Women's basketball's win streak moves to five with ease

A major concern for any squad as inexperienced as the Terrapin women's basketball team, one which has no seniors and relies on contributions from four freshmen, is often the temptation to play to the level of its opposition.

With a weekend slate of home games against lowly Wake Forest and Longwood, the No. 14 Terps likely could have come away with two victories with little emotion or energy.

Instead, the Terps were relentless on both ends of the floor, never allowing either of their opponents any degree of comfort en route to two resounding victories to extend their winning streak to five games.

The weekend started on a high note Friday against the Demon Deacons, against whom the Terps rode the momentum of a 17-0 first-half run to a 75-44 win. They maintained that energy against Longwood yesterday, combining tough defense with transition offense to start the game on a 30-2 run in an eventual 46-point victory.

"Something that the coaches tell us was ‘It's not about who we play, but how we play,'" said center Lynetta Kizer, who scored 15 points in the team's 84-38 victory over Longwood.

Guard Kim Rodgers fueled the Terps' (18-3, 4-2 ACC) pivotal stretch against Wake Forest, knocking down 3-pointers on three consecutive possessions. She finished the game with 17 points.

And while the Terps put together two of their better offensive efforts in this weekend's work, their play in the defensive end was perhaps more impressive. Against the Demon Deacons, the Terps stifled their visitors with unyielding man-to-man defense, holding them to less than 30 percent shooting.

The team shifted gears yesterday, showcasing a full-court press early and settling into a 1-3-1 zone that produced 18 steals and allowed just 14 first-half points.

"I thought our team was ready to play and defensively did some really nice things," coach Brenda Frese said after yesterday's game. "We wanted to work on our press ... and being able to get a lot of work in our 1-3-1 zone, we can play some different combinations."

That defensive versatility will come in handy for the Terps as they transition back into their ACC slate, with three of their next five games coming against ranked opponents.

The Terps continued to dominate the paint, scoring a combined 72 points and winning the rebounding battle in each game convincingly.

Forward Alyssa Thomas continued her standout freshman campaign, leading all scorers against Wake Forest with 19 points to go along with 11 rebounds despite the Demon Deacons' attempts to lock her down with double- and triple-teams. Thomas posted another 14 points yesterday.

Fellow freshman Alicia DeVaughn also impressed against Longwood, notching a career-high 16 points.

But against the Lancers, Frese tapped Kizer as the team's catalyst.

"I thought it started with Lynetta," Frese said. "Her approach to the game and just her vocalness and energy ... I could tell in pregame [yesterday] that she was ready to play."

As the Terps continue to improve and carve out their identity, Frese said that things are shaping up the way she had hoped.

"I really believe this team doesn't really even understand quite how good they can be," Frese said, noting the importance of her team's depth. "I really feel like we're coming into form and peaking at the right time."

TERP NOTE: Rodgers missed yesterday's game against Longwood to rest a sore knee, which was surgically repaired during her redshirt freshman season in 2007-08. Rodgers is expected to return Thursday, when the Terps play at No. 25 Georgia Tech.

cwalsh@umdbk.com