can win."

cwalsh@umdbk.com