Maryland and Norfolk State square off in opening round of NCAA Tournament
Norfolk State Spartans (30-4, 17-0 MEAC) at Maryland Terrapins (23-7, 13-6 Big Ten)
College Park, Maryland; Saturday, 4 p.m. EDT
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Terrapins -16.5; over/under is 145.5
BOTTOM LINE: No. 18 Maryland plays in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Norfolk State.
The Terrapins have gone 13-6 against Big Ten teams, with a 10-1 record in non-conference play. Maryland ranks fourth in the Big Ten with 11.3 offensive rebounds per game led by Christina Dalce averaging 3.7.
The Spartans are 17-0 against MEAC opponents. Norfolk State averages 13.1 turnovers per game and is 26-2 when turning the ball over less than opponents.
Maryland makes 46.6% of its shots from the field this season, which is 10.2 percentage points higher than Norfolk State has allowed to its opponents (36.4%). Norfolk State averages 5.1 more points per game (74.4) than Maryland allows to opponents (69.3).
TOP PERFORMERS: Shyanne Sellers is averaging 14.1 points and 4.2 assists for the Terrapins. Kaylene Smikle is averaging 18.1 points and 5.6 rebounds while shooting 45.5% over the last 10 games.
Diamond Johnson is shooting 34.9% from beyond the arc with 2.0 made 3-pointers per game for the Spartans, while averaging 19.2 points, six rebounds, 4.1 assists and 3.6 steals. Kierra Wheeler is shooting 53.8% and averaging 15.9 points over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Terrapins: 7-3, averaging 78.6 points, 31.0 rebounds, 14.4 assists, 5.4 steals and 3.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 76.8 points per game.
Spartans: 10-0, averaging 80.1 points, 31.3 rebounds, 15.8 assists, 15.1 steals and 6.7 blocks per game while shooting 46.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 50.6 points.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Illinois head coach Bret Bielema calls out tampering in college football
It is no secret that tampering is a big problem in college football today. On seemingly countless occasions, programs have reached out to players not yet in the transfer portal with the hope of convincing them to enter the portal and come to their school. One Big Ten head coach, at least, is not afraid to hold back when it comes to tampering allegations. In a recent appearance on Fox Sports's "The Triple Option" podcast, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema called out an SEC program for tampering with former Illini running back Josh McCray. "Somehow he found his way to the portal and 12 hours after being in the portal he was on a flight to Georgia," Bielema said of McCray. "I don't know how that happened but it's crazy." Sure enough, less than a week after entering the portal, McCray committed to the Bulldogs. Fair or not, tampering in college football tends to benefit big-name programs like Georgia while hurting smaller ones such as Illinois. Fortunately for USC, the Trojans are one of the "haves" when it comes to college football, and stand more likely to benefit from tampering than be hurt by it.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Jason Kelce praises Kansas City Chiefs rookie OL Josh Simmons' Pro Bowl potential
During the latest episode of New Heights, Jason Kelce shared his thoughts on the Kansas City Chiefs' first-round draft pick Josh Simmons. The multiple-time All-Pro center couldn't help but gush about the former Ohio State star's potential in the league. "I've watched a lot of these linemen coming out the last few years, this kid, I mean, he is the closest thing I've seen to like a Trent Williams," said Jason, "like that next level strength and athleticism. The only reason he fell to you guys is because of that (patellar tendon) injury." The San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman is considered one of the best left tackles in the league. He has made 11 Pro Bowl selections and has been named to the first team of the All-Pro League three times in his career. Kelce was a star with the Philadelphia Eagles and is more than qualified to identify another buffing star lineman. Simmons earned Third-Team All-Big Ten honors for the 2024 National Champions.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Why Big Ten will regret bullying SEC on its college football schedule
