SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Just three days ago, the Alabama Men’s basketball team reached the Sweet 16, winning over Maryland. As a No. 2 Seed, their domination over the 10th seeded Terrapins was not unexpected. However, the Universities were not done with their matchups on the hardwood; on Wednesday, the No. 2 Seed Maryland (26-2) Women’s team were seeking revenge facing the No. 10 Seed Alabama (17-10).
For Alabama, they prefer playing a 2-3 zone on defense, hoping to take teams out of their best offensive schemes. However, Maryland is built to dominate a zone; nationally, they rank 1st in scoring (91.5 PPG), 2nd in three-point percentage (40.6%), and 3rd in field-goal percentage (49.4%).
On Wednesday, all of those factors came into play as Maryland dominated Alabama, 100-64, to reach the Sweet 16. For Maryland, their transition offense made sure the Alabama zone could not get set up. They forced 19 turnovers, converting those into 33 points off turnovers. When they were in the half-court, they were shooting the lights out; they shot 62% from the field and 41% from behind-the-arc.
Maryland heads back to Sweet 16
For Maryland, this is their first appearance in the Sweet 16 since 2017. As Big Ten Champions and a No. 2 Seed, they are gaining momentum as real contenders. What stands out about this team is how deep their rotation is and how many places scoring comes from. Five different players scored in double-figures, with two of those players coming off the bench.
One of those players was Angel Reese, who led the team with 19 points on 8 of 12 shooting. She was the leader of the efficient bench unit, who provided 46 points combined in support of the starters.
Benzan continues a memorable season in her grad-transfer year
Before coming to Maryland, Katie Benzan was as accomplished as any player in D-1 basketball. In her three years at Harvard, she set the school record for made threes (287) and scored 1,223 career points. However, proving yourself in the Ivy League is one thing; going against the Big Ten and the top national teams is a whole different ball game.
Fortunately for her and Maryland, she has been just as successful as she was at Harvard. Her shooting has put her on national radars; after Wednesday, she leads the country in three-point percentage (50.6%) and is ranked 6th in threes per game (3.3 3PG).
Her 2 of 3 shooting from three for 9 points helped Maryland break the Alabama zone. Her presence makes guarding this Maryland team a nightmare. Four of their five starters are legitimate threats from range, and she is arguably the biggest threat in the country.
Up Next
No. 2 Maryland vs. No. 3 UCLA OR No. 6 Texas, Saturday, March 27, Alamodome, San Antonio, TX
 Women’s team were seeking revenge facing the No. 10 Seed Alabama (17-10).){kind=link}