Changing Gears . . . and Shoes!

The Terps' game against the JMU Dukes at Comcast tonight started out as one of those stop-and-go affairs. Maryland grabbed a narrow lead, JMU responded, Maryland scored again, JMU countered with a 3 pointer. Dukes go up by 1, Maryland scores the last bucket of the half; Terps take a 1 point lead into the locker room. That was the first 20 minutes. Then the second half opened pretty much the same way. A basket here, a miss there, a JMU long-range bomb, a Maryland turnover, a rebound and a layup . . . a tight game, looking very much like the first half. And Maryland still looking like a team trying to find itself.

But then, with about 10 minutes remaining, Maryland found a way out of that bumper-to-bumper traffic. The Terps changed gears, and in a span of only 7 minutes turned a one-point margin into a 17-point cushion, ultimately winning by a final score of 90-76. For a short while, at least, Maryland looked like a team that had found itself!

Kristi Toliver helped spark the Maryland run, attacking the basket and drawing fouls, finishing with a team-high 27 points (and 10 assists). Marissa Coleman also turned her game up a notch in that critical stretch, playing aggressively on both ends of the floor. The newbie frontcourt starters, Lynetta Kizer and Dee Liles, continue to impress us with their energy, enthusiasm, and talent. Dee's athleticism is just remarkable, particularly her ability to catch the ball in mid-air and put the ball in the basket before returning to Earth! Like Kristi, Dee also finished with a double-double (16 points and 10 rebounds), not to mention 5 blocked shots!

Just like last year, Coach Kenny Brooks and his JMU Dukes were a tough opponent. The final score does not reflect how close the game was for most of the match. Dawn Evans of JMU led all scorers with 33 points (that's right, 33!). She was virtually unstoppable. No matter who Maryland put on her, she found a way to score. She's a very talented young lady! But in the end, Maryland's 5 starters (all solidly in double figures) trumped her big night.

Apart from making a statement with their win, the Terps also made a fashion statement, unveiling their new blood-red, yellow-soled Nike sneakers (pictured above). They are now undefeated in their new footwear!

The Terps have one more home game before they head to Cancun for Thanksgiving -- a match this Sunday at 2 PM against a very good UCLA team. Let's hope those new shoes remain undefeated! See you Sunday!

Photo Credit: DC BasketCases