The SEC speeds too much of its football schedule on easy street. That's the Big Ten's stance, as articulated recently by Illinois coach Bret Bielema. Bielema conveyed the mood of his conference when he called on the SEC to play a ninth conference game. If the Big Ten successfully strong-arms the SEC into reducing its number of cupcake opponents, that will be a win for college football. Advertisement The stubborn persistence of non-conference pushover games remains one of this sport's lamest elements, and no conference plays more patsies than the SEC. The surest way to reduce the number of cupcakes would be to increase the number of conference games. It's not the only way, but it's the firmest path. Left to their own devices, some schools will pursue the greatest number of non-conference cakewalks. So, I wish the Big Ten luck in its mission to bend the SEC toward nine conference games, a figure that would match the number played by the Big Ten and Big 12. And yet, I wonder whether the Big Ten will come to regret trying to bully the SEC on its schedule. Because, I see this ending one of two ways. Advertisement PLAYOFF TALKS: As Big Ten, SEC squabble, the CFP wins SLEEPERS: Five unlikely teams that could contend for national title Possibility 1: The SEC will dig in its heels, rebuff the Big Ten, and remain at eight conference games. If this occurs, it will show that the Big Ten doesn't possess the power it must think it has to influence other conferences. Wouldn't be the first time this happened, either. Remember when the Big Ten chose to cancel its 2020 season amid the pandemic. How'd that turn out? The SEC decided it would play in 2020, and the Big Ten came crawling back to play a truncated season, revealing itself a follower in 2020, not a leader. Advertisement More recently, the Big Ten supported a playoff format rigged with a stacked deck of auto bids. When the SEC soured on the plan, the Big Ten's idea withered on the vine. Possibility 2: The SEC will accept the Big Ten's challenge to play a ninth conference game and reap the reward by building strength of schedule metrics that dwarf most of the Big Ten. The SEC repeatedly has proven itself too chicken to add a ninth conference game. The reasons change, but the result remains the same: Eight conference games. The SEC's reluctance to add another conference game amounts to an irrational fear of the boogeyman. If it ever takes the plunge, it would learn that the rewards offset outweigh the risks. The SEC waged an offseason propaganda campaign claiming that the College Football Playoff selection committee does not value its schedule strength. That's hogwash. Advertisement In truth, the CFP committee has repeatedly valued the SEC's schedule strength. If the playoff had included 16 teams last season, the SEC would have qualified three 9-3 teams and six teams total, while no other conference supplied a three-loss team. The SEC wishes for the selection process to evolve so that strength of schedule metrics are weighted even more in the future, when determining at-large playoff bids. If it achieves that mission and also beefs up its schedule with another conference game, while the playoff expands to 16 teams, look out, Big Ten. The runway would be greased for a cavalcade of 9-3 playoff teams from the SEC. Plus, adding another conference game would help distinguish the SEC's wheat from its chaff, helping ensure that the best SEC teams made the playoff. As it is, the Big Ten owns one upper-hand on the SEC in the rhetoric wars that surround at-large bids: Its membership plays one extra conference game, and most of its members play 10 Power Four opponents, while most SEC teams play nine Power Four foes. Advertisement If the SEC adds a ninth conference game, the Big Ten would surrender that upper-hand. By trying to persuade the SEC to expand its conference schedule, though, the Big Ten must believe another potential outcome exists. Such as: Possibility 3: A ninth SEC game would cause the conference to buckle under the weight of its collective strength, losses will mount, thereby reducing the number of SEC teams with playoff résumés and allowing more access for the Big Ten. Is this possible? Yes. Probable? No. The committee already values strength of schedule, and the SEC's scheduling would be beyond reproach if it added another conference game. Advertisement Vanderbilt shocking Alabama and Kentucky upsetting a top-five opponent on the road are exceptions in the SEC, not rules. Despite those results in 2024, Alabama and Mississippi would have qualified for a 16-team playoff as three-loss teams. Now, imagine if Alabama and Ole Miss had inserted another win against an SEC opponent in place of a blowout against Championship Subdivision roadkill. That would have enhanced each team's credentials, and yet, that's what the Big Ten seems to want. It calls on the SEC to enhance its collective strength of schedule, at an inflection point when strength of schedule could be valued more than ever in the playoff selection process. Careful what you wish for, Big Ten. In 2020, when teams played conference-only schedules, the SEC put four teams in the top nine of the final CFP rankings. Playing more SEC games sure didn't hamper the league that year. If the Big Ten gets its way, and the SEC adds another conference game in place of a cupcake, that would buoy college football. Just don't think it helps the Big Ten. Advertisement Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@ and follow him on X @btoppmeyer. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Big Ten bullying SEC college football schedule ends in regret